JP2013118552A - Radio telemeter system, radio master unit, and wireless slave unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a radio telemeter system capable of shortening time required for a radio wave measurement work and preventing useless radio wave radiation.SOLUTION: A radio telemeter system includes a terminal network controller 3 connected via a telephone network to a center side network controller 2, a radio master unit 4 connected to the terminal network controller 3, a wireless slave unit 5 to communicate with the radio master unit 4 by radio wave, and a meter 6 such as a gas meter and a water service meter connected with the wireless slave unit 5. When the radio master unit 4 and the wireless slave unit 5 execute a radio wave measurement therebetween, the radio master unit 4 sends a radio wave measurement confirmation text to the wireless slave unit 5 on a radio wave reception side, and extends or halts the radio wave measurement in response to whether or not the radio master unit 4 has received a reply to the radio wave measurement confirmation text from the wireless slave unit 5.

Description

  The present invention relates to a radio telemeter system, a radio master unit, and a radio slave unit, and in particular, a terminal network control device, a gas meter, and a water pipe connected to a center NCU (hereinafter abbreviated as center) side device via a communication line such as a public line. The present invention relates to a wireless telemeter system that wirelessly transmits data to and from terminal devices such as meters and sensors, and a wireless master device and a wireless slave device used in the wireless telemeter system.

  In the wireless telemeter system, a terminal network control device (hereinafter abbreviated as T-NCU) connected to a center side network control device (center NCU) via a communication line, and a wireless master device (hereinafter referred to as T-NCU) , Abbreviated as “base unit”), a plurality of wireless slave units (hereinafter abbreviated as “slave units”) that communicate with the master unit via a wireless line, and gas, water, electricity, etc. connected to the master unit or the slave unit It is comprised with terminal devices, such as a meter and a sensor.

  In the above wireless telemeter system, the master unit and the slave unit exchange the MAC address (identification code) between the master unit and the slave unit before installation and operation, and store that each other is a communication partner. There is an operation of checking the strength of the radio wave during the installation work between the stored master and slave units.

  There are various methods for checking the radio field strength. Usually, the radio field strength is measured when the other party's telegram is received by exchanging telegrams between the main unit and the slave unit. In addition, there is a method of visual display using display means on the receiver side. There is also a method in which radio waves are continuously emitted from the base unit side, and the radio wave intensity is visually displayed on the receiver side. (For example, see Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2)

  For convenience of explanation, the terminal on the radio wave emission side for radio wave measurement is fixed to the master unit, and the side for measuring radio waves (receiver side) is fixed to the slave unit.

JP 2002-290266 A JP 2006-331149 A

  Conventionally, in the former radio wave measuring method, only a temporary radio wave intensity at the time of receiving a message can be confirmed, and it cannot be confirmed whether the radio wave is stably delivered due to a change in the surrounding environment. In the latter radio wave measurement method, radio waves are emitted continuously for several minutes. It was necessary to request the center device side by human means to throw it.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a wireless telemeter system, a wireless master device, and a wireless slave device capable of shortening time in radio wave measurement work and eliminating unnecessary radio wave radiation.

  In order to achieve the above object, a wireless telemeter system of the present invention includes a terminal network control device connected to a center side network control device via a telephone network, a wireless master device connected to the terminal network control device, In a wireless telemeter system having a wireless slave that communicates with a wireless master by radio waves, and a meter such as gas or water connected to the wireless slave, between the wireless master and the wireless slave When performing radio wave measurement, a radio wave measurement confirmation message is transmitted from the wireless master unit to a radio slave unit on the radio wave reception side, and the wireless master unit sends a reply from the wireless slave unit to the radio wave measurement confirmation message. The radio wave measurement is extended or the radio wave measurement is stopped depending on whether or not it has been received.

