JP2006067418A - Radio meter reading system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem wherein there are limits between the labor cost of meter reading experts for gas meter reading operation and the number of meter-reading works per day. <P>SOLUTION: By carrying a radio master unit 3 and a control terminal 4 on an inspection service car 5, gas usage data measured by a gas meter a can be received by automatically communicating with a radio slave unit 2 of each home during inspection service. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a wireless meter reading system that transmits a usage amount as wireless data.

  In recent years, for example, in the case of gas, if a gas meter that measures the amount of gas used has been measured for a large amount of flow, or if it has been used for a long time that is not normal, it is determined that the gas passage is abnormal. The one with a built-in security device that shuts off and secures safety is widespread.

  Then, a system has been put to practical use in which a specialist manually stores the measured value of the gas meter in a control terminal called a handy terminal, and takes the meter reading result back to the gas management center (for example, Patent Document 1).

  An apparatus for transmitting and receiving information as radio data between the gas meter and the gas management center has also been put into practical use and completed as a system. This device is composed of a base unit and a slave unit that are fixedly installed. However, in some cases, the master unit and the slave unit are configured in a one-to-one relationship. In some cases.

  When there are a plurality of slave units with respect to the master unit of 1, the meter reading value request of the gas meter from the master unit is directly and simultaneously performed to the plurality of slave units, and the master unit of the wireless data Replies to the machine are sequentially performed directly (for example, Patent Document 2).

  Furthermore, since the cost of capital investment is high when the system is completed wirelessly, the above two examples are combined, and the wireless slave unit returns the data when the specialist goes around the area in charge with the master unit and the control terminal as a set. However, a system that performs gas meter reading work is also in operation.

The above is true not only for gas but also for electricity and water meters.
JP 2002-298273 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-23283

  However, in the case of a system in which specialists go around the area in charge with a master unit and a control terminal, the capital investment is less expensive than the wireless system completion, but there is a problem that personnel costs for specialists are incurred. It was.

  In addition, there is a problem that there is a limit to the number of meter readings per day when the area in charge of specialists is determined based on walking.

  In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, a wireless master unit and a control terminal are loaded on a business vehicle that manages meter equipment instead of a specialist so that meter reading can be performed during patrols of normal inspection work. is there.

  According to the wireless meter reading system of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

  Since it is possible to receive dose data as wireless data and take it back to the center in cooperation with the inspection business or a courier, it is not necessary to hire a professional meter reader.

  Also, by recognizing the position of the wireless master unit, the communication operation is performed only to the wireless slave unit capable of wireless communication, so that unnecessary power consumption is reduced and the time of wireless communication related to meter reading is eliminated. be able to.

  A wireless meter reading system according to a first invention includes a wireless slave device connected to a meter and transmitting usage data as wireless data, a wireless master device for requesting data transmission to the wireless slave device and receiving wireless data And a control terminal that controls the wireless master unit, the wireless master unit and the control terminal are loaded on an inspection service vehicle of a meter facility, and between the wireless master unit and the wireless slave unit during the inspection service In this way, wireless data is exchanged.

  As a result, it is not necessary to hire a professional meter reader, and a wireless automatic meter reading system can be constructed at a low cost.

  A wireless meter reading system according to a second invention is the wireless meter reading system according to the first invention, wherein the wireless master unit and the control terminal are placed on a delivery vehicle of a delivery company instead of an inspection service vehicle.

  Thus, regardless of the restriction of the daily inspection route of the inspection service vehicle, the delivery area can be used in a wide range, so that the number of meter reading doors per day can be increased.

  A wireless meter reading system according to a third invention is the wireless meter reading system according to the first or second invention, wherein the control terminal stores the wireless slave device installation position data so as to be included in the wireless data from the wireless slave device. The current position is recognized against the individual code, and only the wireless handset within the radio wave range is read.

  As a result, the communication operation is performed only to the wireless slave device capable of meter reading, so that power consumption can be reduced and the meter reading time can be eliminated.

  A wireless meter reading system according to a fourth invention is the wireless meter reading system according to the third invention, wherein a mobile phone is connected to the control terminal and the current position is recognized from the location information service data of the mobile phone. Is.

  As a result, there is no recognition position shift due to the influence of the surrounding radio wave environment when wireless data from the wireless slave unit is used, and more accurate position recognition eliminates further power consumption and waste of meter reading time. Can do.

  A wireless meter reading system according to a fifth invention is the wireless meter reading system according to the first invention, wherein the wireless master device and the control terminal are integrated.

  As a result, the two housings and the connection lines that had to be unloaded separately from the vehicle can be simply unloaded from one housing. Moreover, by integrating and reducing the size and weight, it is possible to carry and read the meter by a two-wheeled vehicle or a tricycle.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Although the present embodiment will be described in terms of gas, it is not limited to this, and fuel such as electric power, water, kerosene, or the like may be used.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a gas wireless meter reading system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  Reference numeral 1 denotes a microcomputer meter mainly composed of a gas flow rate measuring unit and a gas passage blocking device. Reference numeral 2 denotes a wireless slave unit that is attached to each of the plurality of microcomputer meters 1 and receives a request signal from the wireless master device 3 and transmits information of the microcomputer meter 1 to the wireless master device 3 as wireless data. Even if there is no request signal, the wireless slave unit 2 may perform wireless transmission by a signal from the microcomputer meter 1. The wireless master device 3 is connected to the control terminal 4, performs wireless transmission / reception operation by a signal from the control terminal 4, stores the received data in the control terminal 4, and takes it back to an appropriate place such as a gas center.

