JP7806446B2 - Wireless control system and multi-controller - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a wireless control system and a multi-controller that have a sensor that detects information about the number of people present.

Patent Document 1 discloses technology related to site surveys, which are a method of investigating the radio wave environment within a facility such as a building or warehouse before installing a wireless LAN there. The purpose of a site survey is to understand the wireless environment within the system by measuring the level of wireless quality, and to improve the environment by rearranging or adding equipment, etc.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-33355

However, because the above-mentioned survey is conducted prior to actual operation, there are no human bodies, which are one of the causes of wireless communication interference, in the target area at the time of measurement. During operation, there may be multiple visitors or multiple workers moving around, so wireless quality will change significantly from the time of pre-measurement. As a result, even if the wireless environment is optimized in the site survey, it may not be able to keep up with the changing environment during operation, resulting in problems with wireless signals.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the primary objective of this disclosure is to provide a wireless control system that can optimize wireless communication control by using sensors to monitor a target area, detecting human bodies, and automatically adjusting the transmission interval of wireless signals according to the number of people present.

A second objective is to provide a multi-controller that can optimize wireless communication control by using sensor functions to monitor the target area, detect human bodies, and automatically adjust the transmission interval of wireless signals according to the number of people present.

A first aspect of the present disclosure is preferably a wireless control system including: a sensor that detects number of people information within a target area by monitoring; a controller that acquires information from the sensor ; a setting device; and a wireless controller that receives wireless signal strength information from a control target and transmits the information to the controller, wherein the setting device has a function of transmitting first setting information that associates the number of people information with a wireless transmission interval and second setting information that associates the wireless signal strength with the wireless transmission interval to the controller, and the controller performs a process of acquiring the wireless signal strength information from the wireless controller, a process of acquiring the number of people information from the sensor when acquiring the wireless signal strength information, a process of associating the acquired wireless signal strength information with the acquired number of people information and storing it as third setting information, a process of acquiring the first setting information and the second setting information from the setting device, and a process of associating the second setting information with the third setting information and acquiring fourth setting information that associates the second setting information with the third setting information and associates the number of people information with the wireless transmission interval, and is configured to control, based on the first setting information and the fourth setting information, the wireless transmission interval of the lighting wireless signal that is periodically transmitted by the wireless controller to be shorter as the number of people increases .

Furthermore, a second aspect of the present disclosure is preferably a multi-controller that has a sensor function and a controller function, and is configured to use the sensor function to monitor and detect information about the number of people in a target area, and to use the controller function to control, based on the number of people information, the wireless transmission interval of the lighting wireless signal that is periodically transmitted by the wireless controller so that the wireless transmission interval becomes shorter the greater the number of people present.

The first and second aspects of the present disclosure make it possible to predict changes in the wireless environment that may occur due to the influence of the human body and optimize wireless signal control accordingly.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a system configuration according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a detection range of the image sensor 3 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an arrangement of lighting fixtures according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of each device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 is a table illustrating a setting example according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining a wireless communication interval according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a system configuration according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a system configuration according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a system configuration according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a system configuration according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. 13 is a table showing a setting example according to the fifth embodiment of the present disclosure.

First Embodiment
1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The system includes a controller 1, a lighting fixture 2, an image sensor 3, an illuminance sensor 4, a wall switch 5, a wireless controller 6, and a setting device 7. The controller 1 is connected to the image sensor 3, the illuminance sensor 4, the wall switch 5, and the wireless controller by wires.

The controller 1 is installed inside a lighting control panel or on the ceiling and collects information from connected terminal devices and controls the lighting fixtures 2. For example, it controls the ON/OFF, dimming rate, and color temperature of the lighting fixtures 2 based on input information acquired from each connected terminal device and setting information previously stored in the controller 1. In this embodiment, the wireless controller 6 transmits control commands received from the controller 1 to the lighting fixtures 2 via wireless communication.

The lighting fixture 2 sends and receives information to and from the wireless controller 6 via wireless communication. For example, the lighting state is changed by receiving control commands for ON/OFF, dimming rate, and color temperature. In this embodiment, communication via a specified low-power radio is used as an example of wireless communication means. Note that this communication may also be performed directly by a lighting fixture or LED drive power supply device equipped with a control unit that converts received control data and transmits it to an LED power supply, etc.

This embodiment may also include lighting fixtures 2 that are connected to the controller 1 via wired communication and can operate by receiving control commands directly from the controller 1. If there is a mixture of areas that can be operated via wireless communication and areas that can only use wired communication, the system may include lighting fixtures 2 that are compatible with both wireless and wired communication.

