JP7790917B2 - Automatic door device, automatic door switch, control method for automatic door switch, and control program for automatic door switch - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an automatic door system, an automatic door switch, a control method for an automatic door switch, and a control program for an automatic door switch.

Automatic door systems are known that use contactless switches to control the opening and closing operations of an opening/closing body. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a roller blind device that controls the opening and closing operations of a screen curtain in response to the detection state of a contactless switch means (area sensor). This device comprises an opening/closing means that opens and closes the opening, an area sensor that detects the approach of a finger without contact, and an opening/closing control means that controls the opening and closing operations of the opening/closing means in response to the detection state of the area sensor. In this device, two or more area sensors are arranged adjacent to each other, and each sensor enters one of several detection states when a finger is held over one or both of the sensors. The control means controls the opening and closing operations in response to these multiple detection states.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-095940

In the device of Patent Document 1, there are four types of conditions for the two area sensors: when both sensors are in a detecting state, when one sensor is in a detecting state, and when neither sensor is in a detecting state. The opening and closing/stopping operation is controlled by corresponding the stopping operation when both sensors are in a detecting state and the opening and closing operation when one sensor is in a detecting state.

The device in Patent Document 1 is controlled based on only two sensor states: a detection state and a non-detection state. However, there are many different ways in which fingers may be held over the two sensors, and the user's intended operation cannot necessarily be detected based on only two sensor states: a detection state and a non-detection state. Therefore, if the device is controlled based on only two states, there is a concern that the device may operate in a way that differs from the user's intention. In other words, the device in Patent Document 1 is not sufficient from the perspective of performing the user's intended operation.

The present invention was made in consideration of these issues, and one of its objectives is to provide technology for automatic door systems that can increase the reliability of performing the operations intended by the user.

To solve the above problems, one aspect of the automatic door system of the present invention comprises a non-contact door-opening switch that detects a user's action as a reaction amount; a non-contact door-closing switch located adjacent to the opening switch that also detects the user's action as a reaction amount; a transition information acquisition unit that acquires the transitions in the reaction amounts of the opening and closing switches until they reach a predetermined stable state; a decision unit that determines the control content for the door; and a control unit that controls the door based on the decision result of the decision unit. If the transition amount of either the opening or closing switch that reaches the predetermined stable state exceeds a threshold, the decision unit determines the control content associated with that switch as the control content; and if the transition amounts of both the opening and closing switches exceed the threshold, the decision unit determines the control content based on the transitions in the reaction amounts acquired by the transition information acquisition unit.

In addition, any combination of the above, or mutual substitution of the components or expressions of the present invention between methods, devices, programs, temporary or non-temporary storage media on which programs are recorded, systems, etc., are also valid aspects of the present invention.

This invention provides technology for automatic door systems that can increase the reliability of performing the actions intended by the user.

1 is a front view schematically showing an automatic door system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the automatic door system of FIG. 1 . 2 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a change in the reaction amount of the detection unit of the automatic door system of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the transition of reaction amount for a first example of transition reference operation. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the transition of reaction amount for a second example of transition reference operation. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing a first detection unit and a second detection unit. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing a first detection unit and a second detection unit. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing a first detection unit and a second detection unit. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the transition of reaction amount in a third example of transition reference operation. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the transition of reaction amount for a fourth example of transition reference operation. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the automatic door switch according to the embodiment.

Among the embodiments disclosed in this specification, those that are composed of multiple objects may be integrated, and conversely, those that are composed of a single object may be separated into multiple objects. Regardless of whether they are integrated or not, it is sufficient that they are configured in a way that allows the purpose of the invention to be achieved.

Among the embodiments disclosed in this specification, those in which multiple functions are provided in a distributed manner may have some or all of those functions integrated together, and conversely, those in which multiple functions are provided in a distributed manner may have some or all of those functions integrated together. Regardless of whether the functions are integrated or distributed, it is sufficient that the configuration is such that the purpose of the invention can be achieved.

In addition, separate components that share something in common are distinguished by prefixing their names with "first," "second," etc., and these are omitted when referring to them collectively. In addition, terms including ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" are used to describe various components, but these terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from other components and do not limit the components.

One embodiment of an automatic door system includes a non-contact door-opening switch that detects a user's action as a reaction amount; a non-contact door-closing switch located adjacent to the opening switch that also detects the user's action as a reaction amount; a transition information acquisition unit that acquires the transitions in the reaction amounts of the opening and closing switches until they reach a predetermined stable state; a decision unit that determines the door control content; and a control unit that controls the door based on the decision result of the decision unit. If the transition amount of either the opening or closing switch that reaches the predetermined stable state exceeds a threshold, the decision unit determines the control content associated with that switch; and if the transition amounts of both the opening and closing switches exceed the threshold, the decision unit determines the control content based on the transitions in the reaction amounts acquired by the transition information acquisition unit. Note that, in this specification, "threshold" means a preset value, "below the threshold" means "below a predetermined value" or "within a predetermined range," "above the threshold" means "above a predetermined value," and "exceeding the threshold" means "exceeding a predetermined value."

