JP4853231B2 - Gas shut-off device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a gas cutoff device, and more particularly, to a communication means with a base station and a terminal device in a specific area.

  Conventionally, as this type of gas shut-off device, in a wireless automatic meter reading system or the like, a wireless device that communicates with a wireless device provided in a meter via a wireless line to collect information including data measured by a meter. The wireless base station and the wireless handset are configured in a 1-to-N configuration so that N wireless handset units can be connected to one wireless base unit. There is a machine that performs wireless communication with a wireless handset using a specific low-power radio and communicates with the center device side via a mobile phone line or a teleterminal wireless line (see, for example, Patent Document 1). ).

The meter reading value processing means is a meter reading value reading device that stores the meter reading value of the device usage measured by the meter in a card, reads the meter reading value data stored in the card from the control device, and manages the data. Meter response means for wirelessly outputting the meter reading data measured by the instrument to the card based on a wireless command signal from the card, and equipped with the card, and wirelessly commanding the instrument response means A card command means for outputting a signal, a data storage means for storing meter reading value data provided on the card and responding from the instrument response means based on a radio command signal of the card command means, and the data storage means. There is a meter reading value wireless reading device provided with a totaling means for counting stored meter reading value data (for example, see Patent Document 2).
JP 2001-111701 A JP-A-5-76075

  However, in the conventional configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, when collecting various information of the gas meter, for example, meter reading data, a radio handset is separately attached to the gas meter and communicates with the center side using a telephone line. When the meter reading value data request command is sent from the center side to the wireless device master device, the meter reading value data is transmitted and received between the wireless device master device and the wireless device slave device. Meter reading data is sent from the radio base unit to the center using a telephone line, and after processing such as charge conversion at the center, gas usage and charges for each predetermined period by mail to customers It was a gas meter reading system to inform such information.

  Further, in the conventional configuration disclosed in Patent Document 2, when collecting meter reading data, a meter reader brings a handy terminal that can communicate with a wireless device attached to the gas meter, and a consumer in which the gas meter is installed. The meter reading data is collected from the gas meter using a handy terminal and stored, then taken back to the center and mailed to the customer at a later date, or processed based on the data collected on the spot (predetermined period This was a gas meter reading system that informs customers of gas usage, etc.).

Therefore, in the former, in order to perform automatic meter reading, it is necessary to provide a wireless unit in addition to the gas meter, and to provide a wireless unit for communication with the center and communication with the wireless unit. Furthermore, since communication with the center is performed via a telephone line, smooth information transmission may not be possible when the line is congested. Furthermore, since the information transmission to the customer is made by mail from the center, it takes man-hours and is burdensome in terms of cost.

  In the latter case, in order to collect meter reading data, it is necessary for the meter reader to go to the customer where the gas meter is installed each time, and when the information transmission to the customer is also mailed from the center, The burden was imposed on man-hours and costs, and when processing on the spot using a handy terminal, the work load was imposed on the meter reader.

  Further, the above-mentioned patent document does not disclose a concept of giving a priority order and preferentially executing a process having a higher order when performing various processes based on the received information. There was a problem that countermeasures could not be implemented.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned problem, and by simply installing a gas meter, it can receive various types of information from a monitoring center, an adjacent gas meter, and a specific terminal device, and a processing mode according to the received content. A gas shut-off device capable of taking appropriate measures according to the degree of urgency is provided by assigning and executing priorities.

In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, a gas shut-off device according to the present invention monitors the use status of a plurality of gas appliances connected to piping after passing through a gas meter, and also includes a base station and a plurality of adjacent gas shut-off devices. Furthermore, a gas shut-off device equipped with a wireless module capable of direct transmission and reception with a specific terminal device, a flow rate measuring means for measuring the gas flow rate, a gas shut-off valve for shutting off the gas flow path in the event of an abnormality, Adjacent to a control circuit that generates and stores various information based on the measurement result of the flow rate measurement means, a wireless module that transmits and receives information to and from a plurality of counterparts, and a communication switching means that switches a communication frequency band according to the counterparts receives the pulsating signal to identify the occurrence and timing of termination of the pulsation from the gas meter and a determining external pulsating signal decision unit pulsation phenomenon occurring within a particular area, the wireless mode The module is configured integrally with the control circuit, and has a wide communication frequency band for communication with the base station and a specific low-power wireless communication frequency band capable of communication within a predetermined area. It has a processing mode storage unit that stores a processing mode corresponding to the received information of the module, selects a predetermined processing mode from the processing mode storage unit according to the information received by the wireless module, and selects according to a predetermined processing mode execution condition The processing mode is executed, and the high-accuracy measurement mode and the normal measurement mode are switched according to the information determined by the external pulsation signal determination unit.

  According to the above invention, communication is possible between a wireless module capable of communicating with a base station using wireless communication means other than a telephone line, and a plurality of adjacent gas meters or specific terminal devices within a predetermined area. Wireless module is integrated into the control circuit board in the gas meter, so it is possible to communicate with the base station without using a telephone line simply by installing the gas meter, which affects the congestion of the line. It is possible to receive information from the base station without receiving it, and to receive various information from other gas meters and specific terminal devices within a limited communication area, and store processing modes according to this received information By selecting the processing mode stored in the means, it is possible to respond appropriately according to the urgency of the received information, such as general information such as meter reading request commands and earthquakes Harmful information can be identified and dealt with. The trouble of not being able to report due to congestion of the line at the time of abnormalities such as earthquakes can be solved to ensure safety with quick processing, and the wireless module with built-in gas meter for processing general information And a rational information transmission system can be constructed.

The gas shutoff device of the present invention can communicate with the base station without using a telephone line simply by installing a gas meter, and can receive information from the base station without being affected by the congestion status of the line. Various information from other gas meters and specific terminal devices can be received within a limited communication area, and the received information can be selected by selecting the processing mode stored in the processing mode storage means according to this received information. Appropriate response is possible according to the degree of urgency, and general information such as meter reading request commands and disaster information such as earthquakes can be distinguished and dealt with. This ensures that safety can be secured through quick processing, and general information processing by broadcast communication can be performed smoothly via the wireless module built into the gas meter. , It is possible to construct a rational information transmission system.

