JPH05252295A - Center side network controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To transmit data including automatic meter inspection data independently of kinds of terminal equipment side controllers. CONSTITUTION:The system is provided with the center side network controller 2 which is connected between a center equipment 1 and terminal equipments 8a-8c via terminal equipment side network controllers 7a-7c, makes a call to a communication line 10 every time the controller 2 receives a request text including a selection code of the terminal equipment side network controllers 7a-7c from the center equipment 1 and implements the selection of a communication system, a speed and a communication protocol corresponding to the kind of the terminal equipment side network controllers 7a-7c and converts the code form and the text format. Then the communication is coped with by one controller independently of types of the terminal equipment side network controllers.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a so-called no-ringing communication service of NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation) (in normal communication to a telephone line, a 16 Hz ringing signal is sent from a station after the polarity is rapidly reversed. As opposed to
When a call is received by no-ringing communication, the polarity of the line is gently reversed, which allows connection with the terminal device without ringing the bell. The present invention relates to a center side network control device of a data communication system for transmitting and receiving data including collection of automatic meter reading data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 shows a general example of this type of data communication system. In the figure, 1a, 1b, 1c are center devices, 2a, 2b, 2c are center side network control devices, 3
Is an originating exchange, 4 is a receiving exchange, 5 is a no ringing trunk (NRT), 6 is a telephone, and 7a, 7b, 7c.
Is a terminal side network control device, 8a, 8b and 8c are terminal devices, 9
Is a communication line on the center device side, 10 is a contractor line on the center side, 1
1 is a telephone network, and 12 is a telephone line. FIG. 6 is a sequence chart for explaining the operation of FIG. The operation of FIG. 5 will be described below with reference to FIG. Here, for example, the center device 1a, the center-side network control device 2a, and the terminal-side network control device 7a respectively correspond to power meters, and the meter-reading data of the terminal device 8a connected from the center device 1a to the terminal-side network control device 7a is read. The case of collecting will be described.

First, the center device 1a sends a data collection request message S1 (a) such as a line connection command, a meter reading command and a selection code of the terminal side network control device 7a to the center side network control device 2
Send to a. Upon receiving the collection request message S1, the center-side network control device 2a performs a no-ringing communication call operation from the no-ringing communication service contractor line 10 to the NTT telephone networks 3, 4, and 5, and performs no-ringing communication processing S2. The line connection a is started. Then, when the center-side network control device 2a connected to the telephone line 12 receives a ringing-free call, the center-side network control device 2a transmits data such as a meter reading command to the terminal-side network control device 7a. After that, when the center side network control device 2a receives the response data such as the meter reading value from the terminal side network control device 7a, the response data is transmitted to the center device 1a as a response telegram S3. As a result, the center device 1a causes the next data collection request message S
4 (b) is transmitted to the center side network control device 2a, and thereafter data collection is performed in the same manner as described above. At this time, when the automatic meter reading data of gas and water is collected, the terminal side network control devices 7b and 7c corresponding thereto can be selected and executed by the selection code.

Incidentally, the time (response / request message processing time) T3 from the detection of the polarity recovery from the originating exchange 3 in the no-ringing communication processing S2 to the start of the line connection b of the next no-ringing communication processing S5 is 8 It is set to seconds, and therefore the transmission process of the response message a and the request message b
As long as the reception processing of the above is performed within 8 seconds, continuous meter reading (the network from the center side line to the no ringing trunk of the terminating exchange is held, and the center side network control device is accommodated in the same exchange It is possible for the controller to make continuous non-ringing connections). This is because the no-ringing trunk 5 is in the trapped state within this time, and this is restored after 8 seconds, and the next communication cannot be performed unless the no-ringing trunk 5 is trapped again.

[0005]

As described above, in order to perform data communication such as automatic meter reading of water, gas and electricity meters by the conventional one, three terminal side network controls with different communication specifications for each home. There is a problem that not only a device must be provided, but also three center side network control devices are required.
Further, as described above, when the response / request message processing time exceeds 8 seconds (mainly when the data amount of the response message is large), there is a problem that continuous meter reading cannot be performed. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a center-side network control device capable of data communication regardless of the type of the terminal-side network control device, and even when the data transfer time between the center device and the center-side network control device is long. It is to enable continuous meter reading.

