AU598731B2

AU598731B2 - Home information communication system

Info

Publication number: AU598731B2
Application number: AU55632/86A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Toshinari Morita
Original assignee: Rinnai Corp
Current assignee: Rinnai Corp
Priority date: 1985-04-10
Filing date: 1986-04-03
Publication date: 1990-07-05
Anticipated expiration: 2006-04-03
Also published as: AU5563286A; JPH0438040B2; JPS61239399A

Description

5,9 87 31

AUSTRALIA

Form PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE Short Title: Int. CI: Application Number: Lodged: ISE(,3/( Complete Specification-Lodged: Accepted: Lapsed: Published: JP, ority: Related Art: This documnent contains he amendments mnade Linder Section 49 and is correct for printing., cc Name of Applicant: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT RINNAI COR',PORATION cc

C

Address of Applicant: 2-26 Fukuzumi-cho, Nakagawa-Ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan Actual Inventor: Addes fo Srvie: CLEMENT HACK CO., 601 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004,j Australia.

Complete Specification for the invention entitled: "HOME INFORMATIO2N COMMUNICATION SYSTEM" The following statement is a full description, of this inventlon, including the best method of performing it known to me.:- -1- PF/CPlF/2/8;0 2 The present invention relates to a home information communication system for sending information relating to gases used in a house to a control center by way of communication lines and for dealing or coping with the information in said control center.

Practical use of home information communication systems is commencing in which information from, for example, a disaster prevention safety device and an automatic gas metering device installed in a house are sent to a control center by way of communication lines such as public or leased telephone lines ,to control the aforementioned system from said 3control center by way of the aforementioned communication lines, to sena an operator or to inform a predetermined service such as a gas service company of the data.

In the case of the home information connunication system in which the automatic gas metering device is connected between gas equipment and a gas cylinder acting as a gas supply source, the timing for gas charge or gas cylinder replacement is set in accordance with the capacity of the gas cylinder, the number of gas appliances installed and the consumption of the gas.

With the home information communication system having the construction thus far described, the user is inconvenienced by the delay in gas charge or gas cylinder replacement in cases where gas use is more than usual, if the -o 15 timing for the gas charge or gas cylinder replacement is set.

S Moreover, the discovery of a gas leakage is delayed especially o if the leakage occurs out of doors and at a great rate.

oo :The present invention provides a home information %a Sa communication system comprising: 20 a gas cylinder; an automatic metering device for monitoring the amount of gas supplied from said gas cylinder and outputting a signal indicative of the amount of gas supplied from said gas cylinder, and electronic control circuit coupled to said *oa* 0- -25 automatic metering device for receiving said signal and from 00 said signal providing information relating to the consumption of gas or remaining amount of gas; and a control center to which the information relating to consumption of gas or remaining amount of gas from said metering device is forwarded by said circuit on communication lines wherein the set consumption or remaining amount of Sgas for the replacement of said gas cylinder is predetermined in accordance with the capacity of said gas cylinder.

The present invention also provides a home information communication system comprising: a gas cylinder; A,4

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4 an automatic metering device for monitoring the amount of gas supplied from said gas cylinder and outputting a signal indicative of the amount of gas supplied from said gas cylinder; an electronic control circuit coupled to said automatic metering device for receiving said signal and providing information relating to the monitored amount of gas; and a center to which information relating to the monitored amount of gas is forwarded by said circuit, wherein said home information communication system determines when said gas cylinder is to be charged with gas or replaced in accordance with said information.

The present invention also provides a home information communication system comprising: rr a gas cylinder; C an automatic metering device for monitoring the amount of gas supplied from said gas cylinder and outputting a signal indicative of the amount of gas supplied from said gas cylinder and the number of gas cylinder charges or gas cylinder replacements; an electronic control circuit coupled to said automatic metering device and to communication lines, or receiving said signal and providing information relating to the monitored amount of gas together with the number of gas 25 charges or gas cylinder replacements; rli and a control center to which the information relating to the monitored amount of gas is forwarded by the circuit on said communication lines, Sr wherein a set time period and a set number of gas charges or gas cylinder replacements are predetermined so that information on the number of said gas charges or gas cylinder iireplacements is sent to said control center in case the number of said gas charges or gas cylinder replacements within said set time period after one gas charge or gas cylinder replacement exceeds the value of said set number.

