JP2017228196A - Communication adapter and alarm system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make wiring work easy without spoiling the beauty in attachment of a communication adapter that converts a signal output from a fire alarm into a signal in accordance with a prescribed standard and transmits the resultant signal to a gateway.SOLUTION: A communication adapter 3 is attached to a ceiling or wall, a base 20 of a fire alarm 2 is attached to the communication adapter 3, and thereby the communication adapter 3 and the fire alarm 2 can be integrated. The communication adapter 3 includes a connector 35 having a terminal for receiving a signal from the fire alarm 2. Because wiring is completed by just connecting the connector 35 of the communication adapter 3 and a corresponding connector 201 of the base 20 of the fire alarm 2, wiring work is not necessary. In addition, the communication adapter 3 is hidden behind the fire alarm 2, and beauty is not spoiled.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication adapter that converts a signal from a fire alarm device into a signal according to a predetermined standard and transmits the signal to a gateway, and an alarm system including the communication adapter.

  In recent years, fire alarms that detect a fire in a house and emit an alarm sound have become widespread. There has also been proposed a system for transmitting an alarm signal to a smartphone or the like via the Internet when a fire alarm installed in a house or the like senses a fire. In such a system, in order to send an alarm signal to the Internet, in addition to a gateway for connection to the Internet, the signal output from the fire alarm is converted into a signal in accordance with a predetermined standard and sent to the gateway. A communication adapter to send is required. As a communication adapter having such a function, for example, there is one described in Patent Document 1 below (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2014-186417 A

  However, in order for the communication adapter to receive a signal output from the fire alarm device, wiring for connecting the fire alarm device and the communication adapter is required, but wiring work is troublesome. In order to facilitate wiring between the communication adapter and the fire alarm, it is desirable to install the communication adapter near the fire alarm. However, installing the communication adapter on the ceiling or wall is aesthetic. Damaged.

  The present invention has been considered in view of such problems, and facilitates the wiring work accompanying the installation of the communication adapter that converts the signal output from the fire alarm device into a signal according to a predetermined standard and transmits it to the gateway. The purpose is not to impair the beauty.

  A first invention for solving the above-described problem is a function of interposing between a fire alarm and a gateway, converting at least a signal output from the fire alarm into a signal according to a predetermined standard and transmitting the signal to the gateway A communication adapter having at least a terminal for inputting a signal output from the fire alarm, a conversion unit for converting the signal input from the connector into a signal according to a predetermined standard, and a ceiling And a fixed part for fixing to a fixed structure such as a wall and a fixed part to which the fire alarm is fixed.

  The second invention includes at least a fire alarm, the communication adapter, a gateway that receives a signal output from the communication adapter and transmits the signal to the Internet, and a server that is connected to the gateway via the Internet. Is an alarm system.

In the communication adapter according to the present invention, the fixed part is fixed to the fixed structure, and the fire alarm is fixed to the fixed part, so that the communication adapter is hidden behind the fire alarm, so that the aesthetic appearance is not impaired.
In addition, because the signal is input at the connector, and the signal is converted and output by the converter, it is output from the fire alarm just by connecting the corresponding connector of the fire alarm to the connector of the communication adapter. Therefore, wiring work is not necessary because the converted signal can be converted into a signal conforming to the predetermined standard and output.

  In the alarm system according to the present invention, the alarm system can be configured without wiring work by simply fixing the fixed part to the fixed structure and fixing the fire alarm to the fixed part.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the structural example of an alarm system. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows a communication adapter and a fire alarm.

  The alarm system 1 shown in FIG. 1 fires on the smartphone 7 via the communication adapter 3, the gateway 4, the Internet 5, and the server 6 when the fire alarm 2 installed in the fire detection area detects the fire. It has a function to notify. A personal computer 8 is connected to the server 6 via the Internet 5. A plurality of fire alarms 2 and communication adapters 3 may share one gateway 4.

  The communication adapter 3 is interposed between the fire alarm 2 and the gateway 4, and converts the signal output from the fire alarm 2 into a signal in accordance with a predetermined wireless communication protocol standard, for example, Z-WAVE. And has a function of transmitting to the gateway 4. As shown in FIG. 2, the upper portion of the communication adapter 3 includes a fixing portion 30 for fixing to a fixed structure such as a ceiling or a floor. The fixing portion 30 is a screw in the example of FIG. 2, but is not limited to this as long as it can be installed on a ceiling, a wall, or the like. For example, when installing on a wall, a hook may be installed on the wall and the communication adapter 3 may be hooked on the hook. 1 and 2 show an example in which the communication adapter 3 is fixed to the ceiling 9.

