JP5476064B2 - Wireless communication system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a radio communication system including a plurality of radio stations, and more particularly to a radio communication system in which each radio station operates using a battery as a power source.

  For radio stations used in Japan, the characteristics of radio waves used (RF characteristics) such as occupied frequency bandwidth and adjacent channel leakage power must satisfy the provisions of the Radio Law. In the Radio Law, different standards (communication standards) are defined for each purpose of use. For example, “low-power radio stations” defined as one of the radio stations that do not require a license in the proviso to Article 4 of the Radio Law include “wireless stations for cordless telephones”, “specified low-power radio stations”, “low-power radio stations” There are “security system”, “low-power data communication system radio station”, etc., and the standards for the radio equipment of each radio station are stipulated by the equipment regulations of the law. For example, according to Article 49-17 of the Radio Equipment Regulations of the Radio Law Enforcement Regulations, “the radio equipment of the radio station of the low-power security system”, the period during which radio signals may be continuously transmitted (transmission period) is 3 seconds or less, It is stipulated that a period during which a radio signal should not be transmitted (pause period) provided between a transmission period and a transmission period is 2 seconds or more (see No. 5 of the same article).

  Conventionally, there is one described in Patent Document 1 as a wireless communication system including a plurality of wireless stations that operate using a battery as a power source. In the conventional system described in Patent Document 1, each radio station intermittently activates a reception circuit to check whether or not a desired radio wave (a radio signal transmitted by another radio station) can be received. If radio waves are not captured, the average power consumption is greatly reduced by immediately stopping the receiving circuit and shifting to a standby state.

JP 2008-176515 A

  However, when the intermittent reception operation is performed as described above, the timing of receiving the radio signal that should be received is delayed by the intermittent reception interval of the reception circuit. Therefore, the intermittent reception interval cannot be simply extended for the purpose of reducing power consumption.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to perform intermittent reception to reduce the power consumption and extend the life of the battery while transmitting a radio signal transmitted from one of the radio stations to the other. An object of the present invention is to provide a radio communication system capable of shortening the delay time until the radio station can receive.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 is a radio communication system comprising a plurality of radio stations, and transmitting and receiving radio signals using radio waves as a medium between the plurality of radio stations. A transmission means for transmitting a radio signal; a reception means for receiving a radio signal; a transmission means that is activated when a predetermined event occurs, and a radio signal including a notification message corresponding to the event during a predetermined transmission period; A transmission control means for alternately transmitting and stopping the transmission of a radio signal during a predetermined pause period and stopping the transmission means when the event has not occurred, and a timer means for repeatedly counting a constant intermittent reception interval When the intermittent reception interval is counted by the timer means, the reception means is stopped and received every time the intermittent reception interval is counted by the timer means. A reception control means for starting the stage; and a power supply means for supplying an operation power supply of each means using a battery as a power supply. The transmission control means receives a radio signal including the notification message transmitted from another radio station. When the wireless signal is received at the other wireless station, the wireless signal including the notification message is transmitted from the transmitting unit during the suspension period of the other wireless station, and the wireless signal including the acknowledgment message is transmitted from the transmitting unit to the other wireless station. The transmission control unit of the other radio station receives at least one of the radio stations that is the transmission source of the acknowledgment message when the reception unit receives the radio signal including the acknowledgment message. In response, a wireless signal including a request message for requesting transmission of the notification message is transmitted from a transmission unit, and the wireless station that has received the request message Only the transmission control unit causes the transmission unit to transmit a radio signal including the notification message during the suspension period of the other radio station, and in each radio station excluding the other radio station, the transmission control unit includes the acknowledgment message. After transmitting the radio signal from the transmission means, the reception control means activates the reception means in the next and subsequent transmission periods of the other radio station, and the transmission control means of the other radio station transmits the request message to a plurality of request messages. When transmitting to a radio station, a transmission section designation message for designating a transmission section of a radio signal including the notification message together with the request message is transmitted, and transmissions of the plurality of radio stations having received the request message and the transmission section designation message The control means includes the notification message in a transmission period that is within a pause period of the other radio station and is specified by the transmission period specification message. The wireless signal is transmitted from the transmitting means .