The image sensor 3 is typically installed on the ceiling and acquires image data using its built-in camera to determine the presence of a human body within the target area. Unlike pyroelectric sensors, which only detect the movement of heat sources, it detects when a human body enters, moves, stays within, or passes through the target area, transmitting only the necessary information to the controller 1. Upon receiving information from the image sensor 3, the controller 1 controls the ON/OFF, dimming rate, and color temperature of the lighting fixtures 2 associated with the target area of the image sensor 3 that generated the detection information. For example, lighting control involves presetting target dimming rates for when a person is staying or moving, and changing the lighting conditions in accordance with the movement of people within the target area. In this case, for example, lighting fixtures 2 could be turned on at a minimum brightness that allows walking while moving, and dimmed to a brightness that allows people to work while staying within the target area. The image sensor 3 also has the function of counting the number of people within the target area using a proprietary algorithm and reporting the number data to the controller 1. After receiving the data, the controller 1 sends control commands to the lighting fixtures 2 to change the lighting conditions according to the number of people.

It is desirable that information on people's movement, presence, and passage as a result of human body detection be spontaneously transmitted from the image sensor 3 to the controller 1 each time a change occurs. Number of people information may be spontaneously notified from the image sensor 3 each time a change occurs, or the controller 1 may periodically send a monitor signal according to a preset monitor interval, and the image sensor 3 may respond to notify. This disclosure describes an embodiment that includes an image sensor, but sensors other than image sensors may also be used as long as they can detect number of people information.

The illuminance sensor 4 is typically installed on the ceiling and detects reflected light from the desk top or floor in the target area. It then converts the amount of input light into an electrical signal to measure the relative illuminance value and transmits this illuminance value data to the controller 1. The controller 1 compares the received illuminance value data with a preset target illuminance value and transmits dimming commands to the lighting fixtures 2 so that the illuminance value approaches the target illuminance value. This illuminance sensor function may also be achieved by detecting the brightness of the target area using image detection by the image sensor 3 and calculating the relative illuminance from a reference illuminance.

The wall switch 5 is installed on a wall within reach of a general user and initiates control of the lighting fixture 2. By pressing the wall switch 5, the user can control ON/OFF, dimming rate, and color temperature based on the preset address number or group number of the lighting fixture 2, or control a combination of control patterns for the ON/OFF state, dimming rate, and color temperature of multiple groups.

The wireless controller 6 converts the control commands for lighting fixtures 2 received from the controller 1 into wireless signals and transmits them to lighting fixtures 2 equipped with wireless communication. The wireless signals from the wireless controller 6 may control lighting fixtures 2 individually or in groups. Lighting fixtures 2 corresponding to the individual address or group number included in the destination data of the wireless signal change the state of their light sources, such as LEDs, in response to the received control commands for ON/OFF, dimming rate, and color temperature. The wireless controller 6 also has the function of monitoring the state of each lighting fixture 2 and the reception strength of wireless communication, and notifying the controller 1 of each data item.

The setting device 7 performs various settings related to the operation of each of the terminal devices mentioned above. The setting device 7 and each terminal device may send and receive information directly via infrared communication, or may be connected via a wireless or wired communication line. Specific examples of the setting device 7 include a wireless remote control, a personal computer, and a mobile terminal.

In the system of this embodiment, all devices except the lighting fixtures 2 are connected via wired communication, but some or all of the terminal devices may be equipped with wireless communication capabilities and be able to communicate with the wireless controller 6.

Figure 2 is a plan view showing the detection range of image sensor 3 in embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. It illustrates an image of image sensor 3 installed on the ceiling capturing an image in the direction of the floor with its onboard camera. The detection range is a 7.2 m square floor surface centered on image sensor 3, with each block 12 being a 0.9 m square, and the detection range is divided into 64 blocks with eight columns per side. It then determines whether a person is present in each block 12, divides the blocks into four areas, for example, with 16 blocks each, and transmits information about the presence of people in each area to controller 1. Based on the received information, controller 1 pre-stores the correspondence between the four target areas and the individual addresses or group numbers of lighting fixtures 2. Depending on the presence or absence of people in the target area, it changes the lighting state of lighting fixtures 2 with the corresponding individual addresses or group numbers.

