JP4888342B2 - Equipment device, equipment management system, method and computer program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to equipment for equipment, equipment management system, method, and computer program, and more particularly, to a technique for performing network setting of equipment.

  Conventionally, equipment is connected to an external network and remotely managed. Various settings such as address setting and connection setting are necessary for this network connection (for example, Patent Document 1).

In particular, the network addresses (IP addresses, etc.) set for each equipment device are initially set at the time of factory shipment, etc. After the equipment is installed, the network settings are made through trial operation, etc. An address is assigned to enable communication with a remote management center.
International Publication No. 2002/080467 Pamphlet

  However, the initial setting of the IP address may be changed by the convenience of the user or accidentally after installation of the equipment. In such a case, the network connection with the management center is not possible, and the equipment cannot be properly operated and managed. In this case, it is necessary to reset the IP address setting to the initial setting.

  As a means for resetting the address setting, there is a reset using a user interface such as a reset button or a remote control. However, a user interface such as a reset button or a remote controller may not be provided in the equipment for reasons such as cost reduction. Even if there is a means for resetting, the network card may be installed and cannot be set or operated easily, or may be provided in a place where it is difficult to operate depending on the installation location of the equipment. Moreover, providing the reset means easily increases the cost and causes inconveniences such as erroneous resetting.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to reliably and easily reset an address of a facility device on a network and perform network setting.

  An apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is an apparatus that is provided in a facility device connected to a network, has a network address, and performs setting of the network and the facility device, and includes a network connection unit, a monitoring unit, and a reset A part. The network connection unit transmits and receives network communication signals. The first information storage unit stores first information indicating completion / non-completion of the trial operation of the equipment. The monitoring unit acquires the first information from the first information storage unit and monitors the connection state of the network. The reset unit resets the address to a predetermined address based on the first information from the monitoring unit and the network connection state.

  Here, the device that is provided in the equipment connected to the network, has a network address, and sets the network and the equipment is a device attached to or connected to the equipment, for example, equipment It may be provided as an adapter device for the device. Monitoring the network connection status is performed by acquiring information indicating the status of whether the apparatus is connected to the network or not.

  Here, when the network address of the equipment device is changed and the network connection cannot be established, the network address of the equipment device can be reset reliably and easily. Further, since it is not necessary to provide a reset means such as a reset button, it can be manufactured at a low cost, and accidents such as erroneous resetting can be prevented.

  The device according to the second invention is a device according to the first invention, wherein the first information indicates that the trial run has not been completed, and the network connection state has been connected after being disconnected for a predetermined time or more. When the monitoring unit determines, the reset unit resets the address to a predetermined address.

  Here, since the reset is performed only when the first information indicates that the test run is not completed and the connection state of the network is not connected for a predetermined time or longer, the reset is performed, so that an unintended reset can be prevented. it can.

  The device according to the third invention is the device according to the first invention, and the predetermined address is an address set when the device or equipment is shipped from the factory.

  A device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the device according to the first aspect of the present invention, further comprising an address management unit that manages presence / absence of address change. When the address is changed, the address management unit changes the first information to indicate that the test run is not completed.

  A facility equipment management system according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, further comprising an execution unit that executes a trial run. The execution unit changes the first information so as to indicate the completion of the trial run after the trial run is completed, and sets the predetermined address to the second address.

  Here, the second address is, for example, an address on the network of the equipment and is a regular address.

  Here, even after the trial run is completed, when the address is changed by the user or the like, the trial run is not completed, so that the reset can be performed more reliably.

  A facility equipment management system according to a sixth aspect of the present invention includes the apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention, the facility equipment, and a management device that is communicably connected to the apparatus and the equipment and performs centralized management of the equipment. A management apparatus stores the 2nd information including the registration information of the address of an installation apparatus and the completion information of the said test run transmitted through the apparatus which concerns on 1st invention.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, when the address on the network of an installation apparatus is changed and a network connection cannot be performed, the address on the network of an installation apparatus can be reset reliably and easily and network setting can be performed.

1. Embodiment 1.1. Schematic Configuration of Air Conditioning Management System FIG. 1 shows an air conditioning management system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The air conditioning management system 1 is a management device that is remotely installed with an adapter device 10 installed in an indoor unit or the like of an air conditioner 50 installed in a building, and is provided in the adapter device 10 so as to be able to communicate via a network 60. 20. The network 60 is an external network such as the Internet.

  The adapter device 10 is attached to an air conditioner that is one node of a local network of air conditioners in a building. In addition to the network setting according to the present invention, the adapter device 10 transmits control information, operation information, and the like of the air conditioner 50 to the management device 20 and receives information from the management device 20. The management device 20 collects control information, operation information, and the like of the air conditioner 50 and manages them centrally.

  In addition, although illustration is abbreviate | omitted, the air-conditioning management system 1 is performing management control of the installation apparatus in a some building. In addition, control information, operation information, and the like of the plurality of air conditioners 50 in the building may be collected by the controller and transmitted to the management device 20.

