10 connected to the drive device 20 of the type indicated by the type identification information of the same setting information record. One setting information record may include one piece or a plurality of pieces of type identification information.

The device information storage 323 stores a device information table. The device information table includes a plurality of device information records. The device information record includes information indicating a history of the state of the drive device 20, and information indicating setting for the drive device 20, operation of the drive device 20, and the like. FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a specific example of a device information table stored in the device information storage 323. In the example of FIG. 6, the device information record has values of drive device identification information, failure information, and auxiliary setting information. The drive device identification information is identification information of the drive device 20. The failure information is information indicating a failure occurred in the past or a failure currently occurring in the drive device 20 indicated by the drive device identification information of the same device information record. The failure information may indicate the type of failure and the occurrence date and time of the failure. The auxiliary setting information indicates setting information additionally set in addition to the normally applied setting information for the drive device 20 indicated by the drive device identification information of the same setting information record. The auxiliary setting information may be automatically set by the controller 33 in accordance with, for example, failure information of the drive device 20, or may be set on the basis of information received from a terminal device (user terminal 40) of an owner of the drive device 20.

The history information storage 324 records a history of information transmitted from the communication device 10. For example, the communication device 10 transmits the notification information acquired from the drive device 20 to the management device 30 at a predetermined timing on the basis of the setting information stored in the own device. The history information storage 324 stores the notification information transmitted from each communication device 10. For example, the history information storage 324 may store the communication device identification information of the communication device 10, the drive device identification information of the drive device 20, the notification information acquired from the drive device 20, and the information indicating the date and time in association with one another. For example, the communication device 10 generates error report information on the basis of error information received from the drive device 20 and transmits the error report information to the management device 30. The history information storage 324 stores the error report information transmitted from each communication device 10.

The controller 33 includes a processor such as a CPU and a memory. The processor executes a program, whereby the controller 33 functions as an identification information acquisitor 331, a setting information provider 332, and an information manager 333. All or some of the functions of the controller 33 may be implemented by using hardware such as an ASIC, a PLD, or an FPGA. The program may be recorded in a computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium is, for example, a portable medium such as a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, a ROM, a CD-ROM, or a semiconductor storage device (for example, a solid state drive (SSD)), or a storage device such as a hard disk or a semiconductor storage device built in a computer system. The program may be transmitted via a telecommunication line.

The identification information acquisitor 331 communicates with the communication device 10 via the communication unit 31, and acquires identification information (communication device identification information) of the communication device 10 and type identification information of the drive device 20 to which the communication device 10 is connected. The identification information acquisitor 331 records, into the identification information storage 321, the acquired communication device identification information and type identification information in association with each other.

Upon receiving a request for the setting information from the communication device 10, the setting information provider 332 reads, from the setting information storage 322, the setting information corresponding to the type of the drive device 20 to which the communication device 10 is connected. For example, in a case where the type identification information is received at the time of requesting the setting information, the setting information provider 332 reads the setting information recorded in the setting information storage 322 in association with the type identification information. Then, the setting information provider 332 transmits the read setting information to the communication device 10 of the request source.

The request for the setting information may include the drive device identification information of the drive device 20 to which the communication device 10 of the transmission source is connected. In this case, the setting information provider 332 determines whether or not the drive device identification information of the request target is registered, in association with the auxiliary setting information, in the device information record stored in the device information storage 323. In a case where such auxiliary setting information is registered, the setting information provider 332 reads the auxiliary setting information and transmits the auxiliary setting information to the communication device 10 of the request source.

The information manager 333 manages information stored in the device information storage 323 and information stored in the history information storage 324. For example, the information manager 333 manages the auxiliary setting information stored in the device information storage 323. For example, the information manager 333 may register or change the auxiliary setting information for a specific drive device 20 on the basis of change information transmitted from the user terminal 40. Such change information includes the auxiliary setting information and the drive device identification information. On the basis of the received change information, the information manager 333 may newly register the device information record recorded in the device information storage 323, or may update the already registered device information. When the failure information is registered in the device information storage 323, the information manager 333 may register the auxiliary setting information in accordance with the failure information. A rule (association) as to what auxiliary setting information is registered in a case what failure information is registered may be determined in advance.

The information manager 333 receives the notification information and the error report information transmitted from each communication device 10 and records them into the history information storage 324. For example, the information manager 333 may record, into the history information storage 324 in association with one another, the communication device identification information of the communication device 10, the drive device identification information of the drive device 20, the notification information or the error report information acquired from the drive device 20, and the information indicating the date and time. The information manager 333 may determine whether or not a failure has occurred in each drive device 20 on the basis of the information stored in the history information storage 324. The failure determination criterion may be determined in advance. Upon determining that a failure has occurred, the information manager 333 registers the drive device identification information of the drive device 20 that is the determination target and the information indicating the determined failure into the device information storage 323 in association with each other.

