JP7550360B2 - Management system, management method, and program - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure generally relates to a management system, a management method, and a program. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a management system that manages information terminals installed in a facility, a management method for managing information terminals installed in the facility, and a program for executing the management method.

Patent Document 1 discloses a housing information panel that has been added with multimedia functions and is installed in each dwelling unit of an apartment building, for example. This housing information panel is equipped with an alarm device unit that issues warnings regarding disaster prevention information such as fires or gas leaks in each dwelling unit, and an information terminal unit that is detachably attached to the alarm device unit and transmits and receives various types of information.

JP 2001-297383 A

In a housing information panel (information terminal) such as that described in Patent Document 1, for example, after installation of the housing information panel, the installer may carry out a check to confirm the operation of the housing information panel. In this case, after carrying out the check, the installer carries out an initialization process to initialize the settings of the housing information panel. However, if the installer forgets to carry out the initialization process, a problem may arise in that the installer will provide the user with a housing information panel that is, from the user's point of view, not initialized.

The present disclosure aims to provide a management system, management method, and program that makes it easy to provide a user with an information terminal that appears initialized from the user's perspective.

A management system according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a first communication unit, a second communication unit, and a management unit. The first communication unit communicates with a first information terminal provided in a facility. The second communication unit communicates with a second information terminal that performs an operation related to the first information terminal. The management unit manages identification information used when linking the first information terminal and the second information terminal. When a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management unit causes the first communication unit to transmit prohibition information to the first information terminal, for preventing related information related to a specific identification information among the identification information from being extracted from a storage unit of the first information terminal . The predetermined condition includes at least one of a predetermined time having passed from a predetermined point in time, a predetermined time being reached, and the first information terminal accepting a specific operation input.

A management system according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a first communication unit, a second communication unit, and a management unit. The first communication unit communicates with a first information terminal provided in a facility. The second communication unit communicates with a second information terminal that performs an operation related to the first information terminal. The management unit manages identification information used when linking the first information terminal and the second information terminal. When a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management unit causes the first communication unit to transmit, to the first information terminal, invalidation information for invalidating output of related information related to specific identification information among the identification information. The predetermined condition includes at least one of a predetermined time having passed from a predetermined point in time, a predetermined time being reached, and the first information terminal accepting a specific operation input.

A management system according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a first communication unit, a second communication unit, and a management unit. The first communication unit communicates with a first information terminal provided in a facility. The second communication unit communicates with a second information terminal that performs an operation related to the first information terminal. The management unit manages identification information used when linking the first information terminal and the second information terminal. When a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management unit causes the first communication unit to transmit, to the first information terminal, release information for releasing the link between the first information terminal and the second information terminal using specific identification information among the identification information. The predetermined condition includes at least one of a predetermined time having passed since a predetermined point in time, a predetermined time having been reached, and the first information terminal receiving a specific operation input.

A management method according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a management step. The management step is a step of managing identification information used when linking a first information terminal provided in a facility and the second information terminal performing an operation related to the first information terminal. The management step causes the first information terminal to transmit prohibition information, invalidation information, or release information when a predetermined condition is satisfied. The prohibition information is information for making related information related to a specific identification information among the identification information unavailable from a storage unit of the first information terminal . The invalidation information is information for invalidating the output of the related information. The release information is information for releasing the link between the first information terminal and the second information terminal by the specific identification information. The predetermined condition includes at least one of a predetermined time having passed from a predetermined point in time, a predetermined time having been reached, and the first information terminal receiving a specific operation input.

A program according to one aspect of the present disclosure causes one or more processors to execute the above-mentioned management method.

The present disclosure has the advantage that it makes it easier to provide users with information terminals that appear initialized from the user's perspective.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an overview of a management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an intercom system to which the above-mentioned management system is applied. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a first operation of the management system. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a second operation of the management system. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a third operation of the management system. FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an overview of a management system according to a modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

(1) Overview Hereinafter, the management system 100 (see FIG. 1) of this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the following embodiment is merely a part of various embodiments of the present disclosure. The following embodiment can be modified in various ways depending on the design, etc., as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved. In addition, each figure described in the following embodiment is a schematic diagram, and the ratio of the size and thickness of each component in the figure does not necessarily reflect the actual dimensional ratio.

The management system 100 of this embodiment is a system for managing an information terminal (first information terminal A1) installed in a facility 2, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

In this disclosure, "facility" may include non-residential facilities such as stores, offices, factories, buildings, schools, welfare facilities, or hospitals, as well as residential facilities such as detached houses, apartment buildings, or individual units in detached houses or apartment buildings. Non-residential facilities may also include theaters, movie theaters, public halls, amusement parks, complexes, department stores, hotels, inns, kindergartens, libraries, museums, art galleries, underground shopping malls, stations, airports, and the like. Furthermore, in this disclosure, "facility" may include not only buildings (structures), but also outdoor facilities such as baseball stadiums, gardens, parking lots, grounds, and parks.

In this embodiment, an apartment building (such as an apartment complex) including multiple dwelling units is described as an example of the facility 2. Also, in this embodiment, a housing information panel 11 installed in each dwelling unit is described as an example of a first information terminal A1. In other words, in this embodiment, the management system 100 is applied to an intercom system 1, and individually manages multiple first information terminals A1 (housing information panels 11).

As shown in FIG. 1, the management system 100 includes a first communication unit 101, a second communication unit 102, and a management unit 103. In this embodiment, the management system 100 is a server system located in an apartment complex or in a remote location away from the apartment complex.

The first communication unit 101 communicates with a first information terminal A1 (here, a housing information panel 11) provided in the facility 2 (here, an apartment building). In other words, the management system 100 communicates individually with multiple first information terminals A1.

