DE102020115077A1 - Electronic meter, system comprising electronic meter and reading device, method for reading a meter reading on the electronic meter and computer program product - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic counter (10), the electronic counter (10) having a digital display (13) for displaying a counter reading (14), and the electronic counter (10) being set up to display a machine-readable code (23) display, wherein the machine-readable code (23) contains the counter reading (14) and a counter identification information (15) of the electronic counter (10). The invention also relates to a system comprising the electronic counter (10) and a reader (30) for reading the machine-readable code (23), a method for reading the counter reading (14) on the electronic counter (10) and a computer program product (31) to carry out the procedure.

Description

The invention relates to an electronic meter, a system comprising the electronic meter and a reading device, a method for reading a meter reading on the electronic meter and a computer program product.

As part of the so-called “Smart Meter Rollout”, analog electricity meters in private households in Germany are being replaced by electronic electricity meters with digital meter reading displays. Depending on consumption, either so-called "intelligent measuring systems" with a communication unit to transmit the meter reading to a receiving address of the network operator or the customer's electricity provider or so-called "modern measuring systems" without a communication unit are installed instead of the analog electricity meters. In other countries too, electricity meters are being modernized by replacing analog electricity meters with digital electricity meters.

While a wireless transmission of the meter reading takes place with the help of the communication unit in the intelligent measuring systems and thus a simple calculation of the payments to be made by the customer for the electricity consumption assigned to him is possible, this possibility is not available for cost-technical considerations with the modern measuring devices, as was already the case with was the case with analog electricity meters.

As was customary up to now, the customer has to read his meter reading manually to determine the electricity consumption. The customer must then note the manually read meter reading in the form of a manually filled out postcard, in a form on a website of his electricity provider or in an application or an Internet portal of his electricity provider and transmit it to his electricity supplier.

When reading the meter reading and transmitting the meter reading, however, customers repeatedly make mistakes. When reading the counter reading, for example, there is often a mix-up of one's own electronic counter with a third-party electronic counter, so that a third-party counter reading is reported. Often there is also an incorrect reading of one's own meter reading or incorrect transmission of one's own meter reading. This degrades the quality of the data received by the electricity provider. The errors result in a high additional administrative effort for the electricity supplier, who must recognize the error and correct it himself or with the help of the customer.

To avoid these errors, it is known to support manual customer self-reading with an application that is executed on a customer's smartphone. This is an attempt to partially automate the manual customer self-reading and to support the customer with self-reading. This application asks the customer to take a photo of the meter using a smartphone camera. The application then recognizes the area of the counter reading on the photo and executes a program for optical character recognition or text recognition. This tries to avoid the customer reading the meter reading incorrectly, i.e. installing a number rotator when reading it.

However, this does not prevent the customer from reading an external meter instead of his own meter. It can also happen that the optical character recognition fails, for example due to poor lighting conditions or a faulty smartphone camera, or provides an incorrect counter reading.

The object of the invention is therefore to improve and simplify the customer's self-reading of a counter reading by simple means, so that it is avoided that the customer reads an incorrect counter reading.

The above object is achieved by the subjects of the claims, in particular by an electronic counter according to claim 1, a system according to claim 12, a method according to claim 13 and a computer program product according to claim 15. Further advantages and details of the invention emerge from the subclaims, the description and the drawings. Features and details that are disclosed in connection with the electronic counter according to the invention naturally also apply in connection with the system according to the invention, the method according to the invention and the computer program product according to the invention and vice versa, so that reference is always made to the individual aspects of the invention in relation to the disclosure respectively can be.

According to a first aspect, the invention achieves the object by an electronic counter, the electronic counter having a digital display for displaying a counter reading, the electronic counter being configured to display a machine-readable code, the machine-readable code showing the counter reading and counter identification information includes electronic meter.

Accordingly, it is provided that the customer self-reading takes place with the aid of a machine-readable code on the electronic meter. For this purpose, the electronic counter is modified compared to the known electronic counters in such a way that it displays the machine-readable code. Since the machine-readable code contains both the correct meter reading and meter identification information, both the correct meter reading can be read and a comparison can be used to ensure that the electronic meter read is actually the customer's electronic meter.

The meter identification information can in particular be a meter identification code, in particular a meter identification number.

The counter reading contained in the machine-readable code when reading the machine-readable code does not necessarily have to correspond to the counter reading displayed by the digital display. The digital display shows a current meter reading relatively precisely, which, depending on the connected consumer in the household recorded by the electronic meter, can change every second or minute or with time intervals of seconds or minutes.

