FR2865064A1 - Remote meter reading system for e.g. water meter, has server querying database such that clients query database remotely, and having querying unit to send message in XML format to client in response to data collection request - Google Patents

Abstract

The system has a database (2) listing information related to the consumption of distributed supply. A server (3) queries the database such that clients (6, 8-11) query the database remotely. The server has a querying unit, on receiving a message (MR) of data collection request by a client, to query the database and to send a message (MC) in XML format to the client in response to the request. Independent claims are also included for the following: (A) a process for the implementation of a remote meter reading system (B) a meter.

Description

The invention relates to remote metering of meters for the collection of

  data relating to the consumption of a distributed supply.

  A field of application of the invention is the recovery of consumption measuring devices, such as electric meters, water, gas, or heat.

  It is generally necessary to be able to ensure the regular reading of consumption meters.

  Classically, an attendant would himself visually raise each meter. This involved the movement of personnel to the premises and the inconvenience of the resident with whom the meter is installed.

  In order to remedy these drawbacks, systems have been proposed for automatically reading the remote meters, in particular with a view to validating, displaying and analyzing the consumption data.

  The standardized DLMSICOSEM protocol has been defined to simplify communication with a remote meter.

  This DLMS / COSEM protocol effectively defines an interoperable environment for the exchange with collection data counters and control information. Its object-oriented structure makes it possible to interpret the data of different counters identically, and the exchange is performed independently of the communication channel.

  However, this protocol has the disadvantage of being a specification intended solely for experts in the field of metering and managing the consumption of a distributed supply.

  As a result, the intervention of an expert in this field is necessary, in particular to achieve the integration of the data collected.

  It should also be noted that the display of the data is done by means of specific software.

  Finally, the evolution of this protocol is restricted, and the addition of additional information in the protocol is complex.

  Other standards have also been proposed (for example the Euridis protocol) but they also have the disadvantage of being specific to the field of counting and requiring special skills, if only to exploit the data collected.

  An object of the invention is to have a remote reading system that allows to overcome these limitations and disadvantages.

  For this purpose, the invention proposes, according to a first aspect, a remote metering system for collecting data relating to the consumption of a distributed supply, characterized in that it comprises, lo for each counter: database listing information relating to the consumption of said distributed supply, - server means capable of querying said database, so that clients can remotely query said database, and that said means forming the counter server further comprises means adapted to, upon receipt of a data collection request message MR by a client, interrogating the counter database and transmitting to said client a Mc message in the XML response format to its request .

  Preferred but nonlimiting aspects of the system according to the first aspect of the invention are the following: the message MR of a data collection request by a client can also be in XML format; the messages exchanged by the clients and the counters transit through a communication network of the TCP-IP type; each counter further includes a connection module adapted to serve as an interface between the counter and the communication network; said connection module provides transmissions by telephone link 3o or by radio link; the client may be the user of an ERP having means of connection to said communication network; the client can have, for the connection to said communication network, a standard client station equipped with a browser; the client having an operating software and / or storage means for the collected data, the data in XML format collected by said client are transcribed in the format used by said client software and / or by said storage means; counter means adapted for receiving a request message, querying the counter database and transmitting a response message include an analyzer for interpreting and processing XML documents; said analyzer is adapted to define, from said request message, the interrogation criteria of the database, and, following this interrogation, to format in XML format said response message; the formatting of said response message in XML format can be done in accordance with a Document Type Definition (DTD); a Java applet can be inserted into one and / or the other of the messages in XML format; the meter can be adapted both to collect information relating to the consumption of said supply and to retrieve information relating to the consumption of other supplies, the server of said counter further comprising means for transmitting also in said response message in XML format information relating to the consumption of the said other supplies.

  According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a method for implementing the telemetry system according to the first aspect of the invention.

  Finally, the invention also relates to a counter comprising means necessary for implementing the method according to the second aspect of the invention.

  Other characteristics, objects and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows, and with regard to the single appended figure. This Figure 1 shows a telemetry system according to an implementation of the invention.

  The invention applies to the remote reading of meters allowing, in general, each to measure and record the consumption of a distributed supply to a subscriber.

  Non-limiting examples of distributed supply include electricity, water, gas, heat, or television.

  ro A meter can be for domestic or industrial use.

  As illustrated in the figure, a counter 1 according to the invention comprises a database 2 listing information relating to the consumption of the distributed supply.

  This information is that conventionally used in the field of counting. Examples include the control of the consumption of the supply, the programming of the tariff option, the programming of the activity, the type of contract subscribed by the subscriber (in particular the intensity and power subscribed in the case of the supply of electricity), data relating to the quality or incidents of the distribution of the supply to the subscriber, such as short cuts, etc. The counter 1 also comprises means 3 forming a server capable of interrogating the database 2, so that a client 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 can remotely interrogate said database 2 via said means 3 forming server.

  The database 2 has the particular advantage of offering sophisticated structured means of storing this consumption information, as well as the possibility of requiring a fine collection of this information.

  In particular, it is understood that the presence of a database in the counter allows each client to make the request of his choice. The presence of such a database thus allows great flexibility in performing a remote reading.

