KR102527944B1 - Smart water meter based on removable IoT - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a water meter, and in particular, by constructing a communication module that performs data communication for remote meter reading with a remote server in a module form so that it can be detachably coupled to an indicating means coupled to a body of the water meter, It relates to a detachable IoT-based smart water meter that does not require separate communication facilities for communication functions, is not restricted by installation space, and facilitates maintenance and replacement.
In the water meter, the component constituting the detachable IoT-based smart water meter according to the present invention is coupled to the body of the water meter to measure the flow rate of the water meter to collect the meter reading value, and then collect the meter reading at the request of the communication module. instructing means for transmitting water meter information data including values; It is characterized in that it comprises a communication module that is detachably coupled to the indicating means and connected to the indicating means, and transmits communication information data including water meter information data transmitted from the indicating means to a remote server.

Description

Smart water meter based on removable IoT}

The present invention relates to a water meter, and in particular, by constructing a communication module that performs data communication for remote meter reading with a remote server in a module form so that it can be detachably coupled to an indicating means coupled to a body of the water meter, It relates to a detachable IoT-based smart water meter that does not require separate communication facilities for communication functions, is not restricted by installation space, and facilitates maintenance and replacement.

In general, remote meter reading refers to producing data by measuring usage in real time from a water meter, and transmitting the collected data to a water service provider through a communication network. In particular, the collected measurement data provides information and services such as real-time water usage to consumers and suppliers through various analysis tools.

In order to obtain effects such as water usage reduction, water leakage management, supply and demand control, and energy saving using remote meter reading, continuous meter reading values must be continuously transmitted to the operating system and collected data must be analyzed.

A general smart metering-based remote meter reading system automatically reads the usage of various meters such as electricity, water, hot water, heat, etc. It is a system that can print.

1 schematically illustrates the configuration of a general smart metering-based remote inspection system 5.

As shown in FIG. 1, the smart metering-based remote inspection system 5 includes a plurality of water meters (water meter 1 to water meter n) 2 and a plurality of water meters installed corresponding to each of the water meters 2. It is configured to include a smart metering device for meters (device 1 to device n) (1) and a remote server (3) that performs data communication with the plurality of smart metering devices (1) for water meters through a network (4). .

The plurality of water meters 2 are only exemplified as water meters, and it is reasonable to interpret them as a concept that can be replaced with other meters such as electricity, hot water, heat, and the like. The water meter 2 performs an operation of metering water consumption. The water meter 2 is generally installed in each house, and may be installed in various places in other industries that use water.

It is common that the smart metering device 1 for the water meter corresponds to each water meter 2 and is disposed in a state connected to the corresponding water meter 2 by wire in an enclosure. The smart metering device 1 for the water meter performs an operation of collecting and transmitting the corresponding metering information (metering value) data of the water meter 2 and state information data of the water meter to the remote server 3 do.

The information data collected by the smart metering device 1 for each water meter is transmitted to the remote server 3 through the network 4 through wireless communication. The remote server 3 stores, manages, and analyzes the transmitted information data to provide various services and information.

The network 4 includes a plurality of repeaters or gateways. Therefore, the information data transmitted from each smart metering device 1 for water meter can be transmitted to the remote server 3 via a repeater or gateway included in the network 4.

In order to analyze various data information using the smart metering-based remote meter reading system 5 configured as described above, and to obtain effects such as water usage reduction, leakage management, supply and demand regulation, and energy saving through this, each water meter ( The measurement information data of 2) must be continuously transmitted to the remote server 3 so that the collected information data can be analyzed.

However, since the smart metering device 1 for the water meter constituting the general smart metering-based remote inspection system 5 is configured separately from the water meter, a separate smart metering device 1 for the water meter installation is required. It has a disadvantage that space is required and additional communication-related facilities are required. Therefore, a method for detachably combining a module capable of performing a communication function with a water meter, for example, a method that does not require additional communication facilities and is not subject to spatial limitations, has been requested. No alternative is offered.

On the other hand, a battery for the water meter 2 and a battery for the smart metering device 1 for the water meter are provided separately, but continuous and normal remote meter reading can be guaranteed when one battery does not normally supply power. have no problems

In this regard, Republic of Korea Patent Registration No. 10-1779201 (hereinafter referred to as "prior art document") is based on LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network, hereinafter referred to as "LoRa") to the meter value It is configured to transmit and receive the corresponding meter reading data, but data is transmitted and received using a LoRaWAN-based non-standard protocol with a remote collector placed inside the meter box, and with a LoRa network server through a LoRa gateway. By additionally configuring a remote indicator that transmits and receives data using a standard protocol to correspond to the remote collector, it is possible to solve the difficulty of one hop communication between the remote collector and the LoRa gateway disposed inside the meter box, As a result, a LoRa-based remote meter reading system capable of substantially extending the communication distance between the remote collector and the LoRa gateway is proposed.