In contrast, it can be provided that the counter reading contained in the machine-readable code is not updated every second or minute, but approximately every half hour, hourly or daily or at intervals of half an hour, hour or day. For this purpose, the machine-readable code can be regenerated in the respective cycle or in the time intervals, the counter reading at the time of regeneration being updated to the current counter reading, i.e. the counter reading shown on the digital display.

The electronic meter can in particular be provided for a building or a building supply, for example for a private household. The fact that the electronic meter is intended for a building means that it is a meter for consumption or a feed or supply of a countable supply medium such as electricity, water, district heating, gas or the like in the building.

The electronic meter can also be referred to as an electronic measuring meter or electronic consumption meter. The meter reading can indicate the total consumption or a total feed or supply since the electronic meter was put into operation.

Provision can be made for the machine-readable code to be set up in such a way that it can be read by a reading device embodied separately from the electronic counter. The separately designed reading device can be, for example, a smartphone, tablet, computer, smart watch or the like belonging to the customer.

As a result, the machine-readable code can be read in a simple manner by the reader when the customer reads the counter, since the customer typically has the required reader as a personal item.

It can be provided that the machine-readable code can be recorded by means of a camera of the reader. The machine-readable code can therefore be recorded by a camera of the reader with a high to absolute reliability.

Unlike a human-readable text or human-readable characters in character recognition, a machine-readable code is set up in such a way that it can be correctly read by the reading device with a high to absolute reliability. This prevents errors when reading the counter reading, even if the simple means of a camera is used, as is the case with optical character recognition.

It can also be provided that the machine-readable code is a QR code. Alternative barcodes in 1D or 2D are also possible, but a QR code can contain more data and thus information in a compact form.

This makes it possible to keep a display area small and thus to operate the display for displaying the machine-readable code, in particular as an additional digital display as described below, in an energy-saving manner.

It can also be provided that the machine-readable code is regenerated at defined time intervals so that the counter reading contained in the machine-readable code is updated (continuously or between the defined time intervals).

As mentioned at the beginning, the counter reading contained in the machine-readable code does not have to correspond to a current counter reading that is displayed on the digital display at any given point in time. The defined time intervals can be, for example, at least 5 minutes, at least 30 minutes or at least one hour and at most 24 hours. On the one hand, the time intervals can therefore be defined in such a way that the counter reading is read off with sufficient accuracy. Since the meter reading typically only takes place every year is read and the reference date is not a time but a day, the machine-readable code does not have to be constantly updated or regenerated. Instead, longer, defined time intervals are sufficient, but should not be more than 24 hours.

It can also be provided that the electronic counter has an additional digital display for displaying the machine-readable code. The additional digital display is a display that is formed separately from the digital display.

The digital additional display enables a clean separation from the digital display, the image update rate of which, as mentioned above, can differ from an image update or regeneration rate of the machine-readable code and thus the digital additional display. This makes it possible to produce the digital display in a comparatively compact manner and thereby to cause a low energy consumption by the digital display.

The display technology of the digital additional display can differ from the display technology of the digital display, in particular have a lower image update rate or be operated at a lower image update rate. In particular, the display technology of the digital additional display can be more energy-efficient than the display technology of the digital display. This allows the energy consumption of the digital additional display to be reduced.

Furthermore, the digital additional display can be electrically connected to the electronic meter in such a way that the digital additional display draws electricity that is not recorded by the electronic meter, if it is designed as an electronic electricity meter, or by another electronic electricity meter. This can prevent the customer from being billed for the energy costs for operating the additional digital display.

It can be provided that the digital additional display is a reflective display. The additional digital display can then have an LCD, behind which there is a reflector for the incident light. The advantage of this arrangement is the compact design and the low power consumption.

Furthermore, the additional digital display can in particular be electronic paper or e-paper or can be based on such display technology. This passive, i.e. non-luminous, display reflects light like normal paper. It is particularly energy-efficient and is therefore particularly suitable for the additional digital display. The electronic paper can work with a so-called electronic ink. These are tiny capsules that are filled with a liquid that contains electrically charged particles. The electrically charged particles can, for example, be black and white, or also multicolored. When a voltage is applied, the particles of one color can be drawn to a surface or an underside of the capsule, so that a point on the display appears as black, white or another color.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the digital additional display is set up to permanently display the machine-readable code without providing a maintenance voltage on the digital additional display. This can be provided as a digital additional display in particular in the case of electronic paper or e-paper.

As a result, the energy consumption of the digital additional display is considerably reduced, since the digital additional display can display the machine-readable code until it is updated or regenerated, unchanged and without a supply of energy. In connection with the regeneration of the machine-readable code at the defined time intervals, a particularly energy-saving operation of the digital additional display can be achieved.

