JP2005346226A - Automatic radio meter-reading system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily identify even the overlapping of meter management IDs by means of the display of an error pattern in an automatic radio meter-reading system for performing an automatic meter-reading by radio. <P>SOLUTION: A radio slave unit 6 is provided with a control part 10 which transmits meter management ID acquired from a meter 7 to an opposite radio master unit 5 when a predetermined operation is executed, and executes the registration processing of the master unit information only when any response is made from the radio master unit 5, an ID overlapping detecting part 11 which monitors the meter management ID by a radio slave unit transmitting/receiving part 8, and detects the meter management ID which is identical to the meter management ID acquired by its own equipment and a display part 12 which displays a plurality of error patterns. When the meter management ID which is identical to the meter management acquired by its own equipment is detected, the display of the ID overlapping error pattern is operated by the display part 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic wireless meter reading system that detects duplication of meter management IDs in automatic meter reading radio when performing meter reading of usage amounts of gas, water, electricity and the like.

  Conventionally, an automatic meter reading system that collects data recorded in meters for measuring usage of gas, water, electricity, etc. in homes, offices, factories, etc. to a center that is a remote metering meter device via a communication line such as a telephone. In this automatic meter reading system, for example, a telephone line and a meter installed in each consumer are connected by a communication line, and communication is performed between the center and the meter via the telephone line. .

  By the way, in the case of such an automatic meter reading system, it is necessary to connect a telephone line and a meter with a communication line, so that labor and cost for routing and wiring the communication line inside and outside the customer are required. In particular, when the telephone line and the meter are separated from each other, this wiring work is a considerable burden, and in the case of an existing house, the wiring is sometimes impossible.

  Therefore, a wireless master unit is connected to each customer's telephone line via a terminal network controller (hereinafter referred to as “T-NCU”), and a wireless slave unit is connected to the meter. An automatic wireless meter-reading system that eliminates the need for indoor and outdoor wiring has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 3 shows a conventional automatic wireless meter reading system described in Patent Document 1. In FIG.

  In FIG. 3, 31 is a center, 32 is a public telephone line, 33 is a customer, 34 is a terminal network control device, 35 is a wireless master unit, has a transmission / reception circuit, and the center 31 and the T-NCU 34 are public telephones. The T-NCU 34 and the wireless master device 5 are connected by a communication line 38a. Reference numeral 36 denotes a wireless slave unit which has a transmission / reception circuit and is connected to an automatic meter-reading meter 37 via a communication line 38b. The wireless master device 35 and the wireless slave device 36 can communicate with each other wirelessly, and information in the automatic meter-reading meter 37 is transmitted from the wireless slave device 36 to the wireless master device 35.

  From the center 31, the wireless master unit 35 is driven via a terminal network control unit (T-NCU) 34 installed in the consumer 33 through the public telephone line 32, and the wireless master unit 35 is changed to the wireless slave unit 36. On the other hand, a radio signal is sent.

  When receiving the signal from the wireless master device 35, the wireless slave device 36 takes out the weighing information stored in the automatic meter-reading meter 37, and transmits this information to the wireless master device 35 wirelessly. The wireless master device 35 sends the information received from the wireless slave device 36 to the center 31 via the T-NCU 34 and the public telephone line 32.

As a result, it is not necessary to wire the meter for automatic meter reading in the building, the construction is simplified and the aesthetic appearance of the building is not impaired. In addition, when an automatic meter reading system is applied later, particularly in an existing apartment house or a tenant building, it is not necessary to perform wiring work or the like for each meter, so that the automatic meter reading system can be easily realized.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-85938

  By the way, in such a system, the registration operation of the wireless master device and the wireless slave device is performed by inputting a predetermined operation, for example, a switch for starting the wireless slave device and the wireless master device at the same time after connecting the wireless slave device and the meter. When the slave unit acquires the meter management ID from the meter, transmits the acquired meter management ID to the wireless master unit by wireless transmission, and when the wireless master unit acquires the meter management ID from the wireless slave unit, the master unit has the next Communication information necessary for wireless communication is transmitted to the wireless slave unit. As a result, the registration operation of the wireless master device and the wireless slave device is completed, and communication from the center, which is the distance measuring needle device, to the meter is enabled thereafter.

  However, after these registration work, it is possible to communicate from the center which is a distance measuring meter device, but by preparing a duplicate meter with the same meter management ID by mistake at the time of setting, There was a possibility that the wireless slave unit having the same meter management ID would be duplicated by replacing the wireless slave unit for some reason and connecting to another meter.