  The server means 3 preferentially form an HTTP server so that the transfer of data between a client and the server is performed according to the HTTP protocol.

  The clients and the HTTP server are able to communicate via any type of communication network supporting the HTTP protocol, typically via a network 4 of the TCP / IP type.

  A network connection module 4 is conventionally interfaced between the counter 1 and the network 4.

  In a nonlimiting manner, this module 5 can provide transmissions by a telephone link (for example via an ADSL line), by a radio link (for example according to the GPRS or Bluetooth technologies), or by the technique of power lines online. is (CPL). A client requests the collection of the data listed in the database 2 of the counter 1 by sending the means 3 forming the counter server a message MR of data collection request.

  In the context of a preferred embodiment of the invention, this MR request message is in XML format (initials of the Anglo-Saxon word eXtensible Markup Language, or in French Extensible Language Markup Language).

  We recall here briefly that the XML language is a markup language, that is to say a language that presents information framed by tags. XML document designers can also create their own tags, especially to customize the structure of the data they want to present.

  Upon receipt of the MR request message, the means 3 forming the meter server query the database 2 of the counter.

  The interrogation criteria of said database are of course defined by the request message MR, for example in XML format, and interpreted by the server forming means 3 of the counter.

  In the context of the preferred embodiment of the invention, said server means 3 comprise for this purpose an XML parser (or parser according to the English terminology) having responsibility for the interpretation and processing of XML documents.

  Following the interrogation of the database 3 of the counter 1, the means 3 forming a server format a message Mc response to the request of the client also in the XML format, and transmit said message Mc response to the client.

  Said analyzer thus makes it possible to define, from said request MR message, the interrogation criteria of the database 2, and, following this interrogation, to format in XML format a response message Mc.

  Said response message Mc in XML format includes in the different tags the data relating to the consumption of the distributed supply which have been collected in response to the request of the customer.

  We recall here that the tree structure of an XML document (entitled tags, nesting tags, mandatory or optional character tags and their order of succession ...) can be declared formally in the body of the XML document or in a separate file.

  This declaration is called a Document Type Definition (DTD) and is done according to a particular formalism defined also in the XML specification. For example, writing a DTD can constrain the input / update of an XML document.

  This statement is optional, however, which provides great flexibility in development.

  Thus, according to a particular embodiment of the invention, the response message Mc may be formatted in accordance with a DTD.

  The DTD that formed the basis for the creation of the response message Mc can then be used subsequently at the client level to determine the structure of said response Mc.

  Similarly, according to another embodiment of the invention, the request MR message may be formatted according to a DTD, which is then used by the server means of the counter to determine its structure.

  Finally, one and the same DTD may be used by the entire system according to the invention so as to define a single structure for the messages (in particular the request MR and the response Mc messages) which are exchanged through the said system. system.

  As already mentioned above, the client lo wishing to obtain data relating to the consumption of a distributed supply remotely raises a counter by transmitting a request message MR via a telecommunication network 4 of the TCP network type. The client may for this purpose contact the means 3 forming server counter 1 via a standard client station 12 (such as a personal computer) equipped with a standard browser and known per se. Such a customer is represented under the reference 6 in the attached figure.

  The customer can also contact the means 3 forming server counter 1 via a TPS (Portable Input Terminal) adapted to perform on-site data collection of one or more counters. Such a customer is usually the installer or the meter configurator.

  The client may also be the user of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning in the English terminology) integrated management software package having the necessary means of connection to the telecommunication network mentioned above. Such an ERP is represented under the reference 7 in FIG.

  ERP means software that manages all the processes of an enterprise, integrating all the functions of the latter, such as, for example, accounting and financial management, sales and after-sales service. , distribution 10, quality assurance 11, etc. In general, the client may have software for exploiting the data collected; in particular, software tools integrating the data collected to obtain statistical information or to optimize the distribution of the supply concerned.

  The customer may also have means for storing the collected data.

  The response message Mc in XML format can then be transcribed in the data format of the operating software and / or storage means available to the customer.

  The response message in XML format can also be used as is, in a raw manner, for example by viewing in a browser or through an ERP.

  In the context of the system according to the invention, different clients 6, 8, 9, 10 can intervene to telerelever data of a counter 1 by exchanging with said counter request MR messages and response Mc in the same format.

  Of course, the information collected by the different clients is not necessarily the same, each client effectively defining through its request message MR what data to collect.

  Since the exchange format is the same for each speaker, namely the XML, the invention thus proposes a universal support for transporting the information of the counters.

  One of the main advantages of the XML language is that it allows the exchange of data or documents between remote sites or different applications, acting as a pivotal format that guarantees the data exchanged, and this despite possible heterogeneity of databases or software used by different customers.

  Customers can actually belong to different domains. While the specialists in the counting field are obviously concerned, other persons, such as marketing or management specialists, for example, can also advantageously use the system according to the invention and benefit from information relating to the consumption of energy. distributed supply, including information particularly useful for their profession.

  The use of XML also offers the following advantages.