Furthermore, in the radio telemeter system of the present invention, the radio wave measurement confirmation message is periodically transmitted from the radio master unit.
Furthermore, the radio telemeter system of the present invention ends the radio wave measurement if there is no reply for a certain time after transmitting the radio wave measurement confirmation message.
Furthermore, in the radio telemeter system of the present invention, the transmission destination of the radio wave measurement confirmation message is a radio slave unit that has already been associated with the radio master unit and has transmitted a command to make the radio master unit enter a radio wave measurement state. is there.
Furthermore, in the radio telemeter system of the present invention, the number of times to transmit the radio wave measurement confirmation message can be set in advance.

Furthermore, the radio telemeter system of the present invention can set the transmission time of radio waves for radio wave measurement in advance.
Furthermore, the wireless telemeter system of the present invention enables whether or not to reply to the radio wave measurement confirmation message by communication from a terminal other than the wireless slave unit that has issued an instruction to set the radio wave measurement state.
Furthermore, in the radio telemeter system of the present invention, the radio receiver on the radio wave receiving side includes a storage unit that stores the radio wave intensity at the time of the previous measurement, and a display unit that visually displays the radio wave intensity. When there is no radio wave, the radio wave intensity of the radio wave for radio wave measurement measured immediately before being stored in the storage unit is displayed on the display unit.

  The wireless telemeter system of the present invention includes a terminal network control device connected to a center side network control device via a telephone network, a wireless master device connected to the terminal network control device, and the wireless master device and the wireless In a radio telemeter system having a wireless slave unit that performs communication using radio waves and a meter such as gas or water connected to the wireless slave unit, when measuring radio waves between the wireless master unit and the wireless slave unit In addition, the radio base station periodically repeats the radio wave emission and reception state for radio wave measurement, and receives a radio wave stop message from the radio handset on the radio wave reception side during the reception state. Cancel.

Furthermore, in the radio telemeter system of the present invention, the transmission trigger of the radio wave stop message is input from an input device provided in the radio slave on the radio wave reception side.
Furthermore, in the radio telemeter system of the present invention, the radio receiver on the radio wave receiving side includes a storage unit that stores the radio wave intensity at the time of the previous measurement, and a display unit that visually displays the radio wave intensity. On the other hand, the radio wave intensity of the radio wave for measurement measured immediately before being stored in the storage unit is displayed on the display unit until the next radio wave for radio wave measurement is received after the radio wave stop message is transmitted.

Further, the wireless master device of the present invention is connected to a terminal network control device connected to the center side network control device via a telephone network, and communicates with a wireless slave device connected to a meter such as gas or water by radio waves. When performing radio wave measurement with the radio slave unit, the radio slave unit transmits a radio wave measurement confirmation message to the radio slave unit on the radio wave reception side, and the radio slave unit with respect to the radio wave measurement confirmation message The radio wave measurement is extended or the radio wave measurement is stopped depending on whether or not a reply from is received.
In addition, the wireless slave device of the present invention communicates with a wireless master device connected to a terminal network control device connected to a center side network control device via a telephone network by radio waves, and a meter such as gas or water In the connected wireless slave unit, when performing radio wave measurement with the wireless master unit, a radio measurement confirmation message transmitted from the wireless master unit is received, and a reply to the radio measurement confirmation message is sent to the wireless parent unit. The radio wave measurement is extended or the radio wave measurement is stopped depending on whether or not to perform the test.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, in a radio telemeter system, a radio | wireless main | base station, and a radio | wireless subunit | mobile_unit, the time in a radio wave measurement operation | work can be shortened and useless radio wave radiation can be eliminated.

1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a radio telemeter system of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of a radio | wireless subunit | mobile_unit and a main | base station. It is a figure which shows the radio wave measurement communication protocol between the main | base station and the subunit | mobile_unit from the former. It is a sequence diagram which shows one Embodiment in this invention. It is a sequence diagram which shows another embodiment in this invention. It is a sequence diagram which shows another embodiment in this invention.

