JP2003030773A - Radio data collection system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for coping with especially installation of a radio master machine and a radio slave machine in a site in a system to communicate various kinds of data about housing equipment with a center side through radio or a line. SOLUTION: Judgment of quality of communication state between the radio master machine 6 and the radio slave machine 2 is enabled simply by observing the radio master machine 6 and the radio slave machine 2 and selection of installed places is easily coped with one person by providing the radio master machine 6 with a master machine receiving level judging means 7 to judge a receiving level from the radio slave machine 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wireless data collection system that communicates various data of housing equipment with a center side wirelessly and via a line, and particularly to an operation at the time of installing a wireless master device and a wireless slave device. It is a thing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional wireless data acquisition system of this type is generally shown in FIG. In FIG. 7, 2
1 is a gas meter in each home. Reference numeral 22 is a wireless slave device attached (or built-in) to the gas meter 21. Reference numeral 25 is a wireless master device that communicates with a public line and the like and wirelessly communicates with the wireless slave device 22. Reference numeral 26 is a transmitting / receiving means for transmitting / receiving wireless data of the wireless master device 25 or the wireless slave device 22.

Reference numeral 27 is a line such as a telephone line. 28 communicates with the wireless master device 25 through the line 27 and the gas meter 2
This is a center-side device that collects various kinds of data.

In FIG. 7, a wireless master device 25 and a wireless slave device 2 are shown.
In the installation procedure of No. 2, the wireless master device 25 and the wireless slave device 22 are brought close to each other to activate the external input signal detection means 23 of the wireless master device 25 to put the transmission / reception means 26 built in the wireless master device 25 into a reception signal waiting state. .

Then, within a predetermined period of time, the wireless slave unit 22 also operates the external input signal detecting means 23 of the wireless slave unit 22 in the same manner, and the transmitting / receiving means 26 built in the wireless slave unit 22 as information of the wireless slave unit 22 as wireless data. Output it and put it in a waiting state for a received signal. The wireless master device 25 receives the wireless data and stores the address of the wireless slave device, which is included in the wireless data and is used for communication during communication. Similarly, the wireless master device 25 outputs information to which the address of the wireless master device for identifying the other party used during communication is added as wireless data. Wireless cordless handset 2
2 stores the address of the wireless master device for receiving the wireless data and identifying the other party used during communication. Therefore wireless base unit 2
5 and the wireless slave device 22, the wireless master device 25 activates the notification means 24b of the wireless master device 25, assuming that a relationship has been established between them.
The wireless slave device 22 activates the notification means 24a of the wireless slave device 22. After that, the wireless master device 25 is installed on a telephone pole or the wall of the house, the wireless slave device 22 is installed near the meter, and finally the communication test is performed from the center side device 28.

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional wireless data collection system, when the wireless master device 25 and the wireless slave device 22 are installed, the wireless master device 25 and the wireless slave device 22 are first aligned with each other, and then the wireless master device is installed. 25 is installed on the wall of the house, and the wireless slave device 22 is installed on the pipe shaft (hereinafter referred to as PS) where the gas meter and the water meter of the housing complex are installed.
After that, a communication test is performed from the center-side device 28, but when a building or a PS iron door is present in the wireless section, the radio wave is attenuated and falls below the reception level that the wireless device can receive.
And wireless communication of the wireless slave device 22 is disabled. Also,
Even if the communication test succeeds, the next communication may not be successful due to a change in environment at a value at which the wireless device can receive the signal at the very end of the reception level.

In this way, the wireless master device 25 and the wireless slave device 22 are
If the wireless communication cannot be confirmed from the center side, the installation locations of the wireless master device 25 and the wireless slave device 22 are changed, and then the communication test is notified to the center again and the communication test from the center is successful. It will be done until. The conventional wireless data collection system has the above problems.