The present invention also provides a home information communication system comprising: 5 a gas cylinder; an automatic metering device for monitoring the amount of gas supplied from said gas cylinder and outputting a signal indicative of the monitored amount of gas; an electronic control circuit coupled to said automatic metering device and to communication lines, for receiving said signal and providing information relating to the monitored amount of gas and the number of gas charges or gas cylinder replacements; an information displaying device coupled to said circuit for displaying the information provided by said automatic metering device; and a control center for receiving said information sent by said circuit on said communication lines, V 15 wherein a set time period and a set number of gas charges or gas cylinder replacements are predetermined so that S the number of said gas charges or gas cylinder replacements is t; sent to said control center to operate said information displaying devine in case the number of said gas charges or gas cylinder replacements within said set time period after one gas charge or gas cylinder replacement exceeds the value of said set number.

The present invention also provides a home information communication system comprising: a gas cylinder; Itttan-automatic metering device for monitoring the amount of gas supplied from said gas cylinder and outputting a signal indicative of the monitored amount of gas and the number of gas cylinder charges or gas cylinder replacements; 3 0 an electronic control circuit coupled to said automatic metering device for receiving said signal and providing information relating to the monitored amount of gas together with the number of gas charges or gas cylinder replacements; a gas shut-off valve coupled to said circuit for shutting off the supply of said gs; a ~~L/j it e.V and a control center for receiving the information relating to the gas monitored by the metering device sent by said circuit on communication lines, wherein a set time period and a set number of gas charges or gas cylinder replacements are predetermined so that information on the number of said gas charges or gas cylinder replacements is set to said control center to actuate said gas shut-off valve in case the number of said gas charges or gas cylinder replacements within set time period after one gas charge or gas cylinder replacements exceeds the value of said set number.

The home information communication system according to the present invention will be described in the following in connection with the embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the home S information communication system of one embodiment of the l present invention; Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the home 20 information communication system of one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the transmitting function of the gas residue reporting system according to the ti home information communication system of one embodiment of the f, tt25 present invention; 4 4 -6- 6 Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the receiving function of the gas residue reporting system according to the home information communication system of one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 5 is an operation flow chart showing the disaster preventing function according to one embodiment of the home information communication system of the present invention; Fig. 6 is an operation flow chart showing the disaster preventing function according to one embodiment of the home information communication system of the present invention; Fiq. 7 is an operation flow chart showing the sending control function of the home information communication system of an embodiment of the present invention; So Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing another embodiment S 9 o of the receiving function of the gas residue reporting system according to the home information communication system of the present invention; and Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing still another embodiment of the receiving function of the gas residue reporting system according to the home information a communication system of the present invention.

.o Figs. 1 and 2 are block diagrams showing the home information communication system of one embodiment of the present invention.

Reference number 100 indicates a home system which is installed in a house; reference letter T indicates a telephone which is installed in the house; letter L indicates the public lines of the telephone including a switching system (and a telephone office); and letter C indicates an information center or a control center for receiving information sent regularly or irregularly from the aforementioned home system 10 by way of the public lines L to deal or cope with sand information.

The home system 100 is constructed of: an information detecting sensor group (which will be shortly referred to as a "sensor group") 1; a home information board 2 including an electconic control circuit; a ges shut-off valve 3; a warning indicating lamp 4; indoor and outdoor buzzers and 8 for signaling caution, danger and disorder warning sounds to be recognized in terms of electric signals; a power supply 6; and a backup power supply 7.

the sensor group 1 is composed of: a gas meter GM for detecting the r.p.m. of a magnet, which is mounted on a rotor rotating at a speed proportional to the gas flow rate per unit time, by means of a magnetic sensor element to send out a pulse signal having a pulse number proportional to the flow rate; crime prevention sensors Sl and S2 made of normally 15 closed no-voltage contacts, which are mounted on windows or doors, for detecting staying-out, out, in, night and crime-prevention modes by turning on individual crime-prevention mode switches (not shown in the drawing) such as a staying-out mode switch, an out-mode switch, an in-mode switch, a night mode switch or crime-preventing danger switch and for lighting a crime-prevention lamp (not shown in the drawing) when operated; accident buttons Bl and B2 to be manually operated when a crime is foreseen and for operating an emergency lamp (no shown in the drawing) when turned on; an emergency button B3 for operations upon injury or emergency and for lighting an emergency lamp (not shown in the drawing) when operated; a fire sensor S3 for detecting a fire and for lighting a fire lamp (not shown in the drawing) when operated; a preparatory port 1 (PI) having the same function as that of the fire sensor S3; an earthquake sensor S4 for lighting an earthquake lamp (not shown in the drawing) to detect an earthquake when operated; a manual button B4 to be manually operated to light a manual lamp (not shown in the drawing) when a gas leakage is found; a gas leakage sensor S5 for generating an output of 0 volt when inoperative, an output of 6 volts to light a gas leakage lamp (not shown in the drawing) l

I

r when gas leakage is detected; a preparatory port 2 (P2) having the same function as that of the gas leakage sensor S5, and a bath water level sensor S6.