The additional digital display can also be set up to permanently display the machine-readable code in a newly generated form when a voltage is provided on the additional digital display. As a result, the machine-readable code is updated or displayed in its newly generated form on the additional digital display, whereby only a small amount of energy is required for this.

It can also be provided that the machine-readable code also contains a receiving address for receiving the counter reading that can be read by means of the machine-readable code. The receiving address can in particular be that of the meter operator (or network point operator in the case of an electronic electricity meter) or supplier (or electricity supplier in the case of an electronic electricity meter).

As a result, the machine-readable code also enables the correct assignment of the receiving address for receiving the counter reading. This prevents the meter reading from being sent to an incorrect address.

It can also be provided that the machine-readable code also contains status information about the electronic counter. This also allows the meter operator to receive information by means of customer self-reading that he would otherwise only receive on-site at the electronic meter.

The status information can include, for example, an attempt to manipulate the electronic meter. The status information can be in the form of coded status bits.

Alternatively or additionally, the status information can include, for example, information about a possible meter change, the time of a meter change and / or a meter age of the electronic meter. As a result, the meter operator can be informed about an upcoming meter change or at least compare the information stored in the electronic meter with his own information and thus check his own data.

In particular, it can be provided that the electronic meter is an electronic electricity meter. Alternatively, the electronic meter can also be, for example, an electronic gas meter, an electronic district heating meter or an electronic water meter. The electronic electricity meter can be used in private households up to an annual consumption of 6,000 kWh.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the above-mentioned object is achieved by a system comprising an electronic counter according to the first aspect of the invention and the reading device for reading the machine-readable code, which is embodied separately from the electronic counter.

The reading device can have a camera for capturing the machine-readable code. The reading device can be designed, for example, as a smartphone, tablet, computer, notebook, smart watch or the like.

A computer program product can be stored on the reading device or can be called up and executed. The machine-readable code can be recorded and then read by means of the computer program product. The meter reading and the meter identification information as well as any other information such as status information and the receiving address are determined.

The reading device can also have a wireless communication interface, in particular a radio interface. By means of the wireless communication interface, the computer program product can have the reading device transmit the determined counter reading and the counter identification information and, if applicable, the further information to the receiving address. This eliminates the need for the customer to manually note down and transfer the meter reading.

According to a third aspect of the invention, the above-mentioned object is achieved by a method for reading a counter reading on an electronic counter according to the first aspect of the invention, the method comprising the steps of: detecting the machine-readable code displayed by the electronic counter by means of a reader, Reading the machine-readable code detected by the reading device by means of a computer program product on the reading device, and transmitting the counter reading contained in the machine-readable code and the counter identification information contained in the machine-readable code to a receiving address by means of the reading device.

The machine-readable code is consequently first recorded by means of the reading device, for example by means of the camera of the reading device. This can be done with a camera application on the reader. Additionally or alternatively, but in any case preferably, the computer program product can offer the functionality of capturing the machine-readable code by means of the reading device.

The recorded machine-readable code is then read. In other words, the information contained in the machine-readable code is made readable. The machine-readable code can be converted into human-readable characters. In this way, the meter reading, meter identification information and, if necessary, further information can be viewed and, if necessary, checked by the customer before transmission to the receiving address.

The machine-readable code can be encoded. The computer program product can have the key for decoding the machine-readable code. This key can also be coded. This prevents unauthorized access by third parties or outside the data or information contained in the machine-readable code.

The information contained in the machine-readable code is then transmitted. The counter reading, the counter identification information and the receiving address can be viewed and checked by the customer. Other information, in particular status information, can be transmitted covertly and cannot be seen by the customer. This means that information about manipulation attempts can also be transmitted to the meter operator. The status information can be specially coded for this purpose and can only be decoded by the meter operator using a key.

It can be provided that the method also has the step that the meter identification information contained in the machine-readable code with a on the reading device stored meter identification information is matched and the transmission of the meter reading contained in the machine-readable code to the receiving address only takes place in the event that the meter identification information contained in the machine-readable code matches the meter identification information stored on the reader.

In the other case, i.e. if the meter identification information contained in the machine-readable code does not match the meter identification information stored on the reading device, it can be provided that the customer receives an indication that he has read the wrong electronic meter and a new attempt with the correct one electronic counter aims to undertake. This ensures that the quality of the data received by the meter operator or the customer's supplier or supplier is improved.

It can be provided that the customer cannot change the meter reading before it is transmitted to the receiving address. This prevents the customer from manipulating the actual meter reading.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, the aforementioned object is achieved by a computer program product that can be executed on a reading device designed separately from the electronic counter according to the first aspect of the invention, the computer program product being designed to execute the method according to the third aspect of the invention .