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a wireless slave unit with a master unit reception level determining means for determining a reception level from a wireless slave unit. From the wireless cordless handset starts transmission with the signal from
The reception level received by the wireless master device is added to the data and transmitted to the wireless slave device, and whether the communication status is good or not can be discriminated between the wireless master device side and the wireless slave device side by the reception level of the data being above or below the specified value. It was done.

According to the above invention, since the wireless communication test can be performed by using the wireless master unit and the wireless slave unit without the communication confirmation from the center side after the installation, it is easy to confirm the installation location and can be handled by one person. It becomes possible to do.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A wireless data collection system according to claim 1 of the present invention communicates with a wireless slave device provided in a housing equipment and a wireless slave device via a wireless line, and the housing equipment. In a wireless data collection system composed of a center side device for collecting various data of equipment and a wireless master unit that communicates through a line, the wireless slave unit transmits a wireless message by a signal from the outside and transmits the message. A slave unit transmitting and receiving means for receiving a response message to, a slave unit reporting unit configured to report the response message received by the slave unit transmitting and receiving unit based on the analyzed data, and the wireless master unit receives data received from the wireless slave unit. A base unit reception level determination means for determining a reception level and a message received from the wireless handset and the determination data acquired by the base unit reception level determination means are transmitted in response message. A machine receiving means, and has a base unit informing means for informing the determination result of the base unit reception determination level determination means.

Then, the data measured by the master reception level determination means of the wireless master device is transmitted as a response message from the wireless slave device, and the received wireless slave device changes the contents of the notification means according to the measured data to perform wireless communication. Since it is possible to notify whether the radio wave condition is good or bad and to notify the radio wave condition by the notifying means of the wireless master device, the installation location can be easily determined when the wireless master device and the wireless slave device are installed.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the wireless data collection system, the transmission / reception means of the wireless slave device transmits a wireless message after a predetermined delay time has elapsed after receiving a signal from the outside. It has a means.

Since the wireless slave device transmits a wireless telegram by the transmitting / receiving means after a predetermined delay time has elapsed after receiving a signal from the outside, when the wireless slave device is attached to a PS or the like, the wireless slave device is operated. Since the data is transmitted after the PS door is closed, it is possible to confirm the communication in the same state as the actual installation.

In the wireless data collection system according to claim 3 of the present invention, the wireless base unit determines the reception level of the received data from the wireless slave unit by the base unit reception level determination means, and then the base unit reception level determination means. In addition to transmitting the determination data acquired in step 1 to the wireless slave device, the wireless device also has a master unit notification means that operates according to a response from the wireless slave device.

After the wireless master unit confirms that the wireless slave unit has received the determination data, the wireless master unit operates the master unit informing means to improve the reliability of the operation.

Further, in the wireless data collection system according to claim 4 of the present invention, the wireless slave device transmits the wireless message to the wireless master device at least twice and is transmitted from the wireless master device twice or more. The slave unit notifying unit is operated according to the determination data acquired by the master unit reception level determining unit.

Since the wireless slave device reports the result of the reception level determination performed twice or more by the wireless master device, the reliability of the notification content is improved.

Further, in the wireless data collection system according to claim 5 of the present invention, the wireless master device determines at least the received message from the wireless slave device by the master device reception level determining means at least twice. The machine alarm means is operated.

Since the wireless master device reports the result of determining the reception level from the wireless slave device twice or more, the reliability of the notification content is improved.

Further, in the wireless data collection system according to claim 6 of the present invention, the wireless base unit notification means performs different notification until the base unit reception level determination means operates the base unit notification means. It has two parent device notification means.

Then, the wireless base unit makes another notification until the determination result is notified, so that the operating state can be grasped and the operability is improved.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a wireless data collection system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a gas meter in each home. Reference numeral 2 is a wireless slave device attached (or built-in) to the gas meter 1. Reference numeral 6 denotes a wireless master device which communicates with a public line and the like and also wirelessly communicates with the wireless slave device 2.