The second communication unit 102 communicates with a second information terminal A2 that performs operations related to the first information terminal A1. In this disclosure, the "related operations" may include the control of the first information terminal A1, or the setting of parameters of the first information terminal A1. In this embodiment, the second information terminal A2 is a terminal owned by the user of the first information terminal A1, and may include a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a personal computer, or the like. The user of the first information terminal A1 may include a resident of the dwelling in which the first information terminal A1 is installed, or a contractor of the first information terminal A1. In this disclosure, the "contractor" may include a person who installs the first information terminal A1 when the facility 2 is newly constructed, a person who inspects the existing first information terminal A1 when the facility 2 is maintained, or a supervisor at the work site.

The management unit 103 manages identification information used when linking the first information terminal A1 and the second information terminal A2. In this disclosure, "linking" refers to putting the first information terminal A1 and the second information terminal A2 into a state in which the other operates according to information input into one. For example, when the first information terminal A1 and the second information terminal A2 are in a linked state, it is possible for the second information terminal A2 to control the first information terminal A1 and set parameters for the first information terminal A1.

In this embodiment, the identification information includes an ID (identifier) for authentication and a password. The identification information is issued individually for each first information terminal A1. The identification information may be issued by the management system 100 or by another system. For example, a user of the second information terminal A2 inputs the identification information on a dedicated website displayed on a web browser installed on the second information terminal A2 or on a dedicated application installed on the second information terminal A2. This links the second information terminal A2 with the first information terminal A1 corresponding to the identification information, so that the user of the second information terminal A2 can cause the first information terminal A1 to perform various operations using the second information terminal A2.

In this embodiment, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management unit 103 executes one of the first, second, and third operations listed below. As an example, the predetermined condition is that a predetermined time (e.g., midnight) is reached.

In the first operation, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management unit 103 causes the first communication unit 101 to transmit prohibition information to the first information terminal A1 to make it impossible to extract related information related to specific identification information among the identification information. In this disclosure, the "specific identification information" is, for example, the ID and password for authentication of the contractor. In this disclosure, the "related information" is information linked to the specific identification information in the first information terminal A1, and may include, for example, parameters for the operation of the first information terminal A1. After the first operation is performed, the first information terminal A1 is unable to extract related information based on the acquired prohibition information.

In the second operation, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management unit 103 causes the first communication unit 101 to transmit, to the first information terminal A1, revocation information for revoking the output of related information related to a specific identification information among the identification information. After the second operation is executed, the first information terminal A1 revoks the output of the related information based on the acquired revocation information.

In the third operation, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management unit 103 causes the first communication unit 101 to transmit, to the first information terminal A1, cancellation information for canceling the link between the first information terminal A1 and the second information terminal A2 based on specific identification information among the identification information. After the third operation is performed, the first information terminal A1 cancels the link between the first information terminal A1 and the second information terminal A2 based on the acquired cancellation information.

For example, assume that the builder has linked the first information terminal A1 and the second information terminal A2 using specific identification information, and has set the parameters of the first information terminal A1 as related information. In this case, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management unit 103 executes one of the first, second, and third operations. Then, even if the builder does not perform the work of initializing the first information terminal A1, when the user (here, the resident) operates the first information terminal A1, the parameters set by the builder are not perceived by the user. In other words, the first information terminal A1 is in an initialized state from the user's perspective. Therefore, this embodiment has the advantage that it is easy to provide the user with an information terminal (first information terminal A1) that is initialized from the user's perspective.

(2) Details The management system 100 of this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following, for simplicity of explanation, the explanation will be focused on one of the first information terminals A1 among the multiple first information terminals A1. The following explanation is also applicable to the other first information terminals A1 in the same manner.

In this embodiment, the facility 2 is an apartment building (such as an condominium) that includes multiple dwelling units. In an apartment building, the lobby (public entrance), parking lot, kids' room, garbage collection area, etc. are common areas 22 (see FIG. 2), and each of the multiple dwelling units is a private area 23 (see FIG. 2). The facility 2 may also include multiple buildings.

In this embodiment, as an example, the facility 2 has a management room 21, a common area 22, a number of private areas 23, and an MDF (Main Distribution Frame) room 24. The management room 21 is where equipment for managing the facility 2 (e.g., the management room master unit 14, etc.) is installed, and is a place where a manager performs management tasks such as receiving visitors when the residents are absent. The management room 21 includes a management office and a manager's room, etc.

(2.1) Intercom System First, the configuration of the intercom system 1 to which the management system 100 is applied will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Similar devices (such as a home information panel 11 that functions as a room master unit and a room slave unit 12) are installed in each of the multiple private areas 23. However, Fig. 2 shows the devices installed in only one private area 23 (dwelling unit), and the devices installed in the other private areas 23 are not shown.

The intercom system 1 includes a housing information panel 11 (first information terminal A1), a room handset 12, a lobby intercom 13, a management room master unit 14, a gateway device 3, and a control device 4.

The housing information panel 11 is introduced (installed) in each private area 23 (dwelling unit) and functions as a room master unit. The housing information panel 11 has an intercom function for intercom calls. In addition to the intercom function, the housing information panel 11 also has a disaster prevention function for issuing a fire alarm if a fire is detected. In addition, the housing information panel 11 has a crime prevention function for issuing an alarm if a suspicious person's intrusion is detected, a function for presenting various lifestyle information, and a communication function for communicating with the outside (e.g., the management system 100). The housing information panel 11 will be explained in detail in "(2.2) Housing Information Panel (First Information Terminal)" below.

The room handset 12 is, for example, a front door handset, and is electrically connected to the housing information panel 11. The housing information panel 11 (room master unit) and the room handset 12 are configured to be able to communicate (including make calls) with each other. The room handset 12 has an imaging unit (camera), and an image of a visitor captured by the imaging unit of the room handset 12 can be displayed on the housing information panel 11.