The imaging range of the camera mounted on the image sensor 3 of this embodiment may be optionally narrowed to a specified detection range. Furthermore, a high-performance image sensor may be used for the image sensor 3, with a detection range of a 7.2 m square floor surface, capable of detecting human bodies by dividing the detection range into 256 blocks with 16 rows per side. Because the camera's imaging range varies depending on the distance between the image sensor 3 and the imaging surface, the installation height may be set as an initial setting when installing the system, and the detection range may be adjusted, or one side of the detection range may be arbitrarily set to 6.4 m, 7.2 m, 9.0 m, etc., to change the detection range. The position of the object detected by the image sensor 3 may also be selectable depending on the operation, such as the floor, desk surface, or head height of a person sitting down. Furthermore, the combination of blocks included in each area, or blocks for which detection is prohibited, may be set using the setting device 7.

Figure 3 is a plan view showing the arrangement of lighting fixtures in embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. In the example of Figure 3, four lighting fixtures 2 are installed in each of the four areas divided by the image sensor 3. In this case, by linking the four lighting fixtures 2 in each area to the target area number and setting them as the same group number, it becomes possible to control the lighting by turning on the four lighting fixtures 2 when a human body is detected in even one of the 16 blocks within the target area. If the performance of the image sensor 3 allows for a large number of areas to be divided, high-precision control can be achieved by linking one lighting fixture to each area, for example.

Here are two examples of methods for detecting people within a target area. The first method determines the current number of people based on the total number of blocks that detect human bodies. In the example shown in Figure 2, this method detects up to 64 people from a total of 64 blocks. The second method uses a unique algorithm to detect multiple adjacent blocks as a single person when they simultaneously detect the presence of a person. For example, an algorithm could be used that automatically calculates the number of blocks corresponding to the size of a human body based on the preset installation height and detection range of the image sensor 3. This allows for a more realistic number of people to be calculated when adjacent blocks detect a human body, thereby improving the accuracy of human detection. Using the above method, the image sensor 3 not only controls the state of the lighting fixtures 2 according to the presence or absence information for each area, but can also simultaneously notify the controller 1 of the number of people present within the target area. The notified number of people can be the total number of people in multiple areas within the detection range of the image sensor 3, or the number of people in each divided area.

Depending on the shape, the wireless controller 6 may be installed on the ceiling or on a wall. In either case, it is desirable to install it in a position where there are no objects blocking the radio signal between it and the lighting fixtures 2 with which it will communicate wirelessly. The wireless controller 6 in Figure 3 is installed on the ceiling, and there are no objects other than the image sensor 3 that could act as obstructions. It is also installed near the center of the target area so that the wireless signal reaches the multiple target lighting fixtures 2 relatively evenly. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the detection area of the image sensor 3 is roughly the same as the range in which the lighting fixtures 2 targeted by the wireless controller 6 are installed, but there may be cases in which the range in which the lighting fixtures 2 are installed is wider, or conversely, the detection range of the image sensor 3 is set wider.

A wireless signal is sent from the wireless controller 6 to multiple lighting fixtures 2 using a simultaneous broadcast method. When controlling lighting fixtures 2 as a group or as an individual lighting fixture, the lighting fixture 2 first determines whether the destination information in the wireless signal it received corresponds to itself. If it does not, it ignores the control signal, but if it does, it changes its lighting state in accordance with the control command. For this reason, it is possible to set an address number or group number in each lighting fixture 2 in advance using the setting device 7. Alternatively, a control method may be used in which the lighting fixture does not have an address number or group number, but is linked to the wireless controller 6 by the wireless frequency band used, so that only all control commands for the corresponding wireless frequency band are executed.

We will now explain how this system transmits wireless signals. Wireless signals are transmitted periodically from the wireless controller 6 to the lighting fixtures 2. The transmission interval is set to, for example, 0.5 seconds. This takes into account the possibility that the environment in which the system is installed may temporarily block the wireless signal from the wireless controller 6 to the lighting fixtures 2, or that the wireless signal may collide with another wireless signal and not reach the lighting fixtures 2.

This transmission method has two purposes. The first purpose is to quickly restore control of the lighting system if it fails to control it. By periodically sending wireless signals, if the wireless signal is not received and the status of a lighting fixture 2 does not change, the lighting status of the lighting fixture 2 can be controlled by a subsequently transmitted wireless signal. For example, if some of the multiple lighting fixtures 2 are unable to receive a signal, users may notice that the lighting status of only those lighting fixtures 2 has not changed, but this impact can be minimized by controlling the lighting system normally after 0.5 seconds.