1.2. Adapter Device As shown in FIG. 1, the adapter device 10 includes a network connection unit 11, an information storage unit 12, a monitoring unit 13, a reset unit 14, an execution unit 15, and an address management unit 16.

  The network connection unit 11 performs communication between the adapter device 10 and the management device 20 and transmits a network connection state to the monitoring unit 13. The communication method between the network connection unit 11 and the monitoring unit 13 includes the following. For example, the network connection unit 11 may transmit the current connection state while the monitoring unit 13 inquires the network connection unit 11 at predetermined time intervals (polling communication). Alternatively, when connection / disconnection occurs in the network connection unit 11, the network connection unit 11 may transmit the information to the monitoring unit 13.

  Here, the network connection state indicates a state in which the adapter device 10 is connected to the network 60 or not connected. Specifically, the case where the network cable is pulled out from the adapter device 10 is set to the disconnected state. This network disconnected state is intentionally created by a person to reset.

  The information storage unit 12 stores the trial operation information 12a and the IP address of the adapter device 10. Here, the trial operation information is information indicating whether the trial operation is completed or completed for the air conditioner 50. Specifically, a completion flag is set when the trial run is completed.

  The monitoring unit 13 receives the information indicating the network connection state described above from the network connection unit 11 and acquires the trial operation information 12 a from the information storage unit 12. Moreover, when the monitoring unit 13 obtains information on the non-connection state, the monitoring unit 13 measures the time until the next connection by a measurement unit (not shown). Then, it is determined whether or not the non-connection time exceeds a predetermined time (here, 10 minutes). If the non-connection time does not exceed the predetermined time, it is determined that no non-connection state has been intentionally created by a person, that is, no reset is requested, so that no reset is applied. The length of the predetermined time is arbitrary, but if it is too short, an unintended reset may occur, and if it is too long, it takes too much time for resetting work. Therefore, it is set in consideration of such inconvenience.

  The reset unit 14 resets the IP address 12b of the information storage unit 12 to a predetermined IP address according to a command from the monitoring unit 13. Here, the predetermined IP address is an initial IP address set when the adapter device 10 is shipped from the factory, and is an address until the trial operation of the air conditioner 50 is performed.

  The execution unit 15 executes a test run program described later. In the trial operation, communication is performed using the reset initial IP address. In addition, after the trial run is completed, the execution unit 15 sets a trial run completion flag in the trial run information 12a, acquires a regular IP address, and updates the IP address 12b of the information storage unit 12.

  The address management unit 16 manages whether or not the IP address has been changed by the user or the like, and rewrites the test run information 12a when the IP address has been changed. Specifically, when the IP address is changed by the user or the like, the trial run completion flag in the trial run information 12a is not set and the trial run is not completed.

  Note that the hardware configuration of the adapter device 10 is, for example, as follows. The network connection unit 11 is a so-called network card, the information storage unit 12 is a memory for storing information, the monitoring unit 13, the reset unit 14 and the execution unit 15 are programs (not shown) for executing each function and their A CPU that executes processing.

1.3. Management Device As shown in FIG. 1, the management device 20 receives information from the adapter device 10 by a report reception program 21. Specifically, the trial operation completion information and the IP address for registration are received from the adapter device 10 which has completed the trial operation and the setting of the regular IP address associated therewith, and these information are related to the identification information of the air conditioner 50 and the like. And stored in the storage unit 22.

1.4. Trial Run Program The trial run program 31 is activated by a PC connected to the adapter device 10. By executing the trial operation program, the trial operation of the air conditioner 50 is executed via the execution unit 15 of the adapter device 10.

1.5. Processing of Air Conditioning Management System FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a first processing operation by the air conditioning management system 1.

  Step S101: The monitoring unit 13 of the adapter apparatus 10 determines whether or not the network has been disconnected from the connected state based on information from the network connecting unit 11.

  Step S102: When the network is disconnected, the disconnection time is measured by a time measurement unit (not shown). If not connected, the process is terminated.

  Step S103: The monitoring unit 13 determines whether or not the network non-connection time has exceeded 10 minutes and whether or not there has been a connection thereafter. If YES, the process proceeds to step S104. If NO, the process ends.

  Step S104: The monitoring unit 13 determines whether there is a trial run completion flag in the trial run information 12a. If there is no completion flag, the process proceeds to step S105. If there is, a reset is not performed and the process ends.

  Step S105: The IP address is reset to the predetermined IP address.

  Step S106: The test operation program 31 is activated and the test operation of the air conditioner 50 is executed via the execution unit 15.

  Step S107: The execution unit 15 sets the trial operation completion flag of the trial operation information 12a.

  Step S108: The execution unit 15 sets a regular IP address and stores it in the information storage unit 12.