[0006]

In order to solve such a problem, in the first invention, a terminal side network control connected to a communication line is provided between the center apparatus and the terminal side network control apparatus and the terminal apparatus. A plurality of modulation / demodulation circuits and communication speed switching circuits corresponding to the types of devices, communication protocol selection means corresponding to the specifications of the terminal side network control device specified by a request message from the center device, and conversion of code format and message format And a center-side network control device having at least means. According to a second invention, in the first invention, a plurality of memory areas for storing a request message from the center device and a response message from the terminal device are provided.
Communication line side processing such as data communication with the terminal device of the terminal side network control device during line connection operation of the no ringing communication service and center device side processing such as data transmission with the center device can be processed in parallel. It has a feature.

[0007]

[Operation] A modulation / demodulation circuit and a communication speed are selected according to a request message from the center device, and a communication protocol is selected and a code format and a message format are selected according to the communication specifications of the terminal side network control device specified in the request message. By providing the center-side network control device that performs the conversion, data transmission with the terminal-side network control device and the terminal device having different communication specifications becomes possible, and the system configuration is simplified. Further, by preparing a plurality of memory areas for storing the request message from the center device and the response message from the terminal device, the response / request message processing time can be shortened and continuous meter reading can be performed.

[0008]

1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. As is clear from the figure, the feature here is that only one center-side network control device 2 is provided. Figure 2
Shows the configuration of the center side network control device. As shown in the figure, the center side network control device 2 includes a center device interface circuit (center I / F) 21, a processing device (CPU) 22 such as a microprocessor, a modem / speed switching circuit 23, a modulation / demodulation circuit (modem). 24a, 24b, a network control circuit 25, a memory (RAM) 26 and the like. FIG. 4 is a sequence chart for explaining the data communication operation according to the present invention. The operation in the case of collecting automatic meter reading data will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4.

The center unit 1 sends a line connection command, a meter reading command and a collection request message S1 (a) such as a selection code corresponding to the terminal side network control unit 7a to the center side network control unit 2
Send to. In the center-side network control device 2 that has received this collection request message S1, the network control circuit 25 makes a call operation for no-ringing communication from the subscriber line 10 of the no-ringing communication service to the NTT telephone networks 3, 4, 5. , Starts the line connection of the no-ringing communication process S2. When the terminal side network control device 7a connected to the telephone line 12 receives no ringing, the center side network control device 2 follows the selection code to select the communication protocol corresponding to the terminal side network control device 7a by the CPU 22 and the code format, Converts the message format. Further, the modem / speed switching circuit 23 allows the communication speed and the modems 24a, 24 corresponding to the communication system of the terminal side network control device 7a.
Any one of b is selected, and data including a meter reading command and the like is transmitted to the terminal side network control device 7a and the terminal device 8a. The center side network control device 2 receives the response data such as the meter reading value from the terminal side network control device 7a and the terminal device 8a, checks the response data, converts the code format and edits and assembles the electronic message format, The response message S3 is transmitted to the center device 1. The center side network control device 2 also performs the communication speed / method, with respect to the terminal side network control devices 7b and 7c having different communication specifications, in the same manner as described above by the selection code included in the data collection request messages S4 and S7. The data is transmitted by selecting the communication protocol and converting the code format and message format.

Next, a processing procedure for continuous meter reading will be described. When the center side network control device 2 receives the data collection request message S1 from the center device 1 connected via the center device side communication line 9, the center side network control device 2 stores the data in a message storage as shown in FIG. The line connection a of the no-ringing communication processing S2 on the communication line side is started while the data is stored in the area 13a of the memory 13. At this time, since the no-ringing communication process S2 and the process S4 between the center devices can be processed in parallel, the no-ringing communication process S2 is performed.
The next data collection request message S4 is received in the memory 13
Stored in the memory area 13b. Further, by the data communication of the no-ringing communication process S2, the response data corresponding to the meter reading command of the data collection request message S1 is received from the terminal side network control device 7a and the terminal device 8a and stored in the memory area 13c as described above. After the data communication of the no-ringing communication process S2 is completed, the center side network control device 2 continues the line connection b of the next no-ringing communication process S5 by detecting the restoration of the polarity of the originating exchange 3 of the telephone exchange network. To start.

As described above, the time T1 from the restoration of the polarity to the start of the line connection b of the next no-ringing communication processing S5 is determined to be within 8 seconds by the interface of the no-ringing communication service. Since the center side network control device 2 according to the present invention has already completed the reception S4 of the data collection request message b which is the activation message of the line connection b in the no ringing communication process S5, the previous no ringing communication process is executed during the no ringing communication process S5. Process S2
The transmission processing S3 of the response message 13c collected and stored by the data communication can be executed. Further, after the completion of the transmission processing S3, the reception processing S7 of the data collection request message a'which is the next continuous meter reading command is executed and stored in the memory area 13a of the memory 13. Then, by the data communication of the no-ringing communication processing S5, the data collection request message S4
Response data corresponding to the meter reading command of the terminal side network control device 7
b and the terminal device 8b, and stores it in the memory area 13d as described above.

