JP2006222909A - Communication equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide communication equipment which can be installed without changing a radio slave unit that has already been installed and measure received electric field intensity by a low consumption current. <P>SOLUTION: The communication equipment for collecting measured data from a meter 5 by radio communication by a request from a host device and transmitting the measured data to the host device is provided with a wired receiving part 12 for receiving a request telegraphic message transmitted from the host device, a radio receiving part 15 for receiving a response telegraphic message which the measured data are attached to and is transmitted by radio from the radio slave unit 4 connected to the meter 5, an electric field intensity measuring part 17 for measuring the electric field intensity of the response telegraphic message received by the radio receiving part 15, and a telegraphic message determining and converting part 21 for converting an electric field intensity measured telegraphic message into a telegraphic message to a slave unit of specifications which can be received by the radio slave unit 4 and starting the electric field intensity measuring part 17 when the request telegraphic message received by the wired receiving part 12 is the electric field intensity measured telegraphic message. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication device that collects metering data of a meter by wireless communication, and more particularly to a technique for measuring the electric field strength of a message received by wireless communication.

  Conventionally, meter reading of electricity, gas, water, etc. provided in each home is an automatic meter reading system that automatically collects metered values from a central management center etc. using a communication network such as a telephone line. Has been done using.

  In recent years, in this automatic meter reading system, cases in which a network control unit connected to a telephone line or the like and each meter are connected by wireless communication are increasing. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a wireless automatic meter reading system, and FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional communication device (wireless master unit).

  As shown in FIG. 7, the wireless automatic meter reading system includes a network control unit 2 connected to a telephone line 1, a communication device (wireless master 3) connected to the network control unit 2 in a wired manner, and wirelessly connected to the wireless master 3. The wireless slave unit 4 connected to the wireless slave unit 4 and the meter 5 connected to the wireless slave unit 4 by wire. The network control unit 2 and the wireless master unit 3 are installed indoors, and the wireless slave unit 4 and the meter 5 are installed outdoors. Installed.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the conventional communication device (wireless master 3) includes an I / F unit 11, a wired receiver 12, a wireless transmitter 13, an antenna 14, a wireless receiver 15, a wired transmitter 16, and an electric field strength. The control unit 10 is configured by the measurement unit 17 and the wired reception unit 12 and the wired transmission unit 16.

  In the wireless automatic meter reading system, when a call is generated from a center (not shown) via the telephone line 1, the network control unit 2 controls the telephone line 1 so that communication between the center and the wireless master unit 3 is possible. . Thereafter, when a measurement data request message is transmitted from the center to the wireless master device 3, the wired reception unit 12 of the wireless master device 3 receives the measurement data request message via the I / F unit 11. The wireless transmission unit 13 wirelessly modulates the measurement data request message received by the wired reception unit 12 and wirelessly transmits the wirelessly modulated measurement data request message to the wireless slave unit 4 via the antenna 14. The wireless slave device 4 adds the weighing data of the meter 5 to the weighing data response message for the weighing data request message and wirelessly transmits it to the wireless master device 3. The wireless reception unit 15 of the wireless master device 3 receives the measurement data response message via the antenna 14, demodulates the received measurement data response message, and transmits the demodulated measurement data response message to the wired transmission unit 16. The wired transmission unit 16 transmits the weighing data response message to the center via the I / F unit 11. The center device collects the weighing data added to the weighing data response message.

  However, in the wireless automatic meter reading system, the wireless communication between the wireless master device 3 and the wireless slave device 4 is easily affected by the surrounding environment, so a method of measuring the radio wave environment (received electric field strength) after installing the wireless device is considered. It has been.

  Therefore, the conventional communication apparatus (wireless master unit 3) shown in FIG. 8 is provided with an electric field strength measurement unit 17, which receives signals by the first method (for example, Patent Document 1) and the second method described below. Methods for measuring electric field strength are known.