In the prior art document, in order to prevent power consumption, the remote collector and the remote indicator are synchronized in time and woke up at the same time to transmit and receive data. Even in this case, a method for ensuring that power is supplied normally is not specifically presented.

Republic of Korea Patent Registration No. 10-1779201 (Public date: September 18, 2017, title of invention: LoRa-based remote meter reading system)

The present invention was invented to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, so that a communication module that performs data communication for remote meter reading with a remote server can be detachably coupled to an indicating means coupled to a water meter body. By configuring it in the form of a water meter, no separate communication facility for the communication function of the water meter is required, and through this, the installation space is not limited, and the purpose is to provide a detachable IoT-based smart water meter that facilitates maintenance and replacement. do.

In addition, the present invention is controlled so that the battery of the indicating means and the battery of the communication module can be shared with each other, and in particular, when the battery of the indicating means is below the cutoff voltage, the battery of the communication module is controlled to be supplied to the indicating means and shared, so that the water meter Its purpose is to provide a detachable IoT-based smart water meter that allows remote meter reading to be performed continuously and normally.

The component constituting the detachable IoT-based smart water meter of the present invention proposed to solve the above problems is, in the water meter, coupled to the water meter body to measure the flow rate of the water meter and collect the meter reading value, an instructing means for transmitting water meter information data including the collected meter reading values according to a request of a communication module; It is characterized in that it comprises a communication module that is detachably coupled to the indicating means and connected to the indicating means, and transmits communication information data including water meter information data transmitted from the indicating means to a remote server.

Here, the pointing unit and the communication module are each equipped with a battery, characterized in that one battery is controlled to be shared with the other battery.

Here, the water meter information data includes battery state information of the indicating means, and when the battery state information of the indicating means is LOW information indicating a cutoff voltage or less, the battery of the communication module is connected to the indicating means It is characterized in that it is controlled to be shared with.

The water meter information data may include temperature state information of the water meter, and the communication information data may include temperature state information and battery state information of the communication module.

In addition, the communication module is characterized in that it is installed to be detachably coupled to the pointing means, separated from the pointing means, and independently usable.

In addition, when the communication module is coupled to the indicating means, both the module display unit of the communication module and the indication display part of the indicating means are exposed to the outside.

According to the detachable IoT-based smart water meter of the present invention having the above problems and solution means, a communication module that performs data communication for remote meter reading with a remote server is detachably coupled to an indicator coupled to the body of the water meter. Since it is configured in the form of a module so that it can be configured, a separate communication facility for the communication function of the water meter is unnecessary, and through this, the installation space is not restricted, and the advantage of facilitating maintenance and replacement occurs.

In addition, according to the present invention, the battery of the pointing means and the battery of the communication module are controlled to be shared, and in particular, when the battery of the pointing means is below the cutoff voltage, the battery of the communication module is supplied to the pointing means and controlled to be shared. In this case, the effect of allowing the remote meter reading of the water meter to be continuously and normally performed occurs.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a general smart metering-based remote inspection system.
2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a detachable IoT-based smart water meter according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a block diagram of a pointing unit constituting a detachable IoT-based smart water meter according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a configuration block diagram of a communication module constituting a detachable IoT-based smart water meter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the detachable IoT-based smart water meter of the present invention having the above problems, solutions and effects will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Since the present invention can apply various transformations and have various embodiments, specific embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. Effects and features of the present invention, and methods for achieving them will become clear with reference to the embodiments described later in detail together with the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below and may be implemented in various forms.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, and when describing with reference to the drawings, the same or corresponding components are assigned the same reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions thereof will be omitted. .

In the following embodiments, terms such as include or have mean that features or components described in the specification exist, and do not preclude the possibility that one or more other features or components may be added.

In the drawings, the size of components may be exaggerated or reduced for convenience of explanation. For example, since the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for convenience of description, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the illustrated bar.

When an embodiment is otherwise implementable, a specific sequence of operations may be performed differently from the described sequence. For example, two operations described in succession may be performed substantially simultaneously, or may proceed in an order reverse to the order described.

2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a detachable IoT-based smart water meter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the detachable IoT-based smart water meter 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a water meter body 50, an indicating means 10 coupled to the water meter body 50, and It is configured to include a communication module 30 detachably coupled to the pointing means 10.