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the multi-hop communication is performed in which the notification message transmitted from one radio station is relayed by another radio station, and each radio station transmits a radio signal including the notification message. Therefore, the delay time until all the radio stations can receive the radio signal including the notification message can be shortened. Also, since only a specific wireless station that has received the request message relays the wireless signal including the notification message, it is possible to reduce the chance of a wireless signal collision and shorten the delay time. Furthermore, it is possible to reliably receive a radio signal including a request message. In addition, when there are a plurality of radio stations that relay the radio signal including the notification message, collision of radio signals transmitted by the plurality of radio stations can be avoided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the transmission control unit of the other radio station transmits a radio signal including the request message from the transmission unit, and a pause period after the transmission period. In addition, when the total time of the transmission period reaches the intermittent reception interval counted by the timer unit, the transmission unit stops transmitting the radio signal including the notification message.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to suppress battery consumption caused by another radio station continuing to transmit radio signals.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the second aspect , each wireless station is assigned a unique identification code, and storage means for storing an identification code of a wireless station capable of receiving a wireless signal by the receiving means. And the transmission control means of the other radio station stops transmitting the radio signal including the notification message to the transmission means, and then stores an identification code other than the identification code of the other radio station in the storage means. The transmission control means of the one or more wireless stations that has transmitted the wireless signal including the transmission section designation message from the transmission means to the one or more wireless stations that have received the transmission section designation message, After another radio station stops transmission, a radio signal including the notification message is transmitted from a transmission means in a transmission section designated by the transmission section designation message.

According to the invention of claim 3 , the notification message can be surely delivered to all the radio stations.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in the third aspect of the invention, the transmission control means of each wireless station excluding the other wireless station, after the other wireless station stops transmitting the wireless signal including the notification message, The transmission means transmits a radio signal including a message informing the other identification code other than the identification code of the other radio station stored in the storage means, and the transmission control means of the other radio station uses the message to The notified another identification code is stored in a storage unit, and the wireless station storing the other identification code is set as a transmission destination wireless station of the transmission section designation message.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the invention, the transmission control means of each wireless station excluding the other wireless stations is different from the other wireless station identification code stored in the storage means. A radio signal including a message informing the identification code together with the notification message is transmitted from the transmission unit, and the transmission control unit of the other radio station stores the other identification code notified by the message in the storage unit and A radio station storing another identification code is a radio station to which the transmission section designation message is transmitted.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, the transmission control means of each wireless station excluding the other wireless stations is different from the other wireless station identification code stored in the storage means. A radio signal including a message informing the identification code together with the acknowledgment message is transmitted from the transmission means, and the transmission control means of the other radio station stores the other identification code notified by the message in the storage means. The wireless station that stores the other identification code is a wireless station that is a transmission destination of the transmission section designation message.

The invention of claim 7 is the transmission of any one of the radio stations other than the radio station that has received the transmission section designation message and the radio station that has stopped transmitting the notification message in the invention of any one of claims 3 to 6. When the receiving means receives a wireless signal including the notification message, the control means causes the transmitting means to transmit the wireless signal including the notification message during a suspension period of the wireless station that is the transmission source of the notification message. To do.

  According to the present invention, by performing intermittent reception, power consumption is reduced and battery life is extended, and a delay time until another wireless station can receive a wireless signal transmitted by any wireless station is shortened. Can do.

1 shows Embodiment 1 of the present invention, where (a) is a block diagram of a fire alarm device (wireless station), and (b) is a system configuration diagram of a fire alarm system (wireless communication system). It is a frame format of the radio signal in the same as above. It is a time chart for demonstrating operation | movement at the time of a fire detection (event occurrence) same as the above. It is a system block diagram which shows Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a time chart for demonstrating operation | movement at the time of a fire detection (event occurrence) same as the above. It is a system block diagram which shows Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a time chart for demonstrating operation | movement at the time of a fire detection (event occurrence) same as the above. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement at the time of a fire detection (event occurrence) same as the above.

  Hereinafter, a fire alarm that transmits a radio signal including a fire detection message (notification message for notifying an event <fire detection>) using a radio wave as a medium while detecting a fire and sounding an alarm sound is defined as a radio station. An embodiment in which the technical idea of the present invention is applied to a wireless communication system (fire alarm system) will be described.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1B is a system configuration diagram of this embodiment, and a fire alarm system is configured by a plurality of (three in the illustrated example) fire alarm devices TR. In the following description, when the fire alarm devices TR are individually shown, they are expressed as fire alarm devices TR1, TR2, and TR3, and when collectively shown, they are expressed as fire alarm devices TR.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, the fire alarm device TR transmits a radio signal using radio waves as a medium from the antenna 3 and receives a radio signal transmitted from another fire alarm device TR by the antenna 3. And an alarm unit 5 for reporting a fire alarm (hereinafter referred to as “alarm sound”) by sound (buzzer sound, voice message, etc.), a microcomputer, a rewritable nonvolatile semiconductor memory, etc. A fire alarm message for causing the alarm unit 5 to sound an alarm sound and to notify the other fire alarm device TR when a fire is detected by the fire detection unit 4 with the memory unit 1a as a main component. A control unit 1 that transmits a wireless signal including the wireless signal from the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 and a battery power supply unit 6 that supplies a battery such as a dry battery as a power source and supplies operating power to each unit are provided. Each fire alarm device TRi (i = 1, 2, 3) is assigned a unique identification code and stored in the memory unit 1a, and the destination (transmission destination) and transmission source of the radio signal are determined by the identification code. Can be identified.