  As a first method, at the time of reception field strength measurement, the center transmits a field strength measurement message having a different specification from the normal measurement data request message to the wireless master device 3, and the wireless master device 3 receives the field strength measurement message. In this case, the electric field strength measuring unit 17 is activated. The wireless master device 3 wirelessly transmits a field strength measurement message to the wireless slave device 4 in the same way as a normal measurement data request message. Send. The electric field strength measurement unit 17 measures the electric field strength of the electric field strength measurement response message received by the wireless reception unit 15 of the wireless master device 3. The electric field strength data based on the electric field strength measured by the electric field strength measuring unit 17 is added to the electric field strength measurement response message and transmitted to the center via the wired transmission unit 16.

As a second method, when the wireless master device 3 receives a normal measurement data request message from the center, the electric field strength measurement unit 17 is activated. The measurement data request message is transmitted / received between the wireless master device 3 and the wireless slave device 4 as usual, and the electric field strength measurement unit 17 always measures the electric field strength of the measurement data response message from the wireless slave device 4. The electric field strength data based on the electric field strength measured by the electric field strength measuring unit 17 is added to the weighing data response message every time and transmitted to the center via the wired transmission unit 16.
Japanese Patent No. 3316918

  However, when the received electric field strength is measured by the first method described above, an electric field strength measurement message having a different specification from that of a normal measurement data request message is wirelessly communicated between the wireless master device 3 and the wireless slave device 4. If the wireless handset 4 that has already been installed does not have a function of receiving a field strength measurement message, the wireless handset 4 cannot transmit a field strength measurement response message to the field strength measurement message. Therefore, when the wireless slave device 4 having no function of receiving the electric field strength measurement message is already installed, it is necessary to change the wireless slave device 4 together with the wireless master device 3.

  Moreover, when measuring the received electric field strength by the second method, the electric field strength can be measured every time the center requests the meter 5 for the measurement data. In most cases, the wireless master unit 3 is operated by a battery (maintenance-free for about 10 years) without using the AC power supply of the customer's house, and unnecessary battery current consumption increases the cost of the device. There was a problem that the size of the equipment was increased.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a communication device that can be installed without changing a wireless slave unit that has already been installed, and that can measure received electric field strength with low current consumption.

  The present invention employs the following means in order to solve the above problems. The invention of claim 1 is a communication device that collects weighing data from a meter by wireless communication in response to a request from a host device, and transmits the weighing data to the host device, and a request message transmitted from the host device A wireless receiver that receives a response message wirelessly transmitted from a wireless slave connected to the meter, and a field of the response message received by the wireless receiver. When the request message received by the measurement unit that measures the strength and the wired reception unit is a field strength measurement message, the field strength measurement message is converted into a message addressed to the slave unit that can be received by the wireless slave unit. And a telegram determination conversion unit that wirelessly transmits to the wireless slave unit and activates the measurement unit.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the communication device according to the first aspect further comprises a handset information registration section in which handset identification information of all the wireless handset used is registered, and the message determination conversion section When the request message received by the reception unit is the electric field strength measurement message, the electric field strength measurement message is converted into a message addressed to the child device, and the plurality of wireless slave devices registered in the child device information registration unit are collectively And wirelessly transmitting and activating the measurement unit.

  The invention of claim 3 is a communication device that collects measurement data from a meter by wireless communication in response to a request from a host device, and transmits the measurement data to the host device, and a request message transmitted from the host device. A wireless receiver that receives a response message wirelessly transmitted from a wireless slave connected to the meter, and a field of the response message received by the wireless receiver. The measuring unit for measuring the strength, the storage unit for storing the measurement value measured by the measuring unit, and the request message received by the wired receiving unit is a message addressed to the slave unit that can be received by the wireless slave unit When the message sent to the slave unit is wirelessly transmitted to the wireless slave unit and the measurement unit and the storage unit are activated, and the request message received by the wired reception unit is a field strength measurement message, the storage Part Characterized in that it comprises a message determination unit for outputting the serial measurements.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the communication device according to the third aspect, further comprising a slave unit information registration unit in which slave unit identification information of all the wireless slave units to be used is registered, wherein the message determination unit is configured to receive the wired reception. When the request message received by the receiver is a message addressed to the slave device, the message addressed to the slave device is collectively transmitted to a plurality of wireless slave devices registered in the slave device information registration unit and the measurement unit And activating the storage unit.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the request message received by the wired reception unit is a field strength measurement message, the message determination / conversion unit has a specification that allows the wireless slave unit to receive the field strength measurement message. To the wireless slave unit and wirelessly transmit to the wireless slave unit, start the measurement unit, the measurement unit measures the field strength of the response message transmitted from the wireless slave unit, so change the already installed wireless slave unit It is possible to measure the received electric field strength with low current consumption.