The second objective is to quickly reproduce the lighting state when lighting fixture 2 is switched from an OFF state to an ON state. In this system, the driving power supply for lighting fixture 2 is often connected to a power supply system separate from that of controller 1 or wireless controller 6 on the system. In other words, even if dimming and color temperature control is performed by this system, it is expected that lighting fixture 2 will be turned ON or OFF using a separate wall switch 5 or a breaker in a distribution board. Therefore, when lighting fixture 2 is powered ON, the dimming rate and color temperature information received from wireless controller 6 before the previous power OFF may not be stored. In this case, the previous state cannot be reproduced unless a wireless signal is received again from wireless controller 6. Therefore, by periodically sending a wireless signal from wireless controller 6, lighting fixture 2 is restored to the previous lighting state after being powered ON. This disclosure focuses on the first objective.

When a wireless signal is transmitted from the wireless controller 6 to a lighting fixture 2, the wireless communication quality may be degraded depending on the environment within the target area, and the wireless signal may not reach the lighting fixture 2. Potential interference factors in the installation space of this system include, for example, in an office, radio wave reflection caused by desks, chairs, shelves, etc. installed in the room, and radio wave shielding caused by metal objects. Therefore, during a preliminary survey before installing this system, the administrator may measure wireless communication quality when there are no objects in the room, or in an operational state with desks, chairs, shelves, etc. installed as described above. Measurements may be made using dedicated measurement tools, but they may also be made by temporarily installing the wireless controller 6 or lighting fixture 2 of this system to confirm actual system operation, or by measuring the radio wave strength when the lighting fixture 2 receives a wireless signal to confirm that it meets certain standards. This preliminary measurement makes it possible to grasp trends in wireless communication quality.

However, it is difficult to create an environment equivalent to that during actual operation during pre-measurement. This is because human bodies are the primary cause of wireless communication interference during operation. In particular, during actual operation, multiple workers may move, pass through, or stay in the room, and the environmental changes become more pronounced as the number of people increases. Because human bodies generally absorb radio waves, for example, when many people are seated at desks in an office or walking around, radio wave absorption and blockage can significantly degrade wireless communication quality. Furthermore, the greater the number of people, the more difficult it becomes for wireless signals to reach the lighting fixtures 2 from the wireless controller 6, which can easily cause delays in changes to the lighting state. For this reason, this disclosure demonstrates a method for achieving optimal wireless communication by adjusting the transmission interval of wireless signals emitted by the wireless controller 6 according to information on the number of people in the target area detected by the image sensor 3.

With regard to the present disclosure, the more frequently signals are transmitted, the better the wireless communication. First, an increase in the number of wireless signals can affect communications in other wireless systems. Furthermore, an increase in the number of wireless signals transmitted simultaneously can lead to signal collisions within this system, potentially making it impossible to control the lighting fixtures 2. Therefore, in environments with good wireless communication quality, it is desirable to minimize the number of transmitted wireless signals. Therefore, when the number of people detected by the image sensor 3 is small, the wireless communication interval is lengthened as much as possible to reduce the number of wireless signals. When the number of people present is small and the wireless communication quality is good, events in which the lighting fixtures 2 are not controlled or control delays are unlikely to occur, so performance can be satisfied even with a long wireless communication interval. As the number of people increases, events in which the lighting fixtures 2 are not controlled or control delays are more likely to occur, so the wireless communication interval is shortened. As a result, even if a signal cannot be received, it can be supplemented with subsequently transmitted wireless signals, minimizing control delays to the point where the delay is imperceptible to the user.

Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of each device in embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. The controller 1 has an infrared communication unit 14 for communicating with the setting device 7. Information received by the infrared communication unit 14 is transmitted to the calculation unit 16. The calculation unit 16 is connected to a host communication unit 18 that communicates with a higher-level system, a memory unit 20 that stores various setting contents, and a date and time information management unit 22 that executes the schedule control function. The calculation unit 16 exchanges information with these units and performs the main processing for communication and lighting control. Information is then transmitted from the calculation unit 16 to the wired communication unit 24, which then communicates with terminal devices such as the image sensor 3 and wireless controller 6. Note that if the setting device 7 is connected via a wired communication line, the infrared communication unit may not be necessary.

The image sensor 3 has a wired communication unit 26 for communicating with the controller 1. Information received by the wired communication unit 26 is transmitted to the calculation unit 28. The calculation unit 28 is connected to a memory unit 30 in which various setting contents are stored, and an infrared communication unit 32 for communicating with the setting device 7. The image sensor 3 also has an image detection unit 34 that captures images of the target area using a camera. The image detection unit 34 is connected to an image analysis unit 36. The image analysis unit 36 analyzes the detected image and calculates information on the presence or absence of people and the number of people using a unique algorithm. The information calculated by the image analysis unit 36 is transmitted to the calculation unit 28. The calculation unit 28 exchanges information with the memory unit 30, infrared communication unit 32, and image analysis unit 36, and performs the main processing for communication and lighting control. The information is then transmitted from the calculation unit 28 to the wired communication unit 26, which then communicates with the controller 1.