The first invention monitors the use status of a plurality of gas appliances connected to piping after passing through a gas meter, and directly connects between a base station and a plurality of adjacent gas shut-off devices or a specific terminal device. A gas shut-off device equipped with a wireless module capable of transmitting and receiving, a flow rate measuring means for measuring a gas flow rate, a gas shut-off valve for shutting off a gas flow path at the time of abnormality, and various information based on the measurement result of the flow rate measuring means Generating and storing a control circuit, a wireless module for transmitting / receiving information to / from a plurality of counterparts, communication switching means for switching a communication frequency band according to the counterparts, and timing of occurrence and termination of pulsation from adjacent gas meters JP receiving pulsating signal identifying
An external pulsation signal determination unit for determining a pulsation phenomenon occurring in a fixed area , wherein the wireless module is integrated with the control circuit, and a wide area communication frequency band for communication with a base station and a predetermined area The control circuit has a processing mode storage means for storing a processing mode corresponding to the reception information of the wireless module, and the wireless module receives the specific low power wireless communication frequency band in which communication is possible. A predetermined processing mode is selected from the processing mode storage means according to the information to be executed, the processing mode selected according to the predetermined processing mode execution condition is executed, and high accuracy is determined according to the information determined by the external pulsation signal determination unit This is characterized in that switching between the measurement mode and the normal measurement mode is performed.

  A wireless module capable of communicating with a base station using wireless communication means other than a telephone line; a wireless module capable of communicating with a plurality of adjacent gas meters or specific terminal devices in a predetermined area; Is integrated into the control circuit board in the gas meter, so it is possible to communicate with the base station without using a telephone line simply by installing the gas meter, and the base station is not affected by the congestion status of the line. Can receive broadcast signals from the broadcast communication system, and can receive various information from other gas meters and specific terminal devices within a limited communication area, and process according to this received information. By selecting the processing mode stored in the mode storage means, it is possible to respond appropriately according to the urgency of the received information, and general information such as a meter reading request command And disaster information such as earthquakes can be differentiated and dealt with. The trouble of not being able to report due to congestion of the line at the time of abnormalities such as earthquakes can be solved to ensure safety with quick processing, and processing for general information is also built in the gas meter It can be executed smoothly via the wireless module, and a rational information transmission system can be constructed.

  The second invention is characterized in that, as a processing mode execution condition, a priority is given to the processing mode of the processing mode storage means, and a processing mode having a higher order is preferentially executed.

  Then, prioritize the processing modes corresponding to a plurality of information transmitted from the base station, adjacent gas meter, and specific terminal device, store them in the processing mode storage means, and execute the processing mode according to the received information Thus, an appropriate response can be made according to the urgency of the received information, and gas supply management with priority given to safety can be performed.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, when information having a high priority is received as a processing mode execution condition even when the processing mode is being executed, the processing mode being executed is interrupted or stopped to execute the processing mode having a high priority. It is characterized by restricting as described above.

  And, if there is an instruction to execute a high-priority processing mode while executing a low-priority processing mode, the processing mode being executed is interrupted or stopped to execute the high-priority processing mode. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately respond according to the degree of urgency, and it is possible to manage the supply of gas giving priority to safety.

In the fourth aspect of the invention, as a processing mode execution condition, the processing mode when disaster information such as an earthquake is received is given priority over all as the first priority, and at least the gas shut-off valve is operated to stop the gas supply. It is characterized by that.

  And when it is judged that a disaster will spread over a wide area due to the occurrence of a large-scale earthquake and the center sends disaster information all at once, the processing mode corresponding to this disaster information should be executed in preference to all processing. The processing mode includes at least the shut-off operation of the gas shut-off valve, and in addition to this, for example, by executing the process of transmitting disaster information to a specific terminal device, an appropriate response according to the degree of urgency is possible, and the safety Gas supply management that prioritizes performance becomes possible.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, when time setting information is received as reception information, the control circuit performs time setting of built-in clock functions all at once.

  And by sending the time setting information from the center all at once, the gas meters installed in the receivable area can execute the time setting all at once, improving the accuracy of the processing executed using the time information, Less information.

  In the sixth invention, when the meter reading instruction information is received as the reception information, the charge information and / or the gas usage information stored in the control circuit is transmitted to the display terminal device, and a notification completion signal is transmitted to the base station. It is characterized by this.

  And the meter reading work performed by the center (gas company) every predetermined period is sent as meter reading instruction information by the broadcast communication method, so that the gas meters installed in the receivable area simultaneously execute the predetermined meter reading processing mode The meter reading information can be transmitted to the base station and the meter reading information transmitted to the base station can be transmitted to a display terminal device such as a television or a mobile phone. By using and displaying, it is possible to omit the work of sending meter reading information that has been done by mail from the center as in the past, and by sending a notification completion signal to the display terminal device to the base station, It is possible to confirm that the information transmission to the consumer is completed in step 1, and it is possible to construct a reliable information transmission system.

  The seventh invention is characterized in that when the simultaneous shut-off information of the gas shut-off valve associated with gas construction or the like is received as the received information, the shut-off related information is transmitted to the display terminal device and a notification completion signal is transmitted to the base station. It is what.

  And when shutting off gas in a wide area by gas construction, etc., gas shutting information specifying the date and time by mail etc. was transmitted in advance to the customer's house, but by sending it as simultaneous shutoff information by broadcast communication method The gas meter installed in the receivable area is displayed using the television or mobile phone by executing a processing mode in which the gas cutoff information specifying the date and time is transmitted to a display terminal device such as a television or mobile phone. It is possible to eliminate the need to send the simultaneous shut-off information by mail from the center as in the past, and to send a notification completion signal to the display terminal device to the base station. It is possible to confirm that the information transmission to the house is completed, and a reliable information transmission system can be constructed.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, a wide area communication wireless module having a wide communication frequency band for communication with a base station and an area communication wireless module having a specific low power wireless communication frequency band capable of communication within a predetermined area are separately provided. It is characterized by having.

Since the wide area communication wireless module and the area communication wireless module are separately incorporated as the storage form in the gas meter, the base station or a specific terminal device can be connected to the base station simply by selecting the wireless module corresponding to the transmission information. Communication can be easily performed, and communication between the base station and a specific terminal device can be performed at the same time, thereby improving usability.