  According to the invention of claim 2, when the slave unit identification information of all the wireless slave units to be used is registered in the slave unit information registration unit, and the request message received by the wired reception unit is a field strength measurement message, The electric field strength measurement message is converted into a message addressed to the child device, wirelessly transmitted to a plurality of wireless slave devices registered in the child device information registration unit, and the measurement unit is started. It is possible to collectively measure the received electric field strength of response messages transmitted from one wireless slave unit.

  According to the invention of claim 3, when the request message received by the wired receiving unit is a message addressed to the slave unit that can be received by the wireless slave unit, the message destined for the slave unit is transmitted to the wireless slave unit. The measurement unit and the storage unit are activated and the measurement unit measures the electric field strength of the response message transmitted from the wireless slave unit, and stores the measurement value in the storage unit. In addition, since the storage unit outputs the stored measurement value when the request message received by the wired reception unit is a field strength measurement message, it can reduce the current consumption without changing the already installed wireless slave unit. Thus, the received electric field strength can be measured.

  According to the invention of claim 4, when the slave unit identification information of all the wireless slave units to be used is registered in the slave unit information registration unit, and the request message received by the wired receiver unit is a telegram addressed to the slave unit, Since the telegram addressed to the slave unit is collectively transmitted to a plurality of wireless slave units registered in the slave unit information registration unit and the measurement unit and the storage unit are activated, a plurality of wireless slave units can be operated with one communication device. It is possible to collectively measure the received field strength of response messages transmitted from.

  Hereinafter, a communication apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals as those used in the background art section are used for the same or corresponding parts as the components of the communication apparatus described in the background art section.

  The communication apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention is a wireless master device 3 used in the wireless automatic meter reading system shown in FIG. 7, and is a host device such as a center (not shown) via a telephone line 1 and a network control unit 2. , And wirelessly connected to the wireless slave device 4 connected to the meter 5.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the communication apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes an I / F unit 11, a wired reception unit 12, a wireless transmission unit 13, an antenna 14, a wireless reception unit 15, a wired transmission unit 16, and an electric field strength. The measurement unit 17 and the message determination conversion unit 21 are configured, and the wired reception unit 12, the wired transmission unit 16, and the message determination conversion unit 21 configure the control unit 18.

  The I / F unit 11 is a telegram input / output unit connected to the network control unit 2 by wire. The wired reception unit 12 is connected to the I / F unit 11, receives a message transmitted from a center (not shown), and outputs the message to the message determination conversion unit 21.

  The message determination conversion unit 21 determines whether or not the message received by the wired reception unit 12 is an electric field strength measurement message, and when the message received by the wired reception unit 12 is an electric field strength measurement message, the electric field strength measurement The electronic message is converted into a request message addressed to the slave unit and output to the wireless transmission unit 13 and the electric field strength measurement unit 17 is activated. When the message received by the wired receiving unit 12 is a measurement data request message, the measurement data request message is output to the wireless transmission unit 13 as it is. Further, the request message addressed to the slave unit converted by the message determination conversion unit 21 is a message having the same specifications as the measurement data request message for collecting the measurement data of the meter 5, and is already set in the wireless slave unit 4. Even if there is, it can be received.