The water meter body 50 corresponds to the body of various smart water meters. More specifically, the detachable IoT-based smart water meter 100 according to the present invention corresponds to various smart water meters that measure the actual amount of drinking water flowing in the pipe and indicate and integrate it in a digital display method.

As an example of a detachable IoT-based smart water meter according to the present invention, the smart water meter is a process in which the fluid flowing into the outer shell goes up and enters the hole of the container cover, passes through the measuring container, exits the lower part, and then comes out through the left exit In , the measuring container is rotated by the flowing fluid, and through this, the output magnet fixed to the shaft is rotated by turning the coupling. Then, the instruction measurement unit 12 included in the instruction means 10, specifically, a magnetoresistive sensor (MR) sensor detects an analog signal of the N/S polarity of the output magnet and transmits it to the instruction control unit 11, , The instruction control unit 11 converts the analog signal into a digital signal, calculates, integrates, and stores it, and displays the flow rate integration value on the LCD screen corresponding to the instruction display unit 15.

The indicating unit 10 is coupled to the water meter body 50 constituting the detachable IoT-based smart water meter to measure the flow rate of the water meter and collect meter reading values. When requested by the communication module 30, the indicating means 10 performs an operation of transmitting water meter information data including the collected meter reading values.

The indicating means 10 is combined and mounted on the upper part of the water meter body 50. The indicating means 10 may be fixedly coupled to the water meter body 50 so as to be difficult to separate, or may be detachably coupled in some cases. However, the indicating means 10 is coupled to the water meter body 50 and coupled to measure and read the flow rate of the detachable IoT-based smart water meter.

The instruction unit 10 stores the collected meter reading values, and transmits water meter information data including not only the collected meter reading values but also water meter status information and battery status information to the communication module 30 at the request of the communication module 30 . It performs an operation to transmit to the module 30. Preferably, the water meter status information includes temperature status information of the water meter.

The communication module 30 receiving water meter information data from the indicating means 10 is not fixedly coupled to the indicating means 10 but is detachably coupled. The communication module 30 is connected to the indicating means 10 by being detachably coupled to the upper part of the indicating means 10 to perform data communication, for example, requesting transmission of meter reading values and receiving water meter information data. there is.

When the communication module 30 requests a meter reading value from the pointing means 10 and receives transmission of water meter information data including the meter reading value from the pointing means 10, it stores and manages it, and the water meter reading data at each set transmission period. It transmits communication information data including meter information data to a remote server through a network.

The communication module 30 transmits not only the water meter information data, but also information about the communication module itself, that is, communication information data including communication module information to the remote server. The communication module information includes communication module status information and battery status information of the communication module. Preferably, the communication module status information includes temperature status information of the communication module.

According to the detachable IoT-based smart water meter 100 of the present invention described above, the communication module 30 that performs data communication for remote meter reading with a remote server is coupled to the water meter body 50. Since it is configured in the form of a module so that it can be detachably coupled to the water meter, a separate communication facility for the communication function of the water meter is not required, and through this, the installation space is not limited, and the advantage of facilitating maintenance and replacement is generated. .

On the other hand, since the communication module 30 is detachably coupled to the pointing means 10, it may be installed to be separated and used independently in some cases. That is, in some cases, it is preferable that the communication module 30 is detachably coupled to the pointing means 10, but installed so as to be separated from the pointing means 10 and used independently.

For example, when the space of the water meter is narrow, structurally not easy to combine, or communication strength problems may occur, the communication module 30 is separated from the indicating means 10 and installed independently it is desirable In this case, the communication module 30 is connected to the pointing means 10 through a TTL232 wire or various wireless methods to enable communication.

On the other hand, the pointing means 10 and the communication module 30 constituting the present invention each have a battery, and are controlled to share one battery by supplying it to the other side as needed. That is, the pointing unit 10 and the communication module 30 are each provided with a battery, and it is preferable that the battery on one side is controlled to be shared with the battery on the other side.

In this way, the battery of the pointing means 10 can be supplied to the communication module 30 and controlled to be shared with the communication module 30 as needed, and conversely, the battery of the communication module 30 can be controlled to be shared with the communication module 30 as needed. Accordingly, it may be supplied to the pointing means 10 and controlled to be shared with the pointing means 10. For example, when the battery of the indicating means 10 is below the voltage at which the indicating means 10 cannot be normally operated, the battery of the communication module 30 is supplied to the indicating means 10 and the indicating means 10 is supplied with the battery. (10) can be controlled so that it can operate normally, and conversely, if the battery of the communication module 30 is below the voltage at which the communication module 30 cannot operate normally, the battery of the indicating means 10 It can be supplied to the communication module 30 and controlled so that the communication module 30 can operate normally.