  In this way, when there are two or more wireless slave devices having the same meter management ID, the wireless master device attempts to respond simultaneously to the request signals from the wireless master device and fails to transmit to each other or transmits the wireless master devices simultaneously. There may be a problem that the machine cannot receive.

  Such duplication of meter management ID is difficult to detect easily, and it is very difficult to detect the cause of communication failure in wireless communication at the work site. It had the problem of end.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and can easily find duplication of meter management IDs during wireless communication of an automatic meter-reading wireless system, thereby improving the reliability when the automatic wireless meter-reading system is installed. An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic meter reading radio system capable of

  To achieve the above object, an automatic wireless meter reading system according to the present invention is connected to a wireless master device connected to a remote metering meter device via a line and to a consumer meter provided opposite to the wireless master device. An automatic wireless meter reading that performs meter reading by enabling wireless communication between the wireless master device and the wireless slave device and enabling communication between the meter and the remote meter reading device. In the system, the wireless slave unit includes: a slave unit wireless transmission / reception unit that transmits / receives data to / from a parent unit wireless transmission / reception unit of an opposite wireless master unit; a meter transmission / reception unit that communicates with the meter by wire; The meter management ID acquired from the meter when the operation is performed is transmitted to the opposing wireless master device, and only when there is a response from the wireless master device, between the opposing wireless master device Registration of parent device information required for communication Monitor the meter management ID in the control unit that performs processing, the storage unit that stores the meter management ID acquired from the meter and the wireless base unit information acquired from the wireless base unit in the registration work, and the slave unit wireless transceiver unit, It consists of an ID duplication detection unit that detects the same meter management ID as the meter management ID acquired by the own device, and a display unit that displays a plurality of error patterns. The control unit is acquired by the own device by the ID duplication detection unit. When the same meter management ID as the meter management ID is detected, the display unit is controlled to display an ID duplication error pattern.

  The wireless master device receives meter management ID and ID duplication error information from the wireless slave device, responds to the wireless slave device, and registers slave device information necessary for communication with the opposing wireless slave device Control unit, storage unit for storing the meter management ID acquired from the wireless slave unit in the registration work, and a display unit for displaying a plurality of error patterns, when ID duplication error information is received from the wireless slave unit, The control unit controls the display unit to display the ID duplication error pattern.

  Further, in this automatic wireless meter reading system, when the wireless slave unit detects the same meter management ID as the meter management ID acquired by the own device in the ID duplication detection unit, the wireless base unit wireless of the wireless master unit is detected from the slave unit wireless transceiver unit. The wireless master unit wirelessly transmits to the transmission / reception unit, and the wireless master unit has a line communication unit that communicates with the base unit wireless transmission / reception unit that receives the wireless reception data from the wireless slave unit and the remote measurement metering device. To communicate with.

  As a result, when there is a wireless slave unit having the same meter management ID, it is possible to easily find an ID duplicate by displaying an error of duplicate ID on the display unit of the wireless slave unit, and cause a communication failure in wireless communication. Can be detected. The wireless slave unit wirelessly transmits ID duplication information from the slave unit radio transceiver unit to the master unit radio transceiver unit of the wireless master unit, and the wireless master unit receives a plurality of error patterns when receiving ID duplication detection data from the wireless slave unit. It is also possible to display an ID duplication error pattern on the display unit for displaying.

  Further, the automatic wireless meter reading system of the present invention can further communicate the ID duplication information sent from the wireless slave unit to the remote meter reading device via the wireless master unit and the line, so that the cause of the data communication failure is measured remotely. It can also be done on the meter reading device side.

  The automatic wireless meter reading system of the present invention monitors the meter management ID by the slave unit wireless transmission / reception unit, and when detecting the same meter management ID as the meter management ID acquired by the own device, by displaying an error pattern from the display unit, It will also be possible to analyze data communication failures. Further, when the ID duplicate detection data is received from the radio slave unit, the ID duplicate error pattern can be displayed on the display unit that displays a plurality of error patterns. Furthermore, since the information on ID duplication can be communicated to the distance measuring meter device via the wireless master unit and the line, the cause of the data communication failure can also be known on the side of the distance measuring meter device.

  According to the above invention, it is possible to easily identify the cause of communication failure during wireless communication of the automatic meter reading wireless system, and it is possible to improve the reliability of the automatic wireless meter reading system.