  According to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, by loading the wireless master device 3 and the control terminal 4 on the inspection service vehicle 5, the wireless slave device 2 of each house is automatically called during the inspection service, and the gas usage data Can be received as wireless data.

  As a result, it is possible to construct a system that can perform gas meter reading at low cost without hiring a specialized meter meter.

  And the calling of the wireless slave unit 2 from the wireless master unit 3 does not always perform the total number of units, but only the wireless slave unit within a range of several hundred meters from the inspection route of the day may be used.

  Further, instead of calling from the wireless master device 3, the wireless slave device 2 may transmit wireless data at regular intervals, and the wireless master device 3 may receive the wireless data.

(Embodiment 2)
In the second embodiment of the present invention, the wireless master device 3 and the control terminal 4 described in the first embodiment are placed on the delivery vehicle of the courier, not the inspection service vehicle.

  Accordingly, since a wide range of areas in charge by the courier company can be used regardless of the restriction of the daily inspection route of the inspection service vehicle, the number of meter reading doors per day can be increased.

  Further, instead of the delivery company, the vehicle may be loaded on a vehicle of a job type that performs work around a region such as a newspaper delivery vehicle or a postal delivery vehicle.

(Embodiment 3)
According to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, the storage position data of the wireless slave units 2 installed in each house is stored in the storage unit of the control terminal 4, and first all the target areas are stored. Call the wireless handset information from the memory (S1), compare the received data (S2) received from the surrounding wireless handset 2 that can be received with the installation position data (S4), and determine the current position of the wireless handset 3 (S3). Then, the selection of the wireless slave unit 2 installed in the range where radio waves reach from the current wireless master unit 3 is performed (S5), and only the selected wireless slave unit 2 performs wireless communication to perform gas meter reading (S6). To.

  As a result, the communication operation is performed only to the wireless slave device capable of wireless communication, the unnecessary power consumption for trying to communicate with the wireless slave device that does not receive radio waves is suppressed, and the wireless communication time required for the meter reading is reduced. Can eliminate waste.

(Embodiment 4)
According to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, a mobile phone is connected to the control terminal 4 and the current location data of the mobile phone is transferred to the control terminal 4 using the location information service of the mobile phone company. Capture (S11, 12). Then, in the same manner as in the third embodiment, the wireless handset 2 installed in a range where radio waves reach from the current wireless base unit 3 is selected (S5), and only the selected wireless handset 2 is wirelessly communicated to gas. The meter reading is performed (S6).

  As a result, compared with the case where the current position is confirmed using the wireless data from the wireless slave unit as in the third embodiment, the recognition position shift due to the influence of the surrounding radio wave environment is eliminated, and the position recognition is performed more accurately. By doing so, it is possible to further reduce power consumption and waste of meter reading time.

(Embodiment 5)
According to the fifth embodiment of the present invention, the wireless master device 3 and the control terminal 4 described in the first embodiment are integrated so that one housing has two functions.

  As a result, the two housings and the connection lines that had to be unloaded separately from the vehicle can be simply unloaded from one housing. Moreover, by integrating and reducing the size and weight, it is possible to carry and read the meter by a two-wheeled vehicle or a tricycle.

  The present invention is not limited to a wireless meter reading system that transmits home gas usage as wireless data, but can also be applied to applications such as a wireless meter reading system that transmits power usage and water usage in offices and stores as wireless data.

The block diagram which shows the wireless meter-reading system in Embodiment 1 of this invention Flowchart of wireless meter reading system according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention Flowchart of wireless meter reading system according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention

Explanation of symbols

1 Microcomputer meter 2 Wireless slave unit 3 Wireless master unit 4 Control terminal 5 Inspection service vehicle

Claims (5)

A wireless slave device connected to a meter for transmitting usage data as wireless data, a wireless master device for requesting data transmission to the wireless slave device and receiving wireless data, and a control terminal for controlling the wireless master device The wireless master unit and the control terminal are loaded on an inspection service vehicle for meter equipment, and wireless data is exchanged between the wireless master unit and the wireless slave unit during the inspection service. Wireless meter reading system. The wireless meter reading system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless master device and the control terminal are mounted on a car of a delivery company instead of an inspection work vehicle. By storing the location data of the wireless slave unit in the control terminal, the current location is recognized against the individual code included in the wireless data from the wireless slave unit, and the wireless slave within the range where radio waves reach The wireless meter reading system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein only the machine performs meter reading. 4. The wireless meter reading system according to claim 3, wherein a mobile phone is connected to the control terminal, and the current location is recognized from the location information service data of the mobile phone. The wireless meter reading system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless master device and the control terminal are integrated.

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