JP2011148526A - Centralized monitoring system of filling station - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a monitoring system for easy collective control or the like of domestic filling stations, quickly coping with a situation preventing the continuous operation of the devices or the like of a filling station. <P>SOLUTION: The centralized monitoring system includes: a centralized monitoring device 70 connected to filling station devices 10, 30, 40, and 50 and to a filling station vending device 60 connected with the filling station devices, and receiving and storing data related to the maintenance of the filling station devices and the vending device from the filling station devices and the vending device; and a centralized monitoring server 80 connected to the centralized monitoring device so as to send and receive data, receiving and storing data related to maintenance from the monitoring device, and transferring to a mobile terminal 100, data contained in the data related to maintenance and showing a situation to prevent continuous operation of the filling station devices and/or the vending device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a centralized monitoring system for a gas station that monitors and maintains various devices installed in a gas station at a remote location.

  Conventionally, in a refueling device installed at a gas station such as a gas station, control is performed to control the operation of the pump motor, integrate the flow rate with pulses output from the flow rate pulse oscillator, and display the refueling amount on the display. A device is provided. This control device controls each device of the refueling device, and at the same time, responds to the error content when, for example, connection abnormality of each part, generation of error pulse, valve malfunction, detection of abnormality of various data, etc. occur The error codes are recorded cumulatively, and the recorded error codes are sequentially displayed on the display in the order of occurrence by operating the buttons on the operation panel, or printed by a terminal device printer such as a POS terminal installed at the gas station. It could be used as maintenance information during inspections and repairs.

  However, the method of displaying the error code on the spot when checking or repairing the refueling device, or printing it with the printer of the terminal device at the filling station, requires maintenance work required for inspection and repair at a remote maintenance center. Replacement parts cannot be prepared in advance, and information that accumulates error codes is not sufficient information in many cases, and there is a possibility that extra work and labor are required.

  Therefore, Patent Documents 1 and 2 propose a remote maintenance system for a fueling apparatus that can predict in advance maintenance work and replacement parts necessary for inspection and repair.

  The remote maintenance system for a fueling device described in Patent Document 1 includes error data obtained by detecting an error generated in a fueling device installed at a gas station, and video data of a CCD camera disposed inside the fueling device. A control device for storing data, a data collection unit for collecting data from the control device, a maintenance data storage unit for storing data from the control device together with model data as maintenance data, and transmitting maintenance data via an electrical line A gas station terminal device having a communication control unit and maintenance data transmitted from the gas station terminal device are stored, an alarm signal is generated by comparing the maintenance data and the reference data, and the maintenance data is transmitted to the maintenance center through the line. It is comprised with the maintenance data supervision apparatus which has a communication control part transmitted to a terminal device.

  Further, the gas station system described in Patent Document 2 is connected between a gas station device installed in the gas station, a gas station sales device connected to the gas station device, and a gas station device and the gas station sales device. Connected to the equipment status server, the equipment status server having temporary storage means for storing equipment status data read from the gas station equipment or the gas station sales device, and an authentication means for authenticating the ID code for access permission. And a transmission / reception device for transmitting and receiving data via a network and a monitoring terminal connected to the network, and each refueling device notifies the monitoring terminal via a device status server when a predetermined maintenance condition is reached. It has an inspection notification means.

