FR2783989A1 - Telemetry device for collecting data from remote meters, uses a common interrogation language - Google Patents

Abstract

The device is designed to collect data from remote meters (3) connected to the device by specific channels (6) each having their own communication protocol. The device has an interrogation unit (9,10) which permits the use of a common language, for dialogue with any of the specific channels, so that data can be individually collected from each remote meter (3). The interface module (9,10) consists of a first general module (10) and a number of second modules each of which is connected to a specific channel. The function of the first module (10) is to receive request exterior to the device, to interpret the request and address appropriate commands to the second modules, then to transmit towards the exterior the response emanating from the second modules. The function of each of the second modules is to execute the orders from the first module by communicating with the meter (3) being interrogated according to the specific channel protocol, then to gather the responses from the meter and pass them onto the first module.

Description

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  The present invention relates to a device for remote data collection, in particular for carrying out readings.

remote meters.

  There are already known backup devices which are operated by gas or electricity suppliers to know, at regular time intervals, the consumption

network subscribers.

  But these devices have limits which

hinder their development.

  Indeed, as long as all the meters on a site are of the same type, the reading device can communicate with them by respecting a single communication protocol, which allows it to be of a relatively simple material structure. But as soon as the site surveyed is equipped with counters of different types, the reading device must be modified accordingly in order to be able to collect data from different communication channels

  using different protocols.

  Therefore, any addition of a new type of meter on a pre-equipped site calls into question the entire

  remote collection device for this site.

  In addition, until now, the actual relief operation has consisted in collecting the indexes globally

  of all the meters connected to the reading device.

  However, the remote interrogation of the reading device, for example through the switched telephone network, limits the amount of data that can be collected in a reasonable time, so that the systematic interrogation of all the meters connected to the reading device and sending all the indexes of these counters simultaneously in response to a remote query is not an acceptable operation of the

  made too long response times.

  There is therefore a need for a new device

  which removes these drawbacks.

  The present invention relates to a device for the remote collection of data supplied by remote devices.

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  connected to said device by specific channels, each respecting a particular communication protocol, characterized in that it includes an interrogation interface allowing, by means of the use of a predetermined common language, to dialogue with any of the channels specific, to collect the data provided

  individually by each device.

  In other words, the interrogation interface of the remote collection device according to the invention makes it possible to obtain isolated information relating to a determined counter, and this, independently not only of the other counters, but also of the communication protocol in force on the specific channel by which the interrogated counter is connected to the

remote collection device.

  In other words, the user of the remote collection device according to the invention does not have to be concerned with the protocol respected by the meter that he wishes to interrogate, nor even with the nature of this meter, he is content to formulate a request to the remote collection device in the predetermined common language and the interface is responsible for translating this request, sending it to the counter concerned, collecting the information in response and transmitting it to the user,

  and this in a completely transparent way.

  In a particular embodiment of the invention, the interrogation interface consists of a first general module and a plurality of second modules, each of which is attached to a specific channel, the function of the first general module being receive requests from outside the device, interpret them and send appropriate orders to the second module attached to the specific channel by which the device under interrogation is connected to the device, then transmit to the outside the response coming from said second module, and the function of each of the second modules being to execute the orders coming from the first module by dialoguing with the apparatus to be interrogated according to the protocol of the corresponding specific channel, then to collect the responses of the device questioned from the

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  specific channel to make them available to the first module. In a particular variant, the responses of the interrogated device are stored in the form of a file by the second module. This structure of the interrogation interface has the considerable advantage that the first general module is a stable component of the device which would not require any modification in the event of the addition of a new specific communication channel, using a new protocol,

  to connect devices of a new nature.

  Indeed, in this case, it would suffice to take into account the name of the new channel as a parameter

  additional to be managed by the first module.

  Thus, in order to be able to connect a new communication channel using a protocol not recognized by the remote collection device, it suffices to add a second module capable of executing the orders coming from the first module and of dialoguing with the new devices interrogated according to the new protocol. of the corresponding new specific channel. In other words, the interrogation interface according to the invention has a modular structure which makes it adaptable, at low cost, to any evolution of the network.

devices to query.

