JP2003331374A - Fluid measurement interrupting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve problems in a device with radio equipment connected to a gas meter, wherein it is necessary to always monitor signals coming from the radio equipment of a meter man and it is also necessary to have large battery capacity for waiting to receive the radio signals. <P>SOLUTION: A transmission switch 2 is provided for starting transmission with the supply of a power source 1 to a transmission circuit 8, and the transmission switch 2 is operated when needing communication to omit the conventional necessity to monitor radio wave. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for measuring and interrupting fluid such as gas and water.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional fluid measuring and breaking device will be described by taking gas as an example. The gas meter measures the integrated value of the gas flow rate with a diaphragm, uses a battery such as a lithium battery as a power source, integrates the gas flow rate with a flow rate sensor, stores the flow rate pattern of the gas flow rate with a microcomputer, and deviates from the prescribed pattern, When abnormal gas pressure is detected by the pressure sensor, an abnormal signal from an external device such as a gas leak alarm,
When it receives an unsafe signal such as an earthquake signal from a seismic sensor, it has a function to shut off gas and prevent gas explosion or fire from gas leakage or forgetting to turn off gas appliances.

Some gas meters have a wired communication function. This is to communicate data such as a gas integrated value of a gas meter, a safety status, and a prescribed pattern with a gas inspection device (setting device) through a lead wire connection.
There are also those that connect the gas meter to a telephone line terminal device with a lead wire to perform remote management by telephone line, and those that are equipped with a wireless device in the gas meter to perform remote management by wireless connection with the telephone line terminal device. is there.

On the other hand, the gas usage fee is circulated by a meter-reader for each door, visually checking the integration counter of the gas meter, notifying by a slip and collecting the bill.

[0005]

However, the integration counter of the gas meter may be difficult to read due to the installation position of the gas meter, etc., which may cause a mistake. Also, when connecting a telephone line terminal device to a gas meter, it is possible to perform meter reading unattended, but installation work is required for that purpose, along with the cost of the device, depreciation costs for remote management devices, telephone charges, communication costs for sending slips and bills, etc. Takes. If the customer is close to a certain extent, it is expensive and difficult to put into practical use. Furthermore, when a wireless device is provided, it is expensive, and there is a problem in spreading it generally except in special cases.

Further, in a gas meter to which a wireless device is connected, it is necessary to constantly monitor signals coming from the wireless device of the meter reader, and it is necessary to have a large battery capacity for waiting for reception of the wireless signal. was there. In addition, in the case of a device with a wireless tag, it operates from the power from the wireless device of the meter reader, so it is extremely close (contact with the meter)
The wireless device and RFID tag must be fixed in place when communicating. These problems apply not only to gas meters but also to water meters and electricity meters.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention enables meter reading by wireless communication regardless of the installation position of the meter. Further, the transmission circuit is provided with a transmission switch for starting transmission, and the transmission switch is operated when communication is required, so that radio waves are constantly monitored and the battery is not consumed unlike the conventional case.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A fluid measurement interrupting device according to claim 1 of the present invention has a transmission switch for causing a transmission circuit to start transmission. Then, there is no need to monitor the transmission command signal coming from the wireless device of the meter reader, the battery capacity can be reduced, and resource saving is achieved.

A fluid measuring and breaking device according to a second aspect of the present invention has a wire circuit for communicating by connecting a lead wire and a radio wave generating circuit for converting into a radio wave for communication. Then, the gas measuring and interrupting device can communicate with either one, and the number of common parts of the radio wave generating circuit can be reduced.

A fluid measurement interruption device according to claim 3 of the present invention has a reed switch as a transmission switch. And
The reed switch enables operation by external magnetic force and saves battery capacity.

A fluid measurement cutoff device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention has a cutoff valve return switch that also serves as a transmission switch, a test cutoff switch, or a container exchange switch. Then, the transmission switch is realized for the purpose of the present invention without adding it.

The fluid measurement interruption device according to the fifth aspect of the present invention changes the content of the measurement data transmitted by the transmission circuit according to the opening / closing timing of the transmission switch. Then, various data can be selected and transmitted by the transmission switch.

A fluid measurement interruption device according to a sixth aspect of the present invention has a transmission switch of a magnetoresistive element, a hall element, a light detecting element, a piezoelectric element, an electromagnetic element, or a radio wave detecting element. Then, the transmission switch enables the operation utilizing the characteristics of each element.