  The radio transmission / reception unit 2 transmits / receives a radio signal using radio waves as a medium in accordance with “radio station of low power security system” defined in Article 6, Paragraph 4, Item 3 of the Radio Law Enforcement Regulations. In addition, the fire detection unit 4 detects fire by detecting smoke, heat, flames, and the like generated with the fire, for example. However, detailed configurations of the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 and the fire detection unit 4 are well known in the art and will not be described in detail.

  The control unit 1 realizes various functions to be described later by executing a program stored in a memory (ROM or EEPROM) (not shown) by a microcomputer, and corresponds to a transmission control unit and a reception control unit. When the fire detection unit 4 detects the occurrence of a fire, the control unit 1 drives a buzzer included in the alarm unit 5 to sound an alarm sound, or an alarm stored in the memory (or the memory unit 1a) in advance. In order to notify a fire alarm by sounding a voice message (for example, “This is a fire”) on the speaker, and to notify the fire alarm also in other fire alarm devices TR, a radio signal including a fire alarm message is transmitted. The wireless transmission / reception unit 2 transmits the data. Also, when the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 receives a wireless signal transmitted from another fire alarm device TR, the control unit 1 controls the alarm unit 5 to sound an alarm sound. That is, in the control unit 1, when the fire detection unit 4 detects a fire, the alarm unit 5 sounds an alarm sound to notify the fire alarm, and the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 transmits a radio signal including the fire alarm message. Have.

  Here, in the radio equipment regulation Article 49-17 “Radio equipment of radio stations of the low power security system” of the Radio Law Enforcement Regulation, the period during which radio signals may be continuously transmitted (transmission period) is 3 seconds or less. It is stipulated that the period (pause period) provided between the transmission period and the transmission period in which the radio signal should not be transmitted is 2 seconds or more (see No. 5 of the same article). For this reason, in the control unit 1 in the present embodiment, the wireless signal is transmitted during the transmission period that complies with the wireless facility rules, and the transmission is stopped and received during the suspension period.

  In order to extend the battery life of the battery power supply unit 6 as much as possible, the control unit 1 uses a timer (timer means) built in the microcomputer to set a predetermined intermittent reception interval (however, the intermittent reception interval is longer than the transmission period). Each time the intermittent reception interval is counted, the wireless transmitter / receiver 2 is activated to check whether a desired radio wave (wireless signal transmitted by another fire alarm device TR) can be received, If radio waves are not captured, the average power consumption is greatly reduced by immediately stopping the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 and shifting to the standby state. The radio wave reception check is performed based on the received signal strength indication signal (Receiving Signal Strength Indication: RSSI signal) output from the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 and is a DC voltage signal proportional to the magnitude of the received signal strength. The details are well known in the art and will be omitted.

  Here, in the fire alarm system of the present embodiment, multi-hop communication is performed by relaying a radio signal transmitted from one fire alarm TR to another fire alarm TR. For example, in FIG. 1B, a state where wireless communication is possible is indicated by an arrow, and direct wireless communication is possible between the fire alarm devices TR1 and TR2 and the fire alarm devices TR2 and TR3. There is a situation in which direct wireless communication cannot be performed between TR1 and TR3. Under such circumstances, for example, when the fire alarm TR1 detects a fire, the fire detection message transmitted from the fire detector TR1 of the fire source directly reaches the fire detector TR2, but the fire detector TR3 It arrives after being relayed by multi-hop communication via the fire detector TR2. And if a fire alarm message is delivered to all the fire alarm devices TR2 and TR3, not only the fire alarm device TR1 that detected the fire but also all the fire alarms including the fire alarm devices TR2 and TR3 other than the fire source device The devices TR1 to TR3 can notify the fire alarm in conjunction with each other.