  However, in the above-mentioned conventional remote maintenance system for a fueling device, maintenance work and replacement parts necessary for inspection and repair of a gas station device can be predicted in advance in a remote place. Since the monitoring center is a separate organization, it is necessary to respond promptly in the event of a situation that prevents continuation of operation of gas station equipment, etc. in order to respond after receiving notification from the maintenance center that an abnormality has occurred. There was a problem that was difficult. As a result, it has also been difficult to collectively manage domestic gas stations.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the problems in the above-described conventional technology, and can quickly respond to a situation that prevents the continuation of operation of a gas station equipment or the like. The purpose is to provide a monitoring system that can easily perform batch management of gas stations.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is a centralized monitoring system for a gas station, which is connected to a gas station device and a gas station sales device connected to the gas station device. A central monitoring device that receives and stores data related to maintenance of the gas station equipment and the gas station sales device from a sales device, and is connected to the central monitoring device so that data can be transmitted and received. And a centralized monitoring server that transfers data indicating a state that is included in the data relating to the maintenance and that prevents the continuation of the operation of the gas station equipment or / and the gas station sales apparatus to the portable terminal. Features. Here, the state that hinders the continuation of operation of gas station equipment and / or gas station sales equipment means that the gas station is out of order due to failure of gas station equipment, various data abnormalities, leakage of underground tanks, lack of replacement parts, etc. A state in which equipment or the like cannot be operated immediately or in the near future.

  And according to this invention, when it will be in the state which prevents the continuation of the driving | operation of a gas station apparatus or / and a gas station sales apparatus, portable terminals, such as a worker in charge of the gas station which installed this gas station apparatus etc. Since the data indicating the state is transmitted to the vehicle, quick response is possible, and stable operation of the gas station can be continued.

  In the centralized monitoring system of the gas station, the centralized monitoring server can receive confirmation completion data indicating that the content of the transfer data has been confirmed from the portable terminal after the data transfer. Thereby, it can be confirmed that the transfer data has arrived from the centralized monitoring server to the portable terminal such as a worker.

  In the centralized monitoring system at the gas station, the centralized monitoring server can receive response completion data indicating that the mobile terminal has responded based on the content of the transfer data after receiving the confirmation completion data. . Thereby, it can confirm that a worker etc. responded based on the contents of transfer data.

  In the centralized monitoring system of the gas station, the centralized monitoring server can perform the data transfer again if the confirmation completion data is not received from the portable terminal even after a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the data transfer. . Thereby, the data which shows that it became the state which prevented the continuation of driving | operation of a gas station apparatus etc. can be transmitted to a worker etc. reliably.

  In the centralized monitoring system of the gas station, the centralized monitoring server is connected so as to be able to transmit and receive data, receives the same data as the data transferred to the portable terminal, and stores the data related to the maintenance stored in the centralized monitoring server. A support center that can be confirmed can be provided. Thereby, while being able to respond to a failure etc. more rapidly, collective management of a domestic gas station can be performed easily.

  In the centralized monitoring system of the gas station, the centralized monitoring server that stores data related to maintenance from the centralized monitoring device installed in each of a plurality of gas stations to be monitored is connected to the centralized monitoring server so that data can be transmitted and received. A monitoring device capable of confirming stored maintenance data can be provided. As a result, it is possible to obtain information on each gas station even at an operator who is in charge of the gas station, or at a fuel oil source sales agency or a dealer who has a plurality of gas stations other than the support center.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when a condition that prevents the operation of the gas station equipment or the like from occurring, such as failure of the gas station equipment, abnormality detection of various data, leakage of the underground tank, lack of replacement parts, etc. It is possible to provide a monitoring system that can respond quickly to the situation and can easily perform collective management of domestic gas stations.

It is a flowchart which shows one Embodiment of the centralized monitoring system of the gas station concerning this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the detail of the centralized monitoring system of the gas station shown in FIG. It is the schematic which shows an example of the email which described the error content which the centralized monitoring server concerning this invention produces | generates. It is a flowchart which shows the error response operation | movement of the centralized monitoring system of the gas station concerning this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the maintenance management operation | movement of the centralized monitoring system of the gas station concerning this invention.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a centralized monitoring system 1 for a gas station according to the present invention. This system 1 is roughly divided into a weighing machine 10 (10A to 10C) installed in a gas station, and a car wash machine 30. Gas station equipment composed of a liquid amount monitoring device 40 and a liquefaction recovery device 50, a gas station sales device (POS terminal) 60 composed of POS and the like, and an underground tank 20 (20A to 20C). A centralized monitoring device 70 provided for monitoring, arranged between each gas station equipment and the gas station sales device 60, and connected to both devices so as to be able to transmit and receive data, and the centralized monitoring device 70 and a network such as the Internet. Connected to a centralized monitoring server (hereinafter abbreviated as “server”) 80, a support center 90 connected to the server 80 via a network, the mobile terminal 100, and the monitoring device 11. Constituted by the.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the metering machine 10 is one of gas station equipment for supplying fuel oil, and a nozzle switch 12 that detects whether the fuel nozzle is unloaded, and for counting the amount of fuel supplied. The oil pump 15 and the display 16 are controlled on the basis of signals from the pulse oscillator 13 provided in the flowmeter of the pit, a pit leak sensor 14 that detects oil leakage, etc., and information on oil supply is memorized or informed of inspections. And a weighing machine control device 11 for controlling the above.