  A mode for carrying out the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 shows a wireless telemeter system as an embodiment of the wireless data communication system of the present invention. A center side device comprising a center side network control device 2 connected to the host computer 1, a T-NCU 3 connected to the center side network control device 2 via a communication line such as a telephone line, and the T-NCU 3 (wired) (Or wirelessly) connected base unit 4, a plurality of slave units 5 that perform wireless communication with the master unit 4 via a wireless line, and a master unit 4 and a meter 6 connected (wired or wirelessly) to the slave unit 5. Consists of. The master unit 4 and the slave unit 5 are collectively referred to as wireless devices.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing the parent device 4 and the child device 5. The master unit 4 and the slave unit 5 are connected to an antenna 7, a radio communication unit 8 connected to the antenna 7 for radio communication with a counterpart station, a control unit 9 for controlling radio communication, and a meter 6. Meter interface unit 10, own station ID storage unit 11 for storing its own radio station identification code (call name) and user ID, and other station (communication partner) identification code (call name), user ID, etc. A partner station ID storage unit 12, a switch unit 13 used when registering the partner station, and a display unit 14 for displaying stored information and the like. The base unit 4 further has an interface unit (not shown) for connecting to the T-NCU 3. However, depending on the product form, the T-NCU 3 in FIG. 1 and the wireless master device 4 may be integrated. In some cases, the T-NCU portion is a device connected to a mobile telephone network such as a PHS network, a FOMA network, or a DOPA network. There are 15 power supply circuit sections.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of a conventional process for performing radio wave measurement using a slave unit and a slave unit that is already associated. When the slave unit sends a radio wave emission request message to the master unit, the master unit that receives the message emits a radio wave for measuring radio waves for a fixed long time (for example, 30 minutes), and the receiving side also has a fixed time period radio wave intensity. Continue the measurement and continue to display the measurement results on the display device.

  FIG. 4 shows a processing flow of the present invention for improving the efficiency of the radio wave measurement work.

  In FIG. 4, when a radio wave measurement start input is made by the slave unit, a radio wave emission request message is transmitted to the master unit. On the other hand, the base unit that has received the radio wave emission request message analyzes the received electronic message, and if it is determined that the radio wave emission request message is from the slave unit, the radio signal for radio wave measurement is transmitted to the slave unit that has transmitted it. Fire. At this time, the main unit interrupts the emission of the radio wave for radio measurement every short time (for example, 1 minute), and when it is interrupted, transmits the radio wave measurement extension message to the slave unit that has transmitted the radio wave emission request message. Transition to a reply waiting state (for example, 5 seconds).

  After transmitting the radio wave emission request message to the master unit, the slave unit starts radio wave measurement, displays the measurement result, establishes a link with the master unit, and shifts to an extended message wait state. When the slave unit that has received the extension message analyzes the message and confirms that it is an extension message from the master unit, it confirms whether or not a cancel input has been made by the input device provided on the slave unit using a button or the like. An extension confirmation reply message is sent back to the main unit as it is not necessary to cancel.

  Only when an extension confirmation reply message is received from the slave unit while the master unit is waiting for a reply from the slave unit, the master unit emits a radio wave for radio wave measurement again. Radio wave measurement can be continued by repeating such a series of transmission / reception exchanges.

  If there is a cancel input on the handset side, the handset disconnects the link with the base unit, shifts to standby, and does not send an extension confirmation reply message to the base unit. In this case, since the base unit does not send a reply even after the reply waiting time elapses, the base unit does not transmit the radio wave for radio wave measurement, and shifts to standby. In this way, it is possible to measure radio waves for a short time and to cope with radio wave measurements for a longer time than before, and it is possible to easily extend and shorten the radio wave measurement work.

  In the above, the main unit transmits an extension confirmation message, and only when there is a reply message from the child device to the parent device, the parent device continues to emit radio waves for radio wave measurement. When the extension confirmation message is transmitted and there is no extension confirmation reply message from the slave unit to the master unit, radio wave emission is continued, and radio wave measurement is terminated only when there is a reply message from the slave unit to the master unit. Also good. That is, the reply message in this case serves as a cancel message.

