EP1994515A1

EP1994515A1 - Device for remote reading of fluid meters

Info

Publication number: EP1994515A1
Application number: EP07717731A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Eric Gillette; Marc Guerquin
Original assignee: Suez Environnement SAS
Current assignee: Vigie Groupe SAS
Priority date: 2006-01-10
Filing date: 2007-01-09
Publication date: 2008-11-26
Also published as: US20090224937A1; AU2007204297A1; CN101371279A; JP2009522568A; TNSN08293A1; WO2007080310A1; MA30149B1; FR2896069A1; FR2896069B1; CA2636502A1; ZA200805611B; BRPI0706440A2; KR20080097398A

Abstract

Device for remote reading of a fluid meter comprising a mechanical meter (1), a transducer (2) placed against the meter (1) and converting the mechanical movements of the said meter (1) into electric pulses, an assembly (3) for acquiring the electric pulses comprising at least one radio transmitter for transmitting the acquired information and an antenna (4). The said acquisition assembly (3) is placed against the transducer (2) to which it is fixedly attached, one and the same energy source provides the power supply of the transducer (2) and of the assembly (3) and the said antenna (4) is connected to the radio transmitter by means of a cable (6), so that the antenna (4) may be placed at a distance from the meter (1).

Description

DEVICE FOR TELE-TESTING OF FLUID COUNTERS

The present invention generally relates to remote metering devices for fluid meters, for example water or gas, and more particularly devices comprising a water meter of mechanical technology, a transducer placed against the counter and transforming the movements. mechanical means of said counter in electrical pulses, an electrical pulse acquisition assembly comprising at least one radio transmitter for transmitting the acquired information and an antenna. Service companies selling water, gas or even electricity are required to measure the fluids they distribute on their networks. These counting points are mainly the counters of the customers, whether they are of direct invoicing known as general or first taken counters, or the counters of distribution, so-called divisional counters in the world of the distribution of the water.

There are nevertheless other counting points, for example flow monitoring meters within the distribution network, or even measurement points of various parameters such as pressure or quality parameters. The upkeep of the meters thus distributed over the distribution network was done historically first manually. Then, for various reasons, including costs, the managers sought with their suppliers to create radio modules to read the meters at a short distance. The objective is of various natures, sometimes economic to reduce the unit reading times and therefore the related costs, but also sometimes to overcome the constraints of access: the counters can be placed inside the properties of the customers and / or in eyes of difficult access.

However, this mode of teletransmission always required the movement of relief personnel who positioned themselves near the meters. In this context, the remote reading of the water meters is done from the following elements:

a water meter equipped with a system transforming the mechanical movements of the water meter into an electrical signal thus making this meter communicating, a reader of the electric signal of the water meter,

a set of acquisition of electrical signals also integrating a radio transmitting the acquired information.

The electric signal reader and the acquisition assembly are connected by an electrical wire rarely exceeding a few meters, given the impedances and losses of signal quality on a wire.

To date, there are different variants of these systems. These variants are distinguished in particular by:

- the communication mode between the counter and the acquisition system. We distinguish so-called pulse transmitter systems sending a pulse per counting unit, which requires recounting the pulses, and encoder systems for directly reading the value indicated by the counter totalizer,

- The use of the radio, either in "walk-by" or "drive-by" imposing the passage of a reader near the radios, or readings fixed station by equipping the reception apparatus buildings nearby. These fixed stations then communicate in their turn by more conventional telephone links, RTC, GSM, GPRS or other.

Notwithstanding these variants, the problem for installers has been to minimize the cost of equipment by attempting to integrate them. In particular, the electrical signal reader is designed by the meter manufacturers and is therefore dependent on said manufacturers. These systems all include:

an electronic module which imposes a battery for electrical autonomy and an electronic card, and an acquisition and radio transmission set also comprising a battery and an electronic card.

The module and the set of acquisition and radio transmission are particularly well suited to meters in apartments where the radio transmission poses little problem. On the other hand, they have proved more difficult to use in cellars where water meters are naturally installed, in the case of buildings or pavilions. They also proved to be difficult to use in counting chambers where, beyond the depth in the soil which reduces the transmission qualities of probes, the presence of a buffer accentuated these constraints. Indeed the radio transmission through concrete walls or even the ground is difficult or impossible. With a set of acquisition and radio transmission connected to the module by a wire of a length of a few meters, it becomes possible:

- to install the pulse transmitter or the communication system on the meter,

- to place the radio system further, generally in height, (for example at the roof of the cellar or near the buffer) where the radio transmission passes much more easily.

In practice, the analysis of the constraints of installation in cellar, independently of the technical analyzes of the products shows that one has the following geographical constraints:

the system for transforming the mechanical signal is necessarily placed on the counter,

- the emission point of the radio wave and not the radio itself must be able to be distinct from the first point in order to optimize the installation.