FIG. 7 is a sequence chart illustrating a specific example of the flow of the initial operation when the power source of the communication device 10 is turned on in the drive device communication system 100. For example, it may be constituted such that when the power source is turned on in the drive device 20 to which the communication device 10 is connected, power is supplied from the drive device 20 to the communication device 10, and the communication device 10 is turned on and activated. When the communication device 10 is turned on and activated (step S101), the identification information acquisitor 151 requests, from the drive device 20, the type identification information of the drive device 20 to which the own device (communication device) is connected (step S102).

The control device (for example, ECU) of the drive device 20 transmits, to the communication device 10, a type identification information response including the type identification information of the own device (drive device 20) (step S103). The setting information acquisitor 152 determines whether or not the setting information corresponding to the type of the drive device 20 to which the own device (communication device 10) is connected has already been registered in the setting information storage 144 (step S104). For example, when the type identification information stored in the type identification information storage 142 matches the type identification information received in step S103 and the setting information is stored in the setting information storage 144, it may be determined that the setting information corresponding to the type of the drive device 20 to which the own device (communication device 10) is connected has already been registered in the setting information storage 144. In a case where the setting information has already been registered (step S104—YES), the setting information acquisitor 152 of the communication device 10 does not execute processing for acquiring the setting information from the management device 30, and the communication controller 153 starts communication control using the setting information stored in the setting information storage 144 (step S112).

On the other hand, in a case where the setting information corresponding to the drive device 20 to which the own device (communication device 10) is connected has not yet been registered in the setting information storage 144 (step S104—NO), the setting information acquisitor 152 generates and transmits, to the management device 30, a setting information request (step S105). The setting information request includes at least, for example, information indicative of requesting the setting information, identification information (communication device identification information) of the own device (communication device 10), and type identification information of the drive device 20 to which the own device is connected. The setting information request may further include drive device identification information.

Upon receiving the setting information request, the setting information provider 332 of the management device 30 reads the setting information stored in the setting information storage 322 in association with the type identification information included in the received setting information request. The setting information provider 332 reads the auxiliary setting information stored in the device information storage 323 in association with the drive device identification information included in the received setting information request. The setting information provider 332 generates a setting information response including the read setting information and auxiliary setting information. Then, the setting information provider 332 transmits the generated setting information response to the communication device 10 of the request source of the setting information (step S106).

The identification information acquisitor 331 of the management device 30 registers, into the identification information storage 321, the communication device identification information and the type identification information included in the received setting information request in association with each other (step S107). At this time, in a case where another identification information record having the same value of the communication device identification information has already been registered, the identification information record may be deleted and a new identification information record may be registered, or the type identification information of the identification information record may be updated.

Upon receiving the setting information response, the setting information acquisitor 152 of the communication device 10 registers the received setting information into the setting information storage 144. At this time, the setting information acquisitor 152 also registers the auxiliary setting information included in the received setting information response into the setting information storage 144 as the setting information (step S108). The setting information acquisitor 152 interprets the registered setting information (including the auxiliary setting information) (step S109). The interpretation is processing of determining how to operate on the basis of the setting information. The setting information acquisitor 152 transmits information (hereinafter referred to as “interpretation information”) indicating a result of the interpretation to the management device 30 (step S110). Then, the communication controller 153 starts communication control by using the setting information stored in the setting information storage 144 (step S112).

Upon receiving the interpretation information, the setting information provider 332 of the management device 30 records the received interpretation information into the history information storage 324 (step S111).

Next, a first specific example of communication control based on the setting information will be described. For example, in a case where the drive device 20 is a work machine (for example, a lawn mower), the communication device 10 may operate as follows on the basis of the setting information. Here, the work machine includes a work unit (a blade of a lawn mower, an auger of a snow blower, a propeller of an outboard motor, and the like) controlled by the control device of the drive device 20 or operated by a user.

