JP3522980B2 - Control system for bathtub related equipment - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a control system for bathtub-related equipment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a control system consisting of a device and an operation panel for operating the device, when information is exchanged between the device body and the operation panel by communication, in order to identify the device of the communication partner, A part of the communication data is transmitted including a model code indicating the type of device. Then, in the one-to-one system with the device, the model codes are checked with each other to prevent communication with different models or models with which communication is not possible.

In a system in which devices of a plurality of models or operation panels are simultaneously connected or selected and connected, a communication partner is identified by using a model code, and a control means corresponding to the communication partner, for example, display information or various types. Select the function of the operation switch.

[0004]

With the above technique, a new model code must be set every time a new model is developed, and it is conceivable that the limited model code will run short.

Even if different model codes are used,
If there is a functional group that is functionally equivalent and does not require distinction between control means, each model code may be stored, searched, and sorted into functional groups.
Storage capacity is required for search and selection, which increases the processing load. Also, as new models are developed one after another, it is difficult to support all model codes.

Further, when the model code is set not for the function group but for each series, it becomes impossible to distinguish the function groups by the model code. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to easily determine the model of a connected device in a control system for bathtub-related devices without including the model code in communication data.

[0007]

In a control system comprising a device and an operation panel for operating the device, presence / absence of a specific function or permission / prohibition of a specific function in communication data transmitted from the device to the operation panel. Is provided with reading means for reading the data representing the data, determination means for determining the model of the equipment from the read data, and selection means for selecting the control means based on the determination result. Further, it is characterized in that the equipment is a water heater and has a heat retention function for boiling a specific function and a water filling heat retention function.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 and 2 are overall configuration diagrams of a control system for bathtub-related equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A water heater 3 which circulates bath water in a bath 2 by a hot water or a pump 4 and reheats it by a gas combustor 6, and a purifier 12 which circulates the bath hot water by a pump 8.
A bathtub hot water circulation purification heat retention device 5 that purifies the water by the electric heater 10 and a bubble generation device 7 that generates a bubble jet in the bathtub 2 are provided. The water heater 3, the bath water circulation purification heat retention device 5, and the bubble generation device 7 are connected to the operation panel 1 via communication and power supply cables 9, 11, and 13.

On the front surface of the operation panel 1, a display section 15 comprising a dot matrix LCD with a touch switch on the tube surface,
Function selection key 1 for selecting some predetermined functions
7 and an LED indicator 19 for displaying the status of the system. Further, a microcomputer is provided in the operation panel 1.

The operation panel 1 has a water heater 3A of a different model,
3B etc. can be connected. The operation panel 1 is provided with a discriminating means for automatically discriminating the communication system or the like of the connected water heater 3.

As shown in FIG. 3, the operation panel 1 includes a hard key 41 serving as a function selection key 17, an LED 42 for configuring the display unit 15, a touch panel 43, and an LCD 44.
Is prepared. The communication I / F 50 of the water heater 3 and the communication I / F 49 of the operation panel 1 are connected by a communication and power feeding cable 9. The communication I / F 49 of the operation panel 1 is connected to various data reading means 48, and the various data reading means 48 are respectively connected to the model determining means 47 and the control means 45. The model determining means 47 is controlled by the controlling means selecting means.
It is connected to the control means 46.

The communication data from the water heater 3 is read by various data reading means 48, and the model determining means 47 determines the model based on the data indicating the presence / absence or permission / prohibition of a specific function in the communication data. The model determination result is sent to the control means by the control means selection means 46 so as to perform control according to the model. This allows control according to the model.

5 and 6 show communication data structures of the water heater 3.

