JP7644593B2 - Switching control system and switching control method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an opening/closing control system and an opening/closing control method for controlling opening/closing devices installed in openings such as windows and entrances of structural members including houses, buildings, factories, warehouses, etc., and in particular to an opening/closing control system and an opening/closing control method for controlling the operation of the opening/closing device by registering multiple wireless dedicated switches.

Opening and closing devices such as shutters and doors installed at the openings of structural members including buildings, factories, warehouses, etc. often use electric shutters and electric doors that perform the opening and closing operations electrically. Devices that perform the opening and closing operations electrically include wired dedicated switches with three types of switches for opening and closing, or wireless dedicated switches for remote control. In response to the operation of each of these switches, the opening and closing device controls the opening and closing operation of the shutter curtain. In the case of portable wireless dedicated switches, for example, in the case of garage shutter devices, where opening and closing devices must be operated by multiple people, multiple dedicated switches can be registered.

The multiple dedicated switches are composed of a remote control transmitter that emits radio waves in a specific frequency band (e.g., 426 MHz) and are connected by wireless communication to a remote control receiver housed in the shutter case of the opening/closing body device. In order to control the opening/closing body based on the signal from the remote control transmitter, it is necessary to register the identification information of the remote control transmitter in advance on the remote control receiver side.

Conventionally, the remote control receiver is put into registration mode and either the on/off switch mounted on the remote control transmitter is operated. This operation transmits the identification information of the remote control transmitter to the remote control receiver and registers it. The remote control receiver is designed not to accept any signals other than those from remote control transmitters with the identification number registered in this way.

JP 2019-201279 A

Patent Document 1 describes a communication device for an opening and closing device that allows the operator to recognize whether or not the mode has been changed to the registration mode based on sound or vibration without relying on the visual sense. According to the device described in Patent Document 1, the audio output device sounds in accordance with the type of registration, so that the operator can recognize whether or not the mode has been changed to the registration mode based on the sound pattern without relying on the visual sense.
However, when the opening/closing device communication device (receiver) switched to registration mode, there was a possibility that it would mistakenly receive radio waves generated from another remote control transmitter at another site or at the opening/closing device installation location, resulting in unintentional registration.
Furthermore, in the past, there was no function to recognize the number of remote control transmitters currently registered in the receiver, so in order to investigate the number of registered units, the receiver itself had to be collected and investigated by the manufacturer, which took time to analyze.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims to provide an opening and closing control system and an opening and closing control method that can prevent unintended remote control transmitters from being registered when in remote control transmitter registration mode.

A first feature of the opening/closing control system of the present invention is that in this opening/closing control system comprising an opening/closing body means provided at an opening, a remote control operator means for transmitting a control signal corresponding to the operation of the opening/closing body means via a wireless communication line, and a control means for controlling the operation of the opening/closing body means in response to the control signal received from the remote control operator means via the wireless communication line, the control means comprises an ID registration operator means for newly registering an operator ID of the remote control operator means, and when the ID registration operator means is operated and the remote control operator means is connected to the control means via the wireless communication line within a predetermined time, the control means measures the reception strength of the connected remote control operator means, and if the reception strength is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, newly registers the operator ID of the remote control operator means.
The opening/closing body means is a window shutter device, a garage shutter device, a shutter device, a blind device, a roller screen device, a drapery device, a sliding door device, a movable partition device, an awning device, a waterproof board device, etc., and these opening/closing body means are provided at multiple locations inside and outside the building. In such cases, each opening/closing body means is provided with a remote control operator means for instructing each operation of opening/closing, stopping, pausing midway, or adjusting the ventilation volume or the light volume, and a control means serving as a control device for controlling each operation of the opening/closing body means to open/close, stop midway, or adjust the ventilation volume or the light volume in response to the operation of the remote control operator means.
In this invention, when the ID registration operator means is operated and the remote control operator means is connected to the control means via a wireless communication line during the remote control ID registration mode, the reception strength of the connected remote control operator means is measured, and if the reception strength is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the operator ID of the remote control operator means is newly registered. If, when the registration mode is entered, radio waves generated from another remote control operator means at another site or at the opening/closing body device installation location are mistakenly received, the reception strength of the radio waves is measured, and since the reception strength of the radio waves from the other site or the like is relatively small, if it is smaller than a predetermined value, registration is not performed, thereby preventing erroneous registration of another remote control operator means unintentionally. The opening/closing control system may include a push button type operator means connected to the control means by wire in addition to the remote control operator means.

