JP2019028705A - Pay-as-you-go gas meter communication apparatus and gas use system having pay-as-you-go function - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a pay-as-you-go gas meter communication apparatus enabling gas to be used by a prepaid amount of money without use of a dedicated gas meter having a pay-as-you-go function.SOLUTION: A pay-as-you-go gas meter communication apparatus 4 is used by being connected to a gas meter 3. When a customer prepays a gas charge, the charge information is transmitted from a user communication terminal 11 to the pay-as-you-go gas meter communication apparatus 4. On receipt of the charge information, a pay-as-you-go related control function unit 46 of the pay-as-you-go gas meter communication apparatus 4 opens the gas meter 3 and enables gas to be used by a gas usable quantity corresponding to the prepaid amount of money. The gas meter 3 and pay-as-you-go gas meter communication apparatus 4 may perform general text communication with each other for performing a meter reading action, a shutoff valve opening/closing action for security, or the like. Use of gas in a pay-as-you-go manner is enabled by employing a commonly used gas meter or a gas meter of a different manufacturer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a prepaid gas meter communication device capable of providing a gas meter with a prepaid function for using gas by a prepaid method, and a gas use system including the prepaid gas meter communication device.

  As a method of using (utilizing) gas, a prepaid method using a prepaid card or the like is known in addition to a postpay method that is generally adopted. In the case of the prepaid method, a method of charging a prepaid amount to a gas meter having a prepaid function (a function of performing gas supply by the prepaid method) using a prepaid card is known. When using a prepaid card, it is necessary to go to a place where a card issuing machine for issuing a prepaid card or charging a prepaid amount to the prepaid card and a card issuing terminal are installed.

  Patent Documents 1 and 2 propose a prepaid system that can perform a prepaid process of gas charges without using a mobile phone to go to a specific place. In the prepaid system described in Patent Document 1, when a gas fee is prepaid from a bank account using a mobile phone, the information is transmitted to the gas center. A program for using the gas meter is downloaded from the gas center to the mobile phone. A gas user (customer) opens the gas meter using a mobile phone. Thereby, the gas user can use the gas for the prepaid amount.

  In the prepaid system described in Patent Document 2, when a gas fee is prepaid from a bank account using a mobile phone, the information is transmitted to the gas center. The gas center identifies the gas meter from the received information and opens the gas meter. The gas meter switches to a state where the gas can be used, and the gas user can use the gas for the prepaid amount.

JP 2002-74238 A Japanese Patent No. 4159345

  In the conventional prepaid system for using gas, a repaid amount is repatriated using a mobile phone, or a remittance process and a gas meter are opened using a mobile phone. In either case, it is necessary to use a gas meter equipped with a dedicated prepaid function.

  For this reason, a prepaid system cannot be constructed using a gas meter of a normal specification used in a postpay method of a gas charge that is generally adopted. In addition, since the prepaid system has different communication forms, control forms, and the like for each manufacturer, it is impossible to use a gas meter in which a prepaid function of another manufacturer is installed in a prepaid system of a manufacturer. Furthermore, the system based on the post-payment method cannot be used temporarily by switching to the prepaid method temporarily.

  In view of these points, an object of the present invention is to provide a prepaid gas meter communication device that can use gas for a prepaid amount without using a dedicated gas meter equipped with a prepaid function.

  Another object of the present invention is to enable use of a gas by a prepaid system without using a communication terminal such as a mobile phone, and without using a dedicated gas meter equipped with a prepaid function. An object of the present invention is to provide a gas use system having a prepaid function capable of using gas for an amount of money.

In order to solve the above problems, the prepaid gas meter communication device of the present invention is:
A higher-level communication unit that performs communication with a higher-level monitoring device;
A user side communication unit that communicates with a user communication terminal on the gas user side,
A meter-side communication unit that communicates with a gas meter with a built-in shut-off valve;
When charge information indicating that the gas user's prepaid amount of the gas charge has been charged is received via the higher-level communication unit or the user-side communication unit, the gas can be used by the amount of gas usable corresponding to the prepaid amount. In addition, it has a prepaid related control function unit that performs opening / closing control of the shutoff valve for the gas meter via the meter side communication unit,
The user-side communication unit is characterized by performing wireless communication with a user communication terminal, for example, a mobile phone owned by a gas user.