  A ninth aspect of the invention is characterized in that communication between a base station and a predetermined area is performed using one wireless module by switching a communication frequency band.

  And, as a storage form in the gas meter, the wide area communication wireless module and the area communication wireless module are performed by switching the communication frequency band with one wireless module, so that the substrate configuration can be simplified and the battery consumption is suppressed. Can do.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a communication mode between a gas shut-off device and a base station and a customer's house in Embodiment 1 of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a communication mode with an adjacent gas meter in the gas shut-off device, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the appearance and components of the gas shut-off device, FIG. 4 is an internal configuration diagram of the gas shut-off device, FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the control circuit board of the gas shut-off device, and FIG. It is a figure which shows the communication form of a display terminal device.

  A gas meter 2 is installed at the inlet portion of the gas supply pipe 1 of each household 13, and is branched from the gas pipe 3 after passing through the gas meter 2 to the place where various gas appliances used at home are installed. Is supplied. For example, a gas water heater 4 is installed outdoors, and hot water generated by the gas water heater 4 is installed in a kitchen hot water tap 5, a bath 6 in which a bathtub and a shower device are installed, a living room and the like through a water pipe. The floor heating 7 is supplied to form various usage forms.

  In addition, when indoors, gas is supplied to a gas table 8 installed in a kitchen, a gas fan heater 9 installed in a living room, a bedroom, or the like, and is used as needed.

  When the installed gas appliance is used and gas consumption occurs, the amount of use is measured by the gas meter 2, and the data is accumulated and stored every predetermined period. The data stored in the gas meter 2 is subjected to predetermined information processing based on a periodic data request command from the gas company 15, and then the gas fee, gas usage, discount service provided by the gas company 15, etc. Information is transmitted to the consumer 13 and the gas company.

  As this transmission means, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the wireless module 11 integrated with the control circuit board 10 constituting the flow rate measurement means built in the gas meter 2 is used.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 5, and 6, the wireless module 11 is different from the telephone line for communicating with the base station 14, for example, a wide area communication wireless module 11 a having a communication frequency band of 200 MHz, a customer's house 13 for communicating with the display terminal device 12 such as a television 12a, a personal computer or a mobile phone 12b in order to transmit information to the inside, or for directly communicating with the adjacent gas meters 2A to 2D to exchange various information. For example, from the control circuit 10a configured by the area communication wireless module 11b having a specific low-power wireless communication frequency band of 429 MHz, for calculating an amount of gas used or detecting an abnormality such as an earthquake or a gas leak based on a flow rate signal or a sensor signal. When data is received, depending on the data, for example, gas charges, gas usage or earthquakes, gas leaks, etc. In the case of contents to be notified to the consumer, such as the operation of a gas shut-off valve due to the occurrence of an abnormality, display data is displayed on the display terminal device 12 such as the television 12a or the mobile phone 12b in the consumer's house 13 using the area communication wireless module 11b. In addition, when it is determined that the flow rate fluctuation range is larger than the specified value and pulsation is generated in the supply gas, pulsation signals are transmitted to the adjacent gas meters 2A to 2D.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the display terminal device 12 also has a wireless module 11 c having the same communication frequency band as the area communication wireless module 11 b built in the gas meter 2. Display data to be transmitted can be received, and by displaying this display data through the screen of the television 12a or the mobile phone 12b, information can be transmitted directly from the gas meter 2 to consumers. As described above, it is necessary to adopt an information transmission method in which data is transmitted from the gas meter 2 to the gas company and information processed by the gas company, for example, postcards such as a charge notice are sent to the customer by mail or the like. Therefore, the number of man-hours required for the notification work can be reduced, and postage costs such as postcards for notifications can be eliminated. It is intended to contribute to a reduction in gas rates to achieve the reduction.

  In addition, when a pulsation signal is sent from an adjacent gas meter, it is received by the area communication wireless module 11b, and the information is sent to the control circuit 10a and reflected in the measurement cycle when the gas flow rate is measured. Is used to measure the flow rate to reduce the flow rate variation.

  When various information is transmitted from the gas meter 2 to the display terminal device 12, a notification completion signal is sent from the area communication wireless module 11b to the wide area communication wireless module 11a, and the wide area communication wireless module 11a sends the notification completion signal to the base station 14 To notify the gas company 15 that the information transmission to the consumer has been completed. In this case, it is preferable to receive a response signal from the display terminal device 12 and transmit a notification completion signal, so that information can be more reliably transmitted to consumers.

  In addition, from the base station 14 connected to the centralized monitoring center managed by the gas company 15 through a dedicated line, for example, various information transmitted by the gas company using a wide communication frequency band of 200 MHz is installed in each customer's house. The gas meter 2 receives the various information by the built-in wide-area communication wireless module 11a and inputs the received data to the control circuit 10a. The control circuit 10a is provided with a processing mode storage means 10g that stores a predetermined processing mode corresponding to the received information. Priorities are determined for the processing modes stored in the processing mode storage unit 10g, and processing is performed in the order of higher priority, for example, processing mode 1> processing mode 2> processing mode 3>. When processing mode 3 information is received while processing mode 3 is being executed, processing mode 3 is interrupted or stopped, and processing mode 2 is executed with priority. In this processing mode, the central monitoring center 15 transmits disaster information as a broadcast signal all at once, judging that a disaster will spread over a wide area due to a large-scale earthquake, etc., and at least gas corresponding to the disaster information Appropriate response according to the degree of urgency by giving priority to all processing modes as processing mode 1 including processing to transmit disaster information to a specific terminal device including shut-off operation of the shut-off valve 2c Gas supply management that prioritizes safety is possible.

Information transmitted from the base station 14 includes time setting information, meter-reading instruction information, and simultaneous shut-off information of the gas shut-off valve 2c associated with gas construction, etc., and the processing mode corresponding to each information is a processing mode. For example, as processing corresponding to the simultaneous shutoff information of the gas shutoff valve 2c associated with gas construction or the like as the processing mode 2, the shutoff related information is transmitted to the display terminal device 12 and the notification to the base station 14 is completed. It is determined that a signal is to be transmitted, and as processing corresponding to meter reading instruction information as processing mode 3, fee information and / or gas usage information stored in the control circuit 10a is transmitted to the display terminal device 12, and the base station 14 is determined to transmit a notification completion signal, and the processing mode 4 is built in the control circuit 10a as processing corresponding to the time setting information. It has been established to run the time setting of the clock function 10h all at once.

