JP2000324028A - Communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication device by which a position and internal information or the like of a pipeline embedded underground can easily be observed on the ground. SOLUTION: An information collection device fitted to a pipeline embedded underground makes communication by means of electromagnetic induction with an observation device on the ground, transmits information with respect to the pipeline detected by an in-tube information detection section 212 to the observation device, a battery 215 stores an induced electromotive force generated in the case of the reception from the observation device, this power is used to supply required power and the information collection device can reply the observation device with a high power output.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to, for example, a water pipe, a gas pipe, and a power pipe buried underground, which are attached to pipelines, and transmit information related to the pipelines by electromagnetic induction wireless communication. The present invention relates to a communication device for transmitting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, several methods have been put to practical use for specifying the burial positions of pipes buried underground such as water pipes, gas pipes, and power pipes.

[0003] As a first method, there is a method of specifying by performing surveying on the basis of a piping management drawing at the time of construction, or specifying an index provided on the ground at the time of construction.
As a second method, there is a pulse radar method in which an electromagnetic pulse is incident on the ground from the ground, and the electromagnetic pulse is specified based on a difference in a reflected wave between the ground and a pipe. As a third method, a magnetic field is generated in the pipeline itself or a device propelled in the pipeline, or a magnetic field is generated by flowing an electric current in the pipeline itself, and the magnetic field is specified by detecting the magnetic field from the ground. There is an electromagnetic induction method. A fourth method is, for example, an infrared thermal imaging method in which infrared radiation energy radiated from a fluid flowing in a pipeline is detected and specified.

[0004]

However, although the first method is a very simple method, the piping management drawing and the index become useless as indicating the actual position of the pipeline due to ground deformation caused by an earthquake or the like. Sometimes. In the second to fourth methods, a special device is required, and the handling thereof requires specialized knowledge.

In recent years, attempts have been made to obtain information on pipes such as the temperature of water flowing through the pipes, residual chlorine, and the direction of the water flow, in addition to the above-described location of the pipes.

[0006] This is because, for example, the water pipe path is generally very complicated, and the water flow at the time of design may be reversed due to the corrosion accumulated in the pipe. When the water pipe whose location is specified is replaced, it is used for specifying a valve to be closed by specifying the direction of water flowing through a pipe including the water pipe.

[0007] However, the above four methods are mainly aimed at specifying the position of the pipeline, and the first and second methods cannot obtain in-pipe information without excavating the ground. In the third method, for example, it is possible to specify only the direction of the flow of the fluid in the pipe. In the fourth method, it is possible to specify the temperature of the pipe surface from the temperature distribution of the imaged data.

As described above, in the first to fourth methods, although it is possible to specify the position of the pipeline, it is insufficient to obtain the in-pipe information. At the time of construction, an information collecting device is attached to a pipe, and information such as the temperature in the pipe and the direction of the flow in the pipe is obtained by a sensor such as a thermistor and a thermocouple provided in the apparatus.

However, such an information collecting device includes a storage device for storing in-pipe information measured by a sensor,
Although a battery for driving the sensor and the storage device is provided, it is necessary to periodically collect or replace the storage device and the battery.

In order to solve such a problem, it is conceivable to wire-connect the above-mentioned information collecting apparatus and an observation apparatus arranged on the ground. For example, when investigating a buried pipe just under a road, However, there is a problem that the observation device cannot always be installed on the ground. It is to be noted that a method of acquiring the in-pipe information obtained by the information collecting device by wireless communication on the observation device side is also conceivable, but in general, the ground and water hardly pass electromagnetic waves, and thus have not been put to practical use.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and has a function of artificially generating a magnetic field, fluctuating the magnetic field, and performing electromagnetic induction communication using the magnetic field fluctuation. The detected in-pipe information can be wirelessly transmitted to the observation device side, for example, via the ground or water. Not only can the various sensors provide the necessary power, but they can also be used to respond to the observation equipment with high output, and can be used semi-permanently by attaching them to buried pipelines during construction. It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication device such as an information collection device capable of performing such operations.

[0012]

A communication device according to a first aspect of the present invention is attached to a pipe (P), and the pipe (P)
Communication device (204, 205, 207-210) that performs electromagnetic induction type wireless communication, and stores induced electromotive force generated at the time of communication in a communication device (2) that detects information related to the information and transmits the detection result. And a storage battery (215).

A communication device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the communication device of the first aspect, wherein the power stored in the storage battery (215) is supplied to equipment connected to the storage battery (215). And

A communication device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the communication device according to the first or second aspect.
In the communication device (2) of the invention, the communication device (204,
205, 207 to 210) for performing full-duplex communication.