  The prepaid gas meter communication device of the present invention is used by being externally attached (wired or wireless communication connection) to the gas meter. When the gas user prepays the gas fee, the charge information is transmitted from the user communication terminal or the monitoring device to the prepaid gas meter communication device. When receiving the charge information, the prepaid gas meter communication device opens the gas meter, and allows the gas to be used by the amount of gas that can be used corresponding to the prepaid amount.

  Between the gas meter and the prepaid gas meter communication device, general telegram communication for performing a meter reading operation, opening / closing operation of a shut-off valve for safety, or the like may be used. Using a common gas meter and using gas meters from different manufacturers, the gas user can use the gas in a prepaid manner.

  Further, when the prepaid function by the prepaid gas meter communication device is stopped, for example, it is possible to charge a gas fee by a general postpay method on the monitoring device side based on the meter reading information. For example, by using a prepaid gas meter communication device, it is possible to temporarily switch the billing of the gas fee by the postpaid method to the billing of the gas fee by the prepaid method.

  According to the prepaid gas meter communication device of the present invention, a gas having a prepaid function that permits the use of gas by the amount of the prepaid amount using a normal gas meter without using a dedicated gas meter equipped with a prepaid function. The system used can be easily constructed.

Here, the prepaid related control function unit of the prepaid gas meter communication device subtracts the amount corresponding to the used gas amount from the prepaid amount based on the measured gas flow rate received via the meter side communication unit. A settlement section for calculating
When the charge information is received, a shutoff valve opening command is issued, and when the prepaid balance becomes zero, a shutoff valve control unit that issues a shutoff valve close command may be provided.

  In addition to this, based on the measured gas flow rate, a gas usage status in a predetermined period, a calculation unit that generates an expected gas exhaustion time based on the gas usage status, a prepaid balance or a usable gas remaining amount corresponding to the prepaid balance, There may be a transmission control unit that transmits prepaid gas-related information including the gas usage status and the estimated time of gas exhaustion periodically or in response to a request from the user communication terminal via the user side communication unit. Good. This is convenient because the gas user can easily confirm the charge state of the prepaid amount and can know in advance when the charge is required.

  The prepaid gas meter communication device functions as an interface between the gas meter and a host monitoring device that performs meter reading and monitoring operations, and the gas meter via the meter side communication unit and the host side communication unit. A central monitoring related control function unit for controlling transmission / reception of monitoring information including meter reading information performed with the monitoring device is provided.

Next, the present invention is a gas use system having a prepaid function constructed using the prepaid gas meter communication device having the above-described configuration,
A gas meter with a built-in shut-off valve;
A monitoring device that reads the meter reading information of the gas meter and monitors the gas meter via the prepaid gas meter communication device;
A user communication terminal such as a mobile phone on the gas user's side
And a prepaid management device that manages user information for identifying a gas user, and prepaid information representing the prepaid processing contents of the gas usage fee by the gas user performed via the user communication terminal.

  When remittance of a prepaid amount from a bank account using a communication terminal such as a mobile phone, a bank account and a management system of a financial institution for remittance management are added to the gas use system.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the gas use by a prepaid system becomes possible, without limiting the charge place of a prepaid amount using communication terminals, such as a mobile telephone. In addition, a gas usage system having a prepaid function that permits the use of gas by the amount of the prepaid amount can be easily constructed using a gas meter of a normal specification without using a dedicated gas meter equipped with a prepaid function.

1 is a schematic system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic block diagram of the part centering on the prepaid gas meter communication apparatus in embodiment of FIG.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a gas use system having a prepaid function according to the present embodiment. A gas use system 1 having a prepaid function (hereinafter simply referred to as “gas use system 1”) includes a gas meter 3 installed at a gas consumption place 2 of each gas user (hereinafter referred to as a customer), A prepaid gas meter communication device 4 (hereinafter simply referred to as “gas meter communication device 4”), and a centralized monitoring center (monitoring device) 5 that reads and monitors meter reading information of the gas meter 3 via the gas meter communication device 4; It has. The central monitoring center 5 is operated by a management company 6 entrusted with management by each gas company 8.

  The gas usage system 1 includes a management server 7 operated by a management company 6 that collectively manages customer information, gas usage charges, and the like, and a personal computer 9 of each gas company 8 entrusted to the management company 6. Is included. Furthermore, the gas use system 1 includes a user communication terminal 11 (for example, a smartphone) owned by a customer who uses gas at the gas consumption place 2 and a management server 13 of the bank 12 for remittance of gas charges. It is.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing the gas meter 3, the gas meter communication device 4, the centralized monitoring center 5, and the user communication terminal 11. As shown in FIG. 2, gas can be supplied to each gas consuming place 2 through a gas meter 3 from a gas supply source (not shown) to each gas using device (not shown). The gas meter 3 is a so-called microcomputer gas meter. In the gas meter 3, a gas passage 32 for flowing a gas supplied toward a gas using device is disposed in a meter case 31, and a shut-off valve 33 is disposed in the middle of the gas passage 32.