  In addition, information transmitted from a gas meter adjacent to the base station 14 or a specific terminal device can also be received. For example, as information from other gas meters, there are pulsation information, cutoff information, and further life information. Similarly, the processing mode with priority assigned to these received information is stored in the processing mode storage means 10g, so that the measurement accuracy using the pulsation information can be improved, or the earthquake is detected using the cutoff information. And vibrations due to shocks can be differentiated, or life confirmation information based on the actual gas usage can be used to check for abnormalities in elderly people living alone in the neighborhood.

  As described above, since the processing mode having a predetermined priority order is selected according to the information transmitted from the base station 14 or other gas meter or the like and the predetermined operation is executed, the urgency level of the received information It is possible to take appropriate measures according to the situation, and it is possible to distinguish between general information such as meter reading request commands and disaster information such as earthquakes, and it is impossible to report due to congestion of the line at the time of abnormalities such as earthquakes The safety can be ensured by eliminating and quick processing, and the processing for the general information can be smoothly executed via the wireless module 11 built in the gas meter 2, so that a rational information transmission system can be constructed.

  Specifically, when shutting off gas in a wide area due to gas construction, etc., the gas shut-off information specifying the date and time was sent to the customer's house in advance by mail, etc., but the base station 14 simultaneously shuts off as a broadcast signal By transmitting the information, the gas meter 2 installed in the receivable area executes the processing mode for transmitting the gas cutoff information specifying the date and time to the display terminal device 12 such as the television 12a or the mobile phone 12b. 12a, a mobile phone 12b, etc. can be displayed, and the transmission work of simultaneous blocking information that has been performed by mail or the like from the center 15 as in the past can be omitted, and notification to the display terminal device 12 is possible. By transmitting the completion signal to the base station 14, it is possible to confirm that the information transmission to the consumer is completed in the center 15.

  In addition, by transmitting meter reading instruction information as a broadcast signal for the meter reading work performed by the center (gas company) 15 every predetermined period, the gas meters 2 installed in the receivable region simultaneously perform a predetermined meter reading processing mode. Since the meter reading information can be transmitted to the base station 14 and the meter reading information transmitted to the base station 14 can be transmitted to the display terminal device 12 such as the television 12a or the mobile phone 12b. Or using a mobile phone 12b or the like, it is possible to omit the work of sending meter reading information from the center 15 by mail or the like as in the prior art, and the notification completion signal to the display terminal device 12 is By transmitting to the station 14, it is possible to confirm that the information transmission to the consumer is completed in the center 15.

  Further, by transmitting the time setting information from the center 15 as a broadcast signal, the gas meters 2 installed in the receivable area can perform time setting all at once, and the accuracy of the processing performed using the time information Information with less error.

Here, an example of information transmission will be described. First, when meter reading instruction information is transmitted as a broadcast signal from the gas company 15 in the wide communication frequency band (200 MHz) via the base station 14, it is built in the gas meter 2. The wide-area communication wireless module 11a receives the meter reading instruction information and sends it to the control circuit 10a mounted on the same substrate. In the control circuit 10a, the processing mode corresponding to the received information is stored in the processing mode storage means 10g, the processing mode 3 corresponding to the meter reading instruction information is selected, and the flow rate measured by the flow rate measuring means as a specific process. Data is accumulated every predetermined period, and the accumulated data or information converted into charge data is stored in the information storage means 10b, and when the meter reading instruction information from the gas company 15 is input, the control circuit 10a receives information. The flow rate accumulation data in the storage means 10b or the information converted into the charge data is sent to the area communication radio module 11b and the wide area communication radio module 11a via the communication switching means 10c, and the wide area communication radio module 11a has a wide area communication frequency band (200 MHz). The base station 14 transmits the meter reading information to the gas company 15 using a dedicated line. It is.

  Further, the area communication wireless module 11b transmits to the wireless module 11c integrally attached to the display terminal device 12 such as the television 12a in the specific low power wireless communication frequency band (429 MHz), and, for example, FIG. Display charge information and usage as shown in. Then, when the transmission to the display terminal device 12 is completed, as described above, a notification completion signal is transmitted to the gas company 15 to notify the completion of information transmission to the consumer.

  When the disaster information is transmitted as a broadcast signal from the base station 14 during execution of this series of meter reading processing modes and the wide area communication wireless module 11a receives the information, the processing mode 1 corresponding to the information is changed to the processing mode storage means 10g. Since this processing mode 1 is executed in preference to all processing, the various meter reading processing modes 3 are interrupted or stopped, and the gas shut-off valve 2c which is the processing mode 1 is shut off. The disaster information to the display terminal device 12 is executed using the area communication wireless module 11b.

  As another example, when the time setting information is transmitted as a broadcast signal from the gas company 15 in the wide-band communication frequency band (200 MHz) via the base station 14, the wide-area communication wireless built in the gas meter 2 is used. The module 11a receives the time setting information and sends it to the control circuit 10a mounted on the same board. In the control circuit 10a, the processing mode corresponding to the received information is stored in the processing mode storage means 10g, and the processing mode 4 corresponding to the time setting information is selected. As a specific process, a clock function built in the control circuit 10a is selected. It is set all at once so that the time of 10h becomes a predetermined time. In this case as well, when the processing mode 4 is being executed, the simultaneous shutoff information of the gas shutoff valve 2c accompanying the high priority gas construction is transmitted as a broadcast signal, and when the wide area communication wireless module 11a receives the information, the processing mode Since the processing mode 2 is selected from the storage unit 10g, the processing mode 4 being executed is interrupted and the processing mode 2 is preferentially executed, and the date and time is designated to the display terminal device 12 using the area communication wireless module 11b. The simultaneous shut-off information of the gas shut-off valve 2c is transmitted, and the gas stop information associated with the gas work is notified in advance through the screen of the television 12a or the mobile phone 12b.