However, since the communication module 30 is detachably coupled to the indicating means 10 and the indicating means 10 is coupled to the water meter body 50, replacement and maintenance of the communication module 30 Repairs are easier. Therefore, since replacement of the battery of the communication module 30 is easier, it is preferable that the battery of the communication module 30 is controlled to be shared with the pointing means 10 . That is, when the battery of the pointing means 10 is below the voltage at which the pointing means 10 cannot normally operate, the battery of the communication module 30 is supplied to the pointing means 10 and controlled to be shared. it is desirable

To this end, when the indicator unit 10 transmits the water meter information data to the communication module 30, it transmits the battery state information of the indicator unit as well. When the battery state information of the indicating means is LOW information meaning less than a preset cut-off voltage, the communication module 30 controls the battery to be supplied to the indicating means 10 and shared do.

That is, the water meter information data includes the battery state information of the indicating means 10, and when the battery state information of the indicating means 10 is LOW information indicating a cutoff voltage or less, the communication module It is preferable that the battery of (30) is controlled to be shared with the pointing means (10).

According to the present invention described above, the battery of the pointing means 10 and the battery of the communication module 30 are controlled to be shared with each other, and in particular, when the battery of the pointing means 10 is below the cutoff voltage, the communication module 30 Since the battery of is supplied to the indicating means 10 and controlled to be shared, an effect of allowing the remote meter reading of the water meter to be continuously and normally performed occurs. A detailed operation of the above-described battery sharing will be described later with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 .

On the other hand, the detachable IoT-based smart water meter 100 according to the present invention may be broken or damaged by freezing, and the communication module 30 may also be damaged by freezing. Therefore, it is necessary to continuously check the temperature of the detachable IoT-based smart water meter 100 and the communication module 30 included therein according to the present invention to prevent freezing in advance. In addition, in order to maintain the continuous and normal operation of the communication module 30, the battery status information of the communication module 30 must be transmitted to the remote server so that the battery status of the communication module 30 can be confirmed. do.

To this end, the water meter information data transmitted by the indicating unit 10 to the communication module 30 includes temperature state information of the water meter, and the water meter information data transmitted by the communication module 30 to the remote server The communication information data preferably includes temperature status information and battery status information of the communication module 30 .

The indicating unit 10 obtains the temperature state information of the water meter corresponding to the water meter temperature value through the temperature sensor provided in the removable IoT-based smart water meter 100, and transmits the water meter information data to the communication When transmitting to the module 30, it is transmitted including this. Then, the communication module 30 includes the water meter temperature state information in the communication information data and transmits it to the remote server.

The communication module 30 transmits not only the water meter temperature status information but also communication information data including its own temperature measurement value, that is, the temperature status information of the communication module 30 and its own battery status information, to the remote server. To this end, the communication module 30 collects temperature status information of the communication module by measuring the temperature through a temperature sensor provided in the communication module, collects status information of its own battery, and transmits the collected status information to the remote server.

Then, the remote server analyzes the communication information data transmitted from the communication module 30, and if it is determined that the temperature state information of the water meter corresponds to a freezing risk temperature, promptly prevents freezing through an administrator through an alarm. When it is determined that the temperature state information of the communication module corresponds to a freezing risk temperature, an alarm is also provided so that a manager promptly takes action to prevent freezing and bursting, and the battery of the communication module When the status information is a state in which normal operation of the communication module is difficult, that is, low information, the battery of the communication module 30 can be quickly replaced through an alarm through a manager.

Of course, the battery status information of the indicating means transmitted from the indicating means 10 to the communication module 30 is included in the communication information data by the communication module 30 and transmitted to the remote server. Therefore, the remote server analyzes the battery state information of the indicating means, and when the battery state information of the indicating means is in a state in which the normal operation of the indicating means is difficult, that is, low information, through an alarm, the indicating means quickly (10) so that the battery can be replaced.

Hereinafter, specific configurations and operations of the indicating means 10 and the communication module 30 constituting the above-described removable IoT-based smart water meter 100 will be described in detail.

First, the configuration and operation of the pointing unit 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 3 .

As shown in FIG. 3, the instruction means 10 includes an instruction control unit 11, an instruction measurement unit 12, an instruction storage 13, an instruction display unit 15, an instruction connection unit 16, and an instruction power supply unit 17. ) and an instruction switching unit 18.

