JP7535906B2 - Intercom System - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an intercom system, and in particular to an intercom system that allows a user to answer calls from a doorbell using a mobile phone.

There are intercom systems that allow a mobile phone to respond to calls from a door station. In such intercom systems, the mobile phone is configured to communicate with the main unit in the living room over the Internet. In this case, the IP address of the mobile phone is assigned a global IP address that changes frequently, and calls and responses are made using SIP communication.
For this reason, the room master unit needed to know the latest IP address of the mobile phone. This could be solved by having the mobile phone periodically notify the room master unit of its own IP address, but this would result in a problem of high power consumption by the mobile phone. For example, this problem was solved by applying a technology such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1.
In Patent Document 1, when a call is made, an email is first sent from the room base unit to the mobile phone to obtain a global IP address, and the latest IP address is obtained from the reply, enabling SIP communication.

JP 2013-176005 A

The technology in Patent Document 1 above was able to reduce the power consumption of the mobile phone because it did not need to frequently activate the mobile phone's communication function with the parent unit in the room. However, since email is sent and received first after receiving a call from the doorstep unit, the time it takes for the mobile phone to respond to the call is not smooth, and a certain delay occurs.

In view of these problems, the present invention aims to provide an intercom system that can reduce power consumption and ensure smooth responses even when a mobile phone is set as a device that can respond to calls from the entrance unit.

In order to solve the above problem, the invention of claim 1 is an intercom system having an intercom device equipped with a front door sub-unit for calling a resident and a room main unit for responding to calls from the front door sub-unit, and a mobile phone connected to the intercom device via a communication network, the system having an area information memory unit for storing a specific area including the installation location of the intercom device, and a location determination unit for grasping the location of the mobile phone and determining whether the mobile phone is located inside or outside the specific area, while the mobile phone has a register processing unit that performs a connection maintenance process with the intercom device at a short first time interval of 30 seconds or less if the location determination unit determines that it is inside the specific area, and performs a connection maintenance process only when a push request is received from outside if it determines that it is outside the specific area.
According to this configuration, when the mobile phone is within a specific area including the installation location of the intercom device, the connection maintenance process with the intercom device is performed relatively frequently, so that when the person carrying the mobile phone is at home or in the vicinity, smooth communication with the intercom device can be performed and it becomes possible to smoothly respond to calls from visitors, etc. On the other hand, when the person leaves the specific area, for example to go out, the mobile phone does not perform the connection maintenance process by its own control, so power consumption of the mobile phone can be reduced.

The invention of claim 2 is characterized in that, in the configuration described in claim 1, a communication adapter is placed on the communication network, which issues a push request to a mobile phone to cause the mobile phone to perform a connection maintenance process with the intercom device at a second time interval exceeding five minutes, and the push request from outside is a push request from the communication adapter.
According to this configuration, when the mobile phone is outside the specific area, the connection maintenance process is periodically carried out under the control of the communication adapter, so that the connection with the intercom device is maintained.
In addition, since the connection maintenance process is started up in response to an external signal, power consumption can be reduced.

The invention of claim 3 is characterized in that, in the configuration described in claim 2, the intercom device is connected to a communication network via a communication adapter, and communication between a mobile phone and the intercom device is carried out via the communication adapter.
According to this configuration, the intercom device only needs to be able to communicate with the communication adapter, and does not need to communicate directly with the mobile phone, allowing the communication interface to have a simple configuration.

According to the present invention, when a mobile phone is within a specific area including the installation location of the intercom device, the mobile phone performs connection maintenance processing with the intercom device relatively frequently, so that when the person carrying the mobile phone is at home or in the vicinity, smooth communication with the intercom device can be performed, and calls from visitors can be responded to smoothly. On the other hand, when the person leaves the specific area, for example, to go out, the mobile phone does not perform connection maintenance processing under its own control, so power consumption of the mobile phone can be reduced.

1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of an intercom system according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the room master unit. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a communication adapter.

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an intercom system according to the present invention, which includes an intercom device 1, a mobile phone 2, and a communication adapter 3.
The intercom device 1 has an entrance handset 4 that is installed at the entrance of a dwelling to call a resident, and a room master unit 5 that is installed in the dwelling to respond to the call.
The mobile phone 2 is carried by the resident and can respond to calls from the entrance handset 4 instead of the living room master unit 5. Note that N is a network (communication network) that constitutes an IP communication network in addition to the communication network of the mobile phone 2, and a management server 6 that manages the communication of the mobile phone 2 is located on the network N.