  As another processing mode, when the shutoff valve 2c is forcibly operated in the processing mode 1, when the cause is eliminated and the safety is confirmed, a return instruction from the gas operator 15 is transmitted as a broadcast signal. In some cases, it is transmitted in the wide communication frequency band (200 MHz) via the station 14, and in this case as well, a plurality of broadcast signals from the base station 14 are stored in the processing mode storage means 10g as the processing mode 5. The return process can be guided to the gas meters 2 simultaneously. Specifically, the wide area communication wireless module 11a built in the gas meter 2 receives the return instruction information and sends it to the control circuit 10a mounted on the same substrate, and the processing mode 5 of the processing mode storage means 10g is changed. By being selected, information related to the return work stored in the information storage unit 10b is sent to the area communication radio module 11b via the communication switching unit 10c, and the area communication radio module 11b transmits the specific low power radio communication frequency band (429 MHz). ) To the wireless module 11c integrally attached to the display terminal device 12 such as the television 12a, and the procedure of the return work as shown in FIG. 7B, for example, is displayed on the screen. Then, when the transmission to the display terminal device 12 is completed, as described above, a notification completion signal is transmitted to the gas company 15 to notify the completion of information transmission to the consumer.

Further, the area communication wireless module 11b built in the gas meter 2 can perform mutual communication with the adjacent gas meter 2 in a predetermined area, and a control function that constitutes, for example, a flow rate measuring means using the communication function between the gas meters. When the circuit 10a detects a flow fluctuation caused by pulsation, the area communication wireless module 11b is used to transmit a pulsation signal to the adjacent gas meter, and the gas meter that has received the pulsation signal receives the gas supplied in the area. When it is determined that pulsation has occurred and the measured flow rate value exceeds a predetermined determination value, it is determined that the flow rate fluctuation is caused by pulsation and immediately switched to the high-accuracy measurement mode in which the measurement cycle is shortened. Various other devices that use the information by directly transmitting and receiving information between gas meters , It is also possible to use, for example, the earthquake and impact caused by the distinction of vibration, or gas, such as the elderly by using information life information such as confirmation.

  Note that the information received by the wireless module 11 is not limited to the present embodiment, and all assumed information may be targeted, and the priority order of the processing modes is not limited to the present embodiment. Needless to say, it can be set freely.

  As described above, the control circuit 10a has the communication switching means 10c to select the radio module having a different communication frequency band corresponding to the other party to communicate according to the information to be transmitted. In the information from 15, in the case of meter-reading instruction information, it is necessary to transmit the information stored in the information storage means 10 b built in the control circuit 10 a to the gas company 15 and the display terminal device 12. When the wide area communication wireless module 11a having the communication frequency band and the area communication wireless module 11b having the specific low power wireless communication frequency band of 429 MHz, for example, are selected and the return instruction information from the gas company 15 is displayed, the display terminal device 12 In this case, for example, a specific low power wireless communication frequency of 429 MHz may be transmitted. The area communication wireless module 11b having the band may be selected. Furthermore, in the case of communication between adjacent gas meters such as transmission / reception of pulsation signals, the area communication wireless module 11b can be selected and various information can be directly exchanged between the meters, reflecting changes in the surrounding environment. The gas meter can be managed.

  Note that the wide area communication radio module 11a and the area communication radio module 11b may be provided separately, or may be configured as a common radio module, and the communication frequency band may be switched between the wide area communication frequency band and the specific low power radio communication frequency band. However, in the former case, the communication switching means 10c needs to select the wide area communication wireless module 11a and the area communication wireless module 11b, and there is a merit that simultaneous communication is possible, but there are demerits such as a large installation space and high cost. is doing. In the latter case, the communication switching means 10c needs to switch the communication frequency band according to the communication partner, and has the demerit that the simultaneous communication cannot be performed and the alternate communication is possible while having the advantages of small installation space and low cost. ing.

  Next, the flow rate measuring means for measuring the gas flow rate built in the control circuit 10a will be briefly described. The gas meter 2 has a gas inlet 2a and a gas outlet 2b as shown in FIGS. A gas shutoff valve 2c for shutting off gas in the event of an abnormality and a pair of ultrasonic sensors 17A and 17B for measuring the gas flow rate are provided in the gas flow path therebetween, and a pressure sensor 2d for detecting the gas pressure is disposed downstream thereof. Yes. Further, a control circuit board 10 equipped with a control circuit 10a for calculating a gas flow rate by signals from the ultrasonic sensors 17A and 17B is arranged so as to face the liquid crystal display 10e on the display unit 2e of the gas meter 2, and further control is performed. A battery 2f for driving the circuit 10a is accommodated. Further, a return button 2g is arranged as means for manually performing a return operation after the shutoff valve 2c is activated.

Then, the flow rate measurement unit 17 and the control circuit 10a that measure the gas flow rate, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, arrange a pair of ultrasonic sensors in the gas flow path, and change the propagation time that changes according to the flow rate that flows through the flow path. Some measure the flow rate by measuring. Hereinafter, the configuration will be described. A measurement control unit having a switching means that constitutes a control circuit 10a, in which a first transmitter / receiver 17A for transmitting or receiving ultrasonic waves and a second transmitter / receiver 17B for receiving or transmitting ultrasonic waves are arranged in the flow direction. Switching between transmission and reception is possible by 18 and the flow state of fluid such as gas is detected. The flow rate is measured by processing the signals of the first transmitter / receiver 17A and the second transmitter / receiver 17B. Specifically, the first transmitter / receiver 17A is first driven by the measurement control unit 18 and the second transmitter / receiver 17B is then driven. The ultrasonic wave is transmitted toward the upstream, that is, from the upstream to the downstream. Then, the signal received by the second transmitter / receiver 17B is amplified by the amplifying means provided in the measurement control unit 18, the amplified signal is compared with the reference signal, and after the signal equal to or higher than the reference signal is detected, the measurement control unit The above-described transmission / reception is repeated a predetermined number of times by the repeating means provided at 18, and each time value is measured by a time measuring means such as a timer counter provided at the measurement control unit 18.