  The wireless transmission unit 13 wirelessly modulates the request message addressed to the child device or the measurement data request message and wirelessly transmits it to the wireless child device 4 via the antenna 14. When the message transmitted from the wireless master device 3 is a request message addressed to the slave device, the wireless slave device 4 wirelessly transmits a response message addressed to the slave device to the wireless master device 3. When the message transmitted from the wireless master device 3 is a measurement data request message, the wireless slave device 4 wirelessly transmits a measurement data response message to which the measurement data of the meter 5 is added to the wireless master device 3.

  The wireless receiving unit 15 receives and demodulates a message wirelessly transmitted from the wireless slave unit 4 and outputs the demodulated message.

  The electric field strength measurement unit 17 is activated when the electronic message determination conversion unit 21 determines that the message received by the wired reception unit 12 is an electric field strength measurement message, and is received by the wireless reception unit 15 and is a response message addressed to the slave unit. Measure the electric field strength. The electric field strength measurement unit outputs electric field strength data based on the measured electric field strength to the wired transmission unit 16. Further, the electric field strength measuring unit 17 stops after the electric field strength measurement.

  The wired transmission unit 16 transmits the message output from the wireless reception unit 15 to the center via the I / F unit 11. At this time, if the message output from the wireless receiver 15 is a response message addressed to the slave unit, the message is converted into a field strength measurement response message and transmitted. The electric field strength measurement response message includes the electric field strength data output from the electric field strength measuring unit 17 and the ID data of the wireless slave unit 4. By adding the ID data of the wireless slave unit 4, it is possible to confirm the matching with the communicated wireless slave unit 4 at the center. When the message output from the wireless reception unit 15 is a measurement data response message, the wired transmission unit 16 transmits the measurement data response message to the center via the I / F unit 11.

  Next, a communication procedure when measuring the received electric field strength of a message using the communication apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, first, the center transmits an activation message to the wireless master device 3, and the wireless parent device 3 transmits a response message to the center. This start message makes the center and the wireless master device 3 communicable. Next, when the wireless parent device 3 receives the electric field strength measurement message from the center, the message determination conversion unit 21 of the wireless parent device 3 converts the electric field strength measurement message into a request message addressed to the child device. The converted message addressed to the slave unit is wirelessly transmitted to the wireless slave unit 4 and the electric field strength measuring unit 17 is activated.

  In response to the request message addressed to the child device, the wireless slave device 4 wirelessly transmits a response message addressed to the child device to the wireless master device 3. The electric field strength measuring unit 17 in the wireless master device 3 measures the electric field strength of the response message addressed to the child device received by the wireless receiving unit 15, and after measuring the electric field strength, the electric field strength measuring unit 17 stops. The electric field strength data based on the electric field strength measured by the electric field strength measuring unit 17 is added to the electric field strength measurement response message together with the ID data of the wireless slave unit 4 and transmitted to the center. Thereafter, the center transmits an end message to the wireless master device 3 to end communication between the center and the wireless master device 3, and the wireless master device 3 transmits an end message to the wireless slave device 4 to transmit the wireless master device 3-wireless. The communication between the slave units 4 is terminated.

  As described above, in the communication device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, when the message determination conversion unit determines that the message received by the wired reception unit 12 is the field strength measurement message, the message strength measurement message is transmitted to the wireless device. It is converted into a request message addressed to a slave unit that can be received by the unit 4 and wirelessly transmitted to the wireless slave unit 4. The electric field strength measurement unit 17 is activated when the electronic message determination conversion unit 21 determines that the message received by the wired reception unit 12 is an electric field strength measurement message, measures the received electric field strength, and stops after the measurement. .

  For this reason, it is not necessary to perform wireless communication between the communication apparatus (wireless master unit 3) and the wireless slave unit 4 according to the present invention in the same manner as before, and to change the already installed wireless slave unit 4. Further, since the electric field strength measuring unit 17 is not operated in the communication that is normally performed, the received electric field strength can be measured with low current consumption.