According to the communication device of the first aspect, the information is attached to the pipeline and transmits information on the pipeline to, for example, an observation device by electromagnetic induction wireless communication.
The information collection device as described above is configured as this communication device, and the observation device is also provided with an electromagnetic induction type wireless communication function so that information such as in-pipe information obtained by the information collection device can be wirelessly transmitted to the observation device. Can be received.

In addition, the induced electromotive force generated by the electromagnetic induction at the time of communication is stored, and not only can the information collection device supply the required power, but also this power can be used to observe at a high output. A response can be made to the device side, and such an information collecting device can be used semi-permanently by being attached to a buried conduit at the time of construction.

In the present invention, the information obtained by the communication device configured as the information collecting device can be not only the information in the pipe, but also information such as the temperature of the pipe itself and the temperature around the pipe. Further, the information collecting device as the communication device according to the present invention is not limited to the transmitting side, and the observation device is not limited to the receiving side. As shown in an embodiment described later,
It may be configured to perform bidirectional communication between both devices.
Further, in the present invention, the position of the pipeline is not limited to underground or underwater, and the installation position of the communication device is not limited, as long as the communication device is attached to the pipeline. Good.

According to the communication device of the second aspect, the stored power is supplied to the device connected thereto, so that the power can be used, for example, as the driving power of a sensor included in the information collection device.

According to the communication device of the third invention, since the communication device is configured to perform communication in a full-duplex system, transmission and reception between the information collection device and the observation device can be performed simultaneously, thereby improving the throughput. It is possible to

[0020]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings showing the embodiments. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a relationship between an information collection device as a communication device according to the present invention and an observation device.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an observation device. The observation device 1 is movable on the ground, and is an information collecting device as a communication device according to the present invention mounted on a pipe P buried underground. 2, the position of the information collection device 2, that is, the position of the pipeline P can be specified using the electromagnetic induction type wireless communication, and the pipeline P detected by the information collection device 2 can be specified.
You can get the information inside.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the observation device 1. The observation device 1 includes a control unit 100, a display unit 10
1, operation unit 102, data storage unit 103, encoding unit 10
4, modulation section 105, amplification section 106, coil antenna section 1
07, fluctuation detecting section 108, demodulating section 109, and decoding section 1
10 and so on.

The control unit 100 includes a CPU and the like, and controls each unit of the observation device 1 connected thereto. Display unit 101
Displays information acquired from the information collection device 2 described later, the state of the information collection device 2 or the observation device 1, and the like. Operation unit 1
Reference numeral 02 includes a keyboard, a mouse, and the like, and inputs instruction information for controlling the information collection device 2 or the observation device 1 and information such as an observation history. Further, the data storage unit 103 stores information acquired from the information collection device 2.

The display unit 101, the operation unit 102, and the data storage unit 103 are composed of a personal computer.
A configuration for serial connection via a 232C interface may be used. Further, a configuration in which communication with a personal computer is performed via a modem may be adopted.

The encoding section 104 encodes the information input from the operation section 102 and supplies the encoded information to the modulation section 105. The modulation unit 105 transmits the encoded information to a carrier wavelength (for example, 13
The frequency is modulated to 2 kHz), and this is given to the amplifier 106. The amplification unit 106 amplifies the frequency-modulated information and supplies the amplified information to the coil antenna unit 107.

The coil antenna section 107 is provided with a coil antenna for electromagnetic induction communication in which the winding core is arranged in the up and down direction, and the coil antenna is changed by changing the impedance of the coil antenna into two types to flow through the coil antenna. The amount of current is set to HI / LOW, and information provided from the amplifying unit 106 is transmitted on a magnetic field generated in accordance with the current amount. Similarly, the coil antenna unit 107 receives the information transmitted from the information collection device 2 as a variation in the amount of current, and provides the variation to the variation detection unit 108.

The fluctuation detecting section 108 binarizes the fluctuation of the current amount by envelope detection and supplies the binarized signal to the demodulating section 109. The demodulation unit 109 demodulates the binarized information and decodes the information.
Give to. Decoding section 110 decodes the demodulated information and provides it to control section 100.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the information collection device 2 as a communication device according to the present invention. The information collection device 2 includes a control unit 200, a data storage unit 203, an encoding unit 204, a modulation unit 205, a coil antenna unit 207, a fluctuation detection unit 208, a demodulation unit 209, a decoding unit 210, an I / O port 211, and in-tube information detection. Unit 212, clock generation unit 2
13, a power generation unit 214, a storage battery 215, and the like.