This configuration determines the door control content based on the change in reaction volume, thereby increasing the reliability of the operation intended by the user.

As an example, if the reaction amounts of both the open switch and the closed switch that reach a predetermined stable state exceed a threshold, and the difference between the reaction amounts of the open switch and the closed switch that reach a predetermined stable state is equal to or greater than a threshold, the determination unit may determine the control content to be the content associated with the detection unit of the open switch or the closed switch that has the greater reaction amount in the stable state. In this case, it is possible to reduce invalid operations caused by simultaneous input to the first detection unit and the second detection unit. Furthermore, because control is performed using the content associated with the detection unit with the greater reaction amount, it is possible to achieve door operation in line with the user's intention.

As an example, when the reaction amounts of both the open switch and the closed switch that have reached a predetermined stable state exceed a threshold value and the difference between the reaction amounts of the open switch and the closed switch that have reached a predetermined stable state is equal to or less than the threshold value, the determination unit may determine the control content based on the maximum value of the transition in the reaction amounts of the open switch and the closed switch. In this case, invalid operations caused by simultaneous input to the first detection unit and the second detection unit can be reduced, and door operation can be achieved in line with the user's intention.

As an example, when the difference between the maximum value and the stable state response amount for either the open switch or the close switch exceeds a predetermined range, the determination unit may determine the control content to be that associated with the other switch. In this case, invalid operations caused by simultaneous input to the first and second detection units can be reduced, and door operation can be achieved in line with the user's intentions.

As an example, the determination unit may invalidate the determination of control content based on the reaction amount of each of the open and close switches when the difference between the maximum reaction amount of each of the open and close switches and the reaction amount in the stable state is within a predetermined range. In this case, if the difference in reaction amount is small, there is a possibility of a malfunction in the detection unit, and by invalidating the determination of control content, door operation that is not in line with the user's intention can be prevented.

As an example, the automatic door system may further include a notification unit that notifies the user when the determination unit invalidates the control content determination. In this case, feedback can be provided to the user that the control content determination has been invalidated.

One embodiment of an automatic door switch comprises multiple detection units arranged close to each other and each detecting a user's action as a reaction amount; a transition information acquisition unit that acquires the change in the reaction amount for each of the multiple detection units until a predetermined stable state is reached; a determination unit that determines the control content for the doors of the automatic door driver; and an output unit that outputs the control content determined by the determination unit to the automatic door driver. When the reaction amounts of two or more of the multiple detection units that have reached the predetermined stable state exceed a threshold, the determination unit determines the control content based on the change in the reaction amount for the two or more detection units acquired by the transition information acquisition unit.

With this configuration, the door control content is determined based on the change in reaction volume, reducing the chance of operation that is unintended by the user.

As an example, when the reaction amounts of two or more detectors that have reached a predetermined stable state exceed a threshold value and the difference between the reaction amounts of the two or more detectors that have reached a predetermined stable state is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the decision unit of the switch may determine the control content based on the maximum value of the transition of the reaction amounts of the two or more detectors. In this case, invalid operations caused by simultaneous input to multiple detectors can be reduced. Furthermore, because control is performed based on the content associated with the detector with the larger reaction amount, door operation can be achieved in line with the user's intention.

As an example, when the reaction amounts of two or more detectors that have reached a predetermined stable state exceed a threshold value and the difference between the reaction amounts of the two or more detectors that have reached the predetermined stable state is equal to or greater than the threshold value, and the two or more detectors include a specific detector whose difference between the maximum value and the reaction amount in the stable state exceeds a predetermined range, the decision unit of the switch may determine the control content based on the change in the reaction amounts of the two or more detectors excluding that specific detector. In this case, invalid operations caused by simultaneous input to multiple detectors can be reduced, and door operation can be achieved in line with the user's intention.

As an example, if there is one of the two or more detection units where the difference between the maximum value of the change in reaction amount and the reaction amount in the stable state is within a predetermined range, the decision unit of the switch may determine the control content based on the change in reaction amount of the detection unit where the difference is within the predetermined range. In this case, invalid operations caused by simultaneous input to multiple detection units can be reduced, and door operation can be achieved in line with the user's intention.

As an example, the switch decision unit may invalidate the decision on control content based on the reaction amounts of the two or more detection units if, among the two or more detection units, there is no detection unit for which the difference between the maximum value of the reaction amount transition and the reaction amount in the stable state is within a predetermined range, or if there are two or more detection units for which the difference is within the predetermined range. In this case, invalidating the decision on control content can prevent door operation that is not in line with the user's intention.