According to the above processing procedure, after the end of the no-ringing communication processing S5 as in the previous time, the center side network control apparatus 2 immediately starts the line connection a'of the next no ringing communication processing S8, and the terminal side network control apparatus. 7c and the terminal device 8c, and the transmission process S6 of the response telegram 13d that is collected and stored is executed, and after the end of the no-ringing communication process S8, the transmission process S9 of the response telegram a'is executed to the center device 1 to continue. Finish meter reading. Note that FIG.
In the above, the storage areas of the request message and the response message of the message storage memory 13 are set to two, respectively, but it goes without saying that three or more storage areas may be provided.

[0013]

According to the present invention, since the communication system / speed corresponding to the type of the terminal side network control device, the selection of the communication protocol and the conversion of the code format and the message format are performed, one center side is provided. Since the network control device can transmit data including automatic meter reading to a terminal device (for example, water supply, gas, power meter, etc.) connected to the terminal side network control device having different communication specifications, the terminal side network control device having different communication specifications can be used. Even in the existing system, it is possible to collectively manage the meter reading data and the like with one center device. In addition, in order to automatically read the electricity meter of the home where the terminal side network control device for the water meter is already installed, connect the terminal device for the power meter to the terminal side network control device for this water meter. Only then, data transmission between the center side network control device and a terminal device such as an electric power meter becomes possible. In this way, in a home where the terminal side network control device is already installed, it is not necessary to newly add a terminal side network control device with different communication specifications, and one home side network control device is installed in one home. Data transmission for automatic meter reading etc. is possible just by installing it. Further, in the center side network control device, since the communication method / speed corresponding to the terminal side network control device, the selection of the communication protocol, and the conversion of the code format and the telegram format are performed, data communication with a different terminal side network control device is performed. However, the interface (communication specifications such as communication speed, code format, message format, etc.) between the center apparatus and the center-side network control apparatus can be made the same, and the communication processing of the center apparatus can be simplified. Further, in continuous meter reading of a no-ringing communication service that continuously performs data communication with a plurality of terminal side network control devices connected to a communication line, a data collection request message from the center device and a terminal side network control device Even if the response message has a large amount of data and the data transmission processing time with the center device exceeds the specified time of the no-ringing communication service (time from the restoration of the polarity to the start of the next line connection operation: 8 seconds), this center device Since the processing such as the data transmission with the above can be executed outside the specified time, it is possible to smoothly perform the continuous meter reading of the no-ringing communication service. Furthermore, since the data transmission processing on the side of the center device and the no-ringing communication processing on the communication line can be executed in parallel, the line connection operation can be immediately started from the restoration of the polarity of the contractor line. As a result, the line specification time for no-ringing communication in continuous meter reading can be shortened and the call charge can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a center side network control device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a memory configuration.

FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram for explaining a data communication operation according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a system configuration diagram showing a conventional example.

6 is a sequence diagram for explaining the data communication operation of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 center device 2 center side network control device 3 originating side switching device 4 receiving side switching device 5 no ringing trunk 6 telephone 9 center side communication line 1a center device 1b center device 1c center device 2a center side network control device 2b center side network control device 2c center Side network control device 7a Terminal side network control device 7b Terminal side network control device 7c Terminal side network control device 8a Terminal device 8b Terminal device 8c Terminal device 10 Center side contractor line 11 Telephone network 12 Telephone line 13 Message storage memory 21 Center I / F 22 Processor (CPU) 23 Modem / speed switching circuit 25 Network control circuit 26 Memory (RAM) 24a Modem 24b Modem

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A center-side network control device connected via a communication line between a center device and a terminal-side network control device to which the terminal device is connected, the terminal-side network being connected to the communication line. A plurality of modulation / demodulation circuits and communication speed switching circuits corresponding to the type of control device, communication protocol selection means corresponding to the specifications of the terminal side network control device specified by a request message from the center device, and a code format and a message format. A center side network control device comprising at least a conversion means. 2. A plurality of storage areas for request messages from the center device and response messages from the terminal side network control device are prepared in advance, and processing on the communication line side such as data communication with the terminal side network control device is being performed. In addition, it is possible to continuously execute data transmission with the center device side such as reception of a data request message to the next terminal side network control device and transmission of a response message from the previous terminal side network control device. The center side network control device according to claim 1.