The indication measurement unit 12 measures the flow rate of the water meter under the control of the indication control unit 11 . Specifically, the indication measurement unit 12 is composed of the MR sensor as described above and performs an operation of measuring the flow rate of the detachable IoT-based smart water meter, and transmits the measured water meter reading value to the instruction control unit 11 send to Then, the instruction control unit 11 controls the meter reading value to be stored, managed, and transmitted.

The instruction controller 11 configures water meter information data and transmits it to the communication module 30 . Here, the water meter information data includes not only metering information (metering value) data of the water meter, that is, meter reading data, but also unique information (identical number, caliber information, etc.) data of the water meter and state information (failure failure) of the water meter. It is preferable to further include data (whether or not, temperature state information of the water meter, etc.) and battery state information data of the water meter.

The instruction control unit 11 performs an operation of controlling the meter reading value of the water meter to be collected through the instruction measurement unit 12 . That is, the instruction control unit 11 reads the metering information (measurement value) of the water meter through the instruction measuring unit 12 in real time or at each set collection period or whenever there is a request from the communication module 30 Collect reading data of the corresponding water meter.

The instruction controller 11 controls water meter information data including the collected meter reading values to be stored in the instruction storage 13 . That is, the indication storage 13 performs an operation of storing the water meter information data under the control of the indication controller 11 . The indication storage 13 needs to minimize the storage capacity to minimize the cost. For example, the indication storage 13 can be configured as FRAM in an external memory. In this way, the indication storage 13 composed of FRAM stores various information such as water meter or indicating device ID, current reading value, reading displacement value, water meter temperature state information, battery state information and status, and caliber.

The water meter information data stored in the indication storage 13 is transmitted through the indication connection unit 16 according to the request of the communication module 30 or under the control of the indication control unit 11 at each set period, the communication module ( 30) is sent. That is, the indication connection unit 16 enables the information data of the water meter to be transmitted to the communication module 30 under the control of the indication control unit 11 . The indication connection portion 16 corresponds to a portion to which the communication module 30 is connected, and is specifically connected to the module connection portion 36 of the communication module 30 . Through this, the communication module 30 and the pointing means 10 can perform data communication and share batteries. The indication connection part 16 and the module connection part 36 may be connected through TTL232.

The instruction control unit 11 may transmit information data of the water meter stored in the instruction storage 13 to the communication module 30, and in some cases, by reading the instruction through the measurement unit 12 The collected meter reading values may be directly transmitted to the communication module 30 without being stored in the instruction storage 13 . However, even in the case of the latter, it is preferable to eventually be stored in the indication storage 13. The reason is to retransmit the information data of the water meter when transmission failure of the water meter information data occurs.

Power needs to be supplied for the operation of the instruction measuring unit 12 including the instruction control unit 11, the instruction storage 13, the instruction display unit 15, and the instruction switching unit 18, which is the instruction power supply unit. (17). That is, the instruction power supply unit 17 performs individual operations, linked operations, and communication operations of the instruction control unit 11, the instruction measurement unit 12, the instruction storage 13, the instruction display unit 15, and the instruction switching unit 18. Performs the operation of supplying power for

The instruction power supply unit 17 may adopt and apply a battery, and the battery state information of the instruction means corresponding to the state of the battery of the instruction means, specifically, whether or not the battery is out of order or the level of remaining battery power is stored in the instruction control unit 11. is detected in real time or periodically by That is, the instruction control unit 11 detects the state information of the battery constituting the instruction power supply unit 17, specifically, the remaining amount of the battery, through an ADC (analog-to-digital converter) function and transmits it to the communication module 30. . In order to minimize power consumption, the instruction control unit 11 transmits the battery status information of the detected instruction means together with transmitting the water meter information data to the communication module 30 through the indication connection unit 16. desirable.

On the other hand, the detachable IoT-based smart water meter 100 according to the present invention is configured to further include an indication display unit 15 as shown in FIG. The instruction display unit 15 performs an operation of displaying water meter information data including the collected meter reading values under the control of the instruction control unit 11 . On the other hand, the removable IoT-based smart water meter 100 according to the present invention may additionally include an instruction memory (not shown), and the instruction memory is an internal memory of the instruction control unit 11, and the removable IoT-based smart water meter An operation to store firmware required for the operation of the meter 100 is performed.