  1st invention is comprised from the radio | wireless main | base station connected with a remote meter-reading apparatus via a line | wire, and the radio | wireless subunit | mobile_unit connected facing the said radio | wireless parent | base station and connected to a consumer meter, The said radio | wireless In an automatic wireless metering system that performs wireless metering between the master unit and the wireless slave unit to enable communication between the meter and the remote meter reading device, the wireless slave unit is a radio Acquired from the meter when a predetermined operation is executed, a slave wireless transmitter / receiver that transmits / receives data to / from the master wireless transmitter / receiver of the parent device, a meter transmitter / receiver that communicates with the meter by wire The meter management ID is transmitted to the opposing wireless master device, and only when there is a response from the wireless master device, registration processing of the parent device information necessary for communication with the opposing wireless master device is performed. The control unit and the registration The meter management ID acquired from the wireless master unit and the storage unit for storing the wireless master unit information acquired from the wireless master unit, and the meter management ID is monitored by the slave unit wireless transceiver unit, and the same meter management ID as the meter management ID acquired by the own unit An ID duplication detection unit that detects an ID and a display unit that displays a plurality of error patterns, and the control unit detects the same meter management ID as the meter management ID acquired by the own device in the ID duplication detection unit In addition, the display unit can be controlled to display an ID duplication error pattern, and an ID duplication error can be easily detected.

  In the second invention, in particular, in addition to the first invention, the wireless master unit receives the meter management ID and the ID duplication error information from the wireless slave unit, makes a response to the wireless slave unit, and has a radio unit facing the wireless slave unit. From a control unit that performs registration processing of slave unit information necessary for communication with a device, a storage unit that stores a meter management ID acquired from a wireless slave unit in registration work, and a display unit that displays a plurality of error patterns When the ID duplication error information is received from the wireless slave unit, the control unit controls the display unit to display the ID duplication error pattern, so that the ID number error of the wireless slave unit is also performed on the wireless master unit side. Can be easily detected.

  Furthermore, in the third aspect of the invention, when the wireless slave unit detects the same meter management ID as the ID management unit acquired by the ID duplication detection unit, from the slave unit wireless transceiver unit to the master unit wireless transceiver unit of the wireless master unit By wireless transmission, the wireless master unit communicates the wireless reception data from the wireless slave unit to the remote metering meter device via the line, so that the ID duplication error can be confirmed also on the remote metering meter device side. Analysis is also possible.

  A fourth invention is a program for causing a computer such as a microcomputer to function as at least part of the means of the automatic wireless meter reading system according to any one of the first to third aspects. And since it is a program, a part or all of the automatic wireless meter-reading system of this invention can be easily implement | achieved by cooperating hard resources, such as a microcomputer. Also, program distribution and installation can be simplified by recording on a recording medium or distributing a program using a communication line.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an automatic wireless meter reading system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, the remote meter reading device 1 is connected to the wireless master device 5 from the line 2 via the T-NCU 4. The wireless slave device 6 is provided facing the wireless master device 5 and connected to the meter 7.

  Reference numeral 14 denotes a master unit radio transmission / reception unit of the opposite radio master unit 5, 8 a slave unit radio transmission / reception unit that transmits / receives data to / from the radio master unit 5, and 9 a meter transmission / reception unit that communicates with the meter 7 by wire. 10 transmits the meter management ID acquired from the meter 7 to the opposing wireless master device 5 when a predetermined operation is executed, and the opposing wireless master device 5 only when there is a response from the wireless master device 5 A control unit that performs registration processing of parent device information necessary for communication with the storage unit, a storage unit 13 that stores a meter management ID acquired from the meter 7 and wireless parent device information acquired from the wireless parent device in a registration operation, 11 Is an ID duplication detection unit that monitors the meter management ID by the slave unit wireless transmission / reception unit 8 and detects the same meter management ID acquired by the own unit, and 12 is a display unit that displays a plurality of error patterns.

  In the case of automatic meter reading from the center, a meter reading request of the meter 7 is transmitted from the distance measuring meter device 1 to the wireless master device 5 via the line 2 and the T-NCU 4, and the wireless master device 5 transmits to the wireless slave device 6. A meter reading request is wirelessly transmitted, and the wireless slave device 6 transmits a meter reading request to the meter 7. When receiving the meter reading response from the meter 7, the wireless slave device 6 wirelessly transmits a meter reading response to the wireless master device 5, and transmits the meter reading response from the wireless master device 5 to the distance measuring meter reading device 1 via the T-NCU 4. . In this way, the meter reading value of the meter 7 can be intensively read at the center.