  Preferably, the first general module is divided into a syntax analyzer which checks the grammar of requests from outside and identifies the nature of each request, and an interpreter which determines the second modules concerned by requests and sends them appropriate orders. . The language according to the invention allows the remote collection device equipped with the necessary memory to use a set of simple requests such as requests for immediate readings, simple deferred readings, periodic deferred readings.

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  For the implementation of the interface of the remote collection device according to the invention, it is preferable to use a computer operating in multitasking and in real time, in order to provide reliable and precisely located records in time. Thanks to such characteristics, the device

  can manage several protocols simultaneously.

  In a particular embodiment, monitoring systems are provided in the remote collection device to monitor the specific channels and determine whether one of the devices connected to the communication device

is not in use.

  The remote collection device according to the invention is advantageously provided with a modem allowing it to be interrogated at

  distance, for example through the telephone network.

  In this case, the monitoring systems can be arranged to emit an alert signal in the event of detection of a malfunction of one of the devices in

  using the telephone network.

  In order to better understand the invention we will now describe an embodiment given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: - Figure 1 is an elevational view of a building equipped with 'a collection device, - Figure 2 shows schematically the

  structure of the collection system.

  In Figure 1, a building 1 to ten has been shown

  floors, divided into twenty apartments 2.

  Each apartment 2 is equipped with different

  3 meters for consumption of water, electricity and gas.

  Each of these meters 3 is connected to a bundle of cables 4, shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1, bundle of cable 4 which leads to a collection device 5 installed in a dry common room, located at the foot of the column

of the building.

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  The cable bundles 4 are here constituted by a cable which interconnects all the counters 3 and constitutes the specific channels by which the counters 3 can send the data relating to them according to a specific protocol. In FIG. 2, there are shown, separately for ease of understanding, three specific channels 6 which each connect all the counters 3 of the same type to the

collection device.

  In practice, these three channels 6 are made up

by the same cable.

  Each channel 6 leads to a modem 7 which converts the electrical signals conveyed by said channel into signals recognizable by a protocol stack 8 specific to each

way.

  Each of these batteries is connected to a second module 9

within the meaning of the invention.

  Examples of specific channels include those using the M-BUS protocol used by meters from the German company TECHEM and those using the EURIDIS protocol used by Electricity of France and Gaz de France meters. different elements described so far, namely the counters 3, the modems 7, the protocol stacks 8 and the second modules 9 are specific to each of the channels

to which they belong.

  All the second modules 9 are individually connected to a first general module 10 which exchanges with them data of predetermined and independent structure

  different specific routes.

  This first general module 10 is divided into two parts, namely an interpreter 10a and a parser lOb whose functions will be described later. The first general module 10 communicates with a

interrogation device 11.

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  In a variant not shown, this interrogation device comprises a modem allowing its interrogation

remotely.

  Each of the components of the collection device described here can be made indifferently by a device

  dedicated electronics or by a program microcomputer.

  However, for reasons of convenience, it is preferable to make the first general module 10 and the second

  modules 9 in the form of a program run on a micro-

  computer, which will allow in particular to increase the number of second modules as the needs for specific channels increase, with the simple addition of a program

  performing the function of second module.

  In this case, the operating system used is preferably a multitasking operating system operating in real time, such as that marketed by the company QUANTUM SYSTEM under the

QNX name.

  We will now describe the operations carried out by the collection device when a user seeks to obtain the index of a particular counter connected to this device. The user interrogates the remote collection device from an interrogation station remote from the building and connected to the collection device by the telephone network. The questions asked by the user are saved in a local file while the link between the interrogation station and the remote collection device is not

not yet established.

  Once all the questions have been asked, the user signals to the interrogation station that he has finished expressing his requests. The file is then closed, a name is assigned to it according to the place and time of interrogation and the connection is established between the interrogation station and the

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  remote collection device, which thus receives the interrogation file. Inside the remote collection device, a standby program included in the first general module detects the filing of the interrogation file. The corresponding processing of the file

question mark is triggered.

  First, the name of the file, assigned by the interrogation station, is read by the first module

general.

  The file size is checked and the file is

read in full.

  Each request is thus identified and its grammar verified. The parameters linked to each request are checked, such as in particular the indication of the bus and the equipment concerned. On the remote collection device, the physical existence of the specified bus and equipment is also checked. In the absence of one of the parameters or the absence of an element specified in parameter, a message

error is generated.