The control section 200 includes a CPU and the like, and controls each section of the information collecting apparatus 2 connected thereto. The data storage unit 203 stores information acquired from the observation device 1 and information detected by the in-pipe information detection unit 212. I /
The O port 211 can be connected to various devices via the O port 211, and transmits information obtained from these devices to the observation device 1 and performs communication with other communication devices. Is possible.

The in-pipe information detecting section 212 includes various sensors such as a thermistor and a thermocouple provided in the pipe P. In response to a detection instruction from the control section 200, the temperature, water flow, Control unit 200 detects the direction of the
Give to. Note that the sensor is not limited to the above-described sensor. For example, when a power pipe is used as a target pipeline P, the power amount or the like can be used.

The coil antenna unit 207 includes a coil antenna for electromagnetic induction communication, a rectifier, and the like, arranged with the winding core facing up and down, and transmits information transmitted from the observation device 1 to the coil antenna. , And the fluctuation detection unit 208 detects this. In addition, when the information collection device 2 is attached to the metal pipeline P,
To adversely affect communication, it is desirable to configure the coil antenna as a cored coil antenna wound around a ferromagnetic material.

The fluctuation detecting section 208 binarizes the fluctuation of the current amount detected as described above by envelope detection, and demodulates the demodulated signal.
Give to 9. The demodulation unit 209 demodulates and extracts a predetermined frequency component from the binarized information and supplies the demodulated signal to the decoding unit 210. The decoding unit 210 transmits the demodulated information to the control unit 200
And gives it to the control unit 200.

The clock generation section 213 generates a clock signal in accordance with a change in the amount of current flowing through the coil antenna section 207 and supplies the clock signal to the control section 200.

The encoding section 204 encodes information supplied from the control section 200 in synchronization with the clock signal, and supplies the encoded information to the modulation section 205. The modulation unit 205 frequency-modulates the encoded information to a carrier wavelength (for example, 132 kHz) and supplies the modulated information to the coil antenna unit 207. The coil antenna unit 207 changes the amount of current flowing through the coil to HI by changing the impedance of the coil antenna to two types.
/ LOW, and the magnetic field generated in response to this
05 and send it.

The power generation section 214 extracts power from the current rectified by the coil antenna section 207 and supplies it to the storage battery 215. The storage battery 215 includes a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery.
The power supplied from is stored.

The electric power stored in the storage battery 215 is
For example, it may be used to drive various sensors such as a thermistor and a thermocouple included in the in-pipe information detection unit 212, or may be used to increase communication strength. In addition, power may be supplied to various devices connected to the information collection device 2 via the I / O port 211.

Although the function of specifying the position of the information collecting device 2 is not particularly described in the observation device 1 described above, the electromagnetic induction has directivity, and the winding direction of the pair of coil antennas is Communication is possible only in a state where the communication is substantially opposite to the communication. Using this principle, the observation device 1 is moved near the ground where the information collection device 2 is considered to be buried, and information is collected directly below the position where the magnetic field generated by the information collection device 2 detected by the observation device 1 is strongest. The position of the device 2 can be specified.

The information collecting device 2 as a communication device according to the present invention is configured as described above, and can acquire the in-pipe information detected by the information collecting device 2 from the observation device 1 by electromagnetic induction communication. In addition, predetermined information can be transmitted from the observation device 1 to the information collection device 2 and stored in the information collection device 2. These functions will be described below. Note that the stored information can be appropriately acquired from the observation device 1 side, and can be, for example, an observation date and time, an observation history of an observation contractor, etc., but the contents are not limited in the present invention. Absent.

FIG. 4 shows the data storage unit 2 of the information collection device 2.
It is a flowchart which shows the procedure by which the observation apparatus 1 acquires the information (in-pipe information) stored in 03. First, the observation device 1 is arranged so as to be directly above the information collection device 2 as described above, and an operator inputs a predetermined information request command from the operation unit 102 of the observation device 1 (step 11).
In response, the observation device 1 first starts transmission of an unmodulated carrier wave that does not include information (step 12). The information collection device 2 that has started receiving the unmodulated carrier wave starts generating power in the power generation unit 214 in response to this,
5 (step 13), and the clock generator 213 starts generating a clock signal (step 14).

While the information collection device 2 generates power while receiving the unmodulated carrier, the information collection device 2 may be configured to generate power even in response to receiving a modulated carrier including normal transmission information. Good.