While the drive device 20 is in predetermined operation (for example, lawn mowing operation) as a work machine (hereinafter, referred to as “in operation”), the communication device 10 may transmit the information acquired from the drive device 20 to the management device 30 in a first transmission cycle. While the drive device 20 is not in predetermined operation as a work machine (for example, charging: hereinafter referred to as “not in operation”), the communication device 10 may transmit the information acquired from the drive device 20 to the management device 30 in a second transmission cycle. In this case, the first transmission cycle may be set as a cycle shorter than the second transmission cycle. At this time, in addition to the information acquired from the drive device 20, the communication device 10 may further transmit the location information acquired by the location information acquisitor 13 to the management device 30. For example, the setting information may include information defining “in operation” as to what state the drive device 20 is in and “not in operation” as to what state the drive device 20 is in. That is, information indicating a condition (state determination condition) for determining the state of the drive device 20 may be included in the setting information. As the state of the drive device 20, other states in operation and not in operation may be defined.

The notification information acquired by the communication device 10 from the drive device 20 may include, for example, one or more among the rotation speed per unit time of the engine, the presence or absence of rotation of a mowing blade, the rotation speed per unit time of the mowing blade, and the measurement value of a thermometer installed around the engine. In a case where the drive device 20 includes a motor, the rotation speed per unit time of the motor, a voltage value applied to the motor, a current value of the motor, and the like may be acquired from the drive device 20 by the communication device 10. In particular, when the drive device 20 is a work machine, information regarding a driver (an engine or a motor) mounted on the work machine may be used as the notification information. In particular, when the drive device 20 is a work machine, information regarding a driver (an engine or a motor) that drives the work unit (a blade of a lawn mower, an auger of a snow blower, a propeller of an outboard motor, and the like) mounted on the work machine may be used as the notification information. In a case where the drive device 20 includes a battery, a variation value of the battery capacity or the like may be acquired from the drive device 20 by the communication device 10.

The notification information acquired by the communication device 10 from the drive device 20 may be different between when in operation and when not in operation. The definition of this predetermined operation may be defined in the setting information. The predetermined operation is an operation accompanied by movement of the drive device 20 in a part or the whole thereof, and the drive device 20 may be in a state of not moving while the predetermined operation is not executed. Such constitution makes it possible to reduce the possibility that the location becomes unknown during a predetermined operation, and reduce the power consumption by reducing the communication frequency in a period (during not in operation, for example, during charging) in which the possibility that the location becomes unknown is originally low.

Next, a second specific example of communication control based on the setting information will be described. For example, when the occurrence frequency of a failure in the drive device 20 exceeds a predetermined threshold, the notification information may be transmitted in a relatively short cycle. When the occurrence frequency of the failure does not exceed the predetermined threshold, the notification information may be transmitted in a relatively long cycle. The predetermined threshold may be defined in the setting information. The frequency of failure may be determined by the communication controller 153, for example. In this case, the communication controller 153 may record, into the storage 14, information (for example, date and time) indicating the timing at which the information (error information) indicating the failure is acquired from the drive device 20, and determine the frequency of the failure on the basis of the content of the record.

Next, a third specific example of communication control based on the setting information will be described. For example, the setting information may be defined such that the notification information regarding the drive device 20 is stored in the communication device 10 for a predetermined time backward from the current time until a predetermined failure occurs in the drive device 20, and the notification information after the time point backward by the predetermined time and the notification information obtained from the drive device 20 thereafter are transmitted to the management device 30 at the time point when the predetermined failure occurs.

Next, a fourth specific example of communication control based on the setting information will be described. For example, the setting information may be defined such that a predetermined part of the function of the communication device 10 is not activated until the drive device 20 is brought into a predetermined state indicating that the drive device 20 becomes in operation. The predetermined part of the function may be, for example, the external communication unit 12 of the communication device 10 or the location information acquisitor 13. The predetermined state indicating that the drive device 20 becomes in operation may be, for example, a state in which the engine of the drive device 20 is in operation (state in which cranking is completed).

In the drive device communication system 100 constituted as described above, the setting information defining the operation of the communication device 10 is provided from the management device 30 to the communication device 10 in accordance with the type of the drive device 20 to which the communication device 10 is connected. Therefore, it is not necessary to design the communication device 10 in advance in accordance with the type of the drive device 20, and the communication device 10 can be designed as a device common to a plurality of drive devices 20. Therefore, in the communication device 10 connected to the drive device 20 to communicate with an external network, it is possible to reduce the cost required until manufacturing.

The auxiliary setting information corresponding to the individual pieces of drive device identification information can be registered in the device information storage 323. Such registration can be performed by operating the user terminal 40, for example. Therefore, the user of each drive device 20 can set the communication device 10 so as to individually perform an operation in accordance with the user's own preference or circumstances by the operation of the user terminal 40.

Modifications

The device information storage 323 may store communication device identification information instead of the drive device identification information. In the device information storage