The home information board 2 is composed of: an input interface 200; a central processing unit 300; an output interface 400; a random access memory RAM acting as a memory unit for storing the set value of the pulse number (or the flow rate) coming from the gas meter GM, which has been arbitrarily determined in accordance with the number of gas appliances and the consumption (or the load flow rate), and the set value of a changing flow rate; and a read only memory ROM acting as a memory control unit for the control procedures of the system as a whole.

The input interface 200 is equipped with a pulse port input port 201, a no-voltage inputqpet 203, a voltage input port 205 and a convenience function port 207.

The central processing unit CPU) 300 has a gas metering function, a crime preventing function, an accident emergency function, a disaster preventing function and a convenience function and is equipped with'a clock mechanism 210, an operation display 250 and a gas shut-off logical circuit 260.

The output interface 400 has a sending function and is equipped with a gas shutting-off terminal 301, a warning indicating lamp terminal 303, an outdoor buzzer terminal 305 and a buzzer terminal 307.

The pulse input port 201 is made receptive of the pulses of the gas meter GM. The no-voltage input port 203 is made receptive of the signals coming from the crime prevention censors Sl and S2, the accident buttons B1 and B2, the emergency button B3, the fire sensor S3 and the earthquake *sensor S4. The voltage input port 205 is made receptive of the output of the gas leakage sensor S5. The convenience function port 207 is made receptive of the signal coming from the aforementioned balh water level sensor S6 arid is equipped with a preparatory port 3 (P3).

I r>I 9 Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a gas amount reporting system.

This system is constructed of: the gas meter GM connected between a gas cylinder and each gas appliance for sending a flow rate signal (or a pulse signal) having a pulse number to a counter 31; the counter 31 receives the pulse signal of the gas meter GM by way of the pulse input port 201 and is operative to count the pulse number to send a parallel-pulse integrated signal indicating the integrated value of the gas flow rate to an integration memory 32; the integration memory 32 receives and stores the integrated signal; a dial setter 39 acting as a memory for storing a dial number, a user code and so on to be sent to a sending function 38; a gas consumption setter 33 for determining beforehand the set consumption (which is 70% to 80% of the capacity of the gas cylinder) for gas charge or gas cylinder replacement in accordance with the capacity of the gas cylinder; a comparator 34 for comparing the counted value from the integration memory 32 and the set consumption to output a signal for driving the than the set consumption in accordance with the comparison result thereby to compute the residue of the gases; an encoder for transforming the residue to a sending code; and a data compose 37 for composing the data of both an encoder 36 coming from the home system 100 and the encoder 35, and sends the data to the information center C by way of the public lines of the telephone T by the sending function 38 of the output interface 400. As another embodiment, the remaining amount of gas in the gas cylinder is recurned to its initial state I 30 the full state by a clearing circuit 30 having a function to clear the integration memory 32 after gas cylinder replacement of gas charge.

i| Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing a gas amount reporting system.

This system is constructed of: a receiving function 41 of the information center C for receiving individual data such as the amount of gas remaining in the gas cylinder from the home system 100 by way of the public lines of the telephone T; a data composer 42 for composing the individual data; an encoder 43 for transforming a received code to a gas exhaustion indicating signal; and a gas exhaustion indicating lamp 44 for indicting the gas exhaustion when it receives the gas exhaustion indicating signal.

Fig. 5 is an operation flow chart showing the disaster preventing functions of the fire sensor and the gas leakage sensor according to the present embodiment.

The fire sensor S3 monitors \at 501); the fire sensor S3 detects a disorder signal (at 502); the home information board 2 receives the disorder signal from the fire sensor S3 (at 503); the warning lamp is lit and a disorder warning sound is output to the buzzer 8 (at 504); and the 15 operations shown in a sending control flow chart (of Fig. 7) are performed (at 505).