A second feature of the opening and closing control system of the present invention is that, in the opening and closing control system described in the first feature, when the ID registration operator means of the control means is operated in a first manner and if a previously registered operator ID exists, that operator ID is deleted and the operator ID assigned to the currently connected remote control operator means is newly registered as the first operator ID, and when the ID registration operator means of the control means is operated in a second manner and if a previously registered operator ID exists, that operator ID is left as it is and the operator ID assigned to the currently connected remote control operator means is newly registered as an additional operator ID.
This means that when the ID registration operator means is operated in a first manner, for example when the on state is maintained for approximately three seconds or more, even if there is an operator ID that has already been registered, it is deleted and a new operator ID is registered as the first operator ID, and when the ID registration operator means is operated in a second manner, for example when an operation that turns on the operator means three times in succession is performed, the already registered operator ID is left unchanged and a new operator ID is additionally registered.

A third feature of the opening and closing control system of the present invention is that, in the opening and closing control system described in the first or second feature, it is provided with at least one of a sound producing means for producing a sound in a manner that allows the magnitude of the receiving strength to be recognized, and a display means for displaying the magnitude of the receiving strength in a manner that allows the magnitude of the receiving strength to be recognized.
This makes it possible to audibly and/or visually recognize the strength of radio wave reception using sound generating means and/or display means.

A fourth feature of the opening and closing control system of the present invention is that, in the opening and closing control system described in the first, second or third feature, it is provided with at least one of a sounding means that sounds in a manner that allows the number of already registered operator IDs to be recognized, and a display means that displays in a manner that allows the number of already registered operator IDs to be recognized.
This allows the number of already registered operator IDs to be audibly and/or visually recognized by using a sound generating means and/or a displaying means. The timing for making the number of registered operator IDs recognizable is preferably when the operator means for ID registration is operated or immediately before the registration process is completed.

A first feature of the opening/closing control method of the present invention is an opening/closing control method for controlling the operation of an opening/closing body means provided in an opening using a control means and a remote control operator means connected to the control means via a wireless communication line, wherein when an ID registration operator means for newly registering an operator ID of the remote control operator means provided in the control means is operated, and the remote control operator means is connected to the control means via the wireless communication line within a predetermined time, the reception strength of the connected remote control operator means is measured, and if the reception strength is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the operator ID of the remote control operator means is newly registered in the control means.
This is an invention of a switching control method corresponding to the switching control system described in the first aspect.

A second feature of the opening/closing control method of the present invention is that, in the opening/closing control method described in the first feature, when the ID registration operator means of the control means is operated in a first manner and if a previously registered operator ID exists, that operator ID is deleted and the operator ID assigned to the currently connected remote control operator means is newly registered as the first operator ID, and when the ID registration operator means of the control means is operated in a second manner and if a previously registered operator ID exists, that operator ID is left as it is and the operator ID assigned to the currently connected remote control operator means is newly registered as an additional operator ID.
This is an invention of a switching control method corresponding to the switching control system described in the second aspect.

A third feature of the opening/closing control method of the present invention is that, in the opening/closing control method described in the first or second feature, it is provided with at least one of a sound producing means for producing a sound in a manner that allows the magnitude of the receiving strength to be recognized, and a display means for displaying the magnitude of the receiving strength in a manner that allows the magnitude of the receiving strength to be recognized.
This is an invention of a switching control method corresponding to the switching control system described in the third aspect.