The lobby intercom 13 is installed, for example, in a common entrance (lobby), which is one of the common areas 22. The lobby intercom 13 is electrically connected to the control device 4 and the door 221 (or an electric lock provided on the door 221). The lobby intercom 13 is electrically connected to the door 221 in the lobby (common area 22). In this embodiment, the lobby intercom 13 can control the opening/closing or locking/unlocking of the door 221. The lobby intercom 13 is installed, for example, on the outside of the door 221 (the side that communicates with the outside of the facility 2) in a common area 22, such as a lobby of the facility 2.

The lobby intercom 13 transmits a call signal to each residential information board 11 or the management room master unit 14 to call each residential information board 11 or the management room master unit 14. Furthermore, the lobby intercom 13 has an imaging unit (camera), and an image of the visitor captured by the imaging unit of the lobby intercom 13 is transmitted to each residential information board 11 or the management room master unit 14. As a result, the image of the visitor captured by the imaging unit of the lobby intercom 13 can be displayed on each residential information board 11 or the management room master unit 14.

The control room master unit 14 is installed in the indoor space of the control room 21. In this embodiment, the intercom system 1 further includes a control room slave unit capable of communicating (including making calls) with the control room master unit 14, and a communication adapter, etc., as devices installed in the control room 21. The control room slave unit is an entrance slave unit installed outside the entrance of the control room 21, and is electrically connected to the control room master unit 14.

The gateway device 3 is installed in the MDF room 24 in the facility 2 together with the router B1 and the HUB device 15. The gateway device 3 is connected to the control device 4. The gateway device 3 is also connected to a network NT1 outside the facility 2, such as the Internet, via the HUB device 15 and the router B1. Therefore, the intercom system 1 can communicate with an external management system 100, for example, via the network NT1, and can obtain information from the management system 100 or output information to the management system 100.

In this embodiment, the housing information panel 11 of each private area 23 can be connected directly to the network NT1 (i.e., without going through the control device 4 and the gateway device 3). Specifically, each housing information panel 11 is connected to the network NT1 via a HUB device 16 and a router B2, etc., that are installed in that private area 23. Therefore, each housing information panel 11 can also obtain information from the management system 100 and output information to the management system 100 without going through the control device 4 and the gateway device 3.

The control device 4 is connected to the housing information board 11 (first information terminal A1) of each private area 23 via an intercom line (main line L1) and controls the communications (including calls) of the housing information board 11. The control device 4 is also connected to the management room master unit 14 via main line L1 and controls the communications (including calls) of the management room master unit 14. The control device 4 is installed, for example, in a common entrance hall (lobby), which is one of the common areas 22.

The control device 4, as a basic operation, relays communication signals (call signals, audio signals, video signals, etc.) transmitted from the lobby intercom 13 and transmits them to the home information board 11. The communication signals transmitted from the lobby intercom 13 contain information (e.g., an address) for identifying the home information board 11 to which they are transmitted. In addition, as a basic operation, the control device 4 relays communication signals (audio signals, video signals, etc.) transmitted from each of the multiple home information boards 11 and transmits them to the lobby intercom 13. Furthermore, the control device 4 also relays communication signals between each of the multiple home information boards 11 and the management room master unit 14, and between the management room master unit 14 and the lobby intercom 13.

The control device 4 is also configured to receive various information transmitted from the management system 100 to the home information board 11 (first information terminal A1) via the gateway device 3, and transmit the information to the target home information board 11. In other words, the control device 4 has a function of relaying between the management system 100 and the home information board 11.

(2.2) Housing Information Board (First Information Terminal)
Next, the configuration of the home information panel 11 (first information terminal A1) will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 2. The home information panel 11 is electrically connected to the control device 4 via a main line L1 and a branch line L2. The home information panel 11 is configured to be able to communicate bidirectionally with the lobby intercom 13 via the control device 4.

The housing information panel 11 is also electrically connected to the room sub-unit 12 via a connection line L3. The housing information panel 11 is configured to be able to communicate bidirectionally with the room sub-unit 12.

The housing information panel 11 is also configured to be capable of bidirectional communication with a terminal T1 present within a specified spatial area (e.g., the private area 23) via the HUB device 16 and the router B2. The terminal T1 is assumed to be, for example, a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or tablet terminal owned by a user (here, a resident) of the private area 23, but may also be a desktop or laptop personal computer. The communication method between the housing information panel 11 and the HUB device 16 is not limited to wired, and may be wireless.

In the housing information panel 11, the user can perform various settings and operations by operating the operation unit 111 provided on the housing information panel 11 or by touching the display unit 110 provided on the housing information panel 11. Examples of settings and operations include setting the volume of the call sound or ringtone, playing back past images captured by the imaging unit, or operations related to recording images.

The housing information panel 11 stores in its own memory various notification information received from the control device 4 and content information received from the management system 100. The housing information panel 11 also stores in its own memory identification information (address, etc.) for identifying the corresponding terminal T1. The housing information panel 11 also stores various other setting information in its own memory.

The following are functions possessed by the housing information board 11 other than the intercom function and the communication function. Note that the housing information board 11 does not have to have all of the functions listed below, and may have only some of the functions. Also, the functions listed below are examples, and the housing information board 11 may have further functions.

The home information panel 11 has, as an example, a disaster prevention function. The disaster prevention function includes a function for linking with a fire alarm system installed in the facility 2. The fire alarm system has, for example, one or more fire detectors 17 (see FIG. 2), a transmitter (alarm device), and a receiver 18 (see FIG. 2).

The receiver 18 is connected to the control room master unit 14, for example, via signal line L4. The receiver 18 receives the detection signal transmitted via signal line L4 or the like, and outputs an alarm sound from its own speaker. The receiver 18 also issues an alarm sound in conjunction with multiple transmitters within the facility 2.