  Next, transmission / reception of the first transmitter / receiver 17A and the second transmitter / receiver 17B is switched by the measurement control unit 18 having switching means, and the ultrasonic waves are transmitted from the second transmitter / receiver 17B to the first transmitter / receiver 17A, that is, from downstream to upstream. A signal is transmitted, this transmission is repeated as described above, and each time value is measured. Then, the flow rate value is obtained by the signal processing unit 19 in consideration of the size of the flow path 16 and the flow state of the fluid from the ultrasonic propagation time difference between the first transceiver 17A and the second transceiver 17B. The obtained flow rate data is accumulated in the information storage means 10b and stored as accumulated data for each predetermined period.

  Further, the flow path 16 in which the flow rate measuring unit 17 is disposed is provided with a shutoff valve 2c that shuts off the gas flow in the event of an abnormality or the like. When the flow rate value is detected beyond a certain usage time, it is determined that there is an abnormality, and the shutoff valve 2c is operated to shut off the gas flow path 16. Further, when an earthquake, impact, or abnormal gas pressure signal is input from the vibration sensor or pressure sensor 2d, the shutoff valve 2c is operated via the information storage means 10b to shut off the gas flow path 16.

  Next, the flow rate fluctuation caused by the pulsation phenomenon will be briefly described.

  When a GHP (gas heat pump) or the like is installed in a consumer connected to the same gas pipe 1, when this GHP is used, a pressure fluctuation occurs in the supply gas pressure, and this pressure fluctuation is transmitted through the gas pipe 1. This also affects the gas pressure supplied to other customers, and the gas flow rate, that is, the gas flow rate fluctuates as a pulsation phenomenon. In this case, since the gas flow rate is measured at a predetermined measurement cycle, if pulsation occurs at a cycle shorter than the measurement cycle, the flow rate that fluctuates during the measurement cycle is not reflected in the measurement value, and the flow rate variation increases. . For this reason, in general, the measurement cycle is shortened to cope with this problem. However, if the measurement cycle is shortened, another problem arises that battery consumption becomes severe and the battery warranty period cannot be satisfied.

  Therefore, it is only necessary to switch the measurement cycle to be shortened only when pulsation occurs, but it is difficult to accurately detect the timing of pulsation occurrence and termination, so high accuracy that once caused pulsation and shortened the measurement cycle When the measurement mode is entered, the measurement mode is continued for a predetermined period of time, and it is not possible to return to the normal measurement mode unless it is confirmed that the flow rate fluctuation has stabilized. Therefore, it was forced to measure the flow rate in an unnecessary high-precision measurement mode.

  In the present invention, the timing of occurrence and termination of pulsation is confirmed by checking the pulsation phenomenon occurring in a specific area by receiving the pulsation signal from the adjacent gas meter, and the measurement mode is switched based on the confirmation result. Specifically, a gas meter with a battery capacity sufficient to satisfy the warranty period even if the high-accuracy measurement mode is frequently performed in a specific area is installed. The pulsation phenomenon of the pipe 1 is detected. When the pulsation phenomenon is detected, a pulsation signal is transmitted from the area communication wireless module 11b to the adjacent gas meter.

As a means for detecting the pulsation phenomenon in the specific gas meter, the pulsation determination unit 25 compares the flow rate value measured by the above method with the pulsation determination value set in advance in the normal measurement mode in which the measurement cycle is set to be long. When there is a flow rate fluctuation that exceeds the judgment value one or more times, it is determined that the flow rate is abnormal due to pulsation, and a pulsation signal is output. Pulsation determination unit 2
When the pulsation signal is output from 5, the signal is sent to the wireless module 11 and transmitted as an external pulsation determination signal to another adjacent gas meter using the area communication wireless module 11b. When the pulsation phenomenon is determined, the control circuit 10a sends an instruction signal to the measurement control unit 18 to switch the measurement cycle to the high-accuracy measurement mode that drives and measures the ultrasonic sensors 17A and 17B at a cycle shorter than the normal measurement mode. Output. Thereafter, the flow rate measurement is performed in the high-accuracy measurement mode in which the measurement cycle is shortened, and when the measured flow rate value is kept stable for a predetermined period, the normal measurement mode is restored.

  Next, a gas meter that receives a pulsation signal transmitted from the specific gas meter and determines a pulsation phenomenon will be described. When the pulsation signal is received by the area communication wireless module 11b, the information is sent to the control circuit 10a and registered as having an external pulsation determination signal by the external pulsation signal determination unit 10f. In this state, when the flow rate value measured in the normal measurement mode exceeds the pulsation determination value, the pulsation determination unit 25 outputs a pulsation signal to the control circuit 10a. In other words, the state in which the pulsation signal is transmitted from the adjacent gas meter is that an instrument that causes pulsation in the area, such as GHP, is used, and the pulsation may be specified as the cause when the flow rate fluctuation occurs. Therefore, the flow rate variation can be reduced by immediately switching to the high-accuracy measurement mode and accurately measuring the flow rate.

  Further, when the area communication wireless module 11b does not receive a pulsation signal, it is registered in the external pulsation signal determination unit 10f of the control circuit 10a as no external pulsation determination signal. In this state, regardless of the determination result of the pulsation determination unit 25, that is, even if a flow rate fluctuation exceeding the pulsation determination value occurs, the normal measurement mode is continued and the flow measurement is continued without switching to the high-accuracy measurement mode. Do. In other words, the state in which no pulsation signal is transmitted from the adjacent gas meter is that an instrument that causes pulsation in the area, such as GHP, is not used, and the cause when the flow rate fluctuation occurs is the use of the instrument in your home. Therefore, it is possible to suppress battery consumption by continuing the normal measurement mode.

  In addition, when no external pulsation determination signal is registered during the high-accuracy measurement mode, battery consumption can be suppressed by immediately returning to the normal measurement mode without lapse of a predetermined stable period. .

  In addition, when switching between the high-accuracy measurement mode and the normal measurement mode using the external pulsation determination signal, the switching timing between the high-accuracy measurement mode and the normal measurement mode may be changed according to the number of times the external pulsation determination signal is received. In this case, the degree of influence of pulsation in the gas supply system in the area is determined from the number of occurrences of pulsation of the adjacent gas meter via the area communication wireless module 11b, and the high-accuracy flow rate measurement mode and normal flow rate measurement are performed according to the degree of influence. Since it is possible to switch modes, it is possible to accurately identify the cause of flow fluctuations, select flow measurement conditions suitable for actual usage conditions, and reduce battery consumption while suppressing battery consumption. Variations can be reduced.