In order to overcome the drawbacks of the existing devices, the inventors have developed, which is the subject of the invention, a device for retrieving a fluid counter comprising a mechanical counter, a transducer placed against the counter and transforming the mechanical movements of said counter in electrical pulses, an electrical pulse acquisition assembly comprising at least one radio transmitter for transmitting the acquired information and an antenna, which is characterized in that said acquisition unit is disposed against the transducer of which it is secured, that a same energy source provides power to the transducer and the assembly and that said antenna is connected to said at least one radio transmitter by means of a cable, so that the antenna can be placed remote from the meter.

Preferably, said acquisition assembly and the transducer are arranged such that they can be integrated in the same housing and are controlled by a common electronic card. More particularly, in the case of a counter disposed in a look, said antenna is disposed in the upper part of said look.

More particularly, in the case of a counter disposed in a manhole provided with a buffer, said antenna is integrated in said eye buffer. In this particular case, if the stamp is metallic, said antenna is constituted by the gaze buffer.

Still in this case, if the pad is made of a non-electrically conductive material, said antenna is embedded or molded in said pad. In all the preceding cases where the meter is arranged in a look provided with a buffer, it may comprise, on its underside, a connector connected to one end of the antenna and on which can be connected the radio cable of link to the transmitter.

Preferably, whatever the device according to the invention, said cable is a coaxial cable.

More preferably, said energy source is chosen from batteries and / or batteries.

Conventionally, said radio transmitter operates on free frequencies. More particularly in the context of the invention, said radio transmitter operates on a dedicated frequency. In this context, the power of said radio transmitter may be greater than the maximum limit allowed for a free frequency transmitter.

More particularly, the remote reading device according to the invention further comprises a radio receiver for communication between the device and a central acquisition and vice versa.

Particularly in this implementation, the remote reading device according to the invention can receive information from said central and including a time stamp. The invention will be better understood on reading the detailed description given below with reference to the drawings, which have no limiting character, in which:

FIG. 1 represents a device according to the present invention for which the electrical pulse acquisition assembly comprising a radio transmitter and the transducer placed on the volume meter are integrated and the antenna is deported,

FIG. 2 represents a device according to the present invention in accordance with that of FIG. 1 arranged in a manhole provided with a metal pad acting as an antenna, FIG. 3 represents, in top view, a pad made of a non-electrically conductive material and in which said antenna is molded, and

- Figure 4 shows the operating diagram of a device according to the invention comprising a transmitter and a radio receiver. FIG. 1 shows a device for remote reading of a volume meter of fluid, in particular of water, according to the invention comprising a mechanical counter 1, a transducer 2 placed against the counter 1 and transforming the mechanical movements of said counter 1 in electrical pulses, an electrical pulse acquisition assembly 3 comprising at least one radio transmitter for transmitting the acquired information and an antenna 4.

This device is designed so that said acquisition unit 3 is disposed against the transducer 2 which it is secured and that the same energy source provides power to the transducer and the assembly 3. Finally, said Antenna 4 is connected to the radio transmitter by means of a cable 6, so that the antenna can be placed away from the meter.

In this representation, said acquisition unit 3 and the transducer 2 are, moreover, arranged so as to be integrated in the same block or housing 5 and are controlled by a common electronic card. The transfer of the electrical pulses generated by the transducer 2 to the acquisition unit 3 is therefore carried out directly.

This device makes it possible to overcome all the disadvantages set out above and to achieve significant savings by minimizing the cost of producing the device and by making maintenance and consumption minimum.

In practice, the cable 6 connecting the antenna 4 to the acquisition unit 3 is a coaxial cable.

So here we are in the most favorable case where the starting point of the radio wave emitted is distant from the source and allows to position it at the most adequate place, this by the single offset of the antenna 4 whose cable 6 which connects it to the acquisition unit 3 can be very long. Costs have also been minimized by using only one source of energy, for example batteries or batteries, and using only a single electronic card. The device according to the invention can use a radio operating on free frequency or dedicated frequency. The advantage of using a dedicated frequency is to be able to increase the power of the transmitter and thus the useful distance between the transmitter of the device and the receiver. In the case of free frequencies, especially in urban areas, the range of such a device is only a few tens of meters while it reaches 500 meters to 1 kilometer with a transmitter power of about ten watts on a dedicated frequency. In open field, ie poorly urbanized, the range of the dedicated frequency device can reach several kilometers. We can thus reduce the number of repeaters, or even eliminate them. These repeaters are set to resume and transmit the information received from a counter to a central acquisition. By increasing the range of transmitters, we can reduce the utility of the receivers and thus further reduce the cost of an installation.

Figure 2 illustrates a typical example of the flexibility of use and implementation that provides the device according to the invention.