  The weighing machine control device 11 stores information related to device operation such as the amount of oil obtained by counting the flow rate pulses from the pulse oscillator 13 and the number of times of oiling obtained by counting on / off of the nozzle switch 12. Oil supply information storage means, time measuring means for measuring the time from the on-off of the nozzle switch 12 or the drive time of the oil pump 15 to notify the replacement or maintenance time, the specified oil supply amount, the number of oil supply or the drive of the pump When the time is reached, or an inspection notification means for notifying the output from the pit leak sensor 14, and an oil supply control program for controlling the oil supply mechanism and the like.

  The car wash machine 30 controls a setting key 32 for selecting a car wash process, a car wash pump 33 for injecting a brush and a cleaning liquid constituting a car wash mechanism, a display 34 for displaying setting data, and the like. It includes a car wash machine control device 31 that stores information related to the car wash status and controls inspection notification and the like.

  The car wash machine control device 31 includes car wash information storage means for storing the number of times of car wash for brush wear detection, or the number of times of use for each car wash process for detecting the remaining amount of chemical that is a cleaning liquid, and the number of car wash processes or for each car wash process. When the number of times of use is reached, it is composed of inspection notification means for notifying brush replacement and cleaning liquid replenishment, and a car wash control program for controlling the car wash mechanism and the like. The notification of cleaning liquid replenishment by the inspection notification means is used for inventory management of the cleaning liquid, and the cleaning liquid is delivered to the filling station as necessary.

  The liquid amount management device 40 includes a liquid level sensor 42 that detects the liquid level of the underground tank 20 that stores the fuel oil, a temperature sensor 43 that detects the temperature of the fuel oil, and a display 44 that displays detection data and the like. And a liquid amount management control device 41 that controls the above, stores the specification, liquid amount, and change amount of the underground tank 20 and performs control for detecting a leakage state.

  The liquid amount management control device 41 includes tank information storage means for storing the oil type and amount of the underground tank 20 and the amount of change per unit time when the store is closed, and a liquid level sensor 42 and a temperature sensor for each unit time when the store is closed. 43, a timing means for generating a timing signal for capturing the output from the output, an inspection notifying means for notifying occurrence of leakage in the underground tank 20, and tank specifications such as capacity, diameter, trunk length, mirror shape, etc. for each underground tank 20. A tank table to be stored, a liquid level-liquid level converting means for converting a liquid level signal from the liquid level sensor 42 into a liquid level based on the tank table, and a liquid level control program for controlling the liquid level. . The information on the predetermined tank remaining amount is used for inventory management, and fuel oil is delivered to a gas station as needed.

  The liquefaction recovery device 50 is provided to recover the fuel oil vapor (volatile matter) when the fuel oil is received from the tank truck into the underground tank 20, and sucks the vapor generated when the fuel oil is unloaded from the tank truck. In order to drive the liquefaction recovery apparatus 50 when receiving an acceptance start signal from the liquid level rise detection means (not shown) of the oil level gauge 21 (21A to 21C). Equipment drive means 52 and a recovery amount measuring means 53 for measuring the recovery amount of vapor.