  In addition, as a communication partner using the area communication wireless module 11b, a pulsation signal is transmitted to and received from a gas meter specified in advance among neighboring gas meters, and the pulsation determination signal from the specific gas meter and the determination result of the pulsation determination unit are transmitted. Accordingly, the high-accuracy flow rate measurement mode and the normal flow rate measurement mode may be switched.In this case, the measurement mode is switched based on the pulsation information of the gas meter specified in advance based on the strength of the reception level, the condition of the instrument usage frequency, etc. Therefore, the cause of the accurate flow rate fluctuation can be specified, and the flow rate variation can be reduced while suppressing battery consumption by selecting a measurement mode suitable for actual use.

In addition, the pulsation signal is transmitted to and received from a gas meter that is specified in advance among adjacent gas meters, and the flow measurement instruction unit performs high-accuracy flow measurement according to the number of pulsation determination signals from the specific gas meter and the determination result of the pulsation determination unit. The mode and normal flow rate measurement mode may be switched. In this case, the measurement mode is switched according to the frequency of pulsation information from a specific gas meter, so the cause of flow rate fluctuation can be specified more accurately. Therefore, the flow rate variation can be reduced while suppressing battery consumption by selecting a measurement mode suitable for actual use.

  Furthermore, in addition to the high-precision flow measurement mode and the normal flow measurement mode as the flow measurement mode, a medium-precision flow measurement mode may be provided and selected according to an external pulsation determination signal from an adjacent gas meter. By providing a medium-precision flow rate measurement mode, it is possible to set the measurement cycle in multiple stages, and it is difficult to identify flow fluctuations caused by pulsation by selecting according to the external pulsation judgment signal from the adjacent gas meter Thus, it is possible to achieve a good balance between the suppression of battery consumption and the like and the reduction in flow rate variation.

  In recent years, gas meters using an ultrasonic sensor can easily measure the instantaneous flow rate. Therefore, in addition to a security function such as gas leakage, provision of various services using an instrument discrimination function has been studied.

  An example of this would be to set a discount rate for gas charges according to the equipment used and the application, specify the gas appliance or application used by the instrument discrimination means using the instantaneous flow rate measurement function by the ultrasonic sensor, The amount of use is determined for each appliance or for each purpose, and a gas rate is calculated by applying a predetermined discount rate, thereby promoting gas use and providing services to consumers.

  As an example of the specific means, an appliance signal registration means 21 for setting and registering an appliance signal specifying the type of gas appliance to be used, an application-specific signal registration means 22 for specifying a usage form for each usage of the gas appliance to be used, and There is provided an appliance discriminating means 24 having appliance classification means 23 for classifying household gas appliances for each predetermined classification based on the registration information of the appliance signal registration means 21 and the application-specific signal registration means 22.

  Here, the appliance signal registration means 21 sets and registers a signal according to the type of appliance, for example, as shown in the following table (Table 1).

  Moreover, the signal registering means 22 classified by use sets and registers a signal for specifying a use form for each use of the appliance, for example, as shown in the following table (Table 2).

  Further, the appliance classification means 23 is the information obtained in the above (Table 1) and (Table 2), in which the gas business operator presets and classifies the discount target field of the gas fee based on the type and usage pattern of the gas appliance. For example, as shown in the following table (Table 3), if floor heating is performed using a water heater, discount A is used, and hot air is supplied by a gas fan heater or the like. When heating is performed, the discount is set to B, and the others are classified as standard, and the gas appliances used in the home are set and registered.

  Information storage for monitoring the amount of gas used according to the usage status of the gas appliance based on the registration signal from the appliance discriminating means 24 comprising the appliance signal registration means 21, the application-specific signal registration means 22, and the appliance classification means 23. Means 10b are provided. This information storage means 10b receives the gas flow rate value obtained by the signal processing means 19 of the flow rate measurement unit 17, is managed together with the registration information of the gas appliance corresponding to the field classified by the appliance classification means 23, and is supplied by the gas operator. When the wireless module 11 receives the meter reading instruction information periodically requested from 15, specifically, the wide area communication wireless module 11 a, the accumulated flow data for each predetermined period of the information storage means 10 b, the charge data reflecting the discount rate, etc. Information is taken out and transmitted to the base station 14 and the display terminal device 12 from the wireless module 11, more specifically, the wide area communication wireless module 11a and the area communication wireless module 11b, and notified to the gas company 15 from the base station 14 using a dedicated line. At the same time, the gas price information for a predetermined period is notified to the consumer using the screen of the display terminal device 12.

  The outline of the instrument discrimination performed by the information storage means 10b will be described below. As the registration data stored in the instrument discrimination means 24, for example, a flow rate pattern as shown in FIG. As actual registration data, for example, data of a flow rate value every 0.2 seconds from the start of the instrument is stored for a predetermined time. Note that the data time interval does not need to be limited to 0.2 seconds, and can be arbitrarily set depending on the required appliance discrimination capability.

  The flow rate measuring unit 17 measures the gas flow rate at regular intervals, and when the newly measured gas flow rate value increases by more than a predetermined value from the previous value, it is determined that a new instrument has been used, and the flow rate change and instrument discrimination The flow rate pattern corresponding to the instrument code registered in the means 24 is compared to determine the instrument being used.

  In the present embodiment, the information storage means 10b manages the information on whether or not there is a gas appliance use registration for each classified item and the total gas use amount for each predetermined period, for example, During the heating period in winter, as shown in Table 3, the amount of gas used is managed with the equipment used for floor heating and hot air heating registered, and in summer the gas is used with no equipment registered for discounted fields. In addition to this, for example, by adding a function for obtaining the amount of gas used for each gas appliance classified by the appliance discriminating means 24 to the information storage means 10b, a finer classification It is possible to provide a variety of services and enhance security.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the discount item is targeted as a classification item of the appliance discriminating means 24. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is intended for a service that a gas company or the like considers necessary, such as a security service. A monitoring method for each device can be adopted.