A fourth feature of the opening and closing control method of the present invention is that, in the opening and closing control method described in the first, second or third feature, it is provided with at least one of a sounding means that sounds in a manner that allows the number of operator IDs that have already been registered at the time the ID registration operator means is operated to be recognized, and a display means that displays in a manner that allows the number of operator IDs that have already been registered at the time the ID registration operator means is operated to be recognized.
This is an invention of a switching control method corresponding to the switching control system described in the fourth aspect.

The opening/closing control system and opening/closing control method of the present invention have the advantage of being able to prevent unintended remote control transmitters from being registered when in remote control transmitter registration mode.

1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an opening/closing control system according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the transceiver shown in FIG. 1 . 1. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for newly registering a remote control switch in a transceiver in the opening/closing control system of FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an overview of the process shown in FIG. 3;

A preferred embodiment of the opening/closing control system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. In this embodiment, a shutter device 10 that is controlled to open and close vertically as an opening/closing body means will be described as an example. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of the opening/closing control system of the present invention. The shutter device 10 is basically composed of a shutter case 11, a shutter curtain 12, guide rails 13, 14, a motor, a shutter drive circuit, an opening/closing control circuit 15, a transceiver 16, a wall switch 20, and remote control switches (operating means) 22-24. Note that FIG. 1 does not show the motor, shutter drive circuit, or other components such as a winding shaft and chain. A human sensor may also be connected to the shutter device 10.

The shutter case 11 of the shutter device 10 is provided above the opening. The guide rails 13, 14 are provided on both ends of the opening or window so as to contact both ends of the shutter curtain, and are made of metal members with guide grooves with a U-shaped cross section that span from the lintel to the floor and below the window frame. The shutter curtain 12 rises and falls along the guide grooves of the guide rails 13, 14, and performs the operations of opening and closing the opening and window, or stopping midway (half-open or half-closed). In this specification, half-open means a state stopped midway in an opening operation, and half-closed means a state stopped midway in a closing operation.

The winding shaft (not shown) is rotatably mounted on both ends of the shutter case 11, and winds and unwinds the shutter curtain 12. A chain (not shown) connects a driving sprocket mounted on the rotating shaft of the motor to a driven sprocket mounted on the rotating shaft of the winding shaft. Therefore, the rotational driving force of the motor is transmitted to the winding shaft via the chain, and when the motor rotates, the winding shaft rotates via the chain, controlling the opening, closing, stopping, or mid-stop of the shutter curtain 12.

Although not shown, the shutter drive circuit is provided in each shutter case 11. The shutter drive circuit is configured as a microcomputer, and is supplied with power from the outside via the power line. The shutter drive circuit controls the rotation of the motor based on a control signal from the opening/closing control circuit 15 to control various operations such as opening/closing, stopping, or stopping midway through the shutter curtain 12. An encoder is connected to the rotating shaft of the motor, which detects the rotational position of the motor and outputs it to the shutter drive circuit. An HA signal (a signal indicating a closed or open state) is output based on this rotational position of the motor.

The motor is provided with a current detector that detects the drive current supplied to the motor from the shutter drive circuit, and the value of the detected drive current is fed back to the shutter drive circuit. The shutter drive circuit controls the rotation speed of the motor based on a detection signal indicating the motor's rotational position (shutter position) output from the encoder and a detection signal indicating the motor's drive current output from the current detector. When a drive current is detected by the current detector, the motor is in a driven state, and when no drive current is detected (zero), the motor can be determined to be in a non-driven state.

In this embodiment, a case will be described in which multiple (three in the figure) remote control switches 22-24 are registered to the shutter device 10. As a result, the shutter device 10 is configured to be controllable by each of the remote control switches 22-24.

In FIG. 1, the transceiver 16 is shown with an antenna connected to the remote control switches 22-24. The remote control switches 22-24 are wireless control means dedicated to the shutter device, equipped with the operation buttons of an open button, a stop button, and a close button. The transceiver 16 of the shutter device 10 and the remote control switches 22-24 are connected in a predetermined frequency band (e.g., 426 [MHz]) and are connected to each other via a predetermined ID. In this embodiment, the remote control switch 22 is assigned an id22, the remote control switch 23 is assigned an id23, and the remote control switch 24 is assigned an id24 as a unique remote control ID, and the transceiver 16 uses these remote control IDs for control.