  The ID duplication detection unit 11 of the control unit 10 always monitors the wireless communication data even in communication not addressed to its own device, and when the meter management ID same as the meter management ID acquired by the own device is detected in the communication message, In order to notify that there are other wireless slave devices having the same meter management ID as the device, the display unit 12 is controlled to display an ID duplication error pattern. This error pattern is easy to judge if it is displayed in a different error pattern from the case of failure during normal registration.

  As described above, even when there are two or more wireless slaves having the same meter management ID by mistake, it is possible to easily detect ID duplication, so that automatic wireless meter reading can be performed with peace of mind.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an automatic wireless meter reading system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The same number is attached | subjected to the same thing as FIG.

  In FIG. 2, the remote meter reading device 1 is connected to the wireless master device 5 from the line 2 via the T-NCU 4. The wireless slave device 6 is provided facing the wireless master device 5 and connected to the meter 7.

  As in FIG. 1, reference numeral 14 denotes a base unit radio transmission / reception unit of the opposite radio base unit 5, 8 a slave unit radio transmission / reception unit that transmits / receives data to / from the radio base unit 5, and 9 a wired connection with the meter 7 The meter transmitting / receiving unit 10 that performs communication transmits the meter management ID acquired from the meter 7 to the opposite wireless master device 5 when a predetermined operation is executed, and only when there is a response from the wireless master device 5 A control unit 13 performs registration processing of parent device information necessary for communication with the opposite wireless parent device 5, and 13 stores the meter management ID obtained from the meter 7 and the wireless parent device information obtained from the wireless parent device in the registration work. A storage unit for storing 11 monitors the meter management ID by the slave unit wireless transmission / reception unit 8, and an ID duplication detection unit for detecting the same meter management ID acquired by the own unit, and 12 displays a plurality of error patterns. It is a display unit. Reference numeral 15 is a control unit of the wireless master unit, 16 is a display unit for displaying a plurality of error patterns on the master unit, and 17 is a storage unit for storing a meter management ID received from the wireless slave unit.

  In the case of automatic meter reading from the center, a meter reading request of the meter 7 is transmitted from the distance measuring meter device 1 to the wireless master device 5 via the line 2 and the T-NCU 4, and the wireless master device 5 transmits to the wireless slave device 6. A meter reading request is wirelessly transmitted, and the wireless slave device 6 transmits a meter reading request to the meter 7. When receiving the meter reading response from the meter 7, the wireless slave device 6 wirelessly transmits a meter reading response to the wireless master device 5, and transmits the meter reading response from the wireless master device 5 to the distance measuring meter reading device 1 via the T-NCU 4. . In this way, the meter reading value of the meter 7 can be intensively read at the center.

  The ID duplication detection unit 11 of the control unit 10 always monitors the wireless communication data even in communication not addressed to the own device, and if the same meter management ID as the meter management ID acquired by the own device is detected in the communication message, In order to notify the display unit 16 that there are a plurality of wireless slave units having the same meter management ID, received from the slave unit radio transceiver unit 8 of the slave unit 5 by the master unit radio transceiver unit 14 of the wireless master unit 5 Control to display duplicate error patterns. Further, the wireless master unit receives the meter management ID from the wireless slave unit, responds to the wireless slave unit, performs registration processing of slave unit information necessary for communication with the opposite wireless slave unit, and registers In the work, the meter management ID acquired from the wireless slave unit is stored, and when the ID duplication error information is received from the wireless slave unit, the ID duplication error pattern of the wireless slave unit is displayed on the display unit. This error pattern is easy to judge if it is displayed in a different error pattern from the case of failure during normal registration.

  As described above, even if there are two or more wireless slave units with the same meter management ID by mistake, it is possible to easily know the ID overlap by displaying the error pattern on the display unit of the wireless master unit. Wireless meter reading can be performed.

  Furthermore, when the wireless slave unit detects the same meter management ID as the meter management ID acquired by the own device in the ID duplication detection unit, wireless transmission is performed from the slave unit radio transceiver unit to the master unit radio transceiver unit of the wireless master unit. Therefore, the wireless master unit communicates the wireless reception data from the wireless slave unit to the remote metering meter device via the line, so that the ID duplication error can be confirmed also on the remote metering meter device side, so the data communication failure can be analyzed. become able to.