As described above, the wireless module 11a capable of communicating with the base station 14 using wireless communication means other than the telephone line, and various types of information based on the measurement results of the flow rate measuring means built in the control circuit 10a are specified low-power wireless. The flow rate measurement control circuit board in the gas meter 2 is connected to the display terminal device 12 such as the television 12a and the mobile phone 12b using the wireless communication means such as the wireless module 11b that can communicate with the adjacent gas meters 2A to 2D. 10, it is possible to communicate with the base station 14 without using a telephone line simply by installing the gas meter 2, and the meter reading request from the base station 14 is not affected by the congestion of the line. Broadcast signals such as command information and error recovery instruction information can be transmitted smoothly. Meter reading data reflecting information and information when an abnormality occurs can be transmitted smoothly, and it is not necessary for the meter reader to go to the customer's home as before, and when there is an abnormality such as a gas leak, The problem of not being able to report to the center due to congestion can be solved.

  In addition, since the gas meter 2 can transmit to the display terminal device 12 such as the television 12a or the mobile phone 12b the fee information for each predetermined period reflecting the instrument discrimination information based on the meter reading data transmitted to the base station 14, By using the television 12a, the mobile phone 12b, etc. for display, it is possible to omit the work of sending charge information from the gas company 15 by mail or the like as before, and the gas shut-off valve 20 is activated. As for the return method in such a case, by visually displaying on the television 12a or the mobile phone 12b, it is possible to reduce the dispatch of workers accompanying the return work, and it is possible to construct a rational information transmission system.

  Furthermore, since it is possible to easily acquire the pulsation occurrence status of the adjacent gas meter via the wireless module 11b, it is possible to grasp the installation or usage status of instruments such as GHP that affect the gas pressure fluctuation over a wide range. Because it is possible to determine in a short period whether transient flow fluctuations or continuous flow fluctuations due to pulsation based on this information, it is possible to reduce flow fluctuations while suppressing battery consumption. Can do.

  As described above, the gas shut-off device according to the present invention can receive various information from the base station, other gas meters, and even a specific terminal device simply by installing the gas meter, and is set according to the received information. By executing the processed processing mode, it is possible to appropriately cope with the urgency of the received information, and it can be applied to a general 1 to N information transmission system.

Whole block diagram which shows the communication form of the gas cutoff device in Embodiment 1 of this invention The figure which shows the communication form between the adjacent gas meters in the gas cutoff device The figure which shows the external appearance and component of the gas shut-off device Internal configuration diagram of the gas shutoff device Configuration block diagram of the control circuit board of the gas shutoff device The figure which shows the communication form of the gas cutoff device and the display terminal device (A) The figure which shows the charge information display form in the display terminal device (b) The figure which shows the return information display form in the display terminal apparatus Control block diagram of the gas shutoff device The figure which shows an example of the flow rate pattern for the instrument discrimination | determination in the gas cutoff device

Explanation of symbols

2 Gas meter 2A-2D Adjacent gas meter 2c Gas shut-off valve 10 Control circuit board 10a Control circuit 10b Information storage means 10c Communication switching means 10g Processing mode storage means 11 Wireless module 11a Wide area communication wireless module (wireless module)
11b Area communication wireless module (wireless module)
12 Display terminal device (specific terminal device)
12a Television (specific terminal device)
12b Mobile phone (specific terminal device)
17A, 17B Ultrasonic sensor (flow rate measuring means)

Claims (9)

A wireless module capable of monitoring the use status of a plurality of gas appliances connected to piping after passing through a gas meter, and directly transmitting / receiving between a base station and a plurality of adjacent gas shut-off devices or a specific terminal device A gas shut-off device equipped with
A flow rate measuring means for measuring a gas flow rate, a gas shut-off valve for shutting off a gas flow path at the time of abnormality, a control circuit for generating and storing various information based on the measurement result of the flow rate measuring means, a plurality of counterparts and information A pulsation phenomenon that occurs in a specific area by receiving a pulsation signal that specifies the timing of occurrence and termination of pulsation from an adjacent gas meter , a wireless module that performs transmission and reception, communication switching means that switches a communication frequency band according to the other party, and an adjacent gas meter An external pulsation signal determination unit for determining
The wireless module is configured integrally with the control circuit, has a wide communication frequency band for communication with a base station, and a specific low power wireless communication frequency band capable of communication within a predetermined area,
The control circuit has processing mode storage means for storing a processing mode corresponding to the reception information of the wireless module,
Information determined by the external pulsation signal determination unit while selecting a predetermined processing mode from the processing mode storage unit according to information received by the wireless module, executing the selected processing mode according to predetermined processing mode execution conditions Gas shut-off device that switches between high-precision measurement mode and normal measurement mode according to The gas shut-off device according to claim 1, wherein priority is given to the processing modes of the processing mode storage means as processing mode execution conditions, and the processing modes with higher ranking are preferentially executed. Claims in which, as processing mode execution conditions, when high-priority information is received even during processing mode execution, the processing mode being executed is interrupted or stopped, and the processing mode with high priority is executed. The gas cutoff device according to 1 or 2. The processing mode when the disaster information such as an earthquake is received as the processing mode execution condition is given priority over all as the first priority, and at least the gas shut-off valve is operated to stop the gas supply. The gas shut-off device according to any one of the above. The gas shut-off device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein when the time setting information is received as reception information, the control circuit executes time setting of the built-in clock function all at once. The fee information and / or gas usage information stored in the control circuit is transmitted to the display terminal device when the meter reading instruction information is received as reception information, and a notification completion signal is transmitted to the base station. The gas interruption | blocking apparatus of any one of -4. Claims: When receiving simultaneous shut-off information of gas shut-off valves accompanying gas construction or the like as broadcast information as received information, the shut-off related information is transmitted to the display terminal device and a notification completion signal is transmitted to the base station. The gas interruption | blocking apparatus of any one of 1-4. A wide-area communication radio module having a wide-area communication frequency band for communication with a base station and an area communication radio module having a specific low-power radio communication frequency band capable of communicating within a predetermined area are separately provided. The gas shut-off device according to any one of 7. The gas cutoff device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein communication between the base station and a predetermined area is performed using one wireless module by switching a communication frequency band.