The computer program product can be designed and executed, for example, as an application that can be installed on the reading device. As an alternative or in addition, the computer program product can be designed and executed as a protocol on a website or an Internet portal of the meter operator or the supplier, for example an electricity, gas or water supplier. In this way, the customer can be provided with various options for reading and transmitting the meter reading.

Further measures improving the invention emerge from the following description of various exemplary embodiments of the invention, which are shown schematically in the figures. All of the features and / or advantages arising from the claims, the description or the figures, including structural details and spatial arrangements, can be essential to the invention both individually and in the various combinations.

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung eines elektronischen Zählers nach einem Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung;
• 2 eine schematische Darstellung der in dem von dem elektronischen Zähler aus 1 angezeigten maschinenlesbaren Code enthaltenen Informationen;
• 3 eine schematische Darstellung des elektronischen Zählers aus 1 beim Lesen des maschinenlesbaren Codes mittels eines Lesegeräts; und
• 4 eine schematische Darstellung der Verfahrensschritte beim Ablesen des Zählerstands an dem elektronischen Zähler aus 1 und 3.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It shows:

• 1 a schematic representation of an electronic counter according to an embodiment of the invention;
• 2 a schematic representation of the in the from the electronic counter 1 displayed information contained in machine readable code;
• 3 a schematic representation of the electronic meter 1 when reading the machine-readable code by means of a reader; and
• 4th a schematic representation of the method steps when reading the counter reading on the electronic counter 1 and 3 .

Elements with the same function and mode of operation are in the 1 until 4th each provided with the same reference numerals. Insofar as the same elements are shown several times in a figure, these are provided with the same reference symbols and numbered consecutively. The number of the consecutive numbering is separated from the reference number by a point. The number of the same elements is only shown by way of example and is not decisive for the invention, unless something else is described.

1 shows an electronic counter 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. The electronic counter 10 is designed as an electronic electricity meter for counting a power supply or a power consumption.

The electronic counter 10 has a meter housing 11th on. Furthermore, the electronic meter 10 two meter covers 12th , 12.2 on. The counter covers 12th , 12.2 can be released at appropriate fastening points in order to gain access to the interior of the electronic meter 10 in the meter housing 11th to enable.

On the electronic counter 10 there is a digital display 13th showing a current meter reading 14th indicates. The meter reading 14th changes with increasing power consumption in the private household to whose power supply it is connected. This is the counter reading 14th Counted or displayed in kWh.

Below the digital display 13th there is at least one analog meter identification information 15th . The present is meter identification information 15th in the form of a barcode and a Meter identification number on the meter housing 11th printed or glued on.

The electronic counter 10 furthermore has an additional device 20th with an additional housing 21 and a digital additional display 22nd on. The additional device 20th is only an example of the meter cover 12th arranged, but can also directly on the meter housing 11th or next to the digital display 13th be arranged.

The additional device 20th is present with the electronic counter 10 connected and has access to the meter reading 14th , the meter identification information 15th as well as a receiving address 25th and status information 26th (please refer 2 ). With the additional device 20th can be electronic counters 10 simply retrofit by connecting them to them. Alternatively, the additional device 20th but also in the electronic meter 10 be integrated or the electronic counter 10 the functionality of the additional device 20th contain. In this case the electronic meter would 10 only the additional digital display 22nd exhibit.

Here is the additional digital display 22nd an electronic paper. The additional digital display 22nd can therefore be operated particularly energy-efficiently. On the additional digital display 22nd becomes a machine-readable code 23 displayed. In the present case, this is a QR code. The machine-readable code 23 contains the meter reading 14th , the meter identification information 15th as well as the receiving address 25th and the status information 26th . It can be read in order to gain access to this information.

Next to it is on the digital additional display 22nd additional information 24 displayed. The additional information 24 can be designed in various ways. For example, it can be an instruction to read the machine-readable code 23 Act. Also the display of the name of an application for reading the meter reading 14th or displaying a website link are conceivable.

2 shows the in the machine readable code 23 contained and readable information, i.e. the counter reading 14th , the meter identification information 15th , the receiving address 25th and the status information 26th .

3 shows a step in the reading of the electronic meter 10 by means of a reader 30th , in the present example in the form of a smartphone that can be operated by one hand 40 of a customer at the level of the machine-readable code 23 is held. The reader 30th has a camera, by means of which the machine-readable code 23 from the reader 30th or a computer program product installed thereon 31 recorded in the form of an application and displayed on the screen of the reader 30th is shown.

4th shows schematically a complete process sequence when reading the counter reading 14th from the digital display 13th comprising the process step in 3 is shown and explained.