When the fire detector 17 detects a fire, it transmits a detection signal to the home information panel 11 to which the fire detector 17 is connected. The home information panel 11 that receives the detection signal executes and processes software corresponding to the disaster prevention function, and performs a fire alarm operation.

In this disclosure, "fire alarm operation" includes an operation of notifying the outside of the private area 23 (e.g., the management room parent unit 14) of the occurrence of a fire, an operation of sounding an alarm from the device's speaker, and an operation of displaying the occurrence of a fire on the device's display unit 110. Furthermore, "fire alarm operation" also includes an operation of sounding an alarm from the speaker of the room sub-unit 12 connected to the device. Also, when a fire is detected in another private area 23 or the common area 22, the housing information panel 11 receives this information, for example from the receiver 18, sounds an alarm from its speaker, displays the occurrence of a fire on the device's display unit 110, and sounds an alarm from the room sub-unit 12. These operations are also included in "fire alarm operation". Also, in each room slave unit 12, for example, a test button can be pressed or a test signal can be sent by connecting an external tester to a repeater built into the room slave unit 12, allowing the home information panel 11 connected to that room slave unit 12 to perform a test of the same operation as when a fire is detected. These operational tests are also included in the "fire alarm operation."

The housing information panel 11 has an application function, for example. The application function includes a function of receiving lifestyle information such as weather forecasts and weather warnings from an external server, and notifying the user of the information by push notification or the like from the display unit 110, or transferring the information to the user's terminal T1. The application function includes a function of notifying the user's terminal T1 when the housing information panel 11 executes the above-mentioned "fire alarm operation". The application function also includes a function of notifying the user of the arrival of a package in a delivery box installed in the common area 22 or the like from the display unit 110, or transferring the information to the user's terminal T1. The application function also includes a function of receiving messages from the manager or management company (for example, messages regarding the schedule of the fire detector inspection date, etc.) from the management room master unit 14 or the management system 100, and notifying the user of the information from the display unit 110, or transferring the information to the user's terminal T1.

The housing information panel 11 has a font function, for example. The font function is a function for specifying the display format of character string data, symbol data, etc. on the display unit 110 (including the display unit of the terminal T1 to which the data is to be transferred) when, for example, an application function is executed. Specifically, the font function is a function for specifying the font type (Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, etc.), font size, and alignment (left-justified, centered, etc.).

The home information panel 11 has a crime prevention function, as an example. The crime prevention function includes a function to link with a crime prevention system installed in the facility 2. The crime prevention system includes one or more crime prevention sensors electrically connected to the home information panel 11. When the home information panel 11 receives a signal from the crime prevention sensor that a suspicious person has been detected, it sounds an alarm and notifies the management room parent unit 14. If a HEMS (Home Energy Management System) controller that monitors and manages various electrical appliances in the private section 23 is provided separately from the home information panel 11, the home information panel 11 may be electrically connected to the controller and receive a signal from the crime prevention sensor that a suspicious person has been detected via the controller.

In particular, the crime prevention function includes a function for selecting an away mode, an at-home mode, etc., according to an operation input to the operation unit 111. For example, when a resident goes out, the operation unit 111 is operated to set the away mode, and the housing information panel 11 performs crime prevention alert. If the front door or window of the private area 23 is opened or broken while the resident is out, the housing information panel 11 sounds an alarm to notify the management room master unit 14 and simultaneously notifies the user's terminal T1. If a window or door is opened, the housing information panel 11 stores the location and time of the opening in the memory of the device as history information. The resident can check the history information through the display unit 110. In addition, when the resident switches to the away mode before going out, the housing information panel 11 notifies the user's terminal T1 of the lock/unlock status of the front door and window of the private area 23 at that time after a certain time has passed. When the resident returns home and switches to the at-home mode, the crime prevention alert is canceled.

(2.3) Management System Next, the management system 100 will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 1. The management system 100 may be operated by, for example, a management company or a security company that manages the facility 2. The management system 100 includes a first communication unit 101, a second communication unit 102, a management unit 103, and a storage unit 104.

The first communication unit 101 communicates with the first information terminal A1 (here, the home information panel 11). The first communication unit 101 is configured to be able to communicate bidirectionally with the first information terminal A1 via a communication path that passes through the network NT1, the router B1, the HUB device 15, the gateway device 3, and the control device 4. The first communication unit 101 may also communicate bidirectionally with the first information terminal A1 via a communication path that passes through the network NT1, the router B2, and the HUB device 16.

The second communication unit 102 communicates with the second information terminal A2. Here, the second information terminal A2 is a terminal T2 owned by the contractor. Like the terminal T1 owned by the user, the terminal T2 may be a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal, or may be a desktop or laptop personal computer. Of course, the second information terminal A2 may be the terminal T1 owned by the user.

The second communication unit 102 is configured to be able to communicate bidirectionally with the second information terminal A2 via a communication path via the network NT1 and router B1, or via a communication path via the network NT1 and router B2. The second communication unit 102 may also communicate bidirectionally with the second information terminal A2 via a communication path via the network NT1 and a mobile line network. The mobile line network may include, for example, 4G (4th Generation), 5G (5th Generation), or LTE (Long Term Evolution), etc.

The management unit 103 is composed of a microcontroller having one or more processors and a memory. In other words, the management unit 103 is realized in a computer system having one or more processors and a memory, and the computer system functions as the management unit 103 by the one or more processors executing a program stored in the memory. Here, the program is pre-recorded in the memory, but it may also be provided via a telecommunications line such as the Internet, or recorded on a non-transitory recording medium such as a memory card.