In addition to the remote control switches 22 to 24, the shutter device 10 is provided with a wall switch 20, which is a wired operator means, near the opening. The wall switch 20 is a wired operator means (dedicated switch) dedicated to the shutter device, which has an open button, a stop button, and a close button, and is originally directly connected to the opening/closing control circuit 15 of the shutter device 10, and transmits control signals corresponding to the operation states of each opening/closing operation button to the opening/closing control circuit 15. The opening/closing control circuit 15 controls each operation of opening/closing the shutter curtain 12 in response to the control signals corresponding to the operation states of each of these switches. The shutter device 10 can control each operation of opening/closing the shutter device 10 independently of this opening/closing control system in response to the operation of the wall switch 20. The wall switch 20 may be provided with a button for stopping midway. The transceiver 16 is electrically connected to the opening/closing control circuit 15 by wire.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the transceiver of Fig. 1. As shown in the figure, the transceiver 16 includes a control unit 30, a communication unit 31, a registration switch 32, a transmission/reception lamp 33, an operation lamp 34, and a sound generating device 35.
The communication unit 31 is composed of a wireless module that functions as a low-power wireless station. The communication unit 31 receives wireless signals from the remote control switches 22 to 24, and transmits the received wireless signals to the control unit 30. The communication unit 31 transmits signals generated by the control unit 30 to the remote control switches 22 to 24. Examples of the wireless module include a wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) module, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication module, and a specific low-power wireless module.

The control unit 30 is configured as a microcomputer, and operates according to a pre-stored program. In this embodiment, the control unit 30 lights up the transmission/reception lamp 33 based on a signal from the communication unit 31. The transmission/reception lamp 33 is a full-color LED that lights up when a signal is received from the remote control operation switches 22 to 24, or when a signal is transmitted to the outside. In this embodiment, the transmission/reception lamp 33 lights up in a red light when a signal is received, and lights up in a green light when a signal is transmitted.

The control unit 30 controls the lighting display state of the operation lamp 34 and the sound output by the sound output device 35 according to the type of registration. The operation lamp 34 is composed of one full-color LED that displays (blinks or lights) in a display mode (light emission mode) according to the type of registration described below. It may be composed of multiple full-color LEDs that display (blinks or lights) according to the type of registration, or may be composed of a seven-segment display. The sound output device 35 emits a buzzer or beep in a mode corresponding to the number of remote control switches registered in the control unit 30.

Figure 3 is a flow chart showing an example of a process for newly registering a remote control switch in the transceiver in the opening/closing control system of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an overview of the process of Figure 3. The new ID registration process executed by the transceiver 16 in Figure 3 includes new registration for registering the first unit and additional new registration for registering the second and subsequent units. When the on state of the registration switch 32, which is an ID registration operator means provided in the transceiver 16, is maintained for approximately 3 seconds or more, the new registration mode for registering the first unit is entered. Also, when an operation is performed that turns the registration switch 32 on three consecutive times, i.e., when the registration switch 32 turns on three times within a predetermined time, the additional new registration mode for registering the second and subsequent units is entered.

In step S31, the transceiver 16 emits a number of buzzer sounds from the sound device 35 corresponding to the number of registered remote control switches registered in the transceiver 16 at the time of entering the new ID registration mode. For example, if the number of registered switches is 1, the buzzer sounds are emitted regularly according to the number of registered switches, such as "beep" if the number of registered switches is 1, "beep-beep" if the number of registered switches is 2, and "beep-beep-beep" if the number of registered switches is 3. If the number of registered switches is 0, the buzzer sound is not emitted or a continuous buzzer sound such as "beep-beep" is emitted for a predetermined time (about 3 to 5 seconds). The full-color LED of the operation lamp 34 may also be made to flash in synchronization with the sound of the buzzer sound. This allows the number of remote control switches currently registered in the transceiver 16 to be recognized audibly and visually. If a number different from the known number of registered switches is registered at this time, it can be recognized that the registration was made due to some kind of erroneous operation. In this case, the registration process can be redone from the first new registration to register the predetermined number of remote control switches.