As an example, the multiple detection units of the switch may be door opening/closing switches. In this case, an automatic door switch can be constructed inexpensively.

The present invention will be described below based on preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments and variations, identical or equivalent components and parts will be given the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted where appropriate. The dimensions of the parts in each drawing will be enlarged or reduced as appropriate to facilitate understanding. Some parts that are not important for explaining the embodiments will also be omitted from the drawings.

[First embodiment]
An automatic door system 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. As an example, the automatic door system 100 is a device that opens and closes doors to open or close entrances to walls or other structures that separate spaces in various facilities, such as train stations, hotels, department stores, hospitals, and elderly care facilities. Fig. 1 is a front view showing a schematic view of the automatic door system 100 according to this embodiment. This figure shows the automatic door system 100 applied to a toilet room used as a multi-purpose toilet.

Figure 2 is a block diagram that shows a schematic representation of the automatic door system 100 according to the present invention. Each block shown in Figure 2 can be realized in hardware terms using computer processors, CPUs, memory and other elements, electronic circuits, and mechanical devices, and in software terms using computer programs, etc. However, the diagram shows functional blocks realized by the cooperation of these elements. Therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that these functional blocks can be realized in various ways by combining hardware and software.

As shown in FIG. 2, the automatic door system 100 comprises an automatic door switch 10 and an automatic door driver 90 that drives the door 9 to open and close. The automatic door switch 10 detects user actions and transmits control information determined based on the detection results to the automatic door driver 90. The automatic door driver 90 includes a control unit 91 and a door engine 92. The control unit 91 controls the door engine 92 to open and close the door 9 based on the control information from the automatic door switch 10. There is no limitation on the transmission path 96 that transmits the control information from the automatic door switch 10, but the transmission path 96 in this example includes an internal device bus. The door engine 92 rotates a drive motor (not shown) to open and close the door 9 based on the control of the control unit 91.

The automatic door switch 10 will now be described. The automatic door switch 10 has an information processing unit 20, multiple detection units 4, and push button switches 22 and 23. The information processing unit 20 includes a determination unit 5, a transition information acquisition unit 6, an output unit 8, a memory unit 3, and an input unit 25. The memory unit 3 can store acquired information and intermediate processing information in chronological order. The memory unit 3 can also store a control program P100, described below. The input unit 25 acquires the reaction amounts of the first detection unit 11 and the second detection unit 12. The input unit 25 acquires the operation results of the push button switches 22 and 23. The first detection unit 11 is an example of a non-contact door open switch, and the second detection unit 12 is an example of a non-contact door close switch.

The pushbutton switches 22, 23 include an open pushbutton switch 22 and a close pushbutton switch 23. When the open pushbutton switch 22 is pressed, the information processing unit 20 outputs control information to the control unit 91, the control content of which is to open the door 9, and when the close pushbutton switch 23 is pressed, the information processing unit 20 outputs control information to the control unit 91, the control content of which is to close the door 9. In other words, the user can open and close the door 9 using the pushbutton switches 22, 23.

The multiple detectors 4 are provided separately from the pushbutton switches 22, 23 to detect instructions from the user to open or close the door 9. The multiple detectors 4 are provided in close proximity to one another and each detects the user's actions as a response. The detectors 4 are arranged in close proximity to one another, including within a range that the user can operate without changing their position, and within the front-to-back length of the user's hand (e.g., 18 cm). In this example, the detectors 4 are arranged on a single control panel. As an example, the detectors 4 may be contactless switches that detect the user's actions based on known detection principles. These detection principles include those that use capacitance, ultrasound, microwaves, light (e.g., infrared light), etc. The response of the detector 4 is a physical quantity generated depending on the distance from the user's finger when the user approaches. This may be analog information such as a voltage value, or digital information corresponding to the physical quantity. Below, an example in which the response quantity is analog information is described.

Each of the multiple detectors 4 is associated with a preset control content related to the operation of the door 9. In other words, the control content is defined in advance for each detector 4. In the example of Figure 2, the multiple detectors 4 include a first detector 11 and a second detector 12. In this example, the first detector 11 is associated with a control content that includes control to open the door 9, and the second detector 12 is associated with a control content that includes control to close the door 9.

The multiple detectors 4 may include three or more detectors. For example, the multiple detectors 4 may include detectors associated with control content, including control to stop the door 9 during opening or closing operations.

The transition information acquisition unit 6 acquires the transition of the reaction amount for each of the reaction amounts of the multiple detection units 4 until a predetermined stable state (described below) is reached. In other words, the transition information acquisition unit 6 acquires each reaction amount in chronological order and stores the acquired results. As an example, the transition of the reaction amount includes the range from the time when the reaction amount exceeds the threshold value to the time when it is determined that the reaction amount has stabilized. The transition of the reaction amount may include the reaction amount before the reaction amount exceeds the threshold value, or may include the reaction amount after the stable state is reached.