By deporting the antenna 4, one can thus use any metallic device or conductor of electricity to play this role. In the case represented here, the volumetric water meter 1 is implanted in a buried manhole 7, provided with a buffer 8. It is therefore possible to use this buffer 8 as an antenna 4 by connecting it with the intermediate cable 6 to the acquisition assembly 3. To facilitate this connection, there can be provided a connector 9 disposed on the buffer 7 and which is directly connected to the radio cable 6 to the transmitter link.

In the case where the pad 8 is made of an electrically non-conductive material, said antenna 4 is then embedded or molded (FIG 3) in said pad 7. In the same way, a connector 9 connected to one end of the antenna 4 and on which can be connected the radio cable 7 connecting to the transmitter.

The fact of using the buffer 8 as an antenna 4 or as an antenna support 4 makes it possible to have a starting point of the radio wave located at ground level and no longer at a certain distance under the antenna. earth, in the case of a water meter 1 buried. This arrangement improves the efficiency of the communication between the transmitter and the receiver.

In addition, the device will allow a much easier implementation. Indeed, the technician will not have to intervene in the gaze to fix an antenna or a radio block which is sometimes difficult because of the difficulty of accessibility inside it. Just put the meter according to the invention and connect the cable to the buffer in the case of a metal pad, possibly replace the buffer with another where a connector will be arranged. It is the same for the eyes whose buffer is not conductive of electricity. A simple replacement of the buffer by a buffer as shown in Figure 3 allow easy connection of the counter to its antenna and a practical implementation of the entire device.

FIG. 4 shows a diagram of a use of the device according to the invention for which the acquisition unit 3 furthermore comprises a radio receiver allowing communication between the device and an acquisition center and vice versa.

However, if the central is too far from the meter for direct communication, it is possible to interpose between the counter 1 and the central, a repeater 10, for example on the roof of a building 11 so as to receive the information counter and transfer them to the central office and vice versa. This arrangement is characteristic of systems operating on free frequency whereas the uses in dedicated frequency make it possible to reduce or even eliminate these constraints. It is thus possible to monitor in real time the consumption, ie the flow rate of the meter, and to detect a leak in the case of a regular flow for example at night.

Reciprocally, the addition of a receiver makes it possible to be able to communicate with the meter and thus have for example a time stamping solution of the counter and consequently to be able to create a network of so-called "blue counters" timestamped so as to create a blue period during which consumption is billed at a preferential rate.

It then becomes possible to encourage, through these lower tariffs, the consumers, to use the fluid, for example water, at a fixed schedule outside the peak consumption, especially for public watering parks, golf courses, stadiums, gardens, green spaces ...

The additional provision of a screen near the meter would then display the time slot and the corresponding tariff. The invention thus described is perfectly suited to the distribution of water, but the technology described can perfectly be transposed to any other fluid whose flow is measured mechanically, such as gas.

Claims

1. Device for reading the counter of a fluid counter comprising a mechanical counter (1), a transducer (2) placed against the counter (1) and transforming the mechanical movements of said counter (1) into electrical pulses, an acquisition set (3) electrical pulses comprising at least one radio transmitter for transmitting the acquired information and an antenna (4), characterized in that said acquisition unit (3) is arranged against the transducer (2) which it is secured to, a same energy source supplies power to the transducer (2) and to the assembly (3) and that said antenna (4) is connected to said at least one radio transmitter by means of a cable (6), so that the antenna (4) can be placed away from the counter (1).

2. A remote reading device according to claim 1, characterized in that said acquisition assembly (3) and the transducer (2) are arranged such that they can be integrated in the same housing (5) and are driven by a common electronic card.

3. Remote reading device according to one of claims 1 or 2 for counter (1) disposed in a look (7), characterized in that said antenna (4) is disposed in the upper part of said gaze (7).

4. Remote reading device according to claim 3 for a meter (1) arranged in a manhole (7) provided with a buffer (8), characterized in that said antenna (4) is integrated in the buffer (8) of said gaze (7).

5. Remote reading device according to claim 4, characterized in that the buffer (8) is metallic and said antenna (4) is constituted by the buffer (8) of the manhole (7).

6. Remote reading device according to claim 4, characterized in that the buffer (8) is of a non-electrically conductive material and said antenna (4) is embedded or molded in said buffer (8).

7. Remote reading device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the buffer (8) comprises, on its underside, a connector (9) connected to one end of the antenna (4) and on which can be connected the cable (6) radio link to the transmitter.

8. Remote reading device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said cable (6) is a coaxial cable.

9. Remote reading device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said energy source is selected from batteries and / or batteries.

10. Remote reading device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said radio transmitter operates on free frequencies.

11. Remote reading device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said radio transmitter operates on a dedicated frequency.

12. Remote reading device according to claim 11, characterized in that the power of said radio transmitter is greater than the maximum limit allowed for a transmitter free frequencies.

13. Remote reading device according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that it further comprises a radio receiver for communication between the device and a central acquisition and vice versa.

14. Remote reading device according to claim 13, characterized in that it allows to receive information from said central and including a time stamp.