  Depending on its nature, i.e. whether it is immediate or deferred, the request is placed at the top of the list

  requests to be executed or scheduled at the desired time.

  The first general module includes a manager of requests to be executed, or scheduler, which triggers the execution of the latter at the desired time, according to the order of priority which has been allocated to them, controls their correctness.

  progress, and deletes them at the end of the interrogation.

  At the scheduled execution time, or immediately if it is an immediate request, the planner directs the request and its parameters to the concerned protocol stack, with the name of the file in which the results of the request

will need to be stored.

  The protocol stack then executes the received request by dialoguing with the equipment concerned through the

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  corresponding communication channel and according to the protocol

specific suitable.

  The results of the request are retrieved by the protocol stack which requests their registration in the result file whose name has been passed in parameter to the stack by the

first general module.

  If the file already exists, the results are written at the end of the results file. Otherwise, the file is

  created and the results are entered there.

  A report on the proper execution of the request is

then addressed to the planner.

  If the request has been defined as periodic, the planner replaces it in the list of requests to be executed at a later date and time determined by the

initial settings.

  For a non-periodic request, the planner

  just remove the request from the list.

  If the connection which has been established between the interrogation station and the remote collection device is still active, as is generally the case in the case of an immediate request for a single counter, the file

  result is immediately transmitted to the interrogation station.

  On the other hand, if the disconnection has already taken place, for example if it is a deferred order, the result file is kept in the remote collection device, available to the interrogation station, which can collect this file at

on the occasion of a subsequent appeal.

  We understand that the entire phase of analyzing requests, verifying their validity and referring to the specific communication channel takes place independently

  of the protocol used on this path.

  Thus, it is clear that the addition of a new communication channel using a specific protocol linked to a particular device does not cause any modification of the first general module, except the appearance of a new one.

  protocol stack name, the only new element of the device.

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  It is understood that the embodiment which has just been described has no limiting character and can receive any desirable modification without going out for

that of the scope of the invention.

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Claims (12)

  1. Device for telecollecting data supplied by remote devices (3) connected to said device by specific channels (6) each respecting a particular communication protocol, characterized in that it comprises an interrogation interface (9,10 ) allowing, through the use of a common language, to dialogue with any of the specific channels, to collect data supplied individually by each device. (3) 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the interrogation interface (9,10) consists of a first general module (10) and a plurality of second modules each of which is attached to a channel specific, the function of the first general module (9) being to receive requests from outside the device, to interpret them and to send appropriate orders to the second module attached to the specific channel by which the device object of the interrogation is connected to the device, then to transmit to the outside the response coming from said second module, and the function of each of the second modules being to execute the orders coming from the first module by dialoguing with the device to be interrogated according to the protocol of the corresponding specific channel, then collect the responses of the interrogated device from the channel to put them in layout of the first module.   3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the responses of the interrogated device are stored   as a file by the second module.   4. Device according to any one of claims 2   and 3, characterized in that the first general module (10) is divided into a parser (lob), which checks the grammar of requests from outside and identifies the nature of each request, and an interpreter (10a) , which determines the second modules concerned by the requests and sends them the appropriate orders. il 2783989   5. Device according to any one of claims 1   to 4, characterized in that it includes a clock and a memory for storing requests defined as having to be   performed deferred or periodically.   6. Device according to any one of claims 1   to 5, characterized by the fact that it includes serial buses for connecting the various specific channels to the interrogation interface.   7. Device according to any one of claims 1   to 6, characterized in that the interface is implemented   by a computer operating in multitasking and in real time.   8. Device according to any one of claims 1   to 7, characterized in that it includes specific channel monitoring systems capable of determining whether   one of the devices connected to said device is out of order.   9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the monitoring systems are arranged to emit an alert signal in the event of detection of a   malfunction of one of the devices.   10. Device according to any one of the claims   1 to 9, characterized in that it is equipped with at least one   specific channel respecting the M-BUS protocol.   11. Device according to any one of the claims   1 to 10, characterized in that it is equipped with at least one   specific route respecting the EURIDIS protocol.   12. Device according to any one of claims   1 to 11il, characterized in that it is provided with a modem   allowing remote interrogation.