  No particular knowledge is theoretically necessary to understand the content of a message in XML format.

  It is therefore not necessary to know the protocols specific to the field of counting to be able to exploit the remote reading data. The invention thus provides increased readability of the data collected.

  É The XML language is extensible so that a message in XML format can be used in different areas of applications.

  É The XML language is self-describing and its tree structure makes it possible to model the majority of computer problems.

  É The XML language is easily deployable. It can effectively be easily distributed by any protocol capable of carrying text (eg HTTP).

  É The XML language is integrable: a message in this format can be used by any application with an analyzer (parser).

  It is mentioned here that the various data exchanges, in particular those concerning the query and response MR messages Mc, can be secured by implementing standard encryption and security techniques.

  For this purpose, messages other than the request and response messages can be exchanged between a client and a counter.

  The customer can thus be obliged to demonstrate that he is well qualified to telerelever a counter, for example by providing an identifier.

  It is also mentioned that Java applets can be inserted (in particular by means of the <APPLET> tag) into the XML messages transferred by the system according to the invention, so that a specific task (Java application) can be executed inside messages in XML format.

  These Java applets may for example take the form of a basic spreadsheet inserted into the response message Mc to perform an automatic calculation from the collected data.

  These Java applets also make it possible to secure the exchanges, for example by authorizing the entry of passwords. A client can thus operate the remote metering of a counter only if he can prove, via a Java applet, that he is well authorized to do it. Other means of securing data transfers on the Internet are alternatively or simultaneously used, such as the SSL protocol.

  It is specified that, if the appended figure represents only one counter, the invention obviously applies to the remote reading of a plurality of counters, these being in accordance with the description above so as to allow the collecting their data in XML format, through a communication network, in particular of the TCP-IP type.

  Note further that the remote reading of one or more counters can be performed automatically. Generating and transmitting to a counter a query MR message can actually be performed automatically, for example to perform a periodic collection of data from a counter.

  Finally, the invention also applies to the case where the reading of a consumption meter of a supply makes it possible to retrieve information relating both to the consumption of this supply but also to the consumption of other distributed supplies.

  This is the case, for example, of a subscriber's electricity meter reading which also makes it possible to obtain information relating to the consumption of water or gas by the same subscriber.

  According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a method for implementing the telemetry system described above.

  The method is more specifically characterized by the following steps: a step of transmitting an MR message, in XML format, of a data collection request, from a client to a counter; a step of interrogating the database of said counter as a function of the information contained in the request message MR; a step of formatting in XML format and transmission to the client of a message Mc of response to its request according to the results of said interrogation.

  The method can obviously be implemented periodically to ensure the regular remote reading of the meter data.

  Finally, the invention also relates to a meter having means necessary for carrying out the method presented above.

Claims (16)

  1. A remote metering system for collecting data relating to the consumption of a distributed supply, characterized in that it comprises, for each counter (1): a database (2) listing information relating to consumption of said distributed supply, - means (3) forming a server capable of interrogating said database (2), so that clients (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13) can query at remote said database, and in that said means (3) forming the counter server further comprise means adapted for, on receiving a message (MR) data collection request by a client, query the database of counter data and transmit to said client a message (Mc) in the XML response format to its request.   2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that said message (MR) data collection request by a client is in XML format.   3. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the messages exchanged between the clients and the counters transit through a network (4) communication type TCP-IP.   4. System according to claim 3, characterized in that each counter further comprises a connection module (5) adapted to serve as an interface between the counter and said communication network (4).   5. System according to claim 4, characterized in that said connection module (5) provides transmissions by telephone link or radio link.   6. System according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the client (8, 9, 10, 11) is the user of an ERP (7) having connection means to said network (4) of communication.   7. System according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the client (6) has, for the connection to said network (4) communication, a standard client station (12) equipped with a browser.   8. System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the client has operating software and / or data storage means collected, characterized in that the XML format data collected by said client are transcribed in the format used by said software and / or by said client storage means.   9. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said counter means adapted for, on receiving a request (MR) message, query the counter database and transmit a message (Mc) response include an analyzer for interpreting and processing XML documents 10. System according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said analyzer is adapted to define, from said request (MR) message, the query criteria of the database (2), and, following this interrogation, to format in XML said response message (Mc).   11. System according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the formatting of said response message (Mc) in XML format is performed according to a Document Type Definition (DTD).   12. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a Java applet is inserted in one and / or the other of the messages in XML format.   13. System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the meter is adapted both to collect information relating to the consumption of said supply and to retrieve information relating to the consumption of other supplies, characterized in that the The server of said counter further comprises means for also transmitting information relating to the consumption of said other supplies in said XML response message (MR).   14. A method of implementing the telemetry system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the following steps: - transmission of a message (MR), in XML format, data collection request, a customer to a meter; interrogating the database of said counter as a function of the information contained in said request (MR) message; formatting in XML format and transmitting to said client a message (Mc) for responding to his request according to the results of said interrogation.   15. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it is implemented periodically to ensure regular remote reading of the meter data.   16. Counter comprising means necessary for carrying out the method according to one of the two preceding claims.