The change in the reaction amount of the detection unit 4 will be explained with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a diagram that schematically shows an example of the change in the reaction amount of the detection unit 4. The horizontal axis of this diagram indicates the elapsed time when a finger approaches, and the vertical axis indicates the reaction amounts g1 and g2. The reaction amounts g1 and g2 in this diagram indicate the amount of change relative to a reference value. g1 shows an example of the change in the reaction amount as it increases beyond the threshold and reaches a stable state, while g2 shows an example of the change in the reaction amount as it increases beyond the threshold, overshoots to a maximum value, and then decreases from that maximum value to a stable state.

As such, the reaction amounts g1 and g2 not only undergo monotonic changes but also include a variety of fluctuations. When the reaction amounts g1 and g2 are near the threshold, chattering may occur, whereby the reaction amounts g1 and g2 alternate between an ON state where they exceed the threshold and an OFF state where they do not exceed the threshold. In this specification, "a state where the threshold is exceeded" refers to a state where the chattering has converged and the reaction amount continues to exceed the threshold. As an example, this refers to a state where the reaction amount continues to exceed the threshold for a predetermined convergence period (e.g., 10 ms, 100 ms, etc.). The threshold and predetermined convergence period can be set through experiments so that the impact of chattering is below a desired level.

The reaction amount of the detection unit 4 may continue to increase, decrease, overshoot, etc. after exceeding a threshold. Therefore, this embodiment continuously acquires the reaction amount trend and determines the control content once the reaction amount reaches a predetermined stable state. In this specification, the predetermined stable state (hereinafter simply referred to as "stable state") refers to a state in which the reaction amount converges to a predetermined range (fluctuation width). In the example of reaction amount g1 in Figure 3, when the fluctuation of reaction amount g1 remains within a predetermined fluctuation width D1 for a predetermined stable period Tp (e.g., 10 ms, 100 ms, etc.), the determination unit 5 determines the stable state and stores the reaction amount at the time of determining the stable state as the stable state reaction amount of g1 (hereinafter referred to as "stable value R1"). The same applies to reaction amount g2; the reaction amount at the time of determining the stable state is stored as the stable value R2 of g2. The conditions for the fluctuation width D1 and stable period Tp that define the stable state can be set through experiments so that the frequency of misjudgments of the user's intention is below a desired level. Hereinafter, the state in which the reaction amount has stabilized will be referred to as the detection state, and other states will be referred to as the non-detection state.

When the user is unsure which choice to make, it is desirable to follow the user's final selection. Therefore, in this embodiment, the control content is determined after a predetermined waiting period Tw (e.g., 10 ms, 100 ms, etc.) has elapsed after the reaction amount of one of the multiple detection units 4 has stabilized. The example in Figure 3 shows a case where reaction amount g2 first stabilized, but reaction amount g1 stabilized before the waiting period Tw had elapsed, resulting in both reaction amounts g1 and g2 being stable. In this case, the determination unit 5 determines the control content based on the reaction amounts g1 and g2.

If the reaction amount g1 is not stable when the waiting period Tw has elapsed since the reaction amount g2 became stable, the determination unit 5 may ignore the reaction amount g1 and determine the control content based on the reaction amount g2.

The following describes an example in which the multiple detection units 4 are a first detection unit 11 and a second detection unit 12. The determination unit 5 determines the control content for the door based on the reaction amounts of the first detection unit 11 and the second detection unit 12, and the progress of the reaction amounts of the first detection unit 11 and the second detection unit 12. The output unit 8 outputs the control content determined by the determination unit 5 to the control unit 91 of the automatic door driving device 90.

(steady state operation)
In this embodiment, when the response amount of one of the first and second detectors 11 and 12 reaches a stable state and the response amount of the other detector does not exceed a threshold, the determination unit 5 determines the control content associated with one of the detectors. Hereinafter, this operation is referred to as steady operation. As a result, when only the response amount of the first detector 11 reaches a stable state due to the approach of a user's finger, the door 9 opens. When only the response amount of the second detector 12 reaches a stable state due to the approach of a user's finger, the door 9 closes.

(Transition reference movement)
When the reaction amounts of both the first detection unit 11 and the second detection unit 12 become stable, the determination unit 5 of this embodiment determines the control content based on the transition of the reaction amount acquired by the transition information acquisition unit 6. Hereinafter, this operation is referred to as a transition reference operation.

(First example)
A first example of the transition reference operation will be described with reference to FIG. 4 . FIG. 4 shows the transitions of the reaction amount g1 of the first detector 11 and the reaction amount g2 of the second detector 12. In this example, the stable value R1 of the reaction amount g1 is greater than the stable value R2 of the reaction amount g2. In the first example, when the reaction amounts of both the first detector 11 and the second detector 12 reach a stable state, the determiner 5 determines, as the control content, the content associated with the detector having the larger stable reaction amount of either the first detector 11 or the second detector 12. In this example, the determiner 5 determines, as the control content, the content associated with the first detector 11 (opening the door 9).