  FIG. 2 shows a frame format of a radio signal transmitted and received by the fire alarm device TR. A synchronization bit (preamble: PA), a frame synchronization pattern (unique word: UW), a destination address DA, a source address SA, a message M, One frame is composed of a CRC code. Here, if the identification code of each fire alarm device TR is set as the destination address DA, only the fire alarm device TR of the identification code receives a radio signal and acquires a message. By setting a special bit string that is not assigned to the fire alarm TR (for example, a bit string with all bits set to 1), a wireless signal is broadcast (multicast) to obtain a message for all the fire alarm TRs. Can be made. For example, a radio signal including a fire warning message is broadcast from the fire alarm device TR of the fire source.

  Next, referring to the time chart of FIG. 3, the operation from when any fire alarm device TR senses a fire until all the fire alarm devices TR1 to TR3 notify the fire alarm in conjunction with each other will be described. .

  For example, when the fire detection unit 4 detects a fire in the fire alarm device TR1, the control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR1 sounds an alarm sound from the alarm unit 5 and activates the wireless transmission / reception unit 2, and a fire alarm message as a message M In addition, a wireless signal including a time for ending transmission of the wireless signal including the identification code of the fire source and the fire alarm message and having the multicast address for broadcast set in the destination address DA is transmitted. At this time, the control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR1 of the transmission source (fire source) continuously transmits the radio signal by the number of frames that can be transmitted within the transmission period X, and the pause period (reception period) after the transmission period X. In Y), the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 is switched to the reception state.

  Here, in the fire alarm devices TR2 and TR3 other than the fire source, the control unit 1 activates the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 every time counting of the intermittent reception interval Tx is completed, and confirms the presence or absence of a radio signal. If the radio signal including the fire alarm message is received when the radio transmission / reception unit 2 of the fire alarm TR2 is activated, the control unit 1 of the fire alarm TR2 is included in the message M of the radio signal. When the end time is reached, the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 is activated, and a wireless signal in which the content of the message M received from the fire alarm device TR1 is copied as it is is multicast. That is, since the transmission period X of the fire alarm device TR1 and the transmission period of the fire alarm device TR2 (= the reception period Y of the fire alarm device TR1) are continuous, the intermittent reception interval is set at the third fire alarm device TR3. The probability that the timing at which the counting of Tx is completed coincides with the radio signal transmission periods X and Y can be greatly increased.

  Thus, according to the present embodiment, a notification message (fire alarm message) transmitted from one radio station (for example, fire alarm device TR1) is relayed by another radio station (for example, fire alarm device TR2). Since hop communication is performed and transmission periods X and Y in which each radio station (fire alarm device TR1, TR2) transmits a radio signal including a notification message (fire alarm message) are continuous, all radio stations (fire alarm) The delay time until the devices TR1 to TR3) can receive the radio signal including the notification message (fire alarm message) can be shortened.

(Embodiment 2)
The system block diagram of the fire alarm system of this embodiment is shown in FIG. However, since the fire alarm device TR in the present embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment, detailed illustration and description of the configuration are omitted.

  In FIG. 4, the state in which wireless communication is possible is indicated by an arrow. In this embodiment, the fire alarm device TR1 can wirelessly communicate with the fire alarm devices TR2 to TR4, and the fire alarm device TR2 is a fire alarm device. TR1 and TR3 to TR5 can communicate with each other wirelessly, fire alarm devices TR3 and TR4 can communicate with each other wirelessly with fire alarm devices TR1 and TR2, respectively, and fire alarm device TR5 wirelessly communicates with fire alarm device TR2 Communication is possible. However, in each fire alarm device TRi (i = 1, 2,..., 5), an identification code of another fire alarm device TR capable of direct wireless communication and a fire alarm device capable of relaying another fire alarm device TR. The identification code of TR is stored in the memory unit 1a.

  Next, referring to the time chart in FIG. 5, all fire alarms TR1 to TR5 notify the fire alarm in conjunction with any fire alarm TR (TR1 in the following description) after detecting the fire. The operation up to is described.

  When the fire detection unit 4 detects a fire in the fire alarm device TR1, the control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR1 sounds an alarm sound from the alarm unit 5 and activates the wireless transmission / reception unit 2. A radio signal including a time for ending transmission of the radio signal including the original identification code and the fire alarm message is set, and a multicast address for broadcast is set to the destination address DA.