  In the above description, the communication device is connected to the center via the telephone line 1, but the communication device of the present invention may be connected to a host device other than the center, such as a handheld terminal.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the communication apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the communication device according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a message determination unit 22 instead of the message determination conversion unit 21 of the communication device according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 23, and the control unit 19 is configured by the wired reception unit 12, the wired transmission unit 16, the message determination unit 22, and the electric field strength storage unit 23, and the other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment. Parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and their details are omitted. The operation when the weighing data request message is transmitted from the center and the weighing data of the meter 5 is collected is the same as the operation of the first embodiment.

  When the message received by the wired receiving unit 12 is a request message addressed to the child device, the message determination unit 22 outputs the request message addressed to the child device to the wireless transmission unit 13, and the electric field strength measurement unit 17 and the electric field strength storage unit 23. Start up. If the message received by the wired receiving unit 12 is a field strength measurement message, the end message is wirelessly transmitted to the wireless slave unit 4 via the wireless transmission unit 13 and the antenna 14, and the wireless master unit 3 and the wireless slave unit are transmitted. Communication between the machines 4 is terminated. The electric field strength measurement message is output to the electric field strength storage unit 23.

  The electric field strength storage unit 23 is activated when the electronic message determination unit 22 determines that the message received by the wired reception unit 12 is a request message addressed to the slave unit, and is based on the electric field strength measured by the electric field strength measurement unit 17. Store field strength data. The electric field strength storage unit 23 outputs the stored electric field strength data to the wired transmission unit 16 when the wired reception unit 12 receives the electric field strength measurement message.

  Next, a communication procedure when measuring the received electric field strength of a message using the communication apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, first, the center transmits an activation message to the wireless master device 3, and the wireless parent device 3 transmits a response message to the center. This start message makes the center and the wireless master device 3 communicable. Next, when the wireless master device 3 receives the request message addressed to the slave device from the center, the message determination unit 22 of the wireless master device 3 directly transmits the request message addressed to the slave device to the wireless slave device 4 via the wireless transmission unit 13. In addition to wireless transmission, the electric field strength measurement unit 17 and the electric field strength storage unit 23 are activated.

  In response to the request message addressed to the child device, the wireless slave device 4 wirelessly transmits a response message addressed to the child device to the wireless master device 3. The electric field strength measuring unit 17 measures the received electric field strength of the response message addressed to the slave unit, and stores the electric field strength data based on the measured electric field strength in the electric field strength storage unit 23. The response message addressed to the slave unit is transmitted to the center.

  After that, when the wireless master device 3 receives the electric field strength measurement message from the center, the electric field strength measurement unit 17 stops, wirelessly transmits the end message to the wireless slave device 4, and between the wireless master device 3 and the wireless slave device 4 End communication. In addition, when the wired reception unit 12 receives the electric field strength measurement message, the electric field strength storage unit 23 outputs the stored electric field strength data to the wired transmission unit 16, and the electric field strength data together with the ID data of the wireless slave unit 4 It is added to the strength measurement response message and transmitted to the center. Thereafter, the center transmits an end message to the wireless master device 3 to end the communication between the center and the wireless master device 3.

  As described above, in the communication device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the message received by the wired receiving unit 12 by the message determination unit 22 is determined to be a request message addressed to a child device having a specification that can be received by the wireless child device 4. When this occurs, the request message addressed to the slave unit is transmitted to the wireless slave unit 4. The electric field strength measurement unit 17 and the electric field strength storage unit 23 are activated when the message determination unit 22 determines that the message received by the wired reception unit 12 is a request message addressed to the slave unit, and the electric field strength measurement unit 17 Measures the received field strength and stops after the measurement.

  For this reason, it is not necessary to perform wireless communication between the communication apparatus (wireless master unit 3) and the wireless slave unit 4 according to the present invention in the same manner as before, and to change the already installed wireless slave unit 4. Further, since the electric field strength measuring unit 17 is not operated in the communication that is normally performed, the received electric field strength can be measured with low current consumption.