(Second Example)
A second example of the transition reference operation will be described with reference to FIG. 5 . FIG. 5 shows the transitions of the reaction amount g1 of the first detector 11 and the reaction amount g2 of the second detector 12. In this example, the difference between the stable value R1 of the reaction amount g1 and the stable value R2 of the reaction amount g2 is small. Furthermore, the maximum value P2 of the reaction amount g2 is greater than the maximum value P1 of the reaction amount g1. In the second example, when the reaction amounts of both the first detector 11 and the second detector 12 reach a stable state, if the difference between the stable values R1 and R2 of the first detector 11 and the second detector 12 in the stable state is within a predetermined range Wp, the determination unit 5 compares the maximum values P1 and P2 of the transitions of the reaction amounts of the first detector 11 and the second detector 12 and determines the control content based on the comparison result. The predetermined range Wp (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as the "range Wp") can be set through experiments so that the frequency of erroneous determination of the user's intention is below a desired level. For example, the determination unit 5 can determine, as the control content, the content (close the door 9) associated with the second detection unit 12 whose maximum value P2 is greater than the maximum value P1.

(Third Example)
A third example of the transition reference operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9. FIGS. 6 to 8 are schematic side views of the first detection unit 11 and the second detection unit 12. These figures show, in first to third stages, a state in which a user intends to open the door and moves their fingers toward the first detection unit 11 from below. In the first stage (elapsed time T1) shown in FIG. 6, the fingers approach the second detection unit 12 but are quite far away from the first detection unit 11. In the second stage (elapsed time T2) shown in FIG. 7, the fingers move even closer to the second detection unit 12 and also approach the first detection unit 11. In the third stage (elapsed time T3) shown in FIG. 8, the fingers approach the first detection unit 11 and the second detection unit 12. In this state, the distance between the first detection unit 11 and the fingers is small, but the opposing area is small, and the opposing area between the second detection unit 12 and the fingers is large, but the distance is far. Therefore, the difference between the stable values R1 and R2 is small.

Figure 9 shows the trends in the reaction amount g1 of the first detection unit 11 and the reaction amount g2 of the second detection unit 12 in the third example. At elapsed time T1, the reaction amount g1 is less than the threshold, and the reaction amount g2 exceeds the threshold. At elapsed time T2, the reaction amount g1 is less than the threshold, and the reaction amount g2 exceeds the threshold and approaches the maximum value P2. At elapsed time T3, the reaction amount g1 stabilizes, and the reaction amount g2 drops from its maximum value and stabilizes. In other words, at elapsed time T3, the stable values R1 and R2 of both the first detection unit 11 and the second detection unit 12 reach a stable state (detection state).

In the example of Figure 9, the difference between the stable values R1 and R2 in the stable state is small and falls within the predetermined range Wp. In this case, invalidating the detection results of both the first detection unit 11 and the second detection unit 12 would reduce usability. Therefore, in a third example, when the stable values R1 and R2 of both the first detection unit 11 and the second detection unit 12 are stable, if the difference (P2 - R2) between the maximum value P2 and the stable value R2 in the change in the reaction amount of one of the first detection unit 11 and the second detection unit 12 (the second detection unit 12) exceeds the predetermined range Wq, the determination unit 5 determines the content associated with the other detection unit (the first detection unit 11) as the control content. In this example, the determination unit 5 determines the content associated with the first detection unit 11 (opening the door 9) as the control content. The predetermined range Wq (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "range Wq") can be set through experiments so that the frequency of erroneous determination of the user's intention is below a desired level.

In the example of Figure 9, if the difference (P2 - R2) between the maximum value P2 and the stable value R2 during the change in the reaction amount of one of the detectors (second detector 12) exceeds the range Wq, the determination of the control content based on the reaction amount of that one detector (second detector 12) may be invalidated. In this case, the determination unit 5 determines the content associated with the first detector 11 (opening the door 9) as the control content.

(Fourth Example)
A fourth example of the transition reference operation will be described with reference to FIG. 10 . FIG. 10 shows the transitions of the reaction amount g1 of the first detector 11 and the reaction amount g2 of the second detector 12. In this example, the difference between the stable value R1 of the reaction amount g1 and the stable value R2 of the reaction amount g2 is within the range Wp. Furthermore, the difference between the maximum value P1 of the reaction amount g1 and the maximum value P2 of the reaction amount g2 is also within the range Wp. In the fourth example, when the reaction amounts of both the first detector 11 and the second detector 12 have reached a stable state, if the difference between the maximum value and the stable value of each detector in the transitions of the reaction amounts of the first detector 11 and the second detector 12 is within the range Wq and the difference (R1 - R2) between the stable values R1 and R2 of each detector is within the range Wp, the determiner 5 invalidates the determination of the control content based on the reaction amounts of the first detector 11 and the second detector 12.