The management unit 103 manages the identification information. The management unit 103 is the entity that executes the management step ST1 described below. Specifically, when the management unit 103 receives identification information (here, specific identification information) transmitted from the second information terminal A2 via the second communication unit 102, it performs authentication by comparing the information with authentication information (described later) stored in the memory unit 104.

If the authentication is successful, the management unit 103 links the second information terminal A2, which is the sender of the identification information, with the first information terminal A1, which corresponds to the identification information. On the other hand, if the authentication is unsuccessful, the management unit 103 notifies the second information terminal A2, which is the sender of the identification information, that the authentication has failed. Then, in a state in which the first information terminal A1 and the second information terminal A2 are linked, the management unit 103 controls the communication between the first information terminal A1 and the second information terminal A2. As a result, various controls or settings are performed in the first information terminal A1 based on the information input in the second information terminal A2.

As an example, the contractor checks the operation of various functions (such as crime prevention, disaster prevention, and application functions) of the first information terminal A1 by performing various inputs on the second information terminal A2. The setting information set on the first information terminal A1 when performing the operation check is stored in the memory of the first information terminal A1 as related information. In other words, the related information includes setting information set in association with specific identification information (here, the contractor's ID and password). In addition to setting information, the related information may include information related to the cooperation between the first information terminal A1 and the second information terminal A2, such as specific identification information. Note that the related information is basically held in the memory of the first information terminal A1 unless the contractor performs initialization work using the second information terminal A2.

The storage unit 104 includes, for example, an electrically rewritable non-volatile memory such as an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) and a volatile memory such as a RAM (Random Access Memory). Alternatively, the storage unit 104 may be a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive). The storage unit 104 stores authentication information that links one or more pieces of identification information (including specific identification information) with the corresponding first information terminal A1. The authentication information is used when authenticating the identification information transmitted from the second information terminal A2.

As already mentioned, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management unit 103 executes one of the first, second, and third operations listed below. In this embodiment, the predetermined condition includes at least one of the following: a predetermined time (e.g., several hours) has passed since a predetermined point in time, and a predetermined time (e.g., midnight) has been reached. The predetermined point in time may include, as an example, the point in time when the first information terminal A1 and the second information terminal A2 are linked, in other words, the point in time when authentication is performed. In addition, the predetermined point in time may include, as an example, the point in time when the first information terminal A1 or the second information terminal A2 is last operated while the first information terminal A1 and the second information terminal A2 are linked.

In the first operation, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management unit 103 causes the first communication unit 101 to transmit prohibition information to the first information terminal A1, for making it impossible to extract related information related to a specific identification information among the identification information. When the first information terminal A1 receives the prohibition information, it transitions to a state in which it is impossible to extract related information stored in its own memory. Here, the "state in which it is impossible to extract related information" may include a state in which it is impossible to view related information on the display unit 110 of the first information terminal A1, or a state in which it is impossible to copy related information from the first information terminal A1 to a storage medium such as a memory card.

In the second operation, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management unit 103 causes the first communication unit 101 to transmit, to the first information terminal A1, invalidation information for invalidating the output of related information related to a specific identification information among the identification information. Upon receiving the invalidation information, the first information terminal A1 invalidates the output of related information stored in its own memory.

Here, "disabling the output of related information" may include deleting the related information or not accepting a command to output the related information. In this embodiment, the disabling information includes information for deleting the related information. In other words, in this embodiment, after the second operation is performed, the first information terminal A1 deletes the related information based on the acquired disabling information.

In addition, in this embodiment, when the management unit 103 deletes the related information, it cancels the link between the first information terminal A1 and the second information terminal A2. In other words, in this embodiment, after the second operation is performed, even if the contractor inputs specific identification information into the second information terminal A2, the corresponding first information terminal A1 and second information terminal A2 cannot be linked.

In the third operation, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management unit 103 causes the first communication unit 101 to transmit, to the first information terminal A1, cancellation information for canceling the link between the first information terminal A1 and the second information terminal A2 based on specific identification information among the identification information. Upon receiving the cancellation information, the first information terminal A1 cancels the link between the first information terminal A1 and the second information terminal A2 based on the specific identification information. Therefore, after the execution of the third operation, even if the contractor inputs specific identification information into the second information terminal A2, the corresponding first information terminal A1 and second information terminal A2 cannot be linked.

The first, second, and third operations are all operations executed for specific identification information. Therefore, the first, second, and third operations do not affect information linked to identification information other than the specific identification information. For example, assume that a user (here, a resident) operates the first information terminal A1 directly or uses terminal T1 to configure various settings for the first information terminal A1. In this case, even if a certain condition is met, the setting information associated with the identification information is not rendered unretrievable or deleted.

(3) Operation An example of the operation of the management system 100 will be described below with reference to Figs. 3 to 5. Fig. 3 shows an example of the first operation, Fig. 4 shows an example of the second operation, and Fig. 5 shows an example of the third operation. In the following description, it is assumed that the builder inputs specific identification information into the second information terminal A2 (terminal T2 in this case) to link the second information terminal A2 with the corresponding first information terminal A1 (house information panel 11 in this case). That is, as shown in Figs. 3 to 5, when the second communication unit 102 receives specific identification information (S1: Yes), the management unit 103 performs authentication using the received specific identification information. Then, the management unit 103 links the second information terminal A2, which is the sender of the specific identification information, with the corresponding first information terminal A1 (S2). As a result, the builder performs various inputs into the second information terminal A2 to check the operation of various functions of the first information terminal A1.

In the following explanation, it is assumed that the installer forgot to initialize the first information terminal A1 after checking the operation of the first information terminal A1 using the second information terminal A2. Furthermore, in the following explanation, it is assumed that the predetermined condition is reaching midnight.