Next, the observation device 1 transmits the information request command input in step 11 (step 15).
The information collection device 2 receives the information request command transmitted from the observation device 1 (step 16), and outputs a detection instruction from the control unit 200 to the in-judgment information detection unit 212 in response to the command. From the detection unit 212 to the control unit 20
The in-pipe information given to 0 is temporarily stored in the data storage unit 103 (step 17), and the stored information is transmitted upon completion of the detection (step 18).

The observation device 1 receives the in-service information transmitted from the information collection device 2 (step 19), and determines whether or not the reception has been normally completed (step 20). If it is determined that reception has not been completed normally by detecting a timeout, an error, or the like, the process from step 15 is repeated to retransmit the information request command. The retransmission is limited to two times. On the other hand, if the reception has been completed normally, the transmission of the transmitted unmodulated carrier is terminated (step 21), and the generation of power in the information collection device 2 is stopped accordingly.

FIG. 5 shows information (writing information) such as observation history from the observation device 1 stored in the data storage unit 203 of the information collection device 2.
5 is a flowchart showing a procedure for storing the information. First, the observation device 1 is arranged so as to be directly above the information collection device 2 as described above, and an operator inputs predetermined writing information from the operation unit 102 of the observation device 1 (step 31).
In response, the observation device 1 first starts transmission of an unmodulated carrier wave that does not include information (step 32). The information collection device 2 that has started receiving the unmodulated carrier wave starts generating power in the power generation unit 214 in response to this,
5 (step 33), and the clock generator 213 starts generating a clock signal (step 34).

Next, the observation device 1 transmits the write information input in step 31 (step 35). The information collection device 2 receives the write information transmitted from the observation device 1 (Step 36), and stores the received information in the data storage unit 103.
(Step 37). When the processing up to the storage is completed normally, an ACK (Acknowledgement) is transmitted, and when the reception or storage of the write information is not performed normally, a NACK is transmitted (step 38).

The observation device 1 receives the information transmitted from the information collection device 2 (step 39), and the received information is ACK.
Is determined (step 40). If it is NACK, the processing from step 35 is repeated to retransmit the write information. The retransmission is limited to two times. On the other hand, if the received information is ACK, the transmission of the transmitted unmodulated carrier is terminated (step 41).
In response to this, the generation of power in the information collection device 2 is stopped.

The write information stored in the data storage unit 203 of the information processing apparatus 2 as described above can be acquired by the observation apparatus 1 in the same manner as the in-pipe information by the procedure shown in FIG. It is possible.

Incidentally, reference numerals are provided in the claims for convenience of comparison with the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the attached drawings.

[0048]

As described in detail above, the communication device according to the present invention is attached to a pipeline and transmits information on the pipeline to an observation device by, for example, electromagnetic induction wireless communication. By configuring such an information collection device as this communication device, and by providing the observation device with an electromagnetic induction type wireless communication function, information such as in-pipe information obtained by the information collection device is wirelessly received by the observation device. be able to.

In addition, the induced electromotive force generated by the electromagnetic induction during communication is stored, and not only can the information collection device supply the required power, but also this power can be used for observation at high output. A response can be made to the device side, and such an information collecting device can be used semi-permanently by being attached to a buried conduit at the time of construction.

Since the stored electric power is supplied to the equipment connected thereto, the electric power can be used, for example, as the driving electric power of a sensor included in the information collecting apparatus.

Furthermore, since the communication device is configured to perform communication in a full-duplex system, transmission and reception between the information collection device and the observation device can be performed simultaneously, thereby improving the throughput. The invention has excellent effects.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between an information collection device as a communication device according to the present invention and an observation device.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an observation device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information collecting device as a communication device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure in which an observation device acquires information (in-service information) stored in a data storage unit of the information collection device.

FIG. 5: Information such as observation history from the observation device (writing information)
5 is a flowchart showing a procedure for storing in the data storage unit of the information collection device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Information collecting device 204 Encoding unit 205 Modulating unit 207 Coil antenna unit 208 Fluctuation detecting unit 209 Demodulating unit 210 Decoding unit 215 Storage battery P Pipe

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5K012 AA03 AB02 AC08 AC10 AE13 BA02 5K048 BA21 BA34 DB01 EB10 FB09 GC03 HA32

Claims (3)

[Claims] A communication device (2) attached to a pipeline (P) for detecting information on the pipeline (P) and transmitting a detection result, the communication device performing electromagnetic induction wireless communication. 204, 205,
207 to 210) and a storage battery (215) for storing induced electromotive force generated during communication. 2. The communication device (2) according to claim 1, wherein the power stored in the storage battery (215) is supplied to a device connected thereto. 3. The communication device (204, 205, 207-
The communication device (2) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the communication device (210) performs full-duplex communication.