  When the wireless master device 3 receives a message other than the field strength measurement message after receiving the request message addressed to the slave device, the field strength measurement unit 17 is stopped and operates in the same manner as when receiving a normal measurement data request message. You may let them.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication apparatus according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the communication apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention is the communication apparatus according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. The same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and details thereof are omitted. The operation when the weighing data request message is transmitted from the center and the weighing data of the meter 5 is collected is the same as the operation of the first embodiment.

  In the slave unit information registration unit 25, one wireless slave unit 4 is specified from a plurality of wireless slave units 4 such as the slave unit IDs or slave unit identification code tables of all the wireless slave units 4 communicating with the wireless master unit 3. Unique information (child device identification information) that can be registered is registered. Moreover, the subunit | mobile_unit information registration part 25 is connected to the message | telegram determination conversion part 21. FIG.

  When the message received by the wired receiver 12 is an electric field strength measurement message, the message determination conversion unit 21 refers to the child device identification information registered in the child device information registration unit 25 and collects the electric field strength measurement messages at once. It is converted into a call request message (a message for transmitting a request message addressed to a slave unit to all registered wireless slave units 4). The message determination conversion unit 21 outputs the converted batch call request message to the wireless transmission unit 13 and activates the electric field strength measurement unit 17.

  Based on the batch call request message, the wireless transmission unit 13 wirelessly transmits a request message addressed to the child device to all the wireless child devices 4 registered in the child device information registration unit 25.

  Next, a communication procedure when measuring the electric field strength of a message using the communication device according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, first, the center transmits an activation message to the wireless master device 3, and the wireless parent device 3 transmits a response message to the center. This start message makes the center and the wireless master device 3 communicable. Next, when the wireless parent device 3 receives the electric field strength measurement message from the center, the message determination conversion unit 21 of the wireless parent device 3 converts the electric field strength measurement message into a request message addressed to the child device (collective call request message). . The request message addressed to the slave unit is wirelessly transmitted to all the wireless slave units 4 registered in the slave unit information registration unit 25 and the electric field strength measurement unit 17 is activated.

  All the registered wireless slave devices 4 wirelessly transmit a response message addressed to the slave device 3 to the wireless master device 3 in response to the request message addressed to each slave device. The field strength measuring unit 17 measures the received field strength of the response messages addressed to each slave unit, and after measuring the field strengths of the response messages addressed to all the slave units, the field strength measurement unit 17 stops. The field strength data based on the field strength measured by the field strength measuring unit 17 is added to the field strength measurement response message together with the ID data of the wireless slave unit 4 or the unique information of the wireless slave unit 4 and transmitted to the center. Thereafter, the center transmits an end message to the wireless master device 3 to end the communication between the center and the wireless master device 3.

  As described above, in the communication device according to the third embodiment of the present invention, the ID data and the like of all the wireless slave devices 4 to be used are registered in the slave device information registration unit 25, and the message received by the wired receiver 12 is an electric field. When the message is an intensity measurement message, the electric field strength measurement message is converted into a request message addressed to the child device (batch call request message), and is wirelessly transmitted to all the wireless slave devices 4 registered in the child device information registration unit 25 at once. Since the electric field strength measuring unit 17 is activated while transmitting, it is possible to collectively measure the received electric field strength of response messages addressed to the slave units transmitted from a plurality of wireless slave units 4 with one communication device. In particular, it is possible to shorten the electric field strength measurement time when measuring the received electric field strength from the wireless slave unit 4 using a handheld terminal as the host device, and the installation work can be made more efficient.

  It is also possible to add the ID data of the wireless slave unit 4 to be measured to the field strength measurement message transmitted from the center and measure the received field strength from one or more designated wireless slave units 4. it can.