  Inside the communication adapter 3, a chip including a processor is mounted, and a conversion unit 31 that performs processing for converting a signal from the fire alarm device 2 into a signal in accordance with a predetermined standard, and the converted signal as the gateway 4 And a battery accommodating portion 33 that accommodates a battery serving as a power source for operating the converting portion 31. The chip provided in the conversion unit 31 has unique ID information, and the signal output from the conversion unit 31 includes the ID information. The conversion unit 31 includes a ROM in which firmware for performing the operation as the conversion unit 31 is written, and a RAM used when the processor operates. The firmware written in the ROM can be updated by transmitting it from the personal computer 8 to the communication adapter 3 via the Internet 5 and the gateway 4.

  At the lower part of the communication adapter 3 (the side facing the fire alarm), a fixed part 34 to which the fire alarm 2 is fixed and a connector 35 having a terminal for inputting a signal output from the fire alarm 2 are provided. I have. The to-be-fixed part 34 is comprised by the internal thread for screwing a male thread, for example. A signal input from the connector 35 is converted into a signal in accordance with a predetermined standard by the converter 31. The connector 35 may be fixed to the substrate, or may be a wiring-out type connector in which a connector is connected to the tip of the wiring. When a connector 35 that is fixed to the board is used, the appearance is clean. On the other hand, if a wiring-out type connector is used, the number of parts can be reduced.

  The communication adapter 3 includes two LEDs 36a and 36b that indicate their own status. For example, the LED 36a is a communication light, and the LED 36b is a warning light. The LED 36 a is lit when communication with the gateway 4 is performed. On the other hand, the LED 36b is turned on when the remaining amount of the battery accommodated in the battery accommodating portion 33 is low.

  The fire alarm 2 includes a base 20 fixed to the communication adapter 3 and a main body 21 fixed to the base 20. The base 20 is provided with a plurality of holes 200 through which the male screws 22 are inserted. The male screw 22 is inserted into the holes 200 and screwed into the female screws constituting the fixed portion 34 of the communication adapter 3 so that the base 20 communicates. It is fixed to the adapter 3. Further, a connector 201 corresponding to the connector 35 provided in the communication adapter 3 is provided on the side facing the communication adapter 3 of the base 20, and when the connector 201 is inserted into the connector 35, the fire alarm 2 outputs the signal. A signal can be input at the communication adapter 3. For example, a signal is output from the fire alarm device 2 at regular intervals, and a signal indicating some state is output toward the communication adapter 3 even when a fire does not occur. If the connector 35 of the communication adapter 3 is of a wiring-out type, the connector 35 is connected to the connector 201.

  The main body 21 is fixed to the base 20 by, for example, rotating with respect to the base 20 and engaging both housings. The main body 21 includes a sensor that detects smoke and heat, and senses a fire based on these detections. When a fire is detected, the built-in speaker sounds an alarm sound. When a fire occurs, a signal indicating the occurrence of a fire is output from the sensor, and the output signal is notified to the communication adapter 3 via the connectors 201 and 35.

  In the alarm system 1 shown in FIG. 1, the user information of the user who uses the alarm system 1, the name and ID information of the gateway 4, the name of the communication adapter 3, and the ID information of the chip provided in the conversion unit 31, The name and ID information related to the alarm output from the communication adapter 3 is accumulated.

  The personal computer 8 is managed by the operator of the alarm system 1, and based on the information accumulated in the server 6, the user management, the management of the gateway 4, the correspondence relationship between the ID of the fire alarm 2 and the ID of the gateway 4 Management, management of correspondence between the ID of the gateway 4 and the ID of the smartphone 7 is performed.

  When a fire occurs in the monitoring area of the fire alarm device 2, the fire alarm device 2 detects the fire, emits an alarm sound from the built-in speaker, and sends a signal indicating that a fire has occurred (fire signal) to the communication adapter. 3 is notified. The signal reaches the conversion unit 31 via the connector 35. The conversion unit 31 converts the information included in the signal into a format according to a predetermined wireless communication protocol standard, for example, Z-WAVE, and wirelessly via the antenna 32 as a warning signal in the Z-WAVE format 4 to send. This alarm signal includes the ID information of the chip provided in the conversion unit 31 and the alarm type ID information.

  The gateway 4 converts the alarm signal into an IP packet and transmits it to the server 6 via the Internet 5. The IP packet includes gateway ID information unique to the gateway 4 in addition to the chip ID information and alarm type ID information provided in the conversion unit 31.