  For example, if the radio signal including the fire alarm message is received when the radio transmission / reception unit 2 of the fire alarm devices TR2 and TR3 is activated, the control unit 1 of the fire alarm devices TR2 and TR3 receives an acknowledgment (ACK) message. And a radio signal in which the identification code of the fire alarm device TR1 that is a fire source is set as the destination address DA is transmitted from the radio transmission / reception unit 2. However, if these two fire alarm devices TR2 and TR3 transmit a radio signal at the same time, a collision occurs. Therefore, the control unit 1 of each fire alarm device TR2 and TR3 is set in association with its own identification code. After the waiting time has elapsed, a wireless signal is transmitted from the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 after performing carrier sense.

  Upon receiving the ACK message from the fire alarm devices TR2 and TR3, the control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR1 of the fire source identifies the identification code (identification of the fire alarm devices TR2 and TR3) set in the transmission source address SA of the ACK message. Code) and an identification code stored in the memory unit 1a (an identification code of the fire alarm device TR capable of direct wireless communication) are compared, and an identification code that has not returned an ACK message is extracted. In this case, the identification codes of the fire alarm devices TR4 and TR5 are extracted, but the control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR1 has registered the identification codes of the fire alarm devices TR4 and TR5 as relayable identification codes. The identification code of the fire alarm device TR (in this case, TR2) is selected from the memory unit 1a. Further, the control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR1 sets the identification code (identification code of the fire alarm device TR2) selected from the memory unit 1a to the destination address DA and requests to transmit (relay) the fire alarm message. In addition, the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 transmits the wireless signal including the message M, which is the time for which the transmission of the wireless signal including the fire alarm message is terminated.

  The control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR2 that has received the request message from the fire alarm device TR1 activates the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 when the end time included in the message M of the radio signal is reached, and sends a fire alarm message. The wireless signal including it is transmitted by multicast. That is, as in the first embodiment, the transmission period X of the fire alarm device TR1 and the transmission period of the fire alarm device TR2 (= the reception period Y of the fire alarm device TR1) are continuous. The two fire alarm devices TR4 and TR5 can receive a radio signal transmitted from either the fire alarm device TR1 of the fire source or the fire alarm device TR2 of the relay request destination. In the control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR1 of the fire source and the fire alarm device TR2 of the relay request destination, when the continuous transmission period (the total period of the transmission periods of the fire alarm devices TR1 and TR2) reaches the intermittent reception interval Tx. Stop transmitting wireless signals. The reason why the transmission of the radio signal is stopped when the intermittent reception interval Tx is reached is to suppress the power consumption in the fire alarm devices TR1 and TR2 and prevent the battery from being consumed.

  Thus, in this embodiment, only the specific fire alarm device TR2 that has received the request message from the fire source fire alarm device TR1 relays the radio signal including the fire alarm message, thereby reducing the chance of a radio signal collision. There is an advantage that the delay time can be shortened.

  Here, the control unit 1 of the fire alarm devices TR2 and TR3 that has directly received the radio signal (the radio signal including the fire alarm message) transmitted from the fire alarm device TR1 transmits the radio signal including the ACK message. After that, since the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 is activated in the receiving state during the transmission period X after the next time of the fire source fire alarm device TR1, a radio signal including a request message transmitted from the fire source fire alarm device TR1 is transmitted. It can be received reliably.

(Embodiment 3)
A system configuration diagram of the fire alarm system of the present embodiment is shown in FIG. However, since the fire alarm device TR in the present embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment, detailed illustration and description of the configuration are omitted.

  In FIG. 6, the state in which wireless communication is possible is indicated by an arrow. In this embodiment, the fire alarm device TR1 can wirelessly communicate with the fire alarm devices TR2 to TR4, and the fire alarm device TR2 is a fire alarm device. TR1 and TR4 can communicate with each other wirelessly, the fire alarm device TR3 can communicate with the fire alarm devices TR1 and TR4 wirelessly, and the fire alarm device TR4 includes all other fire alarm devices TR1 to TR3, TR5. The fire alarm devices TR5 and TR6 can communicate with each other wirelessly only with the fire alarm device TR4. However, in each fire alarm device TRi (i = 1, 2,..., 6), an identification code of another fire alarm device TR capable of direct wireless communication and a fire alarm device capable of relaying another fire alarm device TR. The identification code of TR is stored in the memory unit 1a.

  Next, referring to the time chart of FIG. 7, all fire alarm devices TR1 to TR6 notify the fire alarm in conjunction with any one of the fire alarm devices TR (TR1 in the following description) after detecting the fire. The operation up to is described.