  On the downstream side of the shutoff valve 33 in the gas passage 32, a measuring unit 34 for measuring the gas flowing therethrough is arranged. The measurement value of the measurement unit 34 is supplied to a control unit 35 configured mainly by a computer, and a gas flow rate and a flow rate integrated value are calculated. The control unit 35 includes a communication unit 36 and is generally performed with the gas meter communication device 4 via a communication cable (not shown) connected to a communication terminal 37 which is an I / O port. Telegram communication is performed, meter reading information is transmitted, meter calling, various settings, and shut-off valve 33 is opened and closed.

  The gas meter communication device 4 used by being connected to the gas meter 3 is connected between the control unit 41, the meter side communication unit 42 that communicates with the communication unit 36 of the gas meter 3, and the centralized monitoring center 5. An upper-side communication unit 43 that performs communication and a user-side communication unit 44 that performs communication with the user communication terminal 11 owned by the customer are provided. The control unit 41 includes a centralized monitoring related control function unit 45 and a prepaid related control function unit 46. The centralized monitoring related control function unit 45 includes bidirectional communication (including meter call notification and meter reading information) performed between the gas meter 3 and the centralized monitoring center 5 via the meter side communication unit 42 and the upper level communication unit 43. Mediate monitoring information, setting commands for the gas meter 3, etc.).

  The prepaid related control function unit 46 gives the gas meter 3 a prepaid function for using gas by the prepaid method. That is, the gas supply control is controlled by opening and closing the shut-off valve 33 of the gas meter 3 so that the gas can be used in an amount corresponding to the prepaid amount. The prepaid related control function unit 46 is activated when it receives charge information indicating that the prepaid amount of the gas charge by the customer has been charged via the higher-level communication unit 43 or the user-side communication unit 44.

  In order to provide the gas meter 3 with the prepaid function, the prepaid related control function unit 46 subtracts the amount corresponding to the used gas amount from the prepaid amount based on the measured gas flow rate received via the meter side communication unit 42. A settlement unit 46a that calculates a prepaid balance, and a shutoff valve control unit 46b that issues a command to open the shutoff valve 33 when the charge information is received and issues a command to close the shutoff valve 33 when the prepaid balance becomes zero. Yes.

  The prepaid-related control function unit 46 of this example is provided with a function unit for the convenience of customers who use gas by the prepaid method. That is, based on the measured gas flow rate, a calculation unit 46c that generates a gas usage situation in a predetermined period and a gas exhaustion predicted time point based on the gas usage situation, a prepaid balance or a usable residual gas amount corresponding to the prepaid balance, a gas usage A transmission control unit 46d is provided for transmitting prepaid gas related information including the situation and the expected time of gas exhaustion via the user side communication unit 44 periodically or in response to a request from the user communication terminal 11. . A display / operation unit 47 for displaying and inputting various information is also provided.

  With these functional units, for example, a warning that the remaining amount of the prepaid balance is low, a notification of an expected date when the gas runs out, and the like can be given in advance to the customer. Further, for example, it is possible to report the gas use status (such as a graph of the change in gas usage) for the past 10 days. Further, in response to an inquiry from the customer, these pieces of information can be displayed, and a prepaid gas fee system such as a gas unit price can be notified.

  Here, the upper communication unit 43 of the gas meter communication device 4 communicates with the centralized monitoring center 5 via a dedicated communication line or a general communication line. The user-side communication unit 44 of the gas meter communication device 4 communicates with the user communication terminal 11, for example, a smartphone via a mobile phone line such as LTE, a wireless PAN such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), or a wireless LAN such as Wi-Fi. To communicate.

  The centralized monitoring center 5 operated by the management company 6 performs centralized monitoring of gas usage at each gas consumption place 2. The centralized monitoring center 5 includes a control unit 5a having a centralized monitoring function and a centralized monitoring database 5b. In the centralized monitoring database 5b, customer information, gas usage status for each customer, operating status of each gas meter, and other information are registered.

  Referring back to FIG. 1 again, the management server 7 connected to the centralized monitoring center 5 includes a control unit 7a having a prepaid gas rate management function, and information necessary for gas use by the prepaid method. And a database (charge application DB) 7c for a charge application program that holds information necessary for charging a prepaid amount.

  The prepaid DB 7b holds information such as information on each gas company, customer information for each gas company, a payment result of the prepaid amount of each customer, a charge history of the prepaid amount. The customer information includes information for specifying (authenticating) the user communication terminal 11 such as a customer's smartphone registered in advance. Based on these pieces of information, the control unit 7a manages, for each gas company, the identification information of each customer, the payment result, the charge state of the prepaid amount, and the like. These management states can be viewed from the personal computer 9 of each gas company 8. A new customer is registered in the management server 7 from the gas company 8 side.

  In order to enable the gas use by the prepaid method using the gas use system 1, the customer registers the identification information, the user communication terminal information and other information in advance in the management server 7 of the management company 6, The prepaid management application software (prepay management application) 11a and the charging application software (charge application) 11b are downloaded from the management server 7 side, for example. Accordingly, the customer can use the user communication terminal 11 to perform a procedure for gas use by the prepaid method.

  With reference to FIG. 1, the outline of the flow in the case of using gas by the prepaid method will be described. First, in the gas consumption place 2, the shutoff valve 33 of the gas meter 3 is in a closed state, and the gas cannot be used. A customer who wants to use gas activates the charge application 11b in the user communication terminal 11 and requests a prepaid amount to be transferred to a designated bank account or a transfer process (S2: charge information). .

  When the prepaid amount is deposited into the bank account, a deposit notification is transmitted from the management server 13 of the bank 12 to the personal computer 9 of the gas company 8 (S3: deposit notification), and the deposit information is the management server 7 of the gas management company 6. (S4: deposit information). The deposit information is reflected in the charge application DB 7c and also in the prepay DB 7b linked to the charge application DB 7c. These databases 7b and 7c may be shared databases. When receiving the deposit information, the control unit 7a of the management server 7 transmits the deposit confirmation information to the user communication terminal 11 of the customer (S6: deposit information). In the user communication terminal 11 that has received the payment confirmation information, the prepayment management application 11a is activated and charge information can be transmitted to the gas meter communication device 4 (S7: charge information).

  When the charge information is transmitted from the user communication terminal 11 to the gas meter communication device 4, the prepaid related control function unit 46 of the gas meter communication device 4 performs authentication based on the authentication information included in the received charge information, and the prepaid amount Is stored and a command to open the shutoff valve 33 is transmitted to the gas meter 3 (S8: valve open). When the gas meter 3 receives the opening command, the gas meter 3 opens the shut-off valve 33. As a result, it is possible to use as much gas as the available gas amount corresponding to the prepaid amount.

  The charge result, that is, the fact that the shutoff valve 33 is opened and gas can be used is transmitted from the prepaid related control function unit 46 of the gas meter communication device 4 to the user communication terminal 11 (S9: charge result). When receiving the charge result, the prepay management application 11a of the user communication terminal 11 transfers the charge result to the management server 7 of the management company 6 (S10: charge result). The management server 7 reflects the received charge result on the prepay DB 7b. The prepaid DB 7b is linked to the centralized monitoring database 5b of the centralized monitoring center 5, and the charge result is also reflected in the centralized monitoring database 5b.

  In the period when the customer is using gas by the prepaid method, the settlement unit 46a uses the measured gas flow rate received via the meter side communication unit 42 in the prepaid related control function unit 46 of the gas meter communication device 4. The prepaid balance is calculated by subtracting the amount corresponding to the gas amount from the prepaid amount. When receiving the charge information as described above, the shutoff valve control unit 46b issues a command to open the shutoff valve 33, and when the prepaid balance becomes zero, issues a command to close the shutoff valve 33 (S1: valve closing). When the gas meter 3 receives the closing command, the gas meter 3 closes the shut-off valve 33 and ends the gas supply.

  Here, the prepaid-related control function unit 46 of the gas meter communication device 4 is provided with a function unit for serving customers using gas by the prepaid method as described above. Based on the measured gas flow rate, the computing unit 46c computes, for example, the gas usage situation for the past 10 days and the expected gas exhaustion date / time based on the gas usage situation. Under the control of the transmission control unit 46d, the prepaid balance or the prepaid gas-related information including the remaining amount of usable gas corresponding to the prepaid balance, the gas usage status, and the expected gas exhaustion date and time is transmitted via the user side communication unit 44. It is transmitted periodically or in response to a request from the user communication terminal 11. Since the customer can know the date and time when the gas runs out in advance, the customer can perform the next charge before the gas runs out (the balance is zero). In addition, it is convenient for customers because the gas usage status and the like can be confirmed as necessary.