  When the server 6 receives these pieces of information, the server 6 recognizes the ID information of the gateway 4 included in the information. The server 6 extracts the ID information of the smartphone 7, for example, the e-mail address, which is associated with the ID information and accumulated. Then, the server 6 notifies the mail address of a message that a fire has occurred at the user's home. This notification is a push notification. The owner of the smartphone 7 activates the application software by tapping this notification. Then, the details of the notification are displayed in detail, the details of the alarm based on the alarm type ID are displayed, and the fact that a fire has occurred can be known.

  For example, if a fire alarm device 2 and a communication adapter 3 are installed in each room in a house having a plurality of rooms, a fire occurs in any room on the smartphone 7 based on the chip ID information included in the alarm signal. Can be displayed on the screen.

  The fire alarm device 2 continues to output a fire occurrence signal to the communication adapter 3 while sensing a fire. The communication adapter 3 repeatedly transmits an alarm signal to the gateway 4 while the fire alarm signal is output from the fire alarm device 2. The gateway 4 also repeatedly transmits the alarm signal to the server 6 while receiving the alarm signal. On the other hand, if the fire alarm signal is not output from the fire alarm device 2, the communication adapter 3 also does not transmit the alarm signal. Therefore, in the gateway 4, once the alarm signal is received, the state is maintained, and the alarm signal may be sent unconditionally to the server 6 until the alarm signal is canceled ( Critical alarm retention function).

  The smartphone 7 can also browse the history of alarms using application software. On the other hand, the server 6 stores a warning signal arrival history. This arrival history can be viewed or deleted on the personal computer 8. In the personal computer 8, the gateway 4 and the communication adapter 3 can be reset and the notification history of the smartphone 7 can be deleted via the Internet 5.

  Regardless of whether or not a fire has occurred, a signal indicating whether or not the signal from the fire alarm 2 has been received from the communication adapter 3 is sent to the gateway 4 periodically (for example, about once every 10 seconds). Sent. The gateway 4 determines whether or not the communication adapter 3 is normal based on a signal periodically transmitted from the communication adapter 3. Information indicating the determination result is sent to the server 6 via the Internet 5, and the server 6 stores this information. The stored information can be browsed and deleted.

  When the signal indicating that the communication adapter 3 is normal is not transmitted from the gateway 4, the server 6 determines that there is an abnormality in the communication adapter 3 or the gateway 4 and notifies the smartphone 7 of an alarm indicating that fact. This notification is a push notification. On the smartphone 7, the notification is tapped to activate application software and display details of the alarm. It is also possible to display an alarm history. In the personal computer 8, when an abnormality occurs in the communication adapter 3 or the gateway 4, the communication adapter 3 or the gateway 4 can be reset by transmitting a reset signal via the Internet 5. In addition, as abnormality, there exist a case where it has become inoperable due to a battery exhaustion or a bug, etc.

  As described above, the communication adapter 3 and the fire alarm device 2 can be integrated by attaching the communication adapter 3 to the ceiling or the wall and attaching the base 20 of the fire alarm device 2 to the communication adapter 3. The communication adapter 3 includes a connector 35 having a terminal for receiving a signal from the fire alarm device 2, and connects the connector 35 of the communication adapter 3 and the corresponding connector 201 of the base 20 of the fire alarm device 2. Wiring work is not necessary because the wiring is completed with just one. Moreover, since the communication adapter 3 is hidden behind the fire alarm device 2, the aesthetic appearance is not impaired.

1: Alarm system 2: Fire alarm 20: Base 200: Hole 201: Connector 21: Main body part 22: Male screw 3: Communication adapter 30: Fixed part 31: Conversion part 32: Antenna 33: Battery housing part 34: Fixed part 35: Connector 36a, 36b: LED
4: Gateway 5: Internet 6: Server 7: Smartphone 8: PC 9: Ceiling

Claims (2)

A communication adapter interposed between the fire alarm and the gateway, having a function of converting at least a signal output from the fire alarm into a signal according to a predetermined standard and transmitting the signal to the gateway;
A connector having at least a terminal for inputting a signal output from the fire alarm;
A converter that converts the signal input from the connector into a signal according to the predetermined standard and outputs the signal;
A fixing part for fixing to a fixed structure such as a ceiling or a wall;
A fixed part to which the fire alarm is fixed;
Communication adapter with A fire alarm, a communication adapter according to claim 1, a gateway that receives a signal output from the communication adapter and transmits the signal to the Internet, and a server that is connected to the gateway via the Internet Alarm system played.

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