The gas leakage sensor S5 monitors (at 510); the gas leakage sensor S5 detects a disorder signal (at 511); the home information board 2 receives the disorder signal from the gas leakage sensor S5 (at 512); it is judged whether or not a delay time of 30 seconds of the gas leakage sensor S5 has elapsed (at 513); the step (513) is repeated if NOT, and it is judged if YES whether or not the gas leakage sensor S5 has detected (at 514); the step (504) and a step (505) are simulta,eously executed if YES, and the operation is judged to be a malfunction if NO (at 515); and the step (510) and later steps are then repeated.

It is judged whether or not the delay time of seconds of the fire sensor S3 and the gas leakage sensor has elapsed (at 516); the step (516) is repeated if NO, and it is judged whether or not the fire sensor S3 or the gas leakage sensor S5 has detected if YES (at 517); an output is generated so that the gas shut-off valve 3 may shut off the gases if YES (at 158); and no output is fed to the gas shut-off valve 3 so that the gases are n- t shut off if NO it 519).

I i ii~- 1 -11- Fig. 6 is an operation chart showing the disaster preventing functions of the earthquake sensor S4 and the manual button B4 according to the present embodiment.

The earthquake sensor S4 monitors (at 521); the earthquake sensor S4 receives a disorder signal to light the warning lamp (at 522); the buzzer 8 is caused to output the warning sound (at 523); and the gas shut-off valve 3 is caused to shut off the gases (at 524).

Fig. 7 is an operation flow chart of the sending control.

It is judged whether or not the telephone T is being used (at 601), and this step (601) is repeated if YES. If NO, it is judged whether or not the telephone T is being called for termination (at 602), and the step (601) and the later one are repeated again if YES. If NO, the main line is switched S (at 603); it is judged whether or not an extension is being selected (at 604); if YES, a signal is transmitted (at S- 605); if NO a local loop is formed (at 606); a reporting lamp is lit in both cases (at 607); a destination set by a report setting switch (not shown in the drawing) is automatically dialed (at 608); it is judged whether or not the information center C is receiving a responding signal (at 609); if YES, a transmission rule flow chart according to the individual rules of a transmission control system is conducted (at 610); the reporting lamp is extinguished (at 611); and the sending function control is ended (at 612). If NO, it is judged whether or not a time of 40 seconds has elapsed (at 613), and if NO the local loop is opened (at 614), followed by the repetitions of the step (601) and the later steps. If YES, it is judged whether or not the number of times of the transmissions at the automatic dial has reached 3 (at 615).

The operation advances to the step (614) if NO and the local loop is opened if YES (at 616). It is judged again whether or not the automatic dial has been conducted (at 617). If YES, it is judged whether or not a time of 5 minutes has elapsed (at 618), and the step (618) is repeated if the time has not elapsed yet. If this time has elapsed, the step (601) and the 12 later steps are repeated. If the automatic dial has not been conducted again, it is judged whether or not the automatic dial has been conducted again and again (at 619). If NO, the operation is judged to be normal, and the control is ended (at 620). If YES, it is judged whether or not the time of minutes has elapsed (at 621). The step (621) is repeated if NO, and the step (601) and the later steps are repeated if

YES.

Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the gas residue reporting system.

This system is constructed of: a receiving function 51 of the information center C for receiving individual data cy\iic~r on such as the gas residue of the gasq4bm or the gas charging timer or gas exhaustion) of the gasqU9b from the home system 100 by way of the public lines of the telephone T; a S data composer 52 for transforming a received code to a gas Se' exhaustion indicating signal; a gas exhaustion indicating lamp o, 54 for indicating the gas exhaustion when it receives the ga, exhaustion indicating signal; a counter 55 for counting the 20 number of times of the gas exhaustion signals, at which the operator is sent from the information enter C for charging the gas/4la: with the gases, to send that number to an integration memory 56; a setter 57 for determining beforehand and storing a set time period one month or two 'et~ks) and a set number of gas charges at which the gas4/~e. is charged with the gases within said set time period; the integratton memory 56 for integration the number of the gas exhaustions nd storing the set time period; and a comparator 58 for comparing the number of the gas exhaustions from said integration memory f S 56 and the set number of he gas exhaustions to judge thIt a gas leakage occurs in the house, if the number of the exhaustions is larger than the set number, and to send its output to a disorder indicating laip 59 indicative of the disorder.

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13 Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing still another embodiment of the gas residue reporting system (wherein the components shared with the same functions as those of Fig. 3 are indicated at the same reference numerals).