The wireless controller 6 has a wired communication unit 38 for communicating with the controller 1. Information received by the wired communication unit 38 is transmitted to the calculation unit 40. The calculation unit 40 is connected to an infrared communication unit 42 for communicating with the setting device 7 and a memory unit 44 in which various setting contents are stored. The calculation unit 40 exchanges information with these and performs the main processing for communication and lighting control. The information is then transmitted from the calculation unit 40 to the wireless communication unit 46, which transmits a wireless signal to the lighting fixture 2 with wireless communication capabilities. If the setting device 7 is connected via a wired communication line, the infrared communication unit 42 may be unnecessary.

The lighting fixture 2 has a wireless communication unit 48 that transmits and receives wireless signals to and from the wireless controller 6. Information received by the wireless communication unit 48 is transmitted to the calculation unit 50. The calculation unit 50 is connected to a memory unit 52 that stores various setting values and an infrared communication unit 54 that communicates with the setting device 7. The calculation unit 50 exchanges information with these units and performs the main processing for communication and lighting control. The calculation unit 50 transmits control command information received from the wireless controller 6 to the lighting control unit 56. The lighting control unit 56 controls the lighting unit 58 based on the control command information. The lighting unit 58 is primarily composed of light sources such as LEDs. Although not shown, the lighting fixture 2 has a separate power supply unit, which can be used to turn off the lighting fixture 2 itself. If the setting device 7 is connected via a wired communication line, the infrared communication unit 54 is not necessary. However, even in this case, it is desirable to install an infrared communication unit to set an address or group number in the ceiling-mounted lighting fixture 2.

The method for determining the wireless communication interval in this embodiment 1 will be described using the configuration of each part listed in Figure 4. First, image data is acquired by capturing images with a camera included in the image detection unit 34 of the image sensor 3. The image analysis unit 36 calculates the number of people currently present in the target area based on the image data acquired by the image detection unit 34. The calculated number of people information is transmitted to the wired communication unit 26 via the calculation unit 28, and then transmitted to the controller 1. At this time, the wired communication unit 26 may wait for a monitor signal from the controller 1 and transmit information in response to the monitor signal when it is received. The controller 1 transmits the number of people information acquired from the wired communication unit 24 to the calculation unit 16. The calculation unit 16 references the wireless communication interval corresponding to the acquired number of people from a database previously stored in the memory unit 20. The controller 1 transmits the referenced wireless communication interval data to the wireless controller 6 via the wired communication unit 24. The wireless controller 6 acquires the wireless communication interval data via the wired communication unit 38 and stores it in the memory unit 44. Based on the acquired wireless communication interval data, the wireless controller 6 determines the interval for wireless communications to be periodically transmitted to control the lighting fixtures 2, and transmits a lighting wireless signal from the wireless communication unit 46. In response to this, the lighting fixtures 2 that receive the wireless signal from the wireless communication unit 46 change the lighting state of their lighting units 58 in accordance with the control command. Alternatively, the number of people information may be transmitted directly from the controller 1 to the wireless controller 6, and the wireless communication interval may be referenced from a database stored in advance in the memory unit 44, and reflected in the wireless communication interval transmitted by the wireless controller 6.

In this embodiment, machine learning may also be used to optimize wireless communications. First, the controller 1 learns the acquired information and the data sets relating to their interrelationships. The acquired information includes, for example, the number of people information and address information of the detection range detected by the image sensor 3, the wireless reception strength acquired by the wireless controller 6, and calendar information provided by the date and time information management unit 22 of the controller 1. The data sets relating to the interrelationships include, for example, bias in the calendar information or address information of the number of people information. Then, by controlling the target object based on the learning results, it is possible to improve the accuracy and reliability of wireless communications while also quickly optimizing and stabilizing wireless communications.

Figure 5 is a table showing example settings in embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. Wireless transmission intervals corresponding to each range of the number of people to be detected are stored in the memory unit 20 of the controller 1 or the memory unit 44 of the wireless controller 6. The example in Figure 5 lists the wireless transmission intervals corresponding to the number of people to be detected. Here, the intervals are set to 1.5 seconds when there is no one present, i.e., when the number of people to be detected is 0, 1.0 second when there are 1 to 4 people, 0.5 seconds when there are 5 to 20 people, and 0.25 seconds when there are 21 or more people. These may be stored as factory default settings for each device, and can be changed by an administrator at will using the setting device 7. This is just one example, and the combinations of range of people to be detected and wireless transmission intervals are not limited to these.

Figure 6 is a flowchart showing a method for determining a wireless communication interval in embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. Below, we will use Figure 6 to explain the method for determining a wireless communication interval by the calculation unit 16 of the controller 1 in this embodiment.

First, in step 100, the calculation unit 16 acquires information about the number of people in the target area. Specifically, the calculation unit 16 acquires the number of people detected by the image sensor 3 via the wired communication unit 24. If the information is acquired, the process proceeds to step 102.

In step 102, it is determined whether the acquired number of people is 0. If it is 0, proceed to step 104, transmit a wireless communication interval corresponding to 0 people, and end the process. If it is not 0, proceed to step 106.

In step 106, it is determined whether the acquired number of people is between 1 and 4. If it is between 1 and 4, the process proceeds to step 108, where a wireless communication interval corresponding to 1 to 4 people is transmitted and the process ends. If it is not between 1 and 4 people, the process proceeds to step 110.

In step 110, it is determined whether the acquired number of people is between 5 and 20. If it is between 5 and 20, the process proceeds to step 112, where a wireless communication interval corresponding to 5 to 20 people is transmitted, and the process ends. If it is not between 5 and 20 people, the process proceeds to step 114, where a wireless communication interval corresponding to 21 or more people is transmitted, and the process ends.

Embodiment 2
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a system configuration according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the controller 1 and each terminal device are equipped with a wireless communication function, so that all information transmission is performed wirelessly. Furthermore, the controller 1 can transmit wireless signals directly to the lighting fixtures 2, eliminating the need for the wireless controller 6. The basic operation is the same as in the first embodiment, except that control commands issued by the controller 1 to the lighting fixtures 2 are transmitted without going through the wireless controller 6 and information is communicated from each terminal device to the controller 1 wirelessly. In other words, the controller 1 optimizes the wireless communication interval by notifying the controller 1 of the number of people detected by the image sensor 3 via a wireless signal.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the transmission intervals between each terminal device notifying the controller 1 of information are also optimized based on the number of people information. For example, consider the case where the image sensor 3 detects the presence of a human body when no people are present in the target area, or the case where a user presses the wall switch 5 when the lights are off. In these cases, it is necessary to quickly notify the terminal device of information to the controller 1 and transmit control commands from the controller 1 to the lighting fixtures 2. Therefore, when notifying the controller 1 of information from a terminal device such as the image sensor 3 or wall switch 5, the ACK confirmation function is used to confirm whether the controller 1 successfully received the data. The ACK confirmation function has a mechanism for retransmitting a wireless signal if the ACK confirmation function fails, and the retransmission interval is determined based on the number of people information detected by the image sensor 3. Furthermore, if the ACK function confirmation mechanism is not implemented and the terminal device must transmit multiple consecutive signals to the controller 1, the transmission interval is reflected in the ACK confirmation mechanism. Therefore, in environments with few people and good wireless communication quality, the first wireless signal is likely to arrive. Therefore, the transmission interval is set longer to prevent problems such as delays in the main control command and interference with surrounding systems. In environments with poor wireless communication quality, there is a high possibility that the first wireless signal will not arrive, so the aim is to set a short transmission interval to ensure that the second wireless signal arrives as quickly as possible and minimize operational delays.

The set value for the wireless transmission interval used at this time may be the same as the transmission interval for the wireless signal transmitted by the controller 1, or a different set value may be used for the terminal device.

Embodiment 3
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a system configuration according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, a multi-controller 8 is used instead of the controller 1 of the second embodiment. The multi-controller 8 is equipped with, for example, an image sensor function in addition to the functions of the controller 1 of the second embodiment. In other words, the multi-controller 8 is equipped with the functions of detecting the presence or absence of people in the target area and the number of people using the image sensor 3, eliminating the need for the image sensor 3 as a terminal device. In this configuration, control commands based on the presence or absence information and number of people information detected by the multi-controller 8 can be transmitted directly to the lighting fixtures 2. Furthermore, the transmission interval of the wireless signals transmitted by the multi-controller 8 can be changed based on the acquired number of people information. Furthermore, the image detection function installed in the multi-controller 8 can also function as the illuminance sensor 4, thereby enabling automatic control of the lighting fixtures 2 in response to changes in brightness.

The method for determining and setting the transmission interval is the same as that described in embodiment 1. Also, while Figure 7 shows only lighting fixtures 2 as terminal devices, other terminal devices such as illuminance sensors 4 and wall switches 5 may also be connected, and communication with the multi-controller 8 may be via wireless or wired communication.