  The gas station sales device 60 displays a card reader 62 that reads a credit card, a keyboard 63 for data input, a printer 64 that prints a slip, input data, data transmitted from each gas station device, and the like. And a POS control device 61 that controls these, stores information on abnormality of each gas station equipment, equipment status necessary for maintenance, and performs various notifications.

  The POS control device 61 stores POS information storage means for storing information relating to equipment status such as sales data, remaining tank capacity, head wear of the card reader 62, remaining roll paper and cutter wear based on the number of times the printer 64 is used, It has inspection notifying means for notifying when the head of the card reader 62 and the cutter of the printer 64 have reached the specified number of times of use or the time for replacing the roll paper, and a POS control program for controlling each part.

  Centralized monitoring device 70 is a data storage unit that stores data related to maintenance of each gas station device and gas station sales device 60, and communication that is connected to each gas station device, gas station sales device 60, and server 80 so that data communication is possible. It consists of a control unit.

  The data storage unit includes the gas station number of the gas station where the centralized monitoring device 70 is installed, the replacement of consumables such as nozzles and hoses from the measuring machine 10, and measuring machine consumables information having test timing data, and liquefaction. Liquefaction recovery information comprising the recovery amount and recovery rate from the recovery device, underground tank information including the inventory amount, unloading amount, and sales amount from the oil level gauge 21 of the underground tank 20, and the tank via the oil level gauge 21 The leak sensor information which can grasp | ascertain the state of a leak sensor, a sump sensor, and a soil sensor, and the error information from each check alerting means of various gas station equipment are memorize | stored.

  The communication control unit is controlled to transmit error data of various gas station equipment to the server 80 upon receipt. On the other hand, even when error data is not received, information on various gas station equipment stored in the data storage unit is periodically transmitted to the server 80.

  The server 80 includes a centralized monitoring device 70, a support center 90, a communication control unit connected to each mobile terminal 100 and the monitoring device 110 so as to be able to transmit and receive data, and a filling station number corresponding to the filling station number received from the centralized monitoring device 70. Based on the data storage unit that stores the basic information of the gas station including the name, address, main sale and dealer, and the mail address of the portable terminal of the worker in charge of the central monitoring device installation area, and the error data from the central monitoring device 70 An e-mail generating unit for generating e-mail, a calendar unit for performing date and date management, a form generating unit for generating reports such as inventory management information, and the sales volume of the weighing machine 10 for each oil type It is composed of an aggregation / display unit that aggregates and displays each information so as to be viewable from the support center 90.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the e-mail creation unit creates an e-mail based on the error data. This e-mail describes the basic information of the gas station, such as the name and address of the gas station where the error occurred, and information about the gas station equipment where the error occurred.

  In order to assist the server 80, the support center 90 dispatches another worker when the server 80 alone cannot handle the problem, for example, when the worker in charge who has received the error data cannot solve the error. Provided.

  The monitoring device 110 is, for example, a terminal used by a dealer, main sale, etc., and the data stored in the data storage unit of the server 80 is tabulated without receiving data from the support center 90 or the like. By browsing the display section, it is provided to freely monitor the current situation of the gas station.

  Next, the maintenance operation of the centralized monitoring system 1 of the gas station having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. In the following description, a case where an error has occurred in the weighing machine 10 will be exemplified.

  As shown in FIG. 2, when oil leak is detected by the pit leak sensor 14 provided in the weighing machine control device 11 of the weighing machine 10, error data is transmitted to the centralized monitoring device 70 by the inspection notification means of the weighing machine 10. To do. The centralized monitoring device 70 that has received the error data stores the error information in the data storage unit and transmits the error data to the server 80.

  Receiving the error data, the server 80 stores the error information in the data storage unit and creates an e-mail describing the error information based on the error data as shown in FIG.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the created electronic mail is transmitted to the portable terminal 100 of the worker in charge in the installation area of the centralized monitoring apparatus 70 that transmitted the error data (step S1). As a result, when an error occurs, the error details can be quickly transmitted to the worker in charge.