In the present embodiment, an integration memory 61 integrates the integrated signal of the gas flow rate from the counter 31 and the clearance number integrated signal of the cleaning circuit 30 for initializing the residue of the gas t, the gas charge number signal, and sotres a set time period one month or two weeks) predetermined by a setter 62. A comparator 64 compares the gas charge number from the integration memory 61 and the set gas charge number to .produce both an output for driving the gas shut-off valve 3, when the gas charge number is larger than the set value in case the lapse time is within the set time period from the gas charge, in accordance with the comparison result and a gas leakage signal to an encoder B i

Claims

1- 14 THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: i. A home information communication system comprising: a gas cylinder; an automatic metering device for monitoring the amount of gas supplied from said gas cylinder and outputting a signal indicative of the amount of gas supplied from said gas cylinder, and electronic control circuit coupled to said automatic metering device for receiving said signal and from said signal providing information relating to the consumption of gas or remaining amount of gas; and a control center to which the information relating to consumption of gas or remaining amount of gas from said metering device is forwarded by said circuit or communication lines wherein the set consumption or remaining amount of gas for the replacement of said gas cylinder is predetermined in accordance with the capacity of said gas cylinder.

2. A home information communication system comprising: a gas cylinder; an automatic metering device for monitoring the amount of gas supplied from said gas cylinder and outputting a signal indicative of the amount of gas supplied from said gas cylinder; *9 r *t t* i yL an eloctronic control circuit coupVed to said automatic metering device for receiving said signal and Sproviding information relating to the monitored amount of gas; ~and a center to which information relating to the monitored amount of gas is forwarded by said circuit, vt wherein said home information communication system S determines when said gas cylinder is to be charged with gas or replaced in accordance with said information.

3. A home information communication system comprising: a gas cylinder; r 15 an automatic metering device for monitoring the amount of gas supplied from said gas cylinder and outputting a signal indicative of the amount of gas supplied from said gas cylinder and the number of gas cylinder charges or gas cylinder replacements; a- electronic control circuit coupled to said automatic metering device and to communication lines, for receiving said signal and providing information relating to the monitored amount of gas together with the number of gas charges or gas cylinder replacements; and a control center to which tne information relating to the monitored amount of gas is forwarded by the circuit on said communication lines, r wherein a set time period and a set number of gas charges or gas cylinder replacements are predetermined so that Sinformation on the number of said gas charges or gas cylinder S replacements is sent to said control center in case the number "r of said gas charges or gas cylinder replacements within said I t set time period after one gas charge or gas cylinder replacement exceeds the value of said set number.

4. A home information communication system comprising: a gas cylinder; an automatic metering device for monitoring the $ett amount of gas supplied from said gas cylinder and outputting a S" signal indicative of the monitored amount of gas; ~an electronic control circuit coupled to said automatic metering device and to communication lines, for receiving said signal and providing information relating to the monitored amour~ of gas and the number of gas charges or gas cylinder replacements; S an information displaying device coupled to said circuit for displaying the irformation provided by said automatic metering device; and a control center for receiving said information sent by said circuit on said communication lines, L' -7 i -16- wherein a set time period and a set number of gas charges or gas cylinder replacements are predetermined so that the number of said gas charges or gas cylinder replacements is s-nt to said control center to operate said information di;playing device in case the number of said gas charges or gas cylinder replacements within said set time period after one gas charge or gas cylinder replacement exceeds the value of said set number.

A home information communication system comprising: a gas cylinder; an automatic metering device for monitoring the amount of gas supplied from said gas cylinder and outputting a signal indicative of the monitored amount of gas and the number of gas cylinder charges or gas cylinder replacements; an electronic control circuit coupled to said automatic metering device for receiving said signal and providiig information relating to the monitored amount of gas together with the number of gas charges or gas cylinder replacements; a gas shut-off valve coupled to said circuit for shutting off the supply of said gas; and a control center for receiving the information relating to the gas monitored by the metering device sent by said circuit on communication lines, wherein a set time period and a set number of gas charges or gas cylinder replacements are predetermined so that information on the number of said gas charges or gas cylinder replacements is set to said control center to actuate said gas shut-off valve in case the number of said gas charges or gas cylinder replacements within set time period after one gas Scharge or gas cylinder replacements exceeds the value of said set number.

6. A home information communication system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED THIS 12th DAY OF April 1990 RINNAI COPORATION II By Its Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK CO. Fellows Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia