JP2015088149A - Unitary management processing system of customer service relating to control of maintenance of water supply device (water meter, water supply pipe, water tank and so on) and fare collection - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To centralize tasks of a water meter management and a meter reading/water leakage investigation by a computer and to unitize each inspection device thereby achieving large rationalization by the development of an information processing system and enabling a task consigned not only from inland but also from abroad to be executed.SOLUTION: A system is configured such that a water meter surface is set up with a tag reader, a meter reading camera, and a compound type inspection unit capable of collecting an analogue sound as well. The tag fixed on a lid of the water meter is read by the tag reader built in the compound type inspection unit, and water leakage information including a meter number, water rate meter number image information, and even the analogue sound is communicated to a headquarters office so that meter management, customer management, and water leakage management are integrally managed by a computer of the headquarters office, and an amount to be billed to the customer is automatically calculated. The system includes a system in which a billing slip is outputted from a mobile printer connected to a portable communication terminal (a smart-phone, a tablet and the like) carried by a meter reader, and a computer system capable of controlling the meter management of a serial number from storing to disposal in real time.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to maintenance and management of water supply equipment that is the property of a customer and collection of water charges received from the customer, and relates to an information processing system that unifies management for the purpose of improving services, improving the efficiency and suitability of operations. It is.

There are various technical fields such as civil engineering, architecture, machinery, electricity, and chemistry, and administrative fields that provide customer service such as toll collection. The water supply business has been managed and operated for each field. In addition, it is predicted that the water supply business will change from the era of construction expansion to the era of maintenance, and management will become more severe, such as a decrease in income due to population decline.

In this, maintenance and charge collection of water supply devices are currently operated and managed by different departments, but there are many duplicate tasks and are irrational.

Furthermore, since it is not systemized even in a single operation, it depends on human ability such as manual operation and visual inspection, and is inefficient and has a problem of human error.

The water meter has a valid use period of 8 years from the date of certification for manufacturing certification, and the meter is to be replaced before the deadline.

At present, about 50 million water meters are used nationwide, and the number of times of entering and leaving is about 200 million, and this work is inefficient because it is a human work.

Management is in the situation where the quantity by caliber is main and traceability of each meter is not made.

Management was mainly by handwritten slips by visual inspection, and it was easy for human errors to occur due to the labor required for work.

The replacement of the verification meter (the meter that has expired for 8 years) is aimed at a period as close as possible to 8 years, but since the management is not performed for each individual meter, the actual meter usage period is short and inefficient. It was.

Next, in the collection of water bills, the meter reading work is a new meter where the meter reader goes to the office from home and receives the handy terminal (hereinafter referred to as HT) to which the personal information is entered, and visits the site to perform meter reading work. Enter the amount of water used) and return to the office for paperwork.

Carrying HT with important personal information outdoors has the problem of leaking personal information if it is lost because it may be misplaced or stolen.

During this work, the HT database and the meter were collated by outputting the meter number on the HT display and reading the numerical value stamped on the meter.

In this case, the number output on the display of the HT is in the field and is subject to direct sunlight, so it is very difficult to see and a human error due to misrecognition has also occurred. About 200 cases were the limit.

By using the water meter reading value, the guideline value is constantly changing, and when the meter reader reads the meter, there was no way to prove the proof of the meter reading value.

Next, about 90% or more of water leaks from water pipes account for water leakage surveys, and this water leakage survey method is carried out by a technical engineer about 200 inspections a day, using a sounding stick. I came.

Recently, however, a leak detector that can detect whether there is water leakage electronically or mechanically is carried and a regular worker goes around the customer's meter one by one. doing.

In addition, the documents at the inspection site are organized by hand, which is inefficient and causes human errors.

In addition, if it was difficult to sort the presence or absence of water leakage from the detector data, it was necessary to go back to the site and check.

JP 2006-338254 A JP 2003-323686 A

The problem to be solved is to improve the work style in which the meter reader and the water leak investigator are taking separate door-to-door visits, and the work methods that have so far been centered on human work and have had the potential for human error. The inventor has invented a combined type inspection device that has a sensor function that allows an inspector to simultaneously perform meter reading work and water leakage investigation work, and to improve efficiency and build an accurate and rational work system by developing related software.

A complex communication tester with a sensor function that can automatically detect leaks and read meter pointer values with a single button from the authentication and verification of the meter, and a portable communication terminal to perform one stop instantly after the inspection. We have developed and invented a system that uses devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.) and combines and operates various software that operates them in conjunction.

For meter management and customer information, attach an IC tag that records basic information to the meter lid, read it with an IC tag reader, take an image of the meter pointer value with a camera, and use a compound inspection device with a water leak detection sensor function. A system that collects and communicates information with a single button operation on the meter surface, and performs centralized management processing at the head office computer.

In meter inventory management, by performing individual authentication and verification with an IC tag and an IC tag reader at the time of entering and leaving the meter, it is possible to prevent erroneous recognition of verification and verification work that has been performed conventionally and to improve efficiency.

The meter information read at this time is transmitted from the IC tag reader to a portable communication terminal (smartphone, tablet, etc.) (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.), and the processing of the new invention incorporated in the portable communication terminal (smartphone, tablet, etc.) Organize with software and communicate with office management server.

The received information is organized and stored in accordance with the processing items by the processing software of the new invention built in the server, thereby eliminating the need for manual data input operation which has been conventionally performed, thereby preventing erroneous input and improving efficiency.

In addition, when information on individual meters is required during field work, it is also efficient because the necessary information can be called instantly by reading the tag.

In the meter reading work, the customer information in the HT database and the authentication and verification of the meter were performed using the HT display and the numerical value stamped on the meter at the time of meter reading. It is very difficult to see, and the value stamped on the meter was difficult to read due to mud, etc., but the recognition and verification work with the IC tag attached to the meter lid and the IC tag reader eliminates misrecognition and efficiency. Can work well.

To read the meter pointer value, the meter pointer value taken from a composite inspector equipped with a newly invented camera to a portable communication terminal (smartphone, tablet, etc.) is transmitted or sent to a server for image processing. Digital digitization and display improves efficiency by eliminating misreading, and enables manual input when the image is unclear and cannot be read. Image processing system software is a portable communication terminal (smartphone, tablet Etc.) to be able to handle both the case of being built in and the case of the headquarters server.

The transmitted meter reading values are organized by the processing software newly invented by the server at the headquarters, so that it is not necessary for the meter inspector to perform the office work, and it is possible to return home without visiting the office.

In addition, when you go to work in the morning, you can send data to the portable communication terminal (smartphone, tablet, etc.) from the headquarters server on that day, eliminating the need for data input to the HT that you would normally do when you went to work in the morning. Therefore, it is possible to go straight from home to the site.

Previously, it was impossible to take HT home from the viewpoint of preventing leakage of personal information, but this invention eliminates the time required for preparation work at the office, organizing work, and round trip to the site. The work form can be greatly simplified and rationalized.

The collected meter reading value image is sent from the portable communication terminal (smartphone, tablet, etc.) to the server at the headquarters, digitized and adjusted at the headquarters, and the slip is output from the mobile printer. Customer information (smartphones, tablets, etc.) is automatically deleted, and it becomes possible to prevent leakage of personal information.

The leak test has been conducted separately from the meter reading work, but with the newly invented combined type tester, it is possible to read the pointer value and listen to the vibration sound at the same time with the operation of one button. Can be reduced and rationalized.

In the conventional method of sorting continuous sounds (leakage or simulated water leak) and intermittent sounds (noise), an expert investigator revisited the discrimination of continuous sounds other than water leaks. With the vibration detector of the leaked water detector and the portable communication terminal (smartphone, tablet, etc.) or the vibration sound analysis software built in the server, it is possible to sort the leaked sound and the simulated leak sound significantly it can.

In order to further improve efficiency, the continuous sound and the intermittent sound are distinguished within 2 seconds within the leak detector, and in the case of intermittent sound, sampling is finished in 2 seconds. Collect and send.

Previously, it took time to verify the meter with the customer who was inspected, and to transfer it to the drawing. However, by sharing with customer data used for meter reading, the verification work is unnecessary, and the drawing is directly connected to the GIS from the server. Since the information can be communicated, the drawing work (reference drawing; FIG. 3), which has been troublesome manually, is not necessary and can be greatly streamlined.