Embodiment 4
FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a system configuration according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the system configuration and operation below the controller 1 are the same as those in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, a gateway device 9 is connected to the upper side of the controller 1. The gateway device 9 has the role of changing the communication method between the lighting system and other equipment. For example, it can convert the communication method on the lighting system to a communication method with other equipment that includes an open standard such as BACnet. A central management device 10 is connected to the gateway device 9.

In addition to what can be achieved by the system of embodiment 1, this embodiment aims to notify the central management unit 10, which is another piece of equipment, of the number of people information and lighting status information detected by the image sensor 3. This allows the number of people information and other information notified from this system to be used, for example, by an air conditioning system or security system. Conversely, lighting control settings, operations, and status monitoring can also be performed from the central management unit 10. Furthermore, the various setting items set by the setting device 7, as well as setting data indicating the relationship between number of people information and wireless transmission intervals, can also be set from the central management unit 10, which is a higher-level system.

Fifth embodiment
10 is a block diagram showing a system configuration according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the lighting fixtures in the configuration of the first embodiment are changed to lighting fixtures 11 that have a function for measuring wireless reception strength, and accordingly, the method for determining the wireless transmission interval is different.

This embodiment describes a method for determining the wireless transmission interval. First, the administrator estimates the wireless communication quality based on the reception strength in the target area and sets a corresponding wireless transmission interval in advance. Next, a test mode is established, which operates during initial setup or normal operation. In test mode, a monitor signal is first transmitted from the wireless controller 6 with wireless communication capabilities to the lighting fixtures 11 that receive the wireless signal. The lighting fixtures 11 that receive the monitor signal return a response signal to the wireless controller 6. The wireless communication specifications of this system stipulate that when returning a wireless communication signal in response to the monitor signal, the wireless reception strength at the time the monitor signal was received is added to the response data. Upon receiving the response data with the wireless reception strength added, the wireless controller 6 stores this value as the wireless reception strength in the current wireless communication environment. The wireless controller 6 also simultaneously acquires the number of people detected in the target area from the image sensor 3 and stores the number of people present in association with the reception strength at that time. By repeating this process, the wireless controller 6 accumulates reception strength data corresponding to changes in the number of people present in the target area. By linking the accumulated data on reception strength corresponding to this number of people with the wireless transmission interval corresponding to the preset reception strength, it is possible to set the wireless transmission interval corresponding to the number of people. During normal operation, the number of people within the target area is detected, and wireless communication is controlled using the wireless transmission interval corresponding to that number of people.

Furthermore, in systems where terminal devices other than the lighting fixtures 11 are equipped with wireless communication functions, the wireless controller 6 may use the wireless reception strength received from each terminal device during test mode. In other words, the wireless reception strength received from each terminal device may be combined with the wireless reception strength obtained from the lighting fixtures 11 described above and used for this function. This makes it easier to determine a reasonable wireless transmission interval by using the wireless reception strength, even if the optimal wireless transmission interval cannot be determined from the number of people information. Note that, because increased frequency of wireless communication may cause problems such as delays in main control commands and interference with surrounding systems, the data received from each terminal device is only used during test mode.

Test mode may be executed manually using a setting device 7 or the like, or may be executed periodically, for example once a day, using a schedule control function of a controller 1 or the like. Furthermore, since test mode requires multiple samplings as the number of people detected changes, it is desirable to continue test mode for a certain period of time. Furthermore, by executing test mode periodically, any environmental changes other than the number of people information can be monitored, and operation can be performed at an optimal wireless communication interval as a countermeasure against degradation of wireless communication quality due to the presence of people.

Note that the wireless controller 6 in this embodiment may also be a controller 1 or multi-controller 8 that also has wireless communication functionality.

If multiple lighting fixtures 11 are configured, the reception strength to be stored is determined by, for example, calculating the average value of the multiple wireless reception strength data attached to the data returned from the multiple lighting fixtures 11, or by using the minimum value of the multiple data. Furthermore, if the wireless reception strength for the same number of detected people differs when data is received multiple times in test mode, the reception strength to be stored is determined by overwriting it with the most recent wireless reception strength data or by calculating the average value.

In the determination method of embodiment 1, it was necessary to set the wireless transmission interval according to the number of visitors. However, although it is possible to estimate the tendency of changes in wireless communication quality due to changes in the number of visitors, wireless communication quality also varies depending on factors other than the number of people present, so it is necessary to take measures that are tailored to the installation environment. In this embodiment, when measuring wireless communication quality, the reception strength of wireless communication devices in the environment in which the system is installed is used as is, which can be said to be more valid.