FIG. 5 shows communication data of the water heater 3A.
For the equipment, start code 5A, model group code 6
0, unit code OF, data D1 to D10, etc. The 8 bits of the data D6 include data indicating permission / prohibition of the function. There is a bit indicating the permission / prohibition of the heat retention function to boil (the function that heats the bath water to a certain temperature to keep it warm) at the display position of "Wa" of bit 0, and the water filling at the display position of "Yu" of bit 1 There is a bit that indicates permission / prohibition of the heat retention function (function that keeps the bath water at a certain level and keeps it at a certain temperature). Then, “0” is displayed in the case of permission and “1” is displayed in the case of prohibition.

FIG. 6 shows communication data of the water heater 3B.
The device has a start code 5A, a model code 60, a unit code OF, data D1 to D4, and the like. Data D
3 has a bit indicating permission / prohibition of the function.
The bit 2 "Wa" display position has a boil heat retention function permission / prohibition bit, and the bit 4 "Yu" display position has a boil heat retention function permission / prohibition bit. Then, “0” is displayed in the case of permission and “1” is displayed in the case of prohibition.

The determination of the model of the water heater is made based on FIG. Whether the water heater operation switch is on (S1), Y
If so, is there an error in the next step (S
2) If not, whether or not the next-step hot water filling and boiling functions are off (S3). If it is off at step S3, the water heater model is determined.

First, it is checked whether warming is permitted or prohibited (step S4). If it is permitted, the process goes to the next step (step S5). If hot water retention is permitted, a semi-automatic water heater (hot water It is determined to be a water heater of a system in which the water is heated to a certain level and the temperature of the hot water is maintained at the set temperature, but the amount of hot water in the bathtub does not return to the certain level even if the amount of hot water decreases (step S
6). If hot water heat retention is prohibited, it is determined to be a single-function water heater (a water heater that only keeps hot water at the set temperature) (step S7). If it is prohibited, go to step (step S8). If hot water heat retention is allowed, a fully automatic water heater (maintains hot water to a certain water level, hot water temperature is also set temperature). In step S9, the water is kept warm and the amount of hot water in the bathtub decreases and the water level is restored to a certain level (step S9). If hot water insulation is prohibited, it is determined to be unknown (step S10).

That is, when the heat insulation permission / prohibition bit to be shredded is permitted and the distortion heat retention permission / prohibition bit is permitted, the model determination result is semi-automatic. If the warm insulation enable / disable bit is enabled and the distortion heat retention enable / disable bit is disabled, the model determination result is a single function. When the heat insulation permission / prohibition bit to be shredded is prohibited and the distortion heat retention permission / prohibition bit is enabled, the model determination result is fully automatic. If the heat insulation permission / prohibition bit to be swallowed and the distortion heat retention permission / prohibition bit is prohibited, the model determination result is unknown.

Based on the model determination result of the hot water supply device, the connected device name and the model name can be displayed on the help menu screen that displays the description of the device connected to the operation panel 1 and the operation method of the device. For example, when the help switch display 230 in the original image 200 of FIG.
The large menu image 201 is displayed. This indicates that the water heater, the bubble generator, and the bath water circulation purification heat retention device are connected to the connected device display unit 301. And
The model display unit 302 indicates that the fully-automatic model of the water heater and the G model of the bubble generator are connected.

Furthermore, when the switch display 235 for selecting the Yuyaori function in the large menu image 201 is touch-operated, the image 202 of FIG. 10 is displayed as the small menu selection image.
Select. This is an image when a fully automatic water heater is connected, or when a semi-automatic water heater is connected and a bath water circulation purification heat retention device is not connected.

Further, when the switch display 235 for selecting the hot water function in the large menu image 201 is touch-operated, the image 203 of FIG. 11 is selected as the small menu selection image.
Select. This is an image when a semi-automatic water heater is connected and a bath water circulation purification heat retention device is connected.

When the switch display 253 for selecting the bath temperature and water level functions in the large menu image 201 is touch-operated, the image 204 of FIG. 12 is selected as the small menu selection image. When the gather / slim / plenty switch display 241 is touch-operated, the image 205 of FIG. 13 is selected as the fine menu selection image. This is a display when a fully automatic water heater is connected or a semi-automatic water heater is connected. When a single-function water heater is connected, the image 206 shown in FIG. 14 is displayed. That is, the operation method, the explanation, etc. according to the model of the connected water heater are displayed, which is convenient. The above is an example of the display screen depending on the model of the water heater, but it can be applied to other bathtub equipment.