In this specification, "invalidating the determination of control content based on the reaction amount" means that even if the reaction amount of a detection unit exceeds a threshold, the determination unit 5 will not execute an operation based on the detection result of that detection unit. For example, when the determination of control content based on the reaction amounts of the first detection unit 11 and the second detection unit 12 is invalidated, the determination unit 5 will not control the operation of the door 9 associated with them, even if one or both of the reaction amounts exceed the threshold. The operation of invalidating the determination of control content continues until the difference in reaction amount between the first detection unit 11 and the second detection unit 12 exceeds the second threshold.

See Figures 1 and 2. When the determination of the control content is invalidated, for example, a user may hold their hand over the first detection unit 11 intending to open the door, but the second detection unit 12 may also produce a similar amount of response due to clothing or other factors, resulting in the process being invalidated. In this case, it is desirable to provide feedback to the user that the process has been invalidated due to simultaneous input to both detection units. Therefore, this embodiment further includes a notification unit 7 that notifies the user when the determination unit 5 invalidates the determination of the control content for the first detection unit 11 and the second detection unit 12. The notification unit 7 may output a signal such as light, sound, or a screen display that can be noticed by an outside person. In this embodiment, the notification unit 7 causes the light-emitting device 72 to emit light in response to the notification result. Furthermore, the determination of the control content may be invalidated due to a detection unit failure, in which case the administrator can be prompted to take action.

As described above, the automatic door switch 10 may be equipped with multiple detectors 4. When multiple detectors 4 are equipped, if the reaction amounts of two or more of the multiple detectors 4 reach a stable state, the determiner 5 may determine the control content to be that associated with the detector with the largest reaction amount in the stable state. Furthermore, when multiple detectors 4 are equipped, if the reaction amounts of two or more of the multiple detectors 4 reach a stable state and the difference between the reaction amounts of the two or more detectors 4 in the stable state is within the range Wp, the determiner 5 may determine the control content based on the results of a comparison of the maximum reaction amounts over time for the two or more detectors 4.

Furthermore, when the reaction amounts of two or more of the multiple detection units 4 have reached a stable state, and the two or more detection units 4 include a specific detection unit for which the difference between the maximum value and stable value of the reaction amount transition exceeds the range Wq, the decision unit 5 may determine the control content based on the reaction amount transition of the two or more detection units 4 excluding the specific detection unit. Furthermore, when the reaction amounts of two or more of the multiple detection units 4 have reached a stable state, and the difference between the maximum value and stable value of each detection unit in the reaction amount transition of the two or more detection units 4 is within the range Wq and the stable value of each detection unit is within the range Wp, the decision unit 5 may invalidate the determination of the control content based on the reaction amount of each detection unit.

An example of the operation of the automatic door switch 10 of this embodiment will be described. Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the operation S110 of the automatic door switch 10.

When operation S110 begins, the determination unit 5 acquires the progress of the reaction amounts of each of the multiple detection units 4 until a predetermined stable state is reached (step S111).

Next, the determination unit 5 determines whether one or more of the reaction amounts of the multiple detection units 4 are in a stable state (step S112). If none of the reaction amounts are in a stable state (N in step S112), the determination unit 5 returns the process to the beginning of step S111 and repeats steps S111 to S112.

If one or more reaction amounts are in a stable state (Y in step S112), the determination unit 5 measures the time since it determined that one or more reaction amounts are in a stable state, and determines whether the measurement result has exceeded a predetermined waiting period Tw (step S113).

If the measurement result does not exceed the waiting period Tw (N in step S113), the determination unit 5 returns the process to the beginning of step S113 and repeats step S113.

If the measurement result exceeds the waiting period Tw (Y in step S113), the determination unit 5 determines whether two or more of the reaction amounts of the multiple detection units 4 are in a stable state (step S114).

If two or more reaction amounts are not stable (N in step S114), in this case only one of the reaction amounts is stable, so the determination unit 5 determines the control content to be the content associated with the detection unit 4 whose reaction amount is stable (step S115). After executing this step, processing proceeds to step S121.

If two or more reaction amounts are stable (Y in step S114), the determination unit 5 determines whether the difference between the stable values of each detection unit is within a predetermined range Wp (step S116).

If the difference in stability values between the detectors exceeds the predetermined range Wp (N in step S116), the determination unit 5 determines the control content to be the content associated with the detector 4 with the largest stability value (step S117). After executing this step, processing proceeds to step S121.

If the difference between the stable values of each detection unit is within the predetermined range Wp (Y in step S116), the determination unit 5 determines whether there is one detection unit 4 in the progression of each reaction amount where the difference between the maximum value and the stable value is within the range Wp (step S118).