  Also, in order to avoid unnecessary battery consumption when forgetting to cancel, it is possible to consider a means that allows the number of replies to be changed in advance by an external setting machine that can be connected to the slave unit. In addition, in order to make the radio wave measurement work time more efficient, it may be possible to change the transmission interval of the radio wave measurement extension message of the master unit in advance from an external setting machine or center that can be connected to the master unit. It is also possible to set in advance the number of times the radio measurement extension message is transmitted and the transmission time of the radio measurement radio wave. As a method for setting these, for example, a setting method by directly connecting to a master unit such as an external setting device, a setting method by connecting a setting device to a slave unit, and including the data in a radio wave emission request message to the master unit Such a method can be considered.

  Further, FIG. 5 shows a means that can be canceled from other than the slave unit that has made a radio wave emission request, in association with the same parent unit, in order to increase the flexibility of the radio wave measurement system. In the case of this figure, it is assumed that the slave unit 1 makes a radio wave emission request and the slave unit 2 makes a stop request. The radio wave measurement between the parent device and the child device 1 is basically performed in the same manner as in FIG.

  A slave unit ID (ID of slave unit 1 in the figure) for which a radio wave emission request is made by an input device such as an external setting machine or DIPSW provided in the slave unit is designated. An ID is uniquely assigned to a child device that is associated with the same parent device. In the case of an external setting machine, a cancellation message from the setting machine is started. In the case of DIPSW, transmission of a cancellation message including the identification code of the parent device and the ID of the child device 1 is started by pressing a button. Receiving the message, handset 1 determines that the message has been canceled after analyzing the message, returns to standby, and stops sending a reply message to the extension confirmation message from the next parent device. Then, since the base unit does not send a reply even after the reply waiting time elapses, the base unit does not transmit the radio wave for radio wave measurement and shifts to standby. In this way, it is possible to cancel even from a device other than the child device that issued the radio wave emission request.

  In the case of FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, since the radio wave intensity cannot be acquired while the slave unit is responding to the extended telegram, the latest latest result is displayed as the radio wave intensity result display during the reply of the extended telegram.

  Next, instead of the radio wave measurement extension message from the parent device as in the past, a means of transmitting a stop message every certain short time from the child device side is conceivable. The flow of the process is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, in this case, the master unit repeats the radio wave measurement radio wave transmission → cancel message reception waiting operation at regular intervals. If a cancel message is received from the slave unit while waiting for reception of the cancel message, the master unit will not emit radio wave measurement radio waves thereafter. The stop message transmission trigger from the slave unit is an input device such as a button provided in the slave unit. That is, a cancel message is transmitted by an input from the input device. Further, the transmission time of the cancellation message is set longer than the transmission time of the radio wave for radio wave measurement so that the cancellation message can be surely delivered to the parent device. In this way, it is not necessary to press an input device such as a button of the slave unit aiming at the stop time.

  In this method, radio waves are not transmitted while the master unit is waiting for reception. For this reason, the radio wave intensity display of the slave unit during radio wave measurement becomes no radio wave display in the meantime, resulting in confusion in work. In order to avoid this, the radio wave intensity status of the radio wave measurement signal that was received immediately before is memorized, and even if there is no radio wave, the time that the master unit is waiting to receive is stored as the radio wave intensity display. Display a certain state. After the reception waiting time has elapsed, the display returns to the current signal strength display.

  As described above, the present invention can shorten the time for conventional inefficient radio wave measurement work, eliminate unnecessary radio wave radiation, reduce the influence on other radio systems, and provide stable radio waves. The strength can be confirmed on the handset side, and a stable wireless system can be constructed.

  In the above embodiment, the radio telemeter system has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can also be used for radio wave measurement in a radio data communication system such as a security system that reports an abnormal situation.