A fluid measurement interruption device according to a seventh aspect of the present invention has a battery in each of a wired circuit and a radio wave generation circuit for performing communication by converting into a radio wave, and the radio wave generation circuit has a normally open transmission switch. Have. The radio wave generation circuit can be independently provided in the wired circuit.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. I will explain with gas, but it is not limited to this.

FIG. 1 shows a circuit diagram and a whole system of a fluid measuring and breaking device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numeral 1 represents a battery. Reference numeral 2 is a reed switch that is a transmission switch, 3 is a microcomputer, 4 is a receiving transistor, 5 is a wired circuit, 6 is a transistor that supplies power to the radio wave generation circuit, 7 is a transmission transistor, 8 is a radio wave generation circuit, and 9 is Varicap diode, 10 is a radio wave generating transistor, 11 is an antenna, 12 is a gas appliance, 13
Is a gas leak alarm device, 14 is a microcomputer meter which is a gas measurement cutoff device, 15 is a flow sensor, 16 is a gas cutoff valve, 1
7 is a pressure sensor, and 18 is a gas cylinder.

FIG. 2 shows a circuit diagram in which the wire circuit and the radio wave generating circuit are independently configured. Reference numeral 19 is a gas meter main circuit including a wired circuit, 20 is an independently configured radio wave generation circuit, 21 is a radio wave generator, 22 is a reed switch that is a transmission switch, 23 is a self-holding transistor, 24 is a microcomputer, and 25 is a battery. 26 is an EEPROM, and 27 is a transistor that sends a signal to a wired circuit.

First, the operation and action will be described with reference to FIG. Gas is supplied from the gas cylinder 18 to the gas appliance 12 through the microcomputer meter 14. The microcomputer meter detects the gas flow rate with the flow rate sensor 15, stores the integrated gas flow rate value in the microcomputer meter, and closes the shutoff valve 10 when the flow rate pattern is abnormal to prevent a gas accident. The gas pressure may be detected to determine the abnormality. The integrated gas flow rate value is displayed by a mechanical flow rate display counter (not shown), and the lead wire of a wired gas inspection device (setting device) can be connected to the DT terminal and the SG terminal to be read. Further, a gas inspection device equipped with a radio wave type reception device can also receive a radio wave signal transmitted from a radio wave generation circuit and read the gas integrated flow rate value and the like.

In the case of the meter reading by the wire type gas inspection device, the transistor 4 is turned on for a certain time by the microcomputer program of this inspection device. Then, the microcomputer 3 recognizes that it is a signal for starting communication, turns on the transistor 6 during communication, and turns on and off the transmission transistor 7 to transmit the meter reading value to this inspection device. When the transmission is completed, the transistor 7 is turned off for a certain period of time. These communications are performed at a communication speed (200 bps) of 200 times per second. The meter reading can also be performed by pressing the transmission switch 2 with the lead wire connected.

When the meter is read by the radio wave type gas inspection apparatus, the head of the radio wave type gas inspection apparatus is brought close to the reed switch 2 which is a transmission switch built in the meter. Then, when the switch of the radio wave type gas inspection device is turned on, the electromagnet provided at the tip of this head is energized and the reed switch 2 is turned on by the electromagnetic field. Upon receiving this input, the microcomputer 3 starts transmission.

First, the transistor 6 is turned on to supply power to the radio wave generating circuit 8. Then, the transistor 6 is turned on / off as described above. When on, the radio wave generation circuit 8 does not oscillate. When it is off, it oscillates at 310 MHz.
Therefore, a radio wave of 310 MHz is generated from the antenna 11 depending on whether the transistor 7 is turned on or off. Note that the oscillator circuit is partially omitted, but the transmission power is 300 m at 3 m.
It is adjusted to be μV / m. Also, antenna 1
1 is composed of a pattern of a printed wiring board. This radio wave was caught by the radio wave type gas inspection device and the original 200bp
It is demodulated into a signal of s and read as a meter reading value.

Further, at this time, the kind of data to be read by the meter reader can be changed by turning on and off the electromagnet provided in the head of the radio wave type gas inspection device at a predetermined timing value. For example, if the button is pressed three times in succession, the security data can be read.