  In addition, when the wireless master device 3 receives the electric field strength measurement message from the center, the message determination conversion unit 21 of the wireless parent device 3 converts the electric field strength measurement message into a request message addressed to the child device (collective call request message). However, the electric field strength measurement message may be converted into a request message (collective call request message) for collecting meter measurement data and wirelessly transmitted to all the wireless slave devices 4 registered in the slave device information registration unit 25. . Also in this case, the electric field strength measurement unit 17 is activated by receiving the electric field strength measurement message. Hereinafter, after the response message from the wireless slave device 4 is measured by the wireless master device 3 and the received field strength is measured by the field strength measuring unit 17, the field strength measurement unit is measured after measuring the field strength of response messages from all the slave devices. 17 is stopped. The field strength data based on the field strength measured by the field strength measuring unit 17 may be added to the field strength measurement response message together with the ID data of the wireless slave unit 4 or the unique information of the wireless slave unit 4 and transmitted to the center. The effect similar to the said Example can be implemented.

  Furthermore, by providing the slave unit information registration unit 25 in the communication apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3, the effect of the communication apparatus according to the third embodiment is the same in the communication apparatus according to the second embodiment. The effect of can be obtained.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used by various customers as a communication device capable of measuring received electric field strength in a communication device that collects metering data of a meter by wireless communication.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the communication apparatus which concerns on Example 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the communication procedure which measures the electric field strength of a message | telegram using the communication apparatus which concerns on Example 1 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the communication apparatus which concerns on Example 2 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the communication procedure which measures the electric field strength of a message | telegram using the communication apparatus which concerns on Example 2 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the communication apparatus which concerns on Example 3 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the communication procedure which measures the electric field strength of a message | telegram using the communication apparatus which concerns on Example 3 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a wireless automatic meter-reading system. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the conventional communication apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Telephone line 2 Network control part 3 Radio | wireless main | base station 4 Wireless sub-unit 5 Meter 10, 18, 19 Control part 11 I / F part 12 Wired receiver 13 Wireless transmitter 14 Antenna 15 Wireless receiver 16 Wired transmitter 17 Electric field strength Measuring unit 21 Message determination conversion unit 22 Message determination unit 23 Electric field strength storage unit 25 Handset information registration unit

Claims (4)

A communication device that collects weighing data from a meter by wireless communication in response to a request from a host device, and transmits the weighing data to the host device,
A wired receiver that receives a request message transmitted from the host device;
A wireless receiver for receiving a response message wirelessly transmitted from a wireless slave connected to the meter, the weighing data being added;
A measurement unit that measures the electric field strength of the response message received by the wireless reception unit;
When the request message received by the wired receiver is an electric field strength measurement message, the electric field strength measurement message is converted into a message addressed to a slave device that can be received by the wireless slave device and wirelessly transmitted to the wireless slave device. Together with a message determination conversion unit that activates the measurement unit;
A communication apparatus comprising: It further includes a handset information registration unit in which handset identification information of all wireless handset used is registered,
The message determination conversion unit
When the request message received by the wired receiver is the electric field strength measurement message, the electric field strength measurement message is converted into a message addressed to the child device, and a plurality of wireless slave devices registered in the child device information registration unit The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measurement unit is activated while simultaneously transmitting wirelessly. A communication device that collects weighing data from a meter by wireless communication in response to a request from a host device, and transmits the weighing data to the host device,
A wired receiver that receives a request message transmitted from the host device;
A wireless receiver for receiving a response message wirelessly transmitted from a wireless slave connected to the meter, the weighing data being added;
A measurement unit that measures the electric field strength of the response message received by the wireless reception unit;
A storage unit for storing measurement values measured by the measurement unit;
When the request message received by the wired receiving unit is a message addressed to a slave unit that can be received by the wireless slave unit, the message addressed to the slave unit is wirelessly transmitted to the wireless slave unit, and the measurement unit and the storage A message determination unit that causes the storage unit to output the measurement value when the request message received by the wired reception unit is a field strength measurement message.
A communication apparatus comprising: It further includes a handset information registration unit in which handset identification information of all wireless handset used is registered,
The message determination unit
When the request message received by the wired receiver is a message addressed to the child device, the message addressed to the child device is collectively transmitted wirelessly to a plurality of wireless slave devices registered in the child device information registration unit The communication device according to claim 3, wherein the measurement unit and the storage unit are activated.

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