  The worker in charge who has confirmed the error content returns a confirmation mail to the server 80 by, for example, returning a blank electronic mail to the transmitted electronic mail. When the server 80 receives this confirmation mail (step S2: Yes), it can be seen that the worker in charge confirmed the error content.

  On the other hand, if the server 80 cannot receive the confirmation mail within one hour after sending the e-mail (step S2: No), it is determined that the worker in charge has not confirmed the error contents, and the error contents. The e-mail in which is written is resent (step S3). If the confirmation mail cannot be received even if the e-mail is retransmitted a predetermined number of times, the support center 90 responds by dispatching another worker.

  When the worker in charge who has sent the confirmation email has finished eliminating errors such as oil leakage, the worker in charge sends a correspondence completion email describing the correspondence contents to the server 80 by the portable terminal 100, and the correspondence completion email (Step S4: Yes), the server 80 stores the information described in the response completion mail in the data storage unit and ends the operation. As a result, it is possible to promptly notify the worker in charge of an error in each gas station equipment, and it is also possible to promptly respond to the error.

  On the other hand, if the response completion mail cannot be received even after a predetermined time has elapsed on the server 80 side (step S4: No), error data is transmitted to the support center 90, and a worker is dispatched by the support center 90. (Step S5). As a result, it is possible to quickly deal with errors that the worker in charge cannot deal with.

  Next, the maintenance operation of the gas station centralized monitoring system 1 having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, in the following description, the case where the nozzle / hose replacement / verification time management of the weighing machine 10 is performed is illustrated.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the oil supply information storage means and the time measuring means provided in the weighing machine control device 11 of the weighing machine 10 detect nozzle / hose exchange and test time data, and detect the detected replacement and test time data. The data is stored in the data storage unit of the centralized monitoring device 70. This information is periodically transmitted to the server 80 and managed by the data storage unit.

  As shown in FIG. 5, when it is determined that the nozzle / hose needs to be replaced based on the replacement time data stored in the data storage unit of the server 80 and the calendar unit (step S <b> 11: Yes), the server 80. The e-mail creating unit creates an e-mail describing the exchange information such as the exchange location and the exchange time and transmits it to the gas station (step S12).

  The worker at the gas station that has received the e-mail replaces the nozzle / hose based on the replacement information described in the e-mail, and transmits a replacement completion mail to the server 80 after the replacement is completed. On the server 80 side, when the exchange completion mail is received (step S13: Yes), the exchange time data stored in the data storage unit is cleared (step S14), and the exchange time stored in the centralized monitoring device 70 Control to clear the data. Then, the replacement timing data is regenerated by the oil supply information storage means and the time measuring means provided in the weighing machine control device 11 of the weighing machine 10 (step S15).

  On the other hand, when the exchange completion mail cannot be received on the server 80 side (step S13: No), the e-mail is periodically retransmitted to the gas station until the exchange completion mail is received (step S16). Further, if the server 80 cannot receive the exchange completion mail even one day before the exchange time, another support worker is dispatched at the support center 90.

  On the other hand, if it is not time to replace the nozzle / hose (step S11: No), the server 80 determines whether it is time to test the nozzle / hose (step S17). If it is the nozzle / hose test time (step S17: Yes), the e-mail creation unit of the server 80 creates an e-mail describing the test information such as the test location and test time and sends it to the gas station. (Step S18).

  The worker at the gas station that has received the e-mail performs a test based on the test information described in the e-mail, and transmits a test completion mail to the server 80 after the test is completed. When the test completion mail is received on the server 80 side (step S19: Yes), the test time data stored in the data storage unit is cleared (step S20), and the test time data stored in the centralized monitoring device 70 Also control to clear. Then, the test time data is regenerated by the oil supply information storage means and the time measuring means provided in the weighing machine control device 11 of the weighing machine 10 (step S21).