In the wireless slave unit 3, 3a is an external signal detecting means for detecting a signal from the outside. Reference numeral 5a denotes a transmitting / receiving unit 5a that transmits a wireless electronic message according to a signal detected by an external signal detecting unit 3a built in the wireless slave device 2 and receives a response electronic message to the transmitted electronic message. Reference numeral 4a is a notifying means for analyzing the response message received by the transmitting / receiving means 5a of the wireless slave device 2 and notifying by the analyzed data.

In the wireless master device 6, reference numeral 7 is a master device reception level determining means for determining the reception level of the received data from the wireless slave device 2 (for example, the electric field strength of reception measured on the receiving side). Reference numeral 5b incorporated in the wireless master device 6 is a transmission / reception means 5b for receiving a message from the wireless slave device 2 and transmitting the reception level acquired by the master device reception level determination means 7. Reference numeral 3b is an external signal detecting means for detecting a signal from the outside. Reference numeral 9 is a line such as a telephone line. 10 is a wireless master device 6 through a line 9
It is a center side device that communicates with and collects various data of the gas meter 1.

In FIG. 1, the center-side device 10 sends a command to collect various data such as the meter reading value of the gas meter 1 and security data to the wireless master device 6 through the line 9.
The line 9 here is a wired telephone line, PHS, PDC, PD
It may be a wireless telephone line such as CP or a dedicated line dedicated to the system. The wireless base unit 6 has a built-in transmitting / receiving means 5b.
Thus, the command from the center side device 10 is transmitted wirelessly. When the wireless slave device 2 receives the wireless signal from the wireless master device 6 by the built-in transmitting / receiving means 5a, the gas meter 1
The operating state and data of the above are collected, and the result is sent again to the wireless master device 6 via wireless. Upon receiving the wireless response from the wireless slave device 2 by the built-in transmitting / receiving means 5b, the wireless master device 6 sends the content to the center side device 10 through the line 9.

However, when the above-mentioned wireless communication is actually performed, it is necessary to preliminarily align the wireless master device 6 and the wireless slave device 2 at the time of installation. As a method of framing, the wireless master device 6 and the wireless slave device 2 are brought close to each other to activate the external signal detecting means 3b incorporated in the wireless master device 6.

For example, the external signal detecting means 3b is a lead SW.
A signal from the outside is detected by bringing a magnet or the like close to the structure with the built-in etc. Since the wireless master device 6 performs framing by detecting a signal from the outside, the transmitting / receiving means 5b incorporated in the wireless master device 6 is put in a waiting state for receiving wireless data of the wireless slave device 2.

After that, the external signal detecting means 3a incorporated in the wireless slave device 2 is activated within a predetermined period (for example, about 2 seconds). The transmitting / receiving means 5a built in the wireless slave device 2 outputs the information of the wireless slave device 2 as wireless data by detecting a signal from the outside, and when it finishes outputting, this time it receives the wireless data of the wireless master device 6 and is in a waiting state. to go into.

The wireless master device 6 receives the wireless data from the wireless slave device 2 and stores the address of the wireless slave device for identifying the other party used during communication as slave device information. Next, the information of the wireless master device 6 (the address of the wireless master device for identifying the other party) is transmitted as the master device information, and the notifying means 4b is operated to notify that the framing on the wireless master device 6 side is completed. The notification means may be recognized by an LED or LCD, or may be recognized by a sound such as a buzzer.

Next, the wireless slave unit 2 has a built-in transmitting / receiving means 5
The wireless slave device receives the wireless data from the wireless master device 6 by a and stores it as the master device information (address of the wireless master device for identifying the other party) and notifies that the framing on the wireless slave device 2 side is completed. The notification means 4a built in 2 is operated. As a result, the connection between the wireless master device 6 and the wireless slave device 2 is established.

After that, it is necessary to install the wireless master device 6 and the wireless slave device 2 at the locations where they are actually installed. For example, the wireless master device 6 is installed on the second floor wall of the house near the telephone line 9, and the wireless slave device 2 is installed near the gas meter 1. After the installation, the center side device 10 confirms communication using an actual line.