The entrance unit 4 is equipped with a call button 41, a camera 42 for capturing images of visitors, a microphone 43 for making calls, and a speaker 44.

Figure 2 shows a block diagram of the room master unit 5. The room master unit 5 is equipped with a call button 51 for answering a call from the entrance slave unit 4, a monitor 52 for displaying the image captured by the camera 42 of the entrance slave unit 4, a call section 53 equipped with a microphone 53a and a speaker 53b, an operation section 54 consisting of a touch panel for performing various operations, a master unit CPU 55 for controlling the room master unit 5, and a communication interface (communication IF) 56 for communicating with the communication adapter 3. The call button 51 is located on the touch panel on the monitor 52.

The mobile phone 2 is a so-called smartphone, and performs calling/answering with the intercom device by SIP communication. The mobile phone 2 has a GPS receiving function and has a function of receiving a GPS signal and determining its own position.
It also has an area information storage unit 21 that stores a specific area including the location of the room master unit 5, a location determination unit 22 that determines whether the current location is inside or outside the specific area, and a registration processing unit 23 that periodically performs registration processing (IP address registration processing) on the room master unit 5 when it is determined to be inside the specific area. The area information storage unit 21, location determination unit 22, and registration processing unit 23 are set by installing specified application software on the mobile phone 2.

3 shows a block diagram of the communication adapter 3. The communication adapter 3 includes a first communication interface (first communication IF) 31 for communicating with the room master unit 5, a second communication interface (second communication IF) 32 for connecting to the network N, a memory 33 for storing information on the room master unit 5 and the mobile phone 2, a communication adapter CPU 34 for controlling the communication adapter 3, and the like.
The communications adapter CPU 34 has a function of issuing a push request to the mobile phone 2 to periodically carry out a process for maintaining a connection with the room master unit 5 (a connection maintenance process).
The connection maintenance process is a registration process in which the mobile phone 2 notifies the room base unit 5 of its IP address.

The management server 6 manages the communications of the mobile phone 2, and when a push request is output from the communication adapter 3, it recognizes it and requests the mobile phone 2 to perform registration processing. Specifically, a VoIP PUSH request is issued from the communication adapter 3, and the management server 6, recognizing this, performs a VoIP PUSH to the mobile phone 2. Upon receiving this VoIP PUSH, the mobile phone 2 performs registration processing via the room base unit 5. As a result, the room base unit 5 is maintained as a SIP client of the mobile phone 2.

The intercom system configured as described above operates as follows. The call/answering operations of the intercom device 1 consisting of the entrance slave unit 4 and the room master unit 5, the image capturing operation of the camera 42, the display operation on the room master unit 5, etc. are the same as in the past, so explanations are omitted here. Here, the explanation will focus on the connection maintenance processing operation of the mobile phone 2 with the room master unit 5.
In order for the room base unit 5 to notify the mobile phone 2 of a call from the entrance handset 4 and to make a call by SIP communication, the IP address of the mobile phone 2, which frequently changes, must be registered in the room base unit 5, and by performing this periodically, the room base unit 5 remains registered as a SIP client.

This connection maintenance operation differs depending on whether it is inside or outside a specific area including the location of the room master unit 5, and is specifically performed as follows.
First, the specific area is set as follows: The mobile phone 2 receives a GPS signal while placed near the room base unit 5, and registers the received location information of the mobile phone 2 as the location information of the room base unit 5. An area that is within a certain distance (e.g., 20 meters) from the registered location, or a specific area (e.g., an area that matches the shape of the lot of the home) that includes the registered location is registered in the area information storage unit 21, and this area is set as the specific area.