In step S32, the operator operates one of the remote control operation switches 22 to 24 for which a new ID is to be registered, and a control signal corresponding to the remote control ID and operation button is transmitted to the transceiver 16 via the communication lines 22a, 23a, and 24a. Although the figure shows the signals being transmitted simultaneously, the remote control operation switches 22 to 24 each transmit at a different timing.

In step S33, it is determined whether or not a remote control ID has been received. If it has been received (yes), the process proceeds to the next step S34. If it has not been received (no), this determination process is repeated until a remote control ID is received. When the determination process has been repeated a predetermined number of times or a predetermined period of time (e.g., about 3 to 5 minutes) has elapsed without a remote control ID being received, the loop is exited and the process is forcibly terminated.

In step S34, a buzzer sound is generated from the sound generating device 35 so that the reception strength when the remote control ID is received can be easily recognized. For example, the range of reception strength from 100 to 75, where the maximum reception strength is 100, is the first reception strength, the range from 74 to 50 is the second reception strength, the range from 49 to 25 is the third reception strength, and the range from 25 to 0 is the fourth reception strength. For the first reception strength, the buzzer sound is generated four times like "boo-boo-boo-boo", for the second reception strength, three times like "boo-boo-boo", for the third reception strength, two times like "boo-boo", and for the fourth reception strength, one time like "boo". The number of times the buzzer sound is generated may be the opposite of the above, such as once for the first strength and four times for the fourth strength. The reception strength may be made visible by turning on the four full-color LEDs of the operation lamp 34.

In step S35, it is determined whether the value of the reception strength when the remote control ID is received is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. If it is equal to or greater than the predetermined value (yes), the process proceeds to the next step S36. If it is less than the predetermined value (no), the process proceeds to step S37. In this embodiment, the first reception strength is determined to be equal to or greater than the predetermined value, and the second, third, and fourth reception strengths are determined to be less than the predetermined value.

In step S36, since it is determined that the reception strength is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the remote control ID (id22, id23, id24) transmitted from one of the remote control operation switches 22-24 to the transceiver 16 via the communication lines 22a, 23a, 24a is registered as a new ID. As a result, one of id22, id23, or id24 is registered in the transceiver 16, as shown in FIG. 4. In the new registration mode for registering the first unit, if there is an old remote control ID that was previously registered, the old remote control ID is deleted and the remote control ID received this time is newly registered. In the additional new registration mode for registering the second or subsequent units, the old remote control ID that was previously registered is left intact and the remote control ID received this time is newly registered as an additional ID.

In step S37, the sound device 35 emits a buzzer sound the number of which corresponds to the number of remote control switches currently registered in the transceiver 16 in the new ID registration mode. In the new ID registration process, in the new registration mode for registering the first unit, the number of registered units is one, and in the additional new registration mode for registering the second and subsequent units, the number of registered units should be one more than the number of registered units recognized by the sounding and lighting processes in the previous step S31. Therefore, if a registered number other than this is sounded or lit, it is possible that they were registered in error, and by redoing the registration process from the first new registration, it becomes possible to re-register the specified number of remote control switches.

In step S38, the new ID registration process ends when the registration switch 32 is turned on. Note that even if the registration switch 32 is not turned on in this step, the process is forcibly ended when a predetermined time (e.g., about 3 to 5 minutes) has elapsed. Note that the end of this registration process may be recognized by the sound generation process of the sound generation device 35 and/or the display process of the operation lamp 34.

In the above embodiment, a shutter curtain that is unrolled in a vertical lifting manner has been described as an example, but the invention can be applied to shutter-shaped opening and closing members that are unrolled in a lateral or horizontal manner. In addition, the invention can also be applied to opening and closing body devices such as shutter devices, window shutter devices, blind devices, roller screen devices, drapery devices, sliding door devices, movable partition devices, awning devices, and waterproof board devices.