However, depending on the positions where the wireless master device 6 and the wireless slave device 2 are attached, for example, when the distance between the wireless master device 6 and the wireless slave device 2 is long, or when there is an obstacle or a shield in the middle, the radio wave is in the middle. If the wireless master unit 6 and the wireless slave unit 2 are mounted close to each other and installed at the installation location, the communication test from the center side device 10 is not completed and the communication is not successful. There is.

Here, before installing the wireless master device 6 and the wireless slave device 2, the actual installation of the wireless master device 6 and the wireless slave device 2 is performed without using the telephone line 9 in advance. If it is possible to check the reception level value depending on the environment, the wireless base unit 6
Since it is possible to decide the installation location of the wireless slave device 2, after the wireless master device 6 and the wireless slave device 2 are installed and the communication test from the center side device 10 is performed, the communication fails and the communication fails again. There is no need to move the wireless master device 6 or the wireless slave device 2 and retest.

Therefore, after the wireless master device 6 and the wireless slave device 2 are connected to each other, the wireless master device 6 and the wireless slave device 2 are temporarily fixed to the place where the wireless master device 6 and the wireless slave device 2 are to be installed, and the wireless reception level is measured in that state. .

The method is carried out by using the external signal detecting means 3a already built in the wireless slave device 2.

In order to distinguish this from the operation at the time of framing, it is said that the detection time of the external signal detecting means 3a is, for example, 1 second or more for transmission at the time of framing and 3 seconds or more for transmission for measuring the reception level after installation. To distinguish.

The wireless slave unit 2 outputs a wireless message of a reception level confirmation request to the wireless master unit 6 by detecting a predetermined signal from the outside using the transmitting / receiving means 5a built in the wireless slave unit 2, and when the output is completed. The transmission / reception means 5a built in the wireless slave device 2 enters the waiting state for receiving the wireless data of the wireless master device 6.

The radio base unit 6 receives the radio data from the radio handset 2 by the transmitting / receiving means 5b built in the radio base unit 6 and when it judges that the reception level confirmation request is received, the base unit reception level judging means 7 receives it at that time. Receive the received radio level.
At this time, even if the parent device reception level determination means 7 determines that the reception level confirmation request has been received after the wireless data has been completely received, the wireless data has not been output yet, so that the wireless reception level is determined for every wireless reception. It is better to store it.

The transmission / reception means 5b built in the wireless master device 6 attaches the reception level received from the master device reception level determination means 7 and transmitted from the wireless slave device 2 and actually received by the wireless master device 6 to the wireless slave device 6. Send a response message to 2. At this time, the wireless master device 6 is configured to notify the determination result of the master device reception level determination means 7 by the notification means 4b.

Next, the wireless slave unit 2 has a built-in transmitting / receiving means 5
When the wireless data to which the reception level from the wireless master device 6 is added is received by a and the radio wave state of the wireless slave device 2 and the wireless master device 6 is normal when the wireless data is equal to or more than a predetermined value, the wireless slave device 2 is built in the wireless slave device 2. The notification means 4a is activated.

At this time, if the alarm means is an LED or a buzzer that outputs the normal display and the abnormal display separately, if it is normal, it is continuously operated for 5 seconds or more, and if it is abnormal, it is operated at short intervals.

Therefore, if the signal from the notifying means is a normal signal, the installation work is performed at the current position, but if it is abnormal, the position of the wireless slave device 2 is moved to check the reception level again. It will be a test.

Here, the reception level may be confirmed by a configuration in which the reception level is confirmed from the wireless master device 6 as a starting point by a signal from the outside.