(3.1) First Operation As shown in Fig. 3, in the first operation, the management unit 103 does not execute anything in particular until a predetermined condition is satisfied (S3: No). On the other hand, when the management unit 103 satisfies the predetermined condition (S3: Yes), the management unit 103 transmits prohibition information from the first communication unit 101 to the first information terminal A1 corresponding to the specific identification information (S4). The processes S3 and S4 correspond to a management step ST1 described later.

When the first information terminal A1 receives the prohibition information, it transitions to a state in which it cannot retrieve related information. As a result, when a user (here, a resident) operates the first information terminal A1 directly or indirectly using terminal T1, the first information terminal A1 does not retrieve related information from its own memory. For this reason, the first information terminal A1 does not display related information on the display unit 110 or on the display unit of terminal T1, and as a result, from the user's perspective, the first information terminal A1 is in an initialized state.

(3.2) Second Operation As shown in Fig. 4, in the second operation, the management unit 103 does not execute anything in particular until a predetermined condition is satisfied (S3: No). On the other hand, when the management unit 103 satisfies the predetermined condition (S3: Yes), it transmits revocation information from the first communication unit 101 to the first information terminal A1 corresponding to the specific identification information (S5). The processes S3 and S5 correspond to a management step ST1 described later.

When the first information terminal A1 receives the invalidation information, it invalidates the output of the related information. In this embodiment, when the first information terminal A1 receives the invalidation information, it deletes the related information from its own memory. As a result, when the user operates the first information terminal A1 directly or indirectly using terminal T1, the related information has been deleted from the first information terminal A1, and therefore the first information terminal A1 does not display the related information on the display unit 110 or on the display unit of terminal T1. As a result, from the user's perspective, the first information terminal A1 appears in an initialized state.

(3.3) Third Operation As shown in Fig. 5, in the third operation, the management unit 103 does not execute anything in particular until a predetermined condition is satisfied (S3: No). On the other hand, when the management unit 103 satisfies the predetermined condition (S3: Yes), it transmits release information from the first communication unit 101 to the first information terminal A1 corresponding to the specific identification information (S6). The processes S3 and S6 correspond to a management step ST1 described later.

When the first information terminal A1 receives the release information, it releases the link between the first information terminal A1 and the second information terminal A2 based on the specific identification information. As a result, when the user directly operates the first information terminal A1 or indirectly operates it using the terminal T1, the link between the first information terminal A1 and the second information terminal A2 has been released, and therefore the first information terminal A1 appears to the user in an initialized state.

(4) Advantages The advantages of the management system 100 of this embodiment will be described below, along with a comparison with a management system of a comparative example. The management system of the comparative example differs from the management system 100 of this embodiment in that the management system of the comparative example does not execute any of the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation even if a predetermined condition is satisfied.

In the management system of the comparative example, if the contractor forgets to initialize the first information terminal A1 after checking the operation of the first information terminal A1 using the second information terminal A2, the uninitialized first information terminal A1 will be provided to the user (here, the resident). In this case, the user may feel uneasy because, even though he or she is the first user of the first information terminal A1, traces of use by a third party remain on the first information terminal A1.

On the other hand, in the management system 100 of this embodiment, even if the contractor forgets to initialize the first information terminal A1, when a certain condition is met, one of the first, second, and third operations is executed. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first information terminal A1 is provided to the user in an initialized state from the user's perspective, which has the advantage that the user does not feel any discomfort as described above.

(5) Modifications The above-described embodiment is merely one of various embodiments of the present disclosure. The above-described embodiment can be modified in various ways depending on the design, etc., as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved. In addition, functions similar to those of the management system 100 may be embodied in a management method, a (computer) program, or a non-transitory recording medium on which a program is recorded, etc.

The management method according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a management step ST1. The management step ST1 is a step of managing identification information used when linking a first information terminal A1 provided in a facility 2 and a second information terminal A2 performing an operation related to the first information terminal A1. When a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management step ST1 causes the first information terminal A1 to transmit prohibition information, invalidation information, or release information. The prohibition information is information for making it impossible to extract related information related to a specific identification information among the identification information. The invalidation information is information for invalidating the output of related information. The release information is information for releasing the link between the first information terminal A1 and the second information terminal A2 by the specific identification information. Furthermore, a program according to one aspect of the present disclosure causes one or more processors to execute the above management method.

Below, we list some variations of the above-mentioned embodiment. The variations described below can be applied in appropriate combinations.

In the management system 100 of the present disclosure, for example, the management unit 103 includes a computer system. The computer system is mainly composed of a processor and a memory as hardware. The processor executes a program recorded in the memory of the computer system to realize the functions of the management system 100 of the present disclosure. The program may be pre-recorded in the memory of the computer system, provided through an electric communication line, or recorded and provided in a non-transitory recording medium such as a memory card, an optical disk, or a hard disk drive that can be read by the computer system. The processor of the computer system is composed of one or more electronic circuits including a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) or a large-scale integrated circuit (LSI). The integrated circuits such as IC or LSI referred to here are called differently depending on the degree of integration, and include integrated circuits called system LSI, VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration), or ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration). Furthermore, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) that is programmed after the manufacture of the LSI, or a logic device that can reconfigure the connection relationship inside the LSI or reconfigure the circuit partition inside the LSI, can also be adopted as a processor. The multiple electronic circuits may be integrated into one chip, or may be distributed across multiple chips. The multiple chips may be integrated into one device, or may be distributed across multiple devices. The computer system referred to here includes a microcontroller having one or more processors and one or more memories. Therefore, the microcontroller is also composed of one or more electronic circuits including a semiconductor integrated circuit or a large-scale integrated circuit.

Furthermore, it is not essential for the management system 100 that multiple functions are concentrated in one housing. The components of the management system 100 may be distributed across multiple housings. Furthermore, at least some of the functions of the management system 100 may be realized by, for example, a server device and a cloud (cloud computing), etc.