  On the other hand, if the verification completion mail cannot be received on the server 80 side (step S19: No), the electronic mail is periodically retransmitted to the gas station until the verification completion mail is received (step S22). Furthermore, even if one day before the examination time, if the server 80 side cannot receive the exchange completion mail, the support center 90 responds by dispatching another worker.

  On the other hand, when it is not the nozzle / hose verification time (step S17: No), the acceleration sensor (not shown) provided in the nozzle of the weighing machine 10 detects the nozzle acceleration, and the nozzle acceleration is equal to or greater than the threshold value. If there is (step S23: Yes), it is determined that the nozzle has dropped, and an e-mail indicating that the nozzle has been dropped is transmitted to the portable terminal 100 of the worker in charge via the server 80 (step S23). S24).

  When the acceleration of the nozzle detected by the acceleration sensor is less than the threshold value (step S23: No), it is determined that the nozzle has not dropped, and in a strain sensor (not shown) provided in the hose of the weighing machine 10, Detect hose strain.

  If the strain of the hose detected by the strain sensor is equal to or greater than the threshold value (step S25: Yes), the hose may have been forcibly pulled. Then, an e-mail indicating that a hose failure confirmation request is requested is transmitted (step S26). On the other hand, when the strain is less than the threshold value (step S25: No), the maintenance operation is terminated. The detection values of the acceleration sensor and the strain sensor can be monitored from the support center 90.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Centralized monitoring system 10 (10A-10C) Weighing machine 11 Weighing machine control apparatus 12 Nozzle switch 13 Pulse oscillator 14 Pit leak sensor 15 Oil supply pump 16 Indicator 20 (20A-20C) Underground tank 21 (21A-21C) Oil level gauge 30 Car Wash Machine 31 Car Wash Machine Control Device 32 Setting Key 33 Car Wash Pump 34 Display 40 Liquid Volume Management Device 41 Liquid Volume Management Control Device 42 Liquid Level Sensor 43 Temperature Sensor 44 Display 50 Liquefaction Collection Device 51 Vent Pipe 52 Device Driving Unit 53 Collected amount measuring means 60 Gas station sales device 61 POS control device 62 Card reader 63 Keyboard 64 Printer 65 Display device 70 Centralized monitoring device 80 Server 90 Support center 100 Mobile terminal 110 Monitoring device

Claims (6)

Connected to a gas station equipment and a gas station sales device connected to the gas station equipment, and receives data relating to maintenance of the gas station equipment and gas station sales equipment from the gas station equipment and gas station sales apparatus. A central monitoring device for storing;
Connected to the central monitoring device so as to be able to transmit and receive data, receive and store data related to the maintenance from the centralized monitoring device, and included in the data related to the maintenance, operation of the gas station equipment and / or the gas station sales device A centralized monitoring system for a gas station, comprising: a centralized monitoring server that transfers data indicating a state that prevents continuation of the data to a mobile terminal.   The said centralized monitoring server receives the confirmation completion data which shows having confirmed the content of the said transfer data from the said portable terminal after the said data transfer, The centralized monitoring system of the gas station of Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned. .   The refueling according to claim 2, wherein the centralized monitoring server receives response completion data indicating that a response has been made based on the content of transfer data from the portable terminal after receiving the confirmation completion data. Centralized monitoring system.   The refueling according to claim 2, wherein the central monitoring server performs the data transfer again when the confirmation completion data is not received from the portable terminal even after a predetermined period has elapsed after the data transfer. Centralized monitoring system.   A support center connected to the centralized monitoring server so as to be able to transmit and receive data, receiving the same data as the data transferred to the portable terminal, and capable of confirming the maintenance-related data stored in the centralized monitoring server; The centralized monitoring system of the gas station in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 4 characterized by the above-mentioned.   The maintenance data stored in the centralized monitoring server can be confirmed by being connected to the centralized monitoring server that stores data related to maintenance from the centralized monitoring device installed at each of the plurality of gas stations to be monitored. A centralized monitoring system for a gas station according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a monitoring device.

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