10...Shutter device 11...Shutter case 12...Shutter curtain 13, 14...Guide rail 15...Opening/closing control circuit 16...Transmitter/receiver 20...Wall switch 22-24...Remote control switch 22a, 23a, 24a...Communication line 30...Control unit 31...Communication unit 32...Registration switch 33...Transmission/reception lamp 34...Operation lamp 35...Sound generation device

Claims (6)

An opening/closing body means provided at the opening;
a remote control means for transmitting a control signal corresponding to the operation of the opening/closing body means through a wireless communication line;
In an opening/closing control system including a control means for controlling an operation of the opening/closing body means in response to the control signal received from the remote control operator means via the wireless communication line,
The apparatus includes at least one of a sound generating means for generating a sound in such a manner that the number of the operator IDs of the remote control operator means already registered can be recognized, and a display means for displaying the number of the operator IDs of the remote control operator means already registered in such a manner that the number of the operator IDs of the remote control operator means already registered can be recognized,
an ID registration operator means for registering a new operator ID of the remote control operator means, and when the ID registration operator means is operated and the remote control operator means is connected to the control means via the wireless communication line within a predetermined time, the number of operator IDs registered at the time the ID registration operator means is operated is sounded from the sounding means to the connected remote control operator means and displayed on the display means, thereafter, the reception strength of the connected remote control operator means is measured, and if the reception strength is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the operator ID of the remote control operator means is newly registered, and the number of operator IDs currently registered after registration is sounded from the sounding means and displayed on the display means. The opening and closing control system according to claim 1,
When the ID registration operator means of the control means is operated in a first manner and an operator ID that has already been registered exists, the operator ID is deleted, and the operator ID assigned to the remote control operator means connected this time is newly registered as the first operator ID,
An opening and closing control system characterized in that when the ID registration operator means of the control means is operated in a second manner and an operator ID that has already been registered exists, that operator ID is left intact and the operator ID assigned to the remote control operator means that has been connected this time is newly registered as an additional operator ID. In the opening and closing control system according to claim 1 or 2,
a sound generating means for generating a sound in such a manner that the magnitude of the received signal strength can be recognized;
An opening and closing control system comprising at least one display means for displaying the magnitude of the reception strength in a manner that enables the magnitude of the reception strength to be recognized. An opening/closing control method for controlling the operation of an opening/closing body means provided at an opening portion by using a control means and a remote control means connected to the control means via a wireless communication line, comprising:
The apparatus includes at least one of a sound generating means for generating a sound in such a manner that the number of the operator IDs of the remote control operator means already registered can be recognized, and a display means for displaying the number of the operator IDs of the remote control operator means already registered in such a manner that the number of the operator IDs of the remote control operator means already registered can be recognized,
an ID registration operator means for registering a new operator ID of the remote control operator means provided in the control means is operated, and the remote control operator means is connected to the control means via the wireless communication line within a predetermined time, the number of the operator IDs registered at the time the ID registration operator means was operated is sounded from the sounding means to the connected remote control operator means and displayed on the display means, thereafter, the reception strength of the connected remote control operator means is measured, and if the reception strength is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the operator ID of the remote control operator means is newly registered in the control means , and the number of the operator IDs currently registered after registration is sounded from the sounding means and displayed on the display means. The opening and closing control method according to claim 4 ,
When the ID registration operator means of the control means is operated in a first manner and an operator ID that has already been registered exists, the operator ID is deleted, and the operator ID assigned to the remote control operator means connected this time is newly registered as the first operator ID,
An opening/closing control method characterized in that when the ID registration operator means of the control means is operated in a second manner and an operator ID that has already been registered exists, that operator ID is left intact and the operator ID assigned to the remote control operator means that has been connected this time is newly registered as an additional operator ID. The opening and closing control method according to claim 4 or 5 ,
a sound generating means for generating a sound in such a manner that the magnitude of the received signal strength can be recognized;
The opening and closing control method further comprises at least one of display means for displaying the magnitude of the reception strength in a manner that allows the magnitude of the reception strength to be recognized.

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