1 Host computer 2 Center side network controller 3 T-NCU
4 wireless master device 5 wireless slave device 6 meter 8 wireless communication unit 9 control unit 10 meter interface unit 11 own station ID storage unit 12 partner station ID storage unit 13 switch unit 14 display unit 15 power supply control unit

Claims (13)

A terminal network control device connected to the center-side network control device via a telephone network, a wireless master device connected to the terminal network control device, a wireless slave device that communicates with the wireless master device by radio waves, In a wireless telemeter system having a meter such as gas or water connected to the wireless slave unit,
When performing radio wave measurement between the radio master unit and the radio slave unit, the radio master unit transmits a radio wave measurement confirmation message to the radio slave unit on the radio wave reception side, and the radio measurement confirmation message A radio telemeter system for extending the radio wave measurement or canceling the radio wave measurement according to whether or not the radio master unit has received a reply from the radio slave unit.   The radio telemeter system according to claim 1, wherein the radio wave measurement confirmation message is periodically transmitted from the radio master unit.   The radio telemeter system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein after receiving the radio wave measurement confirmation message, radio wave measurement is terminated if there is no reply for a certain period of time.   The transmission destination of the radio wave measurement confirmation message is a wireless slave device that has been associated with the wireless master device and that has transmitted a command to make the wireless master device enter a radio wave measurement state. The radio telemeter system according to any one of the above.   The radio telemeter system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the number of times of transmitting the radio wave measurement confirmation message can be set in advance.   The radio telemeter system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a transmission time of a radio wave for radio wave measurement can be set in advance.   The communication according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein whether or not to reply to the radio wave measurement confirmation message is enabled by communication from a terminal other than the wireless slave device that has issued an instruction to set the radio wave measurement state. Wireless telemeter system.   The radio receiver on the radio wave reception side includes a storage unit that stores the radio wave intensity at the time of the previous measurement, and a display unit that visually displays the radio wave intensity, and when there is no radio wave from the radio base unit, the storage unit The radio telemeter system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a radio wave intensity of a radio wave for measuring radio waves measured immediately before being stored in is displayed on the display unit. A terminal network control device connected to the center-side network control device via a telephone network, a wireless master device connected to the terminal network control device, a wireless slave device that communicates with the wireless master device by radio waves, In a wireless telemeter system having a meter such as gas or water connected to the wireless slave unit,
When performing radio wave measurement between the radio master unit and the radio slave unit, the radio master unit periodically repeats radio wave emission and reception state for radio wave measurement, and the radio unit on the radio wave receiving side during the reception state. A radio telemeter system that stops the emission of the next radio wave for measurement when a radio wave stop message is received from the machine.   The radio telemeter system according to claim 9, wherein the transmission trigger of the radio wave stop message is input from an input device provided in the radio slave on the radio wave reception side.   The radio receiver on the radio wave reception side includes a storage unit that stores the radio wave intensity at the time of the previous measurement and a display unit that visually displays the radio wave intensity, and transmits a radio wave stop message to the radio base unit. 11. The radio telemeter system according to claim 9, wherein the radio field intensity of the radio wave for radio wave measurement measured immediately before being stored in the storage unit is displayed on the display unit until the next radio wave for radio wave measurement is received. In the wireless master unit that is connected to the terminal network controller connected to the center side network controller via the telephone network and communicates with the wireless slave unit connected to a meter such as gas or water, using radio waves,
When measuring radio waves with the wireless slave unit, whether a radio measurement confirmation message was sent to the radio slave unit on the radio wave reception side, and whether a reply from the wireless slave unit was received for the radio measurement confirmation message A wireless master device that extends the radio wave measurement or cancels the radio wave measurement according to the presence or absence of the radio wave. In a wireless slave connected to a meter such as gas or water, communicates with a wireless master connected to a terminal network controller connected to the center side network controller via a telephone network, and connected to a meter such as gas or water.
Depending on whether or not a radio measurement confirmation message transmitted from the wireless master device is received and a response to the radio measurement confirmation message is sent to the radio master device when measuring radio waves with the wireless master device A wireless slave that extends the radio wave measurement or cancels the radio wave measurement.

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