Figure 11 is a table showing a setting example for embodiment 5 of the present disclosure. In the setting example of Figure 11, the wireless transmission interval and reception strength are set in advance as the desired wireless communication environment. In test mode, the wireless reception strength returned by multiple lighting fixtures 11 is measured, and the reception strength is determined using the average or minimum value, etc. In addition, the number of people detected in the target area is stored based on information notification from the image sensor 3. In the setting example of Figure 11, the measurement results of the wireless reception strength and the number of people detected indicate that the wireless reception strength reached -45 dB or higher when 0 to 7 people were detected. Because the wireless transmission interval is set to 1.5 seconds when the strength is -45 dB or higher in advance, the wireless transmission interval will be set to 1.5 seconds when the number of people detected is 0 to 7 from then on in practical use.

The setting example in Figure 11 also shows that the wireless reception strength fell within the -60 dB to -45 dB range when 8 to 14 people were detected. Because the wireless transmission interval was preset to 1.0 second for this range, when the number of people detected is 8 to 14, the wireless transmission interval will be set to 1.0 second. Similarly, the wireless reception strength fell within the -75 dB to -60 dB range when 15 to 23 people were detected, so the preset wireless transmission interval of 0.5 seconds was applied for this number of people. Furthermore, the wireless reception strength fell below -75 dB when 24 or more people were detected, so the preset wireless transmission interval of 0.25 seconds was applied for this number of people.

The settings table in Figure 11 is an example; the range of wireless reception strength to be set and the number of items to be registered are not limited to this, and any combination of setting values can be used. Also, since it is not possible to measure all patterns for all numbers of people during test mode, any method can be used to determine the setting range from several measured number patterns, and this can be achieved by saving all changes in the number of people one by one in a database.

1. Controller, 2. Lighting fixture, 3. Image sensor, 6. Wireless controller, 7. Setting device, 8. Multi-controller, 11. Lighting fixture

Claims (7)

A sensor that detects the number of people in a target area by monitoring;
a controller that acquires information from the sensor ;
A setting device,
a wireless controller that receives information on wireless signal strength from a controlled object and transmits the information to said controller;
Equipped with
The setting device is
a function of transmitting to the controller first setting information associating information about the number of people with a wireless transmission interval and second setting information associating wireless signal strength with a wireless transmission interval,
The controller
acquiring information on wireless signal strength from the wireless controller;
A process of acquiring number of people information from the sensor when acquiring the information on the wireless signal strength;
a process of associating the acquired information on the wireless signal strength with the acquired information on the number of people and storing the information as third setting information;
A process of acquiring the first setting information and the second setting information from the setting device;
performing a process of associating the second setting information with the third setting information and acquiring fourth setting information that associates number-of-people information with a wireless transmission interval;
Based on the first setting information and the fourth setting information, the wireless transmission interval of the lighting wireless signal periodically transmitted by the wireless controller is controlled so that the wireless transmission interval becomes shorter as the number of people increases.
A wireless control system configured as follows: A sensor that detects the number of people in a target area by monitoring;
a controller that acquires information from the sensor;
The controller
A process of acquiring address information for each area obtained by dividing the target area based on the output of the sensor;
performing a process of learning a tendency of fifth setting information in which the acquired number of people information and the acquired address information are associated;
based on the number of people information, the wireless transmission interval of the lighting wireless signal periodically transmitted by the wireless controller is controlled so that the wireless transmission interval becomes shorter as the number of people increases;
The wireless transmission interval is determined based on the learned result of the tendency of the fifth setting information.
A wireless control system configured as follows: The controller:
the process of storing the third setting information includes a process of learning a trend of the third setting information,
The wireless control system according to claim 1 , wherein the process of acquiring the fourth setting information includes a process of acquiring the second setting information and a learning result of the tendency of the third setting information in association with each other. 4. The wireless control system according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an image sensor. A sensor that detects the number of people in a target area by monitoring;
a controller that acquires information from the sensor;
the controller is configured to control, based on the number-of-people information, a wireless transmission interval of the lighting wireless signal periodically transmitted by the wireless controller so that the wireless transmission interval becomes shorter as the number of people increases;
A wireless control system in which the control target of the controller includes lighting fixtures. The sensor function detects the number of people in the target area through monitoring,
a controller function for acquiring information from the sensor;
The multi-controller is configured to control, based on the number of people information, the wireless transmission interval of the lighting wireless signal periodically transmitted by the wireless controller so that the wireless transmission interval becomes shorter as the number of people increases . The multi-controller according to claim 6 , wherein the function of the sensor is a function of an image sensor.