MONITORING SYSTEM, TERMINAL DEVICE AND MAIN CONTROL DEVICE THEREOF, AND METHOD AND PROGRAM FOR REGISTERING TERMINAL DEVICE

• US 20090040026A1
• Filed: 03/07/2007
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Yoshihei
• Granted Patent: US 8,400,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/003 Address allocation methods and details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices

Abstract

By pushing the registration switch of a main controller, a radio signal for requesting the transmission of a terminal-device ID number is transmitted (SP1, SP2). A wireless sensor sends back the terminal-device ID number (SP11, SP12), and the main controller stores the received terminal-device ID number in its storage unit and transmits a main-controller device ID number (SP4, SP5). The wireless sensor stores the main-controller device ID number in its storage unit. From then on, communications between devices whose device ID numbers have been registered are permitted.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A monitoring system comprising a terminal device having terminal identifying information for identifying itself and a main control device controlling said terminal device, wherein

said terminal device includes an identifying-information output unit that transmits the terminal identifying information of the terminal device as a radio signal in response to receipt of a request signal for the terminal identifying information wirelessly transmitted from said main control device, and

said main control device includes:

a transmitting unit that transmits said request signal for the terminal identifying information as a radio signal;

a receiving unit that receives the terminal identifying information as a radio signal transmitted back from said terminal device; and

a first storage unit that stores the terminal identifying information in response to receipt of the terminal identifying information by said receiving unit.

13. The monitoring system according to claim 12, wherein

said transmitting unit transmits main-control identifying information for identifying said main control device as a radio signal to said terminal device in response to receipt of said terminal identifying information by said receiving unit, and

said terminal device includes a second storage unit that stores the main-control identifying information transmitted by said transmitting unit.

14. The monitoring system according to claim 12, wherein

said identifying-information output unit is an RFID tag, and

said receiving unit and said transmitting unit are an RFID reader/writer.

15. The monitoring system according to claim 14, wherein

said terminal device includes a power generation unit that generates electric power with a radio signal received by said RF tag and supplies the generated power to at least said second storage unit.

16. The monitoring system according to claim 12, wherein said main control device includes:

a first communication unit that is separately provided from said transmitting unit and allows communication between said main control device and said terminal device; and

a main control unit that permits the main control device to communicate through said first communication unit with the terminal device whose identifying information has been stored in said first storage unit.

17. The monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein

said terminal device includes:

a second communication unit that is separately provided from the identifying-information output unit and allows communication between said terminal device and said main control device; and

a terminal control unit that permits the terminal device to communicate through said second communication unit with the main control device whose main-control identifying information has been stored in said second storage unit.

18. The monitoring system according to claim 12, wherein

there are provided a plurality of said terminal devices each having terminal identifying information,

said first storage unit of said main control device stores the terminal identifying information corresponding to each of said plurality of terminal devices,

said transmitting unit transmits a request signal for the terminal identifying information to each of said plurality of terminal devices,

said receiving unit receives the terminal identifying information transmitted from each of said terminal devices, and

said first storage unit stores the terminal identifying information received by said receiving unit.

19. A terminal device of a monitoring system, said terminal device having identifying information for identifying itself and being controlled by a main control device, comprising:

a receiving unit that receives a request signal for requesting the transmission of the identifying information, said request signal being wirelessly transmitted from said main control device; and

an identifying-information output unit that transmits the identifying information of the terminal device as a radio signal in response to receipt of the request signal for the identifying information by said receiving unit.

20. A method for registering a terminal device by registering terminal identifying information for identifying the terminal device, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a request signal for said terminal identifying information as a radio signal;

receiving the terminal identifying information transmitted back in response to said radio signal; and

storing the terminal identifying information in response to receipt of said terminal identifying information.

21. A recording medium in which a program used to register terminal identifying information for identifying a terminal device is recorded to perform the functions of:

a transmitting unit that transmits a request signal for requesting said terminal identifying information as a radio signal;

a receiving unit that receives the terminal identifying information as a radio signal transmitted back from said terminal device; and

a storage unit that stores the terminal identifying information in response to receipt of said terminal identifying information by said receiving unit.