The indication display unit 15 is composed of a 7-segment LCD, and according to the control of the indication control unit 11, the water meter information data, specifically, the meter reading value corresponding to the metering information (measuring value) of the water meter, and the water meter status information , Battery status information, etc. are displayed, and furthermore, the status (identity number, water meter temperature status, battery status, firmware version, etc.) can be displayed

Even when the communication module 30 is coupled to the indicating means 10, the instruction display unit 15 is exposed to the outside so that metering information such as a meter reading value can be confirmed. Of course, the module display unit 35 of the communication module 30 to be described later is also exposed to the outside together with the indication display unit 15 so that metering information such as a meter reading value can be checked. That is, when the communication module 30 is coupled to the indicating means 10, both the module display unit 35 of the communication module 30 and the instruction display unit 15 of the indicating means 10 are exposed to the outside. it is desirable As a result, it is possible to check measurement information such as a meter reading value not only through the module display unit 35 of the communication module 30 but also through the instruction display unit 15 of the indicating unit 10 .

The indication memory is composed of a flash memory (FLASH MEMORY) and stores firmware required for the operation of the removable IoT-based smart water meter 100 and the indication means 10 coupled thereto. Firmware stored in the instruction memory is updated as needed. Firmware stored in the instruction memory may be updated wired or wirelessly. The firmware stored in the indication memory may be updated by wire through a TTL232 port constituting the indication connection unit 16 provided in the indication means 10, and furthermore, by adding a BLE communication function, FOTA (Firmware Over-The It can also be updated wirelessly through the -Air) function.

On the other hand, it is preferable that the detachable IoT-based smart water meter 100 and the indicating means 10 coupled thereto according to the present invention further include various environmental sensors such as a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor, and the indication control unit 11 ) may be included in the water meter information data and transmitted together with the detection data of the environmental sensors, in particular, the water meter temperature state information and transmitted to the communication module 30.

When transmitting the water meter information data to the communication module 30 in order to minimize the power consumption of the battery, the instruction control unit 11 applied to the present invention, information data that needs to be transmitted separately (corresponding to meter reading data of environmental sensors) Water meter temperature status information, battery status information, water meter status information, etc.)

On the other hand, the pointing unit 10 according to the present invention includes a pointing switching unit 18 as shown in FIG. 3 . The instruction switching unit 18 allows the instruction power supply unit 17 to be connected to the communication module 30 through the instruction connection unit 16 under the control of the instruction control unit 11 . More specifically, it is connected to the module switching unit 38 through the module connection unit 36 of the communication module 30 shown in FIG. 4 connected to the indication connection unit 16. Therefore, the battery of the indication power supply unit 37 of the pointing means 10 can be supplied to the communication module 30 and shared. In this case, the instruction control unit 11 controls the instruction switching unit 18 to turn on, and the module control unit 31 constituting the communication module 30 controls the module switching unit 38 to turn on. As a result, components of the communication module 30 connected to the module switching unit 38 of the communication module 30 can operate by sharing the battery of the indicating power unit 17 of the pointing means 10.

Next, the configuration and operation of the communication module 30 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 .

As shown in FIG. 4, the communication module 30 includes a module control unit 31, a module communication unit 32, a module storage 33, a module display unit 35, a module connection unit 36, and a module power supply unit 37. and a module switching unit 38.

The module control unit 31 configures communication information data including the water meter information data transmitted from the indicating means 10 and transmits it to a remote server. Here, the communication information data includes the above-described water meter information data, unique information of the communication module, state information of the communication module (whether or not there is a failure, temperature state information of the communication module, etc.) data, and battery state information data of the communication module It is preferable to further include.

The module control unit 31 performs an operation of controlling the meter reading value of the water meter to be collected through the instruction unit 10 . That is, the module control unit 31 requests the meter reading value from the indicating unit 10 at each set collection period, for example, at every hour or whenever a request is necessary. Then, the instruction unit 10 transmits water meter information data including the meter reading value to the module control unit 31 at the request of the module control unit 31 .

In order to receive the water meter information data from the indicating means 10, the module connection part 36 is connected to the indicating connection part 16 of the indicating means 10. The module controller 31 allows the water meter information data to be transmitted through the indication connection unit 16 and the module connection unit 36. The module connection portion 36 corresponds to a portion to which the pointing means 10 is connected, and is specifically connected to the pointing connection portion 16 of the pointing means 10. Through this, the pointing unit 10 and the communication module 30 can perform data communication and share batteries. The module connection part 36 and the indication connection part 16 may be connected through TTL232.

The module control unit 31 controls the transmitted water meter information data to be stored in the module storage 33, and furthermore, temperature status information and battery status information of the communication module and a unique number of the communication module are stored in the module storage 33. It is controlled so that it can be stored in the storage 33. That is, the module storage 33 stores communication information data under the control of the module controller 31 .