The mobile phone 2 determines its own position from the GPS signals it receives constantly, and the position determination unit 22 determines whether this position is inside or outside a specific area. If it is determined as a result of this determination that it is inside the specific area, the register processing unit 23 performs register processing and registers the IP address at intervals of, for example, 10 seconds (first time interval). The registration signal is sent to the room base unit 5 via the network N and the communication adapter 3, and the latest IP address of the mobile phone 2 is registered in the room base unit 5. Note that the first time interval for register processing at this time does not have to be 10 seconds, and may be longer, such as 30 seconds.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the mobile phone 2 is outside the specific area, the mobile phone 2 does not perform the connection maintaining process by itself. Instead, the communication adapter 3 controls the connection maintaining process.
The communication adapter 3 constantly outputs a signal requesting connection maintenance processing to the mobile phone 2, i.e., a VoIP PUSH request, for example at 10-minute intervals (second time intervals). When the management server 6 recognizes this request, a VoIP PUSH is made from the management server 6 to the mobile phone 2.
If the mobile phone 2 is outside the specific area, the register processing unit 23 receives this VoIP PUSH, performs connection maintenance processing, and notifies the room master unit 5 of the IP address. The second time interval at which the communication adapter 3 requests a VoIP PUSH does not have to be 10 minutes, and may be, for example, 5 minutes, but a longer interval is preferable because it reduces the power consumption of the mobile phone 2.

In this way, the connection between mobile phone 2 and room base unit 5 is maintained, and when a call is received, a ring tone is sounded in room base unit 5, and the call is notified to mobile phone 2 from room base unit 5 via communication adapter 3 and network N. When mobile phone 2, which has received this notification, is operated to make a call, a communication path is formed between room base unit 5 and mobile phone 2, i.e., between mobile phone 2 and entrance unit 4, and a call can be made between the resident who has mobile phone 2 and the visitor.
In response to a call operation on the mobile phone 2, the image captured by the camera 42 is transmitted to the mobile phone 2 via the same route as the call notification, allowing the resident to confirm the visitor through the image.

In this way, when mobile phone 2 is within a specific area including the installation location of room base unit 5, connection maintenance processing with room base unit 5 is performed relatively frequently, so that when the person carrying mobile phone 2 is at home or in the vicinity, smooth communication with room base unit 5 can be achieved and calls from visitors can be responded to smoothly. On the other hand, when the person leaves the specific area, for example, going out, mobile phone 2 does not perform connection maintenance processing under its own control, so power consumption of mobile phone 2 can be reduced.
Furthermore, when the mobile phone 2 is outside the specific area, the connection maintenance process is periodically performed under the control of the communication adapter 3, so that the connection with the room base unit 5 is maintained. In addition, power consumption can be reduced because the connection maintenance process is performed by waking up the mobile phone 2 in response to an external signal.
Furthermore, since the room base unit 5 communicates with the mobile phone 2 via the communication adapter 3, it is sufficient to be able to communicate with the communication adapter 3, and does not communicate directly with the mobile phone 2, so the communication interface can be configured simply.

In the above embodiment, a specific area is set based on the position of the room master unit 5, but the specific area may also be set based on the position of the entrance slave unit 4, or a specific area may be set based on an intermediate position between the two.
Further, although the room master unit 5 communicates with the mobile phone 2 via the communication adapter 3, it may also communicate directly via the network N via a wireless router or the like without going through the communication adapter 3.
Furthermore, although the area information storage unit 21 and the position determination unit 22 are provided in the mobile phone 2, they may be provided in the management server 6, with the mobile phone 2 only performing the registration process.

1: Intercom device, 2: Mobile phone, 3: Communication adapter, 4: Entrance unit, 5: Room main unit, 6: Management server, 21: Area information storage unit, 22: Location determination unit, 23: Register processing unit, N: Network (communication network).

Claims (3)

An intercom system having an intercom device including a front door slave unit for calling a resident and a room master unit for responding to a call from the front door slave unit, and a mobile phone connected to the intercom device via a communication network,
an area information storage unit that stores a specific area including an installation location of the intercom device;
a location determination unit that grasps the location of the mobile phone and determines whether the mobile phone is located inside or outside the specific area,
The intercom system is characterized in that the mobile phone has a register processing unit that, when the location determination unit determines that it is inside the specific area, performs a connection maintenance process with the intercom device at a short first time interval of less than 30 seconds, and, when it determines that it is outside the specific area, performs the connection maintenance process only when a push request is received from outside. a communication adapter is disposed on the communication network, the communication adapter issuing a push request to the mobile phone at a second time interval exceeding five minutes to cause the mobile phone to perform a process of maintaining a connection with the intercom device;
2. The intercom system according to claim 1, wherein the external push request is a push request from said communication adapter. the intercom device is connected to the communication network via the communication adapter;
3. The intercom system according to claim 2, wherein communication between said mobile phone and said intercom device is carried out via said communication adapter.

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