  When the fire detection unit 4 detects a fire in the fire alarm device TR1, the control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR1 sounds an alarm sound from the alarm unit 5 and activates the wireless transmission / reception unit 2. A radio signal including a time for ending transmission of the radio signal including the original identification code and the fire alarm message is set, and a multicast address for broadcast is set to the destination address DA.

  For example, if the radio signal including the fire alarm message is received when the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 of the fire alarm devices TR2 and TR3 is activated, the control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR2 and TR3 includes the ACK message and The wireless transmission / reception unit 2 transmits a wireless signal in which the identification code of the original fire alarm device TR1 is set to the destination address DA.

  Upon receiving the ACK message from the fire alarm devices TR2 and TR3, the control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR1 of the fire source identifies the identification code (identification of the fire alarm devices TR2 and TR3) set in the transmission source address SA of the ACK message. Code) and an identification code stored in the memory unit 1a (an identification code of the fire alarm device TR capable of direct wireless communication) are compared, and an identification code that has not returned an ACK message is extracted. In this case, the identification code of the fire alarm device TR4 is extracted. However, the control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR1 has another fire alarm device in which the identification code of the fire alarm device TR4 is registered as a relayable identification code. The identification code of TR (TR2, TR3 in this case) is selected from the memory unit 1a. Furthermore, the control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR1 sets the identification code (identification code of the fire alarm devices TR2 and TR3) selected from the memory unit 1a to the destination address DA and requests transmission (relay) of the fire alarm message. The wireless transmission / reception unit 2 sends a wireless signal including a request message to be transmitted and a transmission interval designating message for designating a transmission interval for relaying the fire alarm message and a message M in the message M to end transmission of the wireless signal including the fire alarm message. Send it. The transmission section designation message includes a plurality of time zones (transmission sections) in which the fire alarm devices TR2 and TR3 of the request destination transmit a radio signal (= the reception period Y of the fire alarm device TR1) equally. For example, the first transmission section is specified for one fire alarm device TR2, and the second transmission section is specified for the other fire alarm device TR3.

  Of the fire alarm devices TR2 and TR3 that have received the request message from the fire alarm device TR1, the control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR2 in which the first transmission segment is designated by the transmission segment designation message is included in the message M of the radio signal. The wireless transmission / reception unit 2 is activated at the time when the specified end time is reached, and the wireless signal including the fire alarm message is transmitted by multicast. When the designated transmission section (half the transmission period Y) has elapsed, the wireless Stop signal transmission. Then, the control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR3 for which the latter transmission interval is specified by the transmission interval specification message activates the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 at the time when the transmission of the fire alarm device TR2 that previously transmitted the radio signal is completed. Then, the radio signal including the fire alarm message is multicast-transmitted, and the transmission of the radio signal is stopped when the designated transmission section (half time of the transmission period Y) elapses. That is, as in the first and second embodiments, the transmission period X of the fire alarm device TR1 and the transmission period of the fire alarm device TR2 and the fire alarm device TR3 (= the reception period Y of the fire alarm device TR1) are continuous. In FIG. 7, the fire alarm device TR4 receives a radio signal transmitted from the fire alarm device TR2, and transmits a radio signal including an ACK message to the fire alarm device TR1. In addition, in the control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR1 of the fire source and the fire alarm devices TR2 and TR3 of the relay request destination, the continuous transmission period (the total period of the transmission periods of the fire alarm devices TR1 to TR3) is the intermittent reception interval Tx. When it reaches, the transmission of the radio signal is stopped.

  Here, in the fire source fire alarm device TR1 that has received the ACK message from the fire alarm device TR4, the control unit 1 has an identification code (identification code of the fire alarm device TR4) set in the transmission source address SA of the ACK message. And the identification code stored in the memory unit 1a (the identification code of the fire alarm device TR capable of direct wireless communication) are extracted, and the identification code that has not returned the ACK message is extracted. In this case, the identification codes of the fire alarm devices TR5 and TR6 are extracted. However, the control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR1 has registered the identification codes of the fire alarm devices TR5 and TR6 as relayable identification codes. The identification code of the fire alarm device TR (in this case, TR4) is selected from the memory unit 1a. Further, the control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR1 sets the identification code (identification code of the fire alarm device TR4) selected from the memory unit 1a to the destination address DA and requests the transmission (relay) of the fire alarm message. In addition, the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 transmits the wireless signal including the message M, which is the time for which the transmission of the wireless signal including the fire alarm message is terminated.