That is, the module storage 33 performs an operation of storing communication information data including the water meter information data under the control of the module control unit 11 . The module storage 33 also needs to minimize storage capacity to minimize costs. For example, the module storage 33 may be composed of FRAM in an external memory. As such, the module storage 33 composed of FRAM includes various information such as water meter or indicator ID, current meter reading value, meter reading displacement value, water meter temperature status information, battery status information and status, caliber, and the like. Information data and communication information data including temperature status information of the communication module 30 corresponding to its own status information data, battery status information, and a unique number of the communication module are stored.

The communication module information data stored in the module storage 33 is transmitted to the remote server through the module communication unit 32 according to the request of the remote server or under the control of the module control unit 31 at set intervals.

The module communication unit 32 may be configured to apply various wireless communication methods. That is, the wireless communication unit 32 may be configured to apply at least one of LoRa, NB-IoT, LTE-Cat.M1, and other various wireless communication methods. Illustratively, the wireless communication unit 32 is configured so that LoRa (917MHz ~ 923.5MHz) and NB-IoT (Uplink: 824MHz ~ 849MHz / downlink: 869MHz ~ 894MHz) bands are compatible and applicable, and various bands according to settings enable it to work in Therefore, the module control unit 31 transmits the communication information data to the remote unit using a single method of LoRa communication method, NB-IoT communication method, or a combination method of LoRa communication and NB-IoT communication through the module communication unit 32. can be sent to the server.

The module control unit 31 may transmit the communication module information data stored in the module storage 33 to the remote server every set period, for example, every hour, and in some cases, the instructing means 10 The water meter information data received from may be directly transmitted to the remote server without being stored in the module storage 33 . However, even in the latter case, it is preferable to eventually store in the module storage 33. The reason is to perform retransmission of the communication module information data when transmission failure of the communication module information data occurs.

Power needs to be supplied for the operation of the module communication unit 32 including the module control unit 31, the module storage 33, the module display unit 35, and the module switching unit 38, which is the module power supply unit ( 37). That is, the module power supply unit 37 controls individual operations, linked operations, and communication operations of the module control unit 31, module communication unit 32, module storage 33, module display unit 35, and module switching unit 38. Performs an operation to supply power for

The module power supply unit 37 can adopt and apply a battery, and the battery status information of the communication module corresponding to the battery status of the communication module, specifically, whether the battery is out of order or the remaining amount of the battery is stored in the module control unit 31. is detected in real time or periodically by That is, the module control unit 31 detects the state information of the battery constituting the module power supply unit 37, specifically, the remaining amount of the battery through an ADC (analog-to-digital converter) function and stores it in the module storage 33. do. In order to minimize power consumption, the module control unit 31 transmits the detected battery status information of the communication module together when transmitting the communication module information data to the remote server through the module communication unit 32.

On the other hand, the detachable IoT-based smart water meter 100 according to the present invention is configured to further include a module display unit 35 as shown in FIG. The module display unit 35 performs an operation of displaying water meter information data including the transmitted meter reading value, temperature state information of the communication module, battery state information, and the like. On the other hand, the removable IoT-based smart water meter 100 according to the present invention may additionally include a module memory (not shown), and the module memory is an internal memory of the module control unit 31, and the communication module 30 It performs an operation to store firmware required for operation.

The module display unit 35 is composed of an LCD and can display the water meter information data, battery status information of the communication module, temperature status information, firmware version, etc. under the control of the module control unit 31.

Even when the communication module 30 is coupled to the indicating unit 10, the module display unit 35 is exposed to the outside so that metering information such as a meter reading value can be confirmed. Of course, even in this case, the instruction display unit 15 of the instruction means 10 is also exposed to the outside together with the module display unit 35 so that metering information such as meter reading values can be confirmed. That is, when the communication module 30 is coupled to the indicating means 10, both the module display unit 35 of the communication module 30 and the instruction display unit 15 of the indicating means 10 are exposed to the outside. it is desirable As a result, it is possible to check measurement information such as a meter reading value not only through the module display unit 35 of the communication module 30 but also through the instruction display unit 15 of the indicating unit 10 .

The module memory is composed of RAM and stores firmware required for the operation of the communication module 30 constituting the removable IoT-based smart water meter 100. Firmware stored in the module memory is updated as needed. Firmware stored in the module memory may be updated wired or wirelessly. The firmware stored in the module memory may be updated by wire through the TTL232 port constituting the module connection unit 36 provided in the communication module 10, and furthermore, by adding a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) communication function, FOTA It can also be updated wirelessly through the Firmware Over-The-Air function.

On the other hand, the communication module 10 constituting the detachable IoT-based smart water meter 100 according to the present invention is preferably configured to further include various environmental sensors such as a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor, and the module control unit 31 The detection data of the environmental sensors, in particular, the communication module temperature state information may be included in the communication module information data and transmitted together when transmitting to the remote server.