If there is one detector 4 whose difference between the maximum value and the stable value is within the range Wp (Y in step S118), the determiner 5 determines the control content to be the content associated with the detector 4 whose difference between the maximum value and the stable value is within the range Wp (step S119). After executing this step, the process proceeds to step S121.

If there are no detectors 4 or two or more detectors 4 for which the difference between the maximum value and the stable value is within the range Wp (N in step S118), the decision unit 5 invalidates the decision on the control content based on the reaction amounts of each detector (step S120). After this step is executed, operation S110 ends.

In step S121, the output unit 8 outputs the control content determined by the determination unit 5 to the automatic door driving device 90 (step S121). After this step is executed, operation S110 ends. Operation S110 may be executed repeatedly. The above steps are merely examples, and various modifications are possible.

This concludes the description of the first embodiment.

The second and third embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In the drawings and descriptions of the second and third embodiments, components and members that are the same as or equivalent to those in the first embodiment will be designated by the same reference numerals. Explanations that overlap with the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate, and the description will focus on the configurations that differ from the first embodiment.

Second Embodiment
A second embodiment of the present invention is a method for controlling an automatic door switch. This method includes a step (S111) of acquiring the transitions of the response quantities of a plurality of detectors that detect user actions as response quantities until a predetermined stable state is reached, and a step (S112 to S121) of determining the control content for the door of the automatic door driving device based on the transitions of the response quantities.

The second embodiment achieves the same effects and advantages as the first embodiment.

[Third embodiment]
The third embodiment of the present invention is a control program P100 (computer program) for an automatic door switch. This program P100 causes a computer to execute the following steps: a step S111 of acquiring the transition of each reaction amount of a plurality of detectors that detect user actions as reaction amounts until a predetermined stable state is reached; and a step S112 to S121 of determining the control content for the door of the automatic door driving device based on the transition of each reaction amount.

These functions of program P100 may be installed in the storage (e.g., memory unit 3) of automatic door switch 10 as an application program that implements multiple modules corresponding to the functional blocks of automatic door switch 10. Program P100 may be read into the main memory of a processor (e.g., CPU) of a computer built into automatic door switch 10 and executed.

The third embodiment achieves the same effects and advantages as the first embodiment.

The above provides a detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention. All of the above-described embodiments merely illustrate specific examples of how the present invention may be implemented. The content of the embodiments does not limit the technical scope of the present invention, and many design changes, such as changing, adding, or deleting components, are possible within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. In the above-described embodiments, content for which such design changes are possible is described using notations such as "in the embodiment" or "in the embodiment," but this does not mean that design changes are not permitted for content without such notation.

[Modification]
The following describes modified examples. In the drawings and descriptions of the modified examples, the same or equivalent components and members as those in the embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. Explanations that overlap with the embodiment will be omitted as appropriate, and the description will focus on the configurations that differ from the embodiment.

In the description of the embodiment, an example has been shown in which the determination unit 5 and the transition information acquisition unit 6 are mounted on the automatic door switch 10, but this is not limited to this. One or both of the determination unit and the transition information acquisition unit may also be mounted on the automatic door driving device.

In the description of the embodiment, an example was shown in which the fluctuation range D1 that defines the stable state is an absolute value, but this is not limited to this. The fluctuation range that defines the stable state may also be a relative value based on the reaction amount (e.g., 10%, 20%, etc.).

In the description of the embodiment, an example is shown in which push button switches 22 and 23 are provided, but this is not limiting. The presence of push button switches is not essential.

In the description of the embodiment, an example was shown in which the transmission path 96 includes an internal device bus, but this is not limited to this. Any known wired or wireless information transmission means can be used as the transmission path.

In the description of the embodiment, an example was shown in which the detection unit 4 is a contactless switch, but this is not limited to this. The detection unit may also be a sensor that generates a reaction amount according to the magnitude of contact pressure.

In the description of the embodiment, an example was shown in which the notification unit 7 causes the light-emitting device 72 to emit light in response to the notification result, but this is not limited to this. The notification unit may also display the notification result on a display device for the manager of the automatic door system.

The above-mentioned modifications achieve the same functions and effects as the respective embodiments.

Any combination of the above-described embodiments and variations is also useful as an embodiment of the present invention. New embodiments resulting from such combinations combine the effects of the combined embodiments and variations.

4 Detection unit, 5 Determination unit, 6 Transition information acquisition unit, 7 Notification unit, 8 Output unit, 9 Door, 10 Automatic door switch, 11 First detection unit, 12 Second detection unit, 90 Automatic door drive device, 91 Control unit, 100 Automatic door device.