As described above, since the level at which actual wireless data is transmitted and received can be confirmed at the stage where the wireless master unit and the wireless slave unit are temporarily installed, the wireless communication is performed depending on the radio wave condition at the stage of the confirmation test using the telephone line 9. The wireless master unit can confirm the result of the confirmation test when the wireless slave unit is installed in a sealed place such as PS. Therefore, the installation work of the wireless master unit and the wireless slave unit can be performed smoothly. In addition, the wireless data transmission / reception operation of the system can be realized with high reliability.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a wireless data collecting system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 2, those having the same functions as those in FIG. 1 have the same names and the same reference numerals, and a description thereof will be omitted.

Reference numeral 12 is a data transmission delay means for providing a delay time between receiving an input from the external signal detection means 3a built in the radio base unit 6 and operating the transmission / reception means 5a to perform data transmission. The delay time is, for example, about 5 seconds, but the delay time may be set from an input unit (not shown).

By the data transmission delay means, the wireless slave unit 2
When confirming the communication at the time of installing the wireless master device 6 and the wireless slave device 2, if the wireless slave device 2 is installed in a space with a door such as PS,
After the external signal detecting means 3a of the wireless slave device 2 is operated, the data is transmitted after the time period during which the PS door is closed, so that it is possible to confirm the communication in the actual installation condition. Confirmation reliability is improved. Note that the data transmission delay means automatically detects the delay time such as detecting the opening and closing of the PS door by the light detection unit and the contact switch unit with the PS door, and not transmitting until it detects that the PS door is closed. It may be provided.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a wireless data collection system according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The operation of the wireless master device 6 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the wireless base unit 6 starts operating and receives a wireless message from the wireless base unit 2 (step 32), the wireless base unit 6 determines whether or not the reception level is above a predetermined level (step 33). , And transmits the determination result to the wireless slave device 2 (step 34). The wireless slave device 2 receives the wireless message,
When the determination result of the wireless master device 6 is normal, the response telegram is transmitted. When the wireless master device 6 receives the response message (step 35), the wireless master device 6 operates the master device notification means 4b to notify that the wireless slave device 2 has been normally received.

Normally, those having the same functions as those in FIG. 1 have the same names and the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

As described above, the wireless master device 6 operates the notification means after confirming that the wireless slave device 2 has normally received the reception level determination result, so that the reliability of the content of the notification is improved.

(Embodiment 4) FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a wireless data collection system according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. The operation of the wireless slave device 2 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

After the external signal detection terminal 3a of the wireless slave device 2 is operated to start the operation of the wireless slave device 2, a wireless telegram is transmitted to the wireless master device 6 (step 42). The wireless master device 6 receives the wireless message and detects whether or not there is a response to the determination data (step 43), and if there is the response, determines whether or not the response is the second time (step 44),
If the response is the first time, the other processing is performed (step 46), and the wireless telegram is transmitted again to the wireless master device 6 in the same manner as described above (step 42). If there is a second response from the wireless master device 6 (step 44), the wireless slave device notification means 4a is operated.

As described above, the wireless slave device 2 operates the wireless slave device notification means 4a after confirming the communication with the wireless master device 6 twice or more, so that the reliability of the notification content is improved. . The average of the reception levels received twice or more may be notified, or the maximum / minimum value of the reception level may be notified.

(Embodiment 5) FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a wireless data collection system according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention. The operation of the wireless master device 6 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the wireless master device 6 receives the wireless message from the wireless slave device 2 after the operation is started (step 52), it determines whether the reception level of the wireless message is equal to or higher than a predetermined level (step 53). It is determined whether or not this reception level is the second time (step 54), and if it is not the second time, other processing is performed (step 56), and the wireless telegram is received again from the wireless slave device 2 as described above. (Step 52). If the wireless telegram from the wireless slave device 2 is determined twice, the wireless master device notifying unit 4b is activated.

As described above, the wireless master device 6 operates the wireless master device notification means 4b after confirming the communication with the wireless slave device 2 at least twice, so that the reliability of the notification content is improved. .