When the transmission switch is a magnetoresistive element, the electromagnet can be turned on and off at high speed by a program, and more communication can be performed. Also,
In the case of a magnetoresistive element or hall element, the head of a radio wave type gas inspection device is a permanent magnet, etc., a laser diode or LED in the case of a photodetector, a piezoelectric speaker in the case of a piezoelectric element, an electromagnetic coil in the case of an electromagnetic element, and radio wave detection In the case of an element, it becomes a radio wave generator. Further, it can be used alone without being attached to the head.

Further, since the transmission switch is also used as another switch (not shown, which is connected to a microcomputer) such as a container replacement reset switch, if the switch is turned on three times in succession, such as one container replacement reset. It functions as a transmission switch.

Next, description will be made with reference to FIG. When the meter reading is performed by the radio wave type gas inspection device, first, the reed switch 22 is turned on and the microcomputer 24 is operated similarly to the above. Next, the microcomputer 24 turns on the transistor 23 and turns off the reed switch 22, and the power from the battery 25 is supplied to the radio wave generator. Next, in the same manner as described above, the transistor 2
7 turns on / off to send a telegram requesting the meter reading value to the wired circuit. Then, the wired circuit transmits the meter reading value to the radio wave generation circuit and generates a radio wave signal of 310 MHz in the same manner as described above. After the communication is completed, the transistor 23 is turned off to prevent battery consumption during standby.

[0027]

According to the present invention, since the integrated value of fluid measurement can be read by wire communication or wireless communication, it can be easily and definitely read.

Further, there is no need for construction for connecting a telephone line terminal device, depreciation cost of a remote control device, telephone charges, communication cost for sending slips and bills, etc., and it is practical when the customer is close to a certain extent. Is. Further, in the case where the wireless device is provided, conventionally, it is necessary to constantly monitor the signal from the wireless device of the meter-reader, and it is necessary to have a large battery capacity, but in the present invention, it is not always necessary to monitor. Therefore, the battery capacity can be made extremely small to save resources. Furthermore, unlike the past, there is no need to fix it during communication, communication time is short,
It is truly practical.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a fluid measurement interruption device according to an embodiment of the present invention and a configuration diagram of an entire system.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a wired circuit and a radio wave generation circuit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 lithium battery 2 Transmit switch (reed switch) 3 Microcomputer 5 Wired circuit 8 radio wave generation circuit 10 Shut-off valve (shut-off device) 22 Transmit switch (reed switch)

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Takeshi Honda             1006 Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Matsushita Electric             Sangyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tadanori Shirasawa             1006 Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Matsushita Electric             Sangyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Minoru Tabe             1006 Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Matsushita Electric             Sangyo Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 2F030 CB01 CC02 CC13 CE09 CE22                       CE25 CF05 CF11 CF20                 2F031 AA01 AB01 AE07 AE09 AF04                 2F073 AA07 AA08 AB02 AB07 AB12                       AB14 BB01 BB09 BC01 BC02                       CC01 DE02 GG03

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A microcomputer for measuring a fluid (hereinafter referred to as a microcomputer), a shutoff device for shutting off the fluid by the microcomputer, a battery for supplying power to the microcomputer and the shutoff device, and A fluid measurement interruption device comprising: a transmission circuit for transmitting measurement data; and a transmission switch for causing the transmission circuit to start transmission. 2. The transmission circuit comprises a wired circuit for connecting measurement data by connecting to a public line by connecting with a lead wire, and a radio wave generation circuit for converting measurement data into a radio wave for communication of measurement data. Fluid measurement cutoff device. 3. The fluid measurement interruption device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission switch is a reed switch. 4. The fluid according to claim 1, wherein the transmission switch also serves as at least one of a shutoff valve return switch of a shutoff device, a test shutoff switch, and a container replacement switch. Measurement breaker. 5. The fluid measurement interruption device according to claim 1, wherein the content of the measurement data transmitted from the transmission circuit is selected / changed according to the opening / closing timing of the transmission switch. 6. The transmission switch is a magnetoresistive element, a hall element, a light detecting element, a piezoelectric element, an electromagnetic element, or a radio wave detecting element.
The fluid measurement interrupting device according to any one of 1. 7. The transmission circuit has a wired circuit, a radio wave generation circuit for converting into a radio wave for communication and each battery, and the radio wave generation circuit has a normally open type transmission switch. The fluid measurement cutoff device according to claim 1.