  Step S109: The registered IP address and the trial run completion information are transmitted to the management device 20 via the network connection unit 11, and are registered by the management device 20.

  FIG. 3 is a second process performed before or after the first process of FIG. 2, and is a process when the IP address is changed by a user or the like.

  Step S110: The address management unit 16 determines whether the IP address has been changed by the user or the like. If there is a change, the process proceeds to step S111, and if there is no change, the process ends.

  Step S111: The address management unit 16 sets the trial run completion flag to none.

  When the IP address is changed by the user or the like, the trial run completion flag is always set to be null, so that the trial run incomplete condition (step S104) is satisfied in the first process. Therefore, the reset process can be performed by satisfying the condition of the disconnected state (step S103).

  In addition, the said 1st and 2nd process is an example, The process procedure is not limited to said thing.

1.6. Effects of this embodiment According to the adapter device 10 according to this embodiment, even if the user or the like changes the IP address of the adapter device 10, the user or the like can easily and easily create a predetermined disconnected state. The IP address can be surely reset.

  In addition, when the IP address is reset, a trial run is performed, so that it is possible to prevent the registration information of the management device 20 related to the IP address and the information held by the local adapter device 10 from being wrinkled.

  Furthermore, since it is not necessary to provide a reset button or the like in the adapter device 10 or the air conditioner 50, it can be manufactured at a low cost, and accidents such as erroneous resetting can be prevented.

2. Modification 2.1.
In the above embodiment, even if a predetermined disconnected state is created, resetting is not performed if the trial operation is completed. In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 4, a reset instruction may be issued from the reset instruction unit 23 provided in the management device 20 to the reset unit of the adapter device 10 by a program or the like.

2.2.
In the said embodiment, although the air conditioner 50 is mentioned as an example as apparatus to which the adapter apparatus 10 is attached, it is not limited to this. Any other equipment that can be a network node is included.

2.3.
In the above embodiment, the IP address is assigned to the adapter device 10, but the IP address may be assigned to the air conditioner 50. Since the adapter device 10 is installed in the air conditioner 50, the adapter device 10 itself may not use an IP address and may use the IP address of the air conditioner 50.

2.4.
In the above embodiment, the IP address is initially set at the time of factory shipment, but the IP address is not set at the time of factory shipment, and may be automatically assigned by DHCP or the like after the air conditioner 50 is installed. . In this case, after the reset process according to the above embodiment, an IP address is given and a test run is performed.

2.5.
In the above-described embodiment, the network setting according to the present invention is performed by the adapter device 10, but the present invention is not limited to this. Any device may be used as long as the device is attached to or connected to the equipment.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention has an effect that a network address of a facility device can be reset reliably and easily and network setting can be performed, and is useful as a device of a facility device, a facility device management system, a method and a computer program. .

Schematic of facility equipment management system according to an embodiment of the present invention The flowchart which shows the flow of the 1st process of the adapter apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows the flow of the 2nd process of the adapter apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the modification of embodiment of this invention

1 Air conditioning management system (equipment management system)
10 Adapter device (device)
11 Network connection part 12 Information storage part 12a Test run information 12b IP address (address)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 13 Monitoring part 14 Reset part 15 Execution part 16 Address management part 20 Management apparatus 21 Report reception program 22 Information storage part 23 Reset instruction | indication part 31 Test run program 50 Air conditioner 60 Network

Claims (6)

An apparatus (10) provided in a facility device (50) connected to a network (60), having an address of the network (60), and configured to set the network (60) and the facility device (50) There,
A network connection unit (11) for transmitting and receiving communication signals of the network;
A first information storage unit (12) for storing first information indicating completion / non-completion of the trial operation of the equipment;
A monitoring unit (13) for acquiring the first information from the first information storage unit (12) and monitoring a connection state of the network;
A reset unit (14) for resetting the address to a predetermined address based on the first information from the monitoring unit (13) and the network connection state;
A device comprising: When the monitoring unit (13) determines that the first information indicates that the test run has not been completed, and the network connection state has been disconnected after a predetermined time or more, the reset (13) The unit (14) resets the address to the predetermined address.
The apparatus of claim 1. The predetermined address is an address set at the time of factory shipment of the device (10) or the equipment (50).
The apparatus of claim 1. An address management unit (16) for managing whether or not the address is changed;
The address management unit (16), when the address is changed, changes the first information to indicate that the test run is not completed.
The apparatus of claim 1. An execution unit (15) for executing the trial run;
The execution unit (15) changes the first information to indicate the completion of the test operation after the completion of the test operation, and sets the predetermined address to a second address.
The apparatus of claim 1. An apparatus (10) according to claim 1;
Said equipment (50);
A management device (20) that is communicably connected to the device (10) and the equipment (50), and performs centralized management of the equipment (50);
With
The management device (20)
Storing second information including registration information of the address of the equipment (50) and completion information of the test run, which is transmitted via the device (10);
Equipment management system.