Claims (12)

a non-contact door open switch that detects a physical quantity generated according to the distance between the user's finger and the switch when the user's finger approaches;
a non-contact door close switch that is provided in the vicinity of the open switch and detects a physical quantity generated in accordance with the distance between the user's finger and the door when the user's finger approaches;
a transition information acquisition unit that acquires transitions of the physical quantities of the open switch and the closed switch until the physical quantities reach a predetermined stable state;
a determination unit that determines the control content for the door;
a control unit that controls the door based on the determination result of the determination unit;
Equipped with
The determination unit
When the physical quantity of either the open switch or the closed switch exceeds a threshold and then reaches the predetermined stable state, a content associated with the one of the open switch and the closed switch is determined as the control content;
When the physical quantities of both the open switch and the closed switch exceed a threshold and then reach the predetermined stable state, and the difference between the physical quantities of the open switch and the closed switch that have reached the predetermined stable state is equal to or greater than a threshold, the control content is determined to be the content associated with the switch that has the larger physical quantity in the stable state, out of the open switch and the closed switch.
Automatic door device. The automatic door system of claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines the control content based on the maximum value of the transitions of the physical quantities of the open switch and the closed switch when the predetermined stable state is reached after the physical quantities of both the open switch and the closed switch exceed a threshold value, and when the difference between the physical quantities of the open switch and the closed switch that have reached the predetermined stable state is within a predetermined range. The automatic door system of claim 2, wherein when the difference between the maximum value and the stable state physical quantity of either the open switch or the close switch exceeds a predetermined range, the determination unit determines the control content to be that associated with the other switch. The automatic door system of claim 2 or 3, wherein the determination unit invalidates the determination of the control content based on the physical quantities of the open switch and the closed switch when the difference between the maximum value of each physical quantity of the open switch and the closed switch and the physical quantity in the stable state is within a predetermined range. The automatic door system of claim 4, further comprising a notification unit that notifies the user when the determination unit invalidates the control content determination. a plurality of detection units provided adjacent to each other, each detecting a physical quantity generated in accordance with the distance from a user's finger when the user's finger approaches;
a transition information acquisition unit that acquires a transition of each physical quantity of the plurality of detection units until the physical quantity reaches a predetermined stable state;
A decision unit that decides the control content for the door of the automatic door driving device;
An output unit that outputs the control content determined by the determination unit to the automatic door driving device;
Equipped with
The automatic door switch is configured such that, when the physical quantities of two or more of the plurality of detection units exceed a threshold and then reach the predetermined stable state, and the difference between the physical quantities of the two or more detection units that reach the predetermined stable state is equal to or greater than the threshold, the determination unit determines the control content to be the content associated with the detection unit that has the largest physical quantity in the stable state among the two or more detection units. The automatic door switch of claim 6, wherein the determination unit determines the control content based on the maximum value of the transitions of the physical quantities of the two or more detection units when the physical quantities of the two or more detection units reach the predetermined stable state after exceeding a threshold value and the difference between the physical quantities of the two or more detection units that reach the predetermined stable state exceeds a threshold value. The automatic door switch of claim 7, wherein, when there is one of the two or more detection units for which the difference between the maximum value of the change in the physical quantity and the physical quantity in the stable state is within a predetermined range, the determination unit determines the control content based on the change in the physical quantity of the detection unit for which the difference is within the predetermined range. The automatic door switch of claim 7 or 8, wherein the determination unit invalidates the determination of the control content based on the physical quantities of the two or more detectors when, among the two or more detectors, there is no detector for which the difference between the maximum value of the change in the physical quantity and the physical quantity in the stable state is within a predetermined range, or when there are two or more detectors for which the difference is within the predetermined range. The automatic door switch according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the plurality of detectors are switches for opening and closing the door. When a user's finger approaches, a step of acquiring a transition of each physical quantity of a plurality of detection units that detect a physical quantity generated in accordance with the distance from the finger until the physical quantity reaches a predetermined stable state;
When the physical quantities of two or more of the plurality of detectors exceed a threshold and then reach the predetermined stable state, and the difference between the physical quantities of the two or more detectors that reach the predetermined stable state is equal to or greater than a threshold, determining the content associated with the detector that has the largest physical quantity in the stable state among the two or more detectors as the control content for the door of the automatic door driving device;
A method for controlling a switch for an automatic door, comprising: When a user's finger approaches, a step of acquiring a transition of each physical quantity of a plurality of detection units that detect a physical quantity generated in accordance with the distance from the finger until the physical quantity reaches a predetermined stable state;
When the physical quantities of two or more of the plurality of detectors exceed a threshold and then reach the predetermined stable state, and the difference between the physical quantities of the two or more detectors that reach the predetermined stable state is equal to or greater than a threshold, determining the content associated with the detector that has the largest physical quantity in the stable state among the two or more detectors as the control content for the door of the automatic door driving device;
A control program for automatic door switches that causes a computer to execute the above.