Meanwhile, the communication module 30 according to the present invention includes a module switching unit 38 as shown in FIG. 4 . The module switching unit 38 allows the module power unit 37 to be connected to the indicating means 10 through the module connection unit 36 under the control of the module control unit 31 . More specifically, it is connected to the instruction switching unit 18 through the instruction connection part 16 of the indication means 10 shown in FIG. 3 connected to the module connection part 36. Therefore, the battery of the module power supply unit 37 of the communication module 30 can be supplied to the pointing means 10 and shared. In this case, the module control unit 31 controls the module switching unit 38 to be turned on, and the instruction control unit 11 constituting the instruction unit 10 controls the instruction switching unit 18 to be turned on. As a result, the components of the pointing means 10 connected to the instruction switching unit 18 of the pointing means 10 can operate by sharing the battery of the module power supply 37 of the communication module 30.

More specifically, when the instruction control unit 11 of the instruction unit 10 detects that the battery of the instruction power supply unit 17 is below the cutoff voltage, the battery state of the instruction unit included in the water meter information data Information is set to LOW information and the water meter information data is transmitted to the communication module 30.

Then, the module controller 31 of the communication module 30 analyzes the water meter information data and checks whether the battery state information of the indicator included in the water meter information data is low information. As a result of the check, when the battery state information of the indicating unit is LOW information meaning less than the cutoff voltage, the module control unit 31 controls the module switching unit 38 to be turned on. On the other hand, the instruction control unit 11 sets the battery status information of the indicating means included in the water meter information data as LOW information, transmits the water meter information data to the communication module 30, and then sends the instruction The switching unit 18 is controlled to turn on.

As a result, the battery constituting the module power supply unit 37 of the communication module 30 transmits the instruction via the module switching unit 38, the module connection unit 36, the instruction connection unit 16, and the instruction switching unit 18. It can be supplied and shared to the components constituting the means 10 . As a result, even when the battery of the indication power supply unit 17 constituting the instruction means 10 is below the cutoff voltage, the battery constituting the module power supply unit 37 of the communication module 30 is shared and normally operated. can

Embodiments according to the present invention have been described above, but these are merely examples, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and embodiments of equivalent range are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention should be defined by the following claims.

1: Smart metering device for water meter
2: water meter 3: remote server
4: Network 5: Smart metering-based remote meter reading system
10: instruction means 11: instruction control unit
12: instruction measuring unit 13: instruction storage
15: instruction display unit 16: instruction connection unit
17: instruction power unit 18: instruction switching unit
30: communication module 31: module control unit
32: module communication unit 33: module storage
35: module display unit 36: module connection unit
37: module power unit 38: module switching unit
50: water meter body
100: Removable IoT-based smart water meter

Claims (6)

In the water meter,
an indicator coupled to the body of the water meter to measure the flow rate of the water meter, collect meter reading values, and transmit water meter information data including the collected meter reading values according to a request of a communication module; A communication module that is detachably coupled to the indicating means and connected to the indicating means and transmits communication information data including water meter information data transmitted from the indicating means to a remote server,
The indicating means and the communication module each include a battery, and the battery of the communication module is controlled to be shared with the indicating means, the water meter information data includes battery state information of the indicating means, and When the battery state information is LOW information meaning less than a preset cutoff voltage, the battery of the communication module is controlled to be shared with the indicating means,
The water meter information data includes temperature state information of the water meter, and the communication information data includes temperature state information and battery state information of the communication module,
When the communication module is coupled to the indicating means, both the module display of the communication module and the indication display of the indicating means are exposed to the outside,
When it is detected that the battery of the indicating power unit is below the cut-off voltage, the instruction control unit of the indicating means sets the battery status information of the indicating means included in the water meter information data as LOW information, and converts the water meter information data to the communication module and controls the indication switching unit of the indicating means to be turned on, and the module control unit of the communication module analyzes the water meter information data to determine whether the battery state information of the indicating means included in the water meter information data is low information. and, as a result of the check, if the battery status information of the indicating unit is LOW information meaning less than the cutoff voltage, the module control unit controls the module switching unit of the communication module to be turned on, so that the module power unit of the communication module Removable IoT-based smart water meter, characterized in that the battery constituting is supplied to the components constituting the indicating means through the module switching unit and the instruction switching unit.
delete delete delete The method of claim 1,
The removable IoT-based smart water meter, characterized in that the communication module is detachably coupled to the indicating means, separated from the indicating means and installed to be used independently.
delete

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