In the above embodiment, the management unit 103 may further perform the following operations when performing any one of the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation. That is, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management unit 103 may cause the second communication unit 102 to transmit information for deleting the related information to the second information terminal A2. In this aspect, the related information is deleted not only in the first information terminal A1 but also in the second information terminal A2. Therefore, even if the second information terminal A2 is exposed to a third party, there is an advantage that the related information, that is, private information related to the first information terminal A1, is unlikely to be viewed by a third party.

In the above-described embodiment, the management unit 103 may store the specific identification information in the storage unit 104 regardless of whether or not a predetermined condition is satisfied. In this aspect, even after the first information terminal A1 is in an initialized state as seen by the user, the first information terminal A1 can be operated using the specific identification information, which has the advantage that it is easy to perform additional tasks, such as rechecking the operation.

In the above-described embodiment, the management unit 103 may store history information linked to specific identification information in the storage unit 104, regardless of whether or not a predetermined condition is satisfied. The history information is information related to the history of various operations performed on the first information terminal A1 when the first information terminal A1 and the second information terminal A2 are linked by the specific identification information. This aspect has the advantage that the administrator of the management system 100 can easily grasp the status of the first information terminal A1 by viewing the history information.

In this case, the management system 100 may further include a third communication unit 105 that communicates with another system A3, as shown in FIG. 6. As an example, the other system A3 is a terminal T3 such as a smartphone carried by the foreman at the construction site.

When the third communication unit 105 receives identification information linked to the authority to view the history information from the other system A3, it transmits the history information to the other system A3. This aspect has the advantage that a user of the other system A3 can easily grasp the status of the first information terminal A1 by viewing the history information. For example, there may be cases where a construction site supervisor wants to understand the work status of a contractor, such as an operation check. In this case, the construction site supervisor can obtain the history information from the management system 100 using the other system A3, and can view the history information to understand the work status of the contractor.

In the above-described embodiment, the predetermined condition may be a condition other than a time-based condition. For example, the predetermined condition may be that the first information terminal A1 accepts a specific operation input.

In the above embodiment, the management system 100 is applied to the intercom system 1, but is not limited to this aspect. The management system 100 can be applied to any system in which two information terminals (a first information terminal A1 and a second information terminal A2) work together.

(summary)
As described above, the management system (100) according to the first aspect includes a first communication unit (101), a second communication unit (102), and a management unit (103). The first communication unit (101) communicates with a first information terminal (A1) provided in a facility (2). The second communication unit (102) communicates with a second information terminal (A2) that performs an operation related to the first information terminal (A1). The management unit (103) manages identification information used when linking the first information terminal (A1) and the second information terminal (A2). When a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management unit (103) causes the first communication unit (101) to transmit prohibition information for preventing related information related to a specific identification information from being extracted from among the identification information to the first information terminal (A1).

This aspect has the advantage that it is easy to provide the user with an information terminal (first information terminal (A1)) that appears initialized from the user's perspective.

The management system (100) according to the second aspect includes a first communication unit (101), a second communication unit (102), and a management unit (103). The first communication unit (101) communicates with a first information terminal (A1) provided in a facility (2). The second communication unit (102) communicates with a second information terminal (A2) that performs an operation related to the first information terminal (A1). The management unit (103) manages identification information used when linking the first information terminal (A1) and the second information terminal (A2). When a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management unit (103) causes the first communication unit (101) to transmit, to the first information terminal (A1), invalidation information for invalidating the output of related information related to a specific identification information among the identification information.

This aspect has the advantage that it is easy to provide the user with an information terminal (first information terminal (A1)) that appears initialized from the user's perspective.

In the management system (100) according to the third aspect, in the second aspect, the invalidation information includes information for deleting related information.

This aspect has the advantage that the related information is deleted from the information terminal (first information terminal (A1)), making it easier to initialize the information terminal.

In the management system (100) according to the fourth aspect, in the third aspect, the management unit (103) releases the link between the first information terminal (A1) and the second information terminal (A2) when deleting related information.

This aspect has the advantage that it is easier to prevent people other than the user from using the second information terminal (A2) to operate the information terminal (first information terminal (A1)).

In the management system (100) according to the fifth aspect, in any of the first to fourth aspects, the management unit (103) causes the second communication unit (102) to transmit information for deleting related information to the second information terminal (A2) when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

This aspect has the advantage that even if the second information terminal (A2) is exposed to a third party, the related information, i.e., private information about the information terminal (first information terminal (A1)), is unlikely to be viewed by a third party.

In the management system (100) according to the sixth aspect, in any of the first to fifth aspects, the related information includes setting information that is set in association with specific identification information.

This aspect has the advantage that it is easy to provide the user with an information terminal (first information terminal (A1)) that has been initialized, including the setting information, from the user's perspective.

The management system (100) according to the seventh aspect includes a first communication unit (101), a second communication unit (102), and a management unit (103). The first communication unit (101) communicates with a first information terminal (A1) provided in a facility (2). The second communication unit (102) communicates with a second information terminal (A2) that performs an operation related to the first information terminal (A1). The management unit (103) manages identification information used when linking the first information terminal (A1) and the second information terminal (A2). When a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management unit (103) causes the first communication unit (101) to transmit, to the first information terminal (A1), cancellation information for canceling the link between the first information terminal (A1) and the second information terminal (A2) based on the identification information of the wisdom of explanation among the identification information.

This aspect has the advantage that it is easy to provide the user with an information terminal (first information terminal (A1)) that appears initialized from the user's perspective.

In the management system (100) according to the eighth aspect, in any of the first to seventh aspects, the predetermined condition includes at least one of the passage of a predetermined time from a predetermined point in time and the arrival of a predetermined time.