Image analysis software for meter pointer values, vibration sound analysis and analysis software can be built into a portable communication terminal (smartphone, tablet, etc.) or a server installed in the headquarters, but it is a portable communication terminal (smartphone, tablet, etc.) By packet communication of these pieces of information to the headquarters server, it is possible to centralize and manage the work, and to greatly rationalize.

The conventional meter reading work was performed by the meter reader, and the water leakage check work required a specialist engineer. However, both operations can be performed at the same time in this system, and the cost can be greatly reduced.

From the above [0027] [0028] [0029] [0030] [0031] [0032] [0033] [0034] [0035] [0036] [0037] [0038], a significant cost reduction is realized as follows.
<Example of cost reduction per day>
[Current status]
(1) For meter readers (1) Meter authentication, verification and reading per day: about 0.4 hours (2) Time required for a round trip between the office and the site:・ ・ ・ Approx. 1 hour ▲ 3 ▼ Time required for preparation and organization in the office ・ ・ ・ Approx. 2 hours ▲ 4 ▼ Travel time ............ ............ 3.6 hours
About 7 hours in total (2) In case of water leak investigator About 200 leaks per day ... 7 hours
Total 7 hours [after installing this system]
(1) For meter readers (1) Meter authentication, verification and reading per day: approx. 0.3 hours (2) Time required for a round trip between the office and the site:・ ・ ・ ・ 0 hours ▲ 3 ▼ Time required for preparation and organization in the office ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ 0 hours ▲ 4 ▼ Travel time ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・............ 3.6 hours
Approx. 3.9 hours (2) In the case of a leak investigator Approximately 200 leak surveys per day ... approx. 0 hours
Total about 0 hours

Since this system can perform software such as a calculation function on both the portable communication terminal (smartphone, tablet, etc.) and the headquarter server side, a wide variety of patterns can be utilized.

The present invention is a business efficiency improvement system in a water supply business. However, by introducing a billing system, it is possible to receive orders for water supply business operations from domestic as well as overseas.

Centralized processing system flow chart for water meter management, meter reading, and water leakage investigation work Centralized processing overview diagram for water meter meter reading and leak inspection work Matching work diagram

11 ... Water meter 12 ... Mobile communication terminal (smartphone, tablet, etc.)
13 ... Compound type tester 14 ... IC tag 15 ... Water meter lid

Claims (8)

The IC tag reader function that can read and authenticate and verify the IC tag attached to the water meter, the camera function that captures the meter pointer value, and the vibration sound (water leakage information) that is propagated to the meter surface are collected and recorded and transmitted or communicated. It is a complex type tester with a sensor function that has all the functions or a combination of functions as needed. A system that communicates with a head office computer via a portable communication terminal (smartphone, tablet, etc.) using the composite type inspection device of claim 1, processes various information in the head office computer, and centrally manages the information The image of the meter reading value is transmitted to the headquarters server in claim 2, the digital processing is performed by the headquarters server, the digital billing is further performed, and the water charge is set, and the result is instantly transmitted to the mobile communication terminal (smartphone, System that sends messages back to a mobile printer A system in which customer information input to the combined inspection device and mobile communication terminal (smartphone, tablet, etc.) according to claim 1 is automatically deleted when a slip is output from a mobile printer. A system that sorts whether the vibration sound is continuous sound or intermittent sound as pre-processing before analyzing the presence or absence of water leakage by detecting abnormal sound of vibration sound collected by water leakage detection method A system for automatically leaking water leakage diagnosis results by communicating the water leakage diagnosis information to the GIS at the head office computer Diagnostic information can be easily input to mobile communication terminals (smartphones, tablets, etc.) carried by workers who conduct pipeline diagnosis of water pipes, which can be sent to the headquarters server and processed by the headquarters server. A system that allows you to check your position information on GIS (if an error occurs, correct it with correction software) Utilizing the device invented in claim 1 and the system invented in claim 2, image processing of the indicator value of the meter, digitization, adjustment of water charges and analysis of vibration sound transmitted to the meter, presence or absence of water leakage A system that creates new international business models by receiving information from domestic and overseas as well as charging information processing.