Next, the processing operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, a drive power source for the operation panel 1 (not shown)
When it is confirmed that the power has been turned on (step S21), communication is started individually for the water heater controller 25, the bath water circulation purification heat retention device controller 27, and the bubble generator controller 29 (step S22). , 7 is checked for connection / non-connection (step S23). Next, the model of the water heater is confirmed (step S24).

Next, when the help switch display 230 on the original screen 200 is touched (step S25), the image 201 is output to the display unit 15 as a large menu selection screen. Here, if it is assumed that the switch display 235 for selecting the hot water filling function in the image 201 is touch-operated before a predetermined time has elapsed since the image 201 was displayed on the display unit 15 (step S27), the model is changed. Image 2 according
02 or 203 is displayed on the display unit 15 as a small menu screen (step S28).

In this way, when it is confirmed that a predetermined time has elapsed after displaying the image on the display unit 15 (step S29), the original screen 200 is displayed (step S3).
0).

[0029]

The present invention has the following effects.

(1) Since the model of the device is determined by the presence / absence or permission / prohibition of a specific function, it is not necessary to set the model code for each model, and the lack of the model code can be resolved.

(2) Even if the model code system is changed, if the function enable / disable or permit / prohibit code is not changed,
The model can be determined in the same way. .

(3) Even if the communication format is changed and the data position of the function presence / absence or permission / prohibition code is changed, if there is a function presence / absence or permission / prohibition code, an equivalent judgment is made. Means can be used.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a control system for bathtub-related equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of each device of the embodiment.

[Fig. 3] Block diagram for performing model determination

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of model determination.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of transmission data (one embodiment)

FIG. 6 is a transmission data configuration diagram (another embodiment).

FIG. 7 is a front view of the operation panel.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an original image in which operating states of respective functions that can be installed are displayed.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a large menu selection image of each function that can be installed.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a detailed menu selection image of the hot water filling function (when the fully automatic water heater is connected or the semi-automatic water heater is connected and the bath water circulation purifying heat insulator is not connected).

FIG. 11 is a view showing a detailed menu selection image of a hot water filling function (when a semi-automatic water heater is connected and a bath water circulation purification warmer is connected).

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a small menu selection image of the bath temperature / water level setting function.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an image for selecting a small menu of the bath temperature / water level setting function (when a fully automatic water heater is connected or a semi-automatic water heater is connected).

FIG. 14 is a view showing a detailed menu selection image of a bath temperature / water level setting function (when a single-function water heater is connected).

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing a processing operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Operation panel 2 bathtubs 3 water heater 5 bath water circulation purification warmer 7 Bubble generator 9, 11, 13 Communication and power supply cables 15 Display 25 water heater controller 26 Bath water circulation purification warmer controller 27 Bubble Generator Controller 45 Control means 46 Control means selecting means 47 model determination means 48 Various data reading means 49, 50 Communication I / F

Continuation of front page (56) Reference JP-A-2-287660 (JP, A) JP-A-5-53965 (JP, A) JP-A-61-15852 (JP, A) JP-A-5-289976 (JP , A) Japanese Patent Publication 3-76508 (JP, B2) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F24H 1/00 A47K 3/00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. In a control system comprising a device and an operation panel for operating the device, presence / absence of a specific function or permission of a specific function in communication data transmitted from the device to the operation panel.
Control of bathtub-related equipment, comprising reading means for reading data indicating prohibition, judging means for judging the type of equipment from the read data, and selection means for selecting control means based on the judgment result system. 2. The control system for bathtub-related equipment according to claim 1, wherein the equipment is a water heater and the specific functions are a heat retention function for boiling and a heat retention function for filling water.