Monitoring system, monitoring device, monitoring method, and program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9800710-B2
Application number	US-201315027531-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2013
Priority date	Nov 13, 2013
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

A monitoring system includes electric devices, communication adaptors communicably connecting the electric devices with a network, and a monitoring device monitoring the status of each electric device. The monitoring device acquires from user input a type of running indicating whether or not the status of the electric device is always ON. The monitoring device transmits to each electric device a status acquisition request requesting acquisition of the status of the electric device. Then the monitoring device determines the status of the electric device based on a response to the transmitted status acquisition request and the acquired type of running.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A monitoring system comprising:
a first communication adaptor configured to be communicably connected with an electric device; and
a monitoring device configured to be communicably connected with the electric device via the first communication adaptor and to monitor a status of the electric device, wherein
the monitoring device comprises:
an acquirer configured to acquire a type of running indicating whether or not the status of the electric device is always ON;
a status acquisition request transmitter configured to transmit to the electric device a status acquisition request that requests acquisition of the status of the electric device; and
a first determiner configured to determine the status of the electric device based on a response to the status acquisition request transmitted by the status acquisition request transmitter and the type of running acquired by the acquirer,

the first communication adaptor comprises:
a memory configured to store, for each of a plurality of the electric devices, the type of running of the electric device;
a specifier configured to specify the type of running associated with the electric device from the memory; and
a running type transmitter configured to transmit the type of running specified by the specifier to the monitoring device, and

the acquirer is configured to acquire the type of running of the electric device from the running type transmitter.

2. The monitoring system according to claim 1 , wherein when the first determiner does not receive from the electric device a response to the status acquisition request transmitted by the status acquisition request transmitter, and the type of running acquired by the acquirer indicates that the status of the electric device is not always ON, the first determiner determines that there is a possibility that the status of the electric device is OFF.

3. The monitoring system according to claim 1 , wherein when the first determiner does not receive from the electric device a response to the status acquisition request transmitted by the status acquisition request transmitter, and the type of running acquired by the acquirer indicates that the status of the electric device is always ON, the first determiner determines that an abnormality exists in communication between the electric device and the monitoring device.

4. The monitoring system according to claim 1 , wherein the acquirer is configured to accept a user input that indicates the type of running of the electric device.

5. The monitoring system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the status acquisition request transmitter is configured to transmit the status acquisition request to the electric device periodically; and
when a frequency of a change in presence or absence of a response to the status acquisition request transmitted by the status acquisition request transmitter is less than a threshold, the acquirer acquires the type of running indicating that the status of the electric device is always ON.

6. The monitoring system according to claim 1 , further comprising a second communication adaptor configured to communicably connect the electric device with the monitoring device, wherein:
the second communication adaptor comprises:
a detector configured to detect power supplied from the electric device to the second communication adaptor; and
a notifier configured to give, to the monitoring device, a notification of a change in a power supply status of the electric device when presence or absence of the power detected by the detector changes, and

the monitoring device further comprises a second determiner configured to update a flag indicating the power supply status of the electric device based on the notification received from the notifier, and to determine the status of the electric device based on the flag and a response from the electric device to the status acquisition request transmitted by the status acquisition request transmitter.

7. The monitoring system according to claim 1 , further comprising a power supply detecting device configured to be communicably connected with the monitoring device, wherein:
the power supply detecting device comprises:
a detector configured to detect electric current supplied to the electric device from a power supply; and
a notifier configured to give, to the monitoring device, a notification of a change in a power supply status of the electric device when a waveform of the electric current detected by the detector matches with a waveform pattern indicating a change in the power supply status of the electric device, and

the monitoring device further comprises a second determiner configured to update a flag indicating the power supply status of the electric device based on the notification received from the notifier, and to determine the status of the electric device based on the flag and a response from the electric device to the status acquisition request transmitted by the status acquisition request transmitter.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Ito Takahiro
• Minezawa Satoshi
• Yano Hirotoshi
• Yabe Masaaki
• Maruyama Ichiro
• Nakamura Shinji
• IZUMIHARA Hiroko

Classifications

• H04Q2209/823

  where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm · CPC title

• H04Q9/00 Primary

  Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom · CPC title

• H04M1/72533 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L12/2827

  Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality · CPC title

• H04M1/72415 Primary

  for remote control of appliances · CPC title