  As described above, the automatic wireless meter reading system according to the present invention facilitates ID duplication with the error pattern of the display unit of the wireless slave unit even when there are two or more wireless slave units having the same meter management ID by mistake. Because it can know, automatic wireless meter reading can be performed with confidence.

  Also, since the ID overlap can be easily known by the error pattern display on the display unit of the wireless master device, the wireless master device can perform automatic wireless meter reading with peace of mind.

  Furthermore, when the wireless slave unit detects the same meter management ID as the ID management unit acquired by the ID duplication detection unit, the wireless slave unit wirelessly transmits from the slave unit wireless transceiver unit to the base unit wireless transceiver unit of the wireless master unit. The wireless master unit communicates the wireless reception data from the wireless slave unit to the remote metering meter device via the line, so that the ID duplication error can be confirmed on the remote metering device side, so that the data communication failure can be analyzed. Become.

  Note that the means described in this embodiment causes hardware resources such as a CPU (or microcomputer), a RAM, a ROM, a storage / recording device, an electrical / information device including an I / O, a computer, a server, and the like to cooperate. You may implement with the form of a program. In the form of a program, new functions can be easily distributed / updated and installed by recording them on a recording medium such as magnetic media or optical media or distributing them via a communication line such as the Internet.

  The present invention can be applied to any wireless communication system that uses an ID that should not be duplicated, such as a meter management ID, and can be applied to uses other than automatic wireless meter reading.

Block diagram of an automatic wireless meter reading system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention Block diagram of an automatic wireless meter reading system according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention Block diagram of a conventional automatic wireless meter reading system

Explanation of symbols

1, 31 Remote measuring device (center)
2, 32 Public telephone line 4, 34 T-NCU
5, 35 Wireless master unit 6, 36 Wireless slave unit 7, 37 Meter 8 Slave unit radio transceiver unit 9 Meter transceiver unit 10 Control unit (slave unit)
11 ID duplication detection part 12 Display part (child machine)
13 Memory unit (slave unit)
14 Base unit wireless transceiver 15 Control unit (base unit)
16 Display (base unit)
17 Storage unit (base unit)
33 consumers

Claims (4)

A wireless master device connected to the remote meter reading device via a line; and a wireless slave device provided opposite to the wireless master device and connected to a consumer meter, wherein the wireless master device and the wireless slave device In an automatic wireless meter reading system that performs wireless communication with a device and performs meter reading of the meter so that communication between the meter and the distance measuring meter device is possible, the wireless slave device is a master wireless device of an opposing wireless master device A slave wireless transmission / reception unit that transmits / receives data to / from the transmission / reception unit, a meter transmission / reception unit that communicates with the meter by wire, and a meter management ID acquired from the meter when a predetermined operation is performed A control unit that performs registration processing of parent device information necessary for communication with the opposite wireless parent device only when there is a response from the wireless parent device that is transmitted to the opposite wireless parent device; and the registration Obtained from the meter at work Data management ID and storage unit for storing the wireless base unit information acquired from the wireless base unit, and monitoring the meter management ID by the wireless unit wireless transceiver unit, the same meter management ID as the meter management ID acquired by the own unit It consists of an ID duplication detection unit to detect and a display unit that displays a plurality of error patterns, and when the control unit detects the same meter management ID as the meter management ID acquired by the own device in the ID duplication detection unit, An automatic wireless meter reading system, wherein the display unit is controlled to display an ID duplication error pattern. The wireless master unit receives the meter management ID and ID duplication error information from the wireless slave unit, responds to the wireless slave unit, and transmits the slave unit information necessary for communication with the opposing wireless slave unit. A control unit that performs registration processing, a storage unit that stores the meter management ID acquired from the wireless slave unit in the registration operation, and a display unit that displays a plurality of error patterns, and ID duplication error information from the wireless slave unit When received, the control unit controls the display unit to display an ID duplication error pattern. When the wireless slave device detects the same meter management ID as the meter management ID acquired by the own device in the ID duplication detector, the wireless slave device wirelessly transmits the wireless device to the master wireless transmitter / receiver of the wireless master device. The master unit has a master unit radio transceiver unit for receiving radio reception data from the radio slave unit and a line communication unit for communicating with the remote meter reading device, and communicates with the remote meter reading device via the line. 1. The automatic wireless meter reading system according to 1. The program for functioning computers, such as a microcomputer, as a part of means of the automatic wireless meter-reading system of any one of Claims 1-3.

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