  The control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR4 that has received the request message from the fire source fire alarm device TR1 replaces the control unit 1 of the fire source fire alarm device TR1 with a radio signal including a fire alarm message within the transmission period X. Is transmitted from the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 and, during the reception period Y, the wireless signal including the ACK message is received from another fire alarm device TR (TR6 in this case) while repeating the operation of setting the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 to the reception state. Wait for. However, the control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR4, like the control unit 1 of the fire alarm device TR1 of the fire source, transmits a request message to another fire alarm device TR as necessary to request relay of a radio signal. To do. In this manner, the fire alarm message is delivered from the fire alarm device TR4 to the remaining two fire alarm devices TR5 and TR6, and the fire alarm is notified by all the fire alarm devices TR1 to TR6. However, in FIG. 7, the operation until the fire alarm device TR6 receives the radio signal and transmits the ACK message is omitted.

  Finally, processing executed by the control unit 1 of each fire alarm device TR when a fire is detected by its own fire detection unit 4 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  When a fire is detected by the fire detection unit 4 (step S1), the control unit 1 notifies the fire alarm from the alarm unit 5 and multicasts a radio signal including a fire alarm message or the like from the radio transmission / reception unit 2 as described above. When the transmission period X ends, the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 is set in a reception state and waits for reception of an ACK message returned from another fire alarm device TR (step S3).

  Upon receiving an ACK message returned from another fire alarm device TR, the control unit 1 selects a fire alarm device TR as a requester for requesting relay of the fire alarm message as described above, and a plurality of fire alarm devices. In the case of requesting the TR, a fire alarm message transmission section is assigned to the fire alarm device TR of each request destination (step S4). Then, the control unit 1 causes the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 to transmit a wireless signal including the request message and the section designation message to the selected fire alarm device TR (step S5), and then receives the wireless transmission / reception unit 2. The state is switched to the reception period Y (step S6). In this reception period Y, another fire alarm device TR that has requested relaying transmits a radio signal including a fire alarm message.

  The controller 1 fires every transmission period X as long as the sum of its transmission period X and the transmission period (= its own reception period Y) of another fire alarm device TR that has requested relay is less than the intermittent reception interval Tx. A radio signal including an alarm message is transmitted (steps S7 to S9), and if the total is equal to or greater than the intermittent reception interval Tx, the transmission of the fire alarm message is terminated, and the other radio alarm unit 2 is set in the reception state. Waiting for reception of an ACK message returned from the device TR (step S10).

  Then, the control unit 1 determines whether or not it is necessary to request a new relay of the fire alarm message based on whether or not an ACK message is received from another fire alarm device TR (step S11). (Step S13), if necessary, a wireless signal including a request message and a transmission section designation message is transmitted from the wireless transmission / reception unit 2 to the fire alarm device TR as a new request destination (step S12). The process ends (step S13).

  By the way, the control unit 1 of each fire alarm device TR knows the identification code of other fire alarm devices TR that can be directly wirelessly communicated by performing wireless communication in advance (for example, at the time of construction). Can be stored in the memory unit 1a. On the other hand, the identification code of the fire alarm device TR and the identification of the fire alarm device TR that is the relay source cannot be communicated directly to the other fire alarm device TR. About a code | symbol, each control part 1 should just acquire with the following methods.

For example, when a fire warning message is received, an ACK message sent back to the fire source fire alarm device TR and a message notifying the identification code other than the fire source fire alarm device TR stored in the memory unit 1a are transmitted. Good (corresponding to the invention of claim 6 ). Alternatively, when a fire alarm message is relayed at the request of the fire source fire alarm device TR, a message notifying the identification code other than the fire source fire alarm device TR may be transmitted together (invention of claim 5 ). Correspondence). Alternatively, after the fire source fire alarm device TR has finished transmitting the fire alarm message, a message informing an identification code other than the fire source fire alarm device TR may be transmitted (corresponding to the invention of claim 4 ).