  In the above processing procedure, the charge information and the charge result are transferred to the gas meter communication device 4 and the management server 7 via the user communication terminal 11. The prepaid amount can be charged via the centralized monitoring center 5. An example of the operation in this case is as follows.

  When the payment information of the prepaid amount to the bank account is transmitted to the management server 7 and reflected in the charge application DB 7c, it is also reflected in the prepaid DB 7b linked thereto. Furthermore, it is reflected in the centralized monitoring database 5b of the centralized monitoring center 5 linked to the prepaid DB 7b.

  Upon receiving the deposit information, the central monitoring center 5 transmits charge information indicating that the prepaid amount has been deposited to the gas meter communication device 4 (S7a: charge information). As described above, when receiving the charge information, the gas meter communication device 4 transmits an opening command for the shutoff valve 33 to the gas meter 3 (S8a: valve opening). In the gas meter 3, by opening the shut-off valve 33, it becomes possible to use a prepaid amount of gas. When the prepaid amount of gas has been used, the shutoff valve 33 is closed by a closing command from the gas meter communication device 4 (S1a: valve closing), and the use of the gas ends.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Gas use system 2 Gas consumption place 3 Gas meter 4 Gas meter communication apparatus 5 Centralized monitoring center 5a Control part 5b Centralized monitoring database 6 Management company 7 Management server 7a Control part 7b Prepay DB
7c Charge application DB
8 Gas company 9 Personal computer 11 User communication terminal 11a Prepaid management application 11b Charge application 12 Bank 13 Management server 31 Meter case 32 Gas passage 33 Shut-off valve 34 Measurement unit 35 Control unit 36 Communication unit 37 Communication terminal 41 Control unit 42 Meter side communication unit 43 Upper-level communication unit 44 User-side communication unit 45 Centralized monitoring related control function unit 46 Prepaid related control function unit 46a Settlement unit 46a Settlement unit 46b Shut-off valve control unit 46c Calculation unit 46d Transmission control unit 47 Display / operation unit

Claims (5)

A higher-level communication unit that performs communication with a higher-level monitoring device;
A user side communication unit that communicates with a user communication terminal on the gas user side,
A meter-side communication unit that communicates with a gas meter with a built-in shut-off valve;
When the charge information indicating that the prepaid amount of the gas charge by the gas user has been charged is received via the upper-level communication unit or the user-side communication unit, the gas can be used by the amount of usable gas corresponding to the prepaid amount. A prepaid gas meter communication device having a prepaid related control function unit that performs opening / closing control of the shutoff valve on the gas meter via the meter side communication unit so that the gas meter can be used. In claim 1,
The user-side communication unit is a prepaid gas meter communication device that is a wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication with a mobile phone that is the user communication terminal. In claim 1,
The prepaid-related control function unit is
Based on the measured gas flow rate received via the meter-side communication unit, a settlement unit that calculates a prepaid balance by subtracting an amount corresponding to the amount of gas used from the prepaid amount;
When the charge information is received, an opening command for the shut-off valve is issued, and when the prepaid balance becomes zero, a shut-off valve control unit that issues a close command for the shut-off valve;
Based on the measured gas flow rate, a calculation unit that generates a gas usage situation in a predetermined period and an expected gas exhaustion time point based on the gas usage situation;
The prepaid balance or the amount of usable gas corresponding to the prepaid balance, the gas usage status, and the prepaid gas related information including the estimated time of gas exhaustion are periodically or via the user side communication unit A prepaid gas meter communication device comprising: a transmission control unit that transmits in response to a request from a communication terminal. In claim 1,
Prepaid having a centralized monitoring related control function unit that controls transmission and reception of monitoring information including meter reading information performed between the gas meter and the monitoring device via the meter side communication unit and the higher level side communication unit Gas meter communication device. A gas meter with a built-in shut-off valve;
A prepaid gas meter communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
Via the prepaid gas meter communication device, reading the meter reading information of the gas meter, monitoring device for monitoring the gas meter,
A user communication terminal on the gas user side,
User information for specifying the gas user, and a prepaid management device for managing prepaid information representing the prepaid processing contents of the gas usage fee by the gas user performed via the user communication terminal. Gas use system with prepaid function.

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