The in 3 The method step shown and explained is the acquisition step 50 , where the machine-readable code 23 using the reader's camera 30th is captured.

After the acquisition step 50 a reading step follows 51 , in which the machine-readable code 23 contained information, i.e. the meter reading 14th , the meter identification information 15th , the receiving address 25th and the status information 26th to be read. These will be after the reading step 51 in the reader 30th cached and at least partially displayed to the customer.

In which on the reading step 51 following adjustment step 52 it is checked whether the meter identification information 15th in the machine readable code read 23 the meter identification information 15th of the customer corresponds to that in the computer program product 31 or on the reader 30th is saved. This can be assigned to the customer, for example using his customer number at the electricity supplier.

When the matching step 52 has been successful, so the customer has his own electronic meter 10 using the reader 30th has read, the transmission step finally follows 53 . In the transmission step 53 become the counter reading 14th and the status information 26th to the receiving address 25th or one in the computer program product 31 or the reader 30th stored receiving address by means of a wireless communication interface of the reader 30th transmitted via the Internet to the network operator or the electricity supplier.

The network operator or the electricity supplier at their virtual receiving address 25th the meter reading 14th and the status information 26th have been transmitted, the billing can now be based on the meter reading 14th and send it to the customer electronically or by post. In addition, he can send the status information 26th process. For example, he can check whether the electronic meter 10 tampering attempts have been made or how old the electronic meter is 10 is already and whether an exchange is due soon.

List of reference symbols

10

Electronic counter

11th

Meter housing

12th

Counter cover

13th

digital display

14th

Meter reading

15th

Meter identification information

20th

Additional device

21

Accessory housing

22nd

additional digital display

23

machine readable code

24

extra information

25th

Receiving address

26th

Status information

30th

Reader

31

Computer program product

40

hand

50

Acquisition step

51

Reading step

52

Adjustment step

53

Submission step

Claims (15)

Electronic counter (10), with a digital display (13) for displaying a counter reading (14), characterized in that the electronic counter (10) is set up to display a machine-readable code (23), the machine-readable code (23) contains the counter reading (14) and counter identification information (15) of the electronic counter (10). Electronic counter (10) according to Claim 1 wherein the machine-readable code (23) is set up in such a way that it can be read by a reading device (30) which is embodied separately from the electronic counter (10). Electronic counter (10) according to Claim 2 , wherein the machine-readable code (23) can be detected by means of a camera of the reading device (30). Electronic counter (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the machine-readable code (23) is a QR code. Electronic counter (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the machine-readable code (23) is regenerated at defined time intervals, so that the counter reading (14) contained in the machine-readable code (23) is updated. Electronic counter (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic counter (10) has an additional digital display (22) for displaying the machine-readable code (23). Electronic counter (10) according to Claim 6 , wherein the digital additional display (22) is a reflective display, in particular an electronic paper. Electronic counter (10) according to Claim 6 or 7th , wherein the digital additional display (22) is set up to permanently display the machine-readable code (23) without providing a maintenance voltage on the digital additional display (22). Electronic counter (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the machine-readable code (23) further contains a receiving address (25) for receiving the counter reading (14) which can be read by means of the machine-readable code (23). Electronic counter (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the machine-readable code (23) furthermore contains status information (26) about the electronic counter (10). Electronic meter (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic meter (10) is an electronic electricity meter (10). System of an electronic meter (10) according to one of the Claims 2 until 11th and the reader (30) formed separately from the electronic counter (10) for reading the machine-readable code (23). Method for reading a counter reading (14) on an electronic counter (10) according to one of the Claims 1 until 11th , the method comprising the steps of: (a) detecting the machine-readable code (23) displayed by the electronic counter (10) by means of a reading device (30), (b) reading the machine-readable code (23) detected by means of the reading device (30) by means of a computer program product (31) on the reading device (30), and (c) transmitting the counter reading (14) contained in the machine-readable code (23) and the counter identification information (15) contained in the machine-readable code (23) to a receiving address (25) ) by means of the reader (30). Procedure according to Claim 13 , the method further comprising the step of that contained in the machine-readable code (23) Counter identification information (15) is compared with counter identification information (15) stored on the reader (30) and the counter reading (14) contained in the machine-readable code (23) is transmitted to the receiving address (25) only in the event that the in the meter identification information (15) contained in the machine-readable code (23) corresponds to the meter identification information (15) stored on the reading device (30). Computer program product (31) which can be executed on a reading device (30) embodied separately from the electronic counter (10) according to one of the preceding claims, the computer program product (31) for executing the method according to Claim 13 or 14th is set up.

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