TR fire alarm (radio station)
1 Control unit (transmission control means, reception control means, timer means)
2 Wireless transceiver (transmitting means, receiving means)
3 Antenna (transmitting means, receiving means)
6 Battery power supply (power supply means)

Claims (7)

A wireless communication system comprising a plurality of wireless stations and transmitting and receiving wireless signals using radio waves as a medium between the plurality of wireless stations,
Each radio station activates a transmission means for transmitting a radio signal, a reception means for receiving a radio signal, and a predetermined event when a predetermined event occurs, and sends a notification message corresponding to the event during a predetermined transmission period. A transmission control means for stopping the transmission means when the event does not occur, and a predetermined intermittent reception interval. Timer means for counting, reception control means for stopping the reception means during counting of the intermittent reception interval by the timer means, and starting the reception means every time counting of the intermittent reception interval by the timer means is completed, and each battery as a power source Power supply means for supplying operation power of the means,
When the reception control unit receives a radio signal including the notification message transmitted from another radio station, the transmission control unit causes the transmission unit to transmit the radio signal including the notification message during the suspension period of the other radio station. In addition, the wireless signal including the acknowledgment message is transmitted from the transmission means to the other wireless station,
The transmission control means of the other radio station, when receiving the radio signal including the acknowledgment message by the receiving means, for at least one radio station of the radio station that is the transmission source of the acknowledgment message A wireless signal including a request message for requesting transmission of the notification message is transmitted from the transmission means,
Only the transmission control unit of the radio station that has received the request message causes the transmission unit to transmit a radio signal including the notification message during the suspension period of the other radio station,
In each radio station excluding the other radio station, after the transmission control unit causes the transmission unit to transmit a radio signal including the acknowledgment message, the reception control unit receives the signal during the next transmission period of the other radio station. Start the means,
The transmission control means of the other radio station, when transmitting the request message to a plurality of radio stations, transmits a transmission section designation message for designating a transmission section of a radio signal including the notification message together with the request message,
The transmission control means of the plurality of wireless stations that have received the request message and the transmission section designation message sends the notification message to the transmission section that is within the suspension period of the other wireless station and is designated by the transmission section designation message. A wireless communication system, characterized in that a wireless signal is transmitted from a transmission means . The transmission control means of the other radio station is configured to count the total time of the transmission period in which the radio signal including the request message is transmitted from the transmission means, the pause period after the transmission period and the transmission period by the timer means. 2. The wireless communication system according to claim 1 , wherein when the intermittent reception interval is reached, transmission of the wireless signal including the notification message is stopped with respect to the transmission means . Each wireless station is assigned a unique identification code, and includes storage means for storing the identification code of the wireless station from which the reception means can receive a radio signal,
The transmission control unit of the other radio station stops the transmission unit from transmitting the radio signal including the notification message, and then stores an identification code other than the identification code of the other radio station in the storage unit. A wireless signal including the transmission section designation message is transmitted from one or more wireless stations to a wireless station,
The transmission control means of the one or more radio stations that have received the transmission section designation message includes the notification message in the transmission section designated by the transmission section designation message after the other radio stations stop transmitting. 3. The wireless communication system according to claim 2, wherein the wireless signal is transmitted from the transmitting means . The transmission control means of each wireless station excluding the other wireless station is configured to store the other wireless station stored in the storage means after the other wireless station stops transmitting the wireless signal including the notification message. A wireless signal including a message informing another identification code other than the identification code is transmitted from the transmission means;
The transmission control means of the other radio station stores the other identification code informed by the message in a storage means and transmits the radio station storing the other identification code to the transmission destination of the transmission section designation message The wireless communication system according to claim 3, wherein the wireless communication system is a wireless station. The transmission control means of each radio station excluding the other radio station includes a radio signal that is stored in the storage means and includes a message that informs another identification code other than the identification code of the other radio station together with the notification message. Send from the sending means,
The transmission control means of the other radio station stores the other identification code informed by the message in a storage means and transmits the radio station storing the other identification code to the transmission destination of the transmission section designation message The wireless communication system according to claim 3 , wherein the wireless communication system is a wireless station. The transmission control means of each radio station excluding the other radio station includes a radio signal containing a message informing the other identification code other than the identification code of the other radio station stored in the storage means together with the acknowledgment message. Is transmitted from the transmission means,
The transmission control means of the other radio station stores the other identification code informed by the message in a storage means and transmits the radio station storing the other identification code to the transmission destination of the transmission section designation message The wireless communication system according to claim 3 , wherein the wireless communication system is a wireless station. The transmission control means of the wireless station other than the wireless station that has received the transmission section designation message and the wireless station that has stopped transmitting the notification message receives the notification when the wireless signal including the notification message is received by the reception means. The wireless communication system according to any one of claims 3 to 6 , wherein a wireless signal including the notification message is transmitted from a transmission unit during a pause period of a wireless station that is a message transmission source .

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