This aspect has the advantage that it is possible to automatically set the information terminal (first information terminal (A1)) to an initialized state as seen by the user.

In the management system (100) according to the ninth aspect, in any of the first to eighth aspects, the management unit (103) causes the storage unit (104) to store specific identification information, regardless of whether or not a predetermined condition is satisfied.

According to this aspect, even after the information terminal (first information terminal (A1)) is in an initialized state from the user's perspective, the information terminal can be operated using specific identification information, which has the advantage of making it easier to perform additional tasks, such as rechecking the operation.

In the management system (100) according to the tenth aspect, in any of the first to ninth aspects, the management unit (103) causes the storage unit (104) to store history information linked to specific identification information, regardless of whether or not a predetermined condition is satisfied.

This aspect has the advantage that the administrator of the management system (100) can easily understand the status of the information terminal (first information terminal (A1)) by viewing the history information.

The management system (100) according to the eleventh aspect is the tenth aspect, and further includes a third communication unit (105) that communicates with another system (A3). When the third communication unit (105) receives identification information linked to the viewing authority of the history information from the other system (A3), it transmits the history information to the other system (A3).

This aspect has the advantage that users of the other system (A3) can easily understand the status of the information terminal (first information terminal (A1)) by viewing the history information.

The management method according to the twelfth aspect includes a management step (ST1). The management step (ST1) is a step of managing identification information used when linking a first information terminal (A1) provided in a facility (2) and a second information terminal (A2) that performs an operation related to the first information terminal (A1). When a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management step (ST1) transmits prohibition information, invalidation information, or release information to the first information terminal (A1). The prohibition information is information for making it impossible to extract related information related to specific identification information among the identification information. The invalidation information is information for invalidating the output of related information. The release information is information for releasing the link between the first information terminal (A1) and the second information terminal (A2) based on specific identification information.

This aspect has the advantage that it is easy to provide the user with an information terminal (first information terminal (A1)) that appears initialized from the user's perspective.

The program according to the thirteenth aspect causes one or more processors to execute the management method according to the twelfth aspect.

This aspect has the advantage that it is easy to provide the user with an information terminal (first information terminal (A1)) that appears initialized from the user's perspective.

The configurations relating to the second to eleventh aspects are not essential components of the management system (100) and may be omitted as appropriate.

100 Management system 101 First communication unit 102 Second communication unit 103 Management unit 104 Storage unit 105 Third communication unit 2 Facility A1 Information terminal (first information terminal)
A2 Second information terminal A3 Other system ST1 Management step

Claims (12)

a first communication unit that communicates with a first information terminal provided in the facility;
a second communication unit that communicates with a second information terminal that performs an operation related to the first information terminal;
a management unit that manages identification information used when linking the first information terminal and the second information terminal,
when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management unit causes the first communication unit to transmit, to the first information terminal, prohibition information for preventing related information related to a specific identification information among the identification information from being extracted from a storage unit of the first information terminal ;
the predetermined condition includes at least one of a predetermined time having elapsed from a predetermined point in time, a predetermined time having arrived, and the first information terminal receiving a specific operation input;
Management system. a first communication unit that communicates with a first information terminal provided in the facility;
a second communication unit that communicates with a second information terminal that performs an operation related to the first information terminal;
a management unit that manages identification information used when linking the first information terminal and the second information terminal,
when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management unit causes the first communication unit to transmit, to the first information terminal, invalidation information for invalidating output of related information related to a specific identification information among the identification information ;
the predetermined condition includes at least one of a predetermined time having elapsed from a predetermined point in time, a predetermined time having arrived, and the first information terminal receiving a specific operation input;
Management system. the invalidation information includes information for deleting the related information,
The management system according to claim 2. When deleting the related information, the management unit cancels the cooperation between the first information terminal and the second information terminal.
The management system according to claim 3. the management unit causes the second communication unit to transmit information for deleting the related information to the second information terminal when the predetermined condition is satisfied.
The management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The related information includes setting information that is set in association with the specific identification information.
The management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5. a first communication unit that communicates with a first information terminal provided in the facility;
a second communication unit that communicates with a second information terminal that performs an operation related to the first information terminal;
a management unit that manages identification information used when linking the first information terminal and the second information terminal,
When a predetermined condition is satisfied, the management unit causes the first communication unit to transmit, to the first information terminal, release information for releasing the cooperation between the first information terminal and the second information terminal based on specific identification information among the identification information ;
the predetermined condition includes at least one of a predetermined time having elapsed from a predetermined point in time, a predetermined time having arrived, and the first information terminal receiving a specific operation input;
Management system. the management unit causes the specific identification information to be stored in a storage unit regardless of whether the specific condition is satisfied.
The management system according to any one of claims 1 to 7. the management unit causes a storage unit to store history information associated with the specific identification information, regardless of whether the specific condition is satisfied.
The management system according to any one of claims 1 to 8. Further comprising a third communication unit for communicating with another system;
When the third communication unit receives the identification information linked to the viewing authority of the history information from the other system, the third communication unit transmits the history information to the other system.
The management system according to claim 9. a management step of managing identification information used when linking a first information terminal provided in a facility and a second information terminal performing an operation related to the first information terminal;
The management step, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, transmits to the first information terminal prohibition information for making it impossible to extract related information related to a specific identification information among the identification information from a storage unit of the first information terminal, invalidation information for invalidating output of the related information, or release information for releasing the cooperation between the first information terminal and the second information terminal based on the specific identification information;
the predetermined condition includes at least one of a predetermined time having elapsed from a predetermined point in time, a predetermined time having arrived, and the first information terminal receiving a specific operation input;
How to manage it. One or more processors,
Executing the management method according to claim 11,
Program.

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