(Sixth Embodiment) FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a wireless data collecting system according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. The operation of the wireless master device 6 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the wireless master device 6 receives the wireless message from the wireless slave device 2 after the operation is started (step 62), the second master device 2
The operation of the notification means is turned on (step 63), it is determined whether or not the reception level of the wireless message is equal to or higher than a predetermined level (step 64), and the determination result is transmitted to the wireless slave device 2 (step 65). If there is a response from the wireless slave unit 2 (step 66), the master unit notifying means 4b is notified (step 6).
7) However, until the response from the wireless slave device 2 is returned, the notification means of the wireless master device 6 is turned on / off to turn on / off the second notification means different from the notification of step 67. It is configured to let.

As described above, since the wireless master device 6 performs the second notification operation until it receives the wireless message of the response from the wireless slave device 2, it is known that the operation of the wireless communication is being confirmed, and the usability is improved. improves.

[0064]

As described above, according to the present invention, since it is possible to perform a wireless communication test by using the wireless master device and the wireless slave device in advance before installation, it is easy to select the installation location and by one person. It becomes possible to respond.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a wireless data collection system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a wireless data collection system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a wireless data collection system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a wireless data collection system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a wireless data collection system according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a wireless data collection system according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a conventional wireless data collection device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 21 Gas meter 2, 22 Wireless slave device 3, 23 External signal detecting means 4, 24 Notification means (master device notification means, slave device notification means) 5, 26 Transmitting / receiving means (master device transmitting / receiving means, slave device transmitting / receiving means) 6 , 25 Radio base unit 7 Base unit reception level judging means 9, 27 Telephone line or other line 10, 28 Center side device 11 Setting confirmation device 12 Data transmission delay means

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) G01F 15/06 G08C 17/00 ZF term (reference) 2F030 CC13 CE09 CE22 CE27 2F031 AE07 AE09 2F073 AA19 AB02 AB03 AB12 AB12 BB01 BC02 CC12 CC14 EF10 GG01 GG08 5K067 AA44 BB27 DD44 FF02 FF22 FF31 GG09 GG11 LL01 LL05

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A wireless slave device provided in housing equipment,
A wireless data collection system comprising a center side device for communicating with the wireless slave device via a wireless line and collecting various data of the housing equipment and a wireless master device for communicating via the line, The wireless slave unit is a slave unit transmitting / receiving a wireless message by a signal from the outside and receiving a response message to the transmitted message, and a slave unit that analyzes the response message received by the slave transmitting / receiving unit and notifies by the analyzed data. Notification unit, the wireless master unit determines the reception level of the received data from the wireless slave unit, the master unit reception level determination unit, and the determination received by the master unit reception level determination unit by receiving a message from the wireless slave unit Wireless data collection having a master unit transmitting / receiving unit for transmitting data by including it in a response message and a master unit notifying unit for notifying according to the judgment result of the master unit reception judgment level judging unit System. 2. The wireless transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission / reception device of the wireless slave device has a data transmission delay device for transmitting a wireless electronic message after a predetermined delay time has elapsed after receiving a signal from the outside. Data collection system. 3. The wireless master unit transmits the judgment data acquired by the master unit reception level judgment unit to the wireless slave unit after the reception level of the reception data from the wireless slave unit is judged by the master unit reception level judgment unit. The wireless data collection system according to claim 1, wherein the master unit notification unit is operated in response to a response from the wireless slave unit to the determination data. 4. The wireless slave device transmits a wireless telegram to the wireless master device at least twice, and at the same time, the slave device uses the judgment data acquired by the master device reception level judging means sent from the wireless master device twice or more. The wireless data collection system according to claim 1, wherein the machine alarm means is operated. 5. The wireless master unit operates the master unit informing unit by determining at least the received message from the wireless slave unit by the master unit reception level determining unit at least twice. The described wireless data collection system. 6. The wireless base unit notifying means has a second base unit notifying means for performing different notification until the base unit receiving level determining means operates the base unit notifying means. Item 1. The wireless data acquisition system according to item 1.