JP2019068232A - Radio communication terminal and remote meter reading system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a radio communication terminal and a remote meter reading system in which a subordinate terminal in the vicinity checks a communication message header destined to another terminal and a transmission destination of the message destined to the other terminal stores a communication counter of a higher-level terminal corresponding to a higher-level terminal management table of its own, and thereby a communication load is distributed.SOLUTION: A radio communication terminal 2' that performs multi-stage communication includes: communication count means for storing its own communication counter in an additional manner; addition means for adding the stored communication counter to a communication message header part at the time of communication; and storage means for checking a communication message header part of a message destined to another radio communication terminal and if the other radio communication terminal is a radio communication terminal registered with a higher-level terminal management table held by itself, acquiring the higher-level terminal communication counter from the communication message header part and storing it in a corresponding place.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wireless communication terminal and a remote meter reading system for distributing communication load.

Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 7, with the connection between the control center and the parent machine established, the control center acquires the meter reading value for the child machine under the management of the parent machine with respect to the parent machine There is known a remote meter reading system which issues a request to collect a meter reading value (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

The remote meter reading system utilizes multi-step communication of the wireless communication terminal, and has a relay function of transmitting information relayed from the subordinate terminal to the upper terminal. In addition, wireless communication terminals are generally operated by battery operation, and in order to suppress battery consumption, reception check with surrounding terminals is performed while getting up periodically.

However, since the degree of concentration of upper terminals requesting relay at the time of notification occurrence of the lower terminal is unknown, load may be applied when concentration is made to a specific upper terminal, which may affect battery operation. In a place where the communication environment state is bad, communication re-transmission etc. is performed many times, and there is a problem that a large load due to the relay operation will be applied.

JP 2008-92109 A

The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and the surrounding subordinate terminals check the communication message header of the other addressed message, and the transmission destination of the other addressed message corresponds to the communication of the upper terminal corresponding to its own upper terminal management table. An object of the present invention is to provide a wireless communication terminal and a remote meter reading system in which communication load is distributed by storing counters.

In order to solve the above-mentioned subject, the present invention is grasped by the following modes.
(1) A first aspect according to the present invention is a wireless communication terminal for performing multi-stage communication, and includes communication count means for additively storing its own communication counter, and communication telegram for communication of the stored communication counter. It is a wireless communication terminal in which the additional means added to the header portion and the communication message header portion of the message addressed to the other wireless communication terminal are checked, and the other wireless communication terminal is registered in its own upper terminal management table In this case, the communication device further comprises: storage means for acquiring the upper terminal communication counter from the communication message header portion and storing the counter in the corresponding part.

(2) In the configuration described in (1), furthermore, when making a relay request to the upper terminal at the time of communication, the communication counter stored in the upper terminal management table is compared to prioritize the least upper terminal And selecting means for implementing the relay request.

(3) In the configuration described in the above (1) or (2), the communication counter is deleted from the higher-level terminal management table when it receives means for clearing by battery replacement and removal information from the higher-level terminal Means.

(4) A second aspect according to the present invention is a remote meter reading system, wherein a management center, a master unit in communication with the management center, and any one of the above (1) to (3) And a plurality of handsets configured of a wireless communication terminal and communicating with the base unit.

According to the present invention, the communication load of the communication is performed by the peripheral subordinate terminal checking the communication message header of the other-addressed message and storing the communication counter of the upper-level terminal whose transmission destination of the other-addressed message corresponds to its own upper-level terminal management table. A wireless communication terminal and a remote meter reading system can be provided to disperse the

It is a block diagram of the radio | wireless communication terminal which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure explaining the 1st viewpoint of the remote meter-reading system which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure explaining the 2nd viewpoint of the remote meter-reading system which concerns on this embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining transmission operation of a radio | wireless communication terminal. It is a flowchart explaining reception operation of a radio | wireless communication terminal. It is a flowchart explaining the relay other party selection of a radio | wireless communication terminal. It is a figure explaining the conventional remote meter-reading system.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the respective drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same or corresponding parts. Further, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments as is apparent from the following description, and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the invention.

(Wireless communication terminal)
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the wireless communication terminal 2 ′, and the wireless communication terminal 2 ′
Central Processing Unit) control unit 101, ROM (Read)
Only Memory) 102, RAM (Random Access Memory)
103, an operation unit 104, a display unit 105, a specified low power radio unit 106, an antenna 107, a meter I / F (interface) 108, and a power supply unit 109.

The CPU control unit 101 controls the entire wireless communication terminal 2 '. ROM 102 is a CPU
Program for operating the control unit 101, for example, self communication counter addition processing, self communication counter saving processing to message header, other upper communication counter acquisition processing and saving processing at the time of other addressed message reception, upper terminal communication counter at the time of communication A program etc. related to the upper terminal selection process is installed. The RAM 103 is a storage unit that functions as a temporary storage area for the operation of the CPU control unit 101, and stores the self communication counter and the upper terminal management table (upper terminal number, communication counter).

The operation unit 104 includes, for example, operation means such as a key, and performs device status confirmation, installation operation, and communication test of the wireless communication terminal 2 '. The display unit 105 includes, for example, display means such as an LED, and performs an installation confirmation result, a test result display, and the like. The specific low power radio unit 106 and its antenna 107 are communication means for communicating with the master 3 or the management center 4. The meter I / F (interface) 108 is connected to a meter reading meter, which is a communication device on the transmission side of the activation request signal. The power supply unit 109 is configured of a battery or the like serving as a driving power supply of the wireless communication terminal 2 ′.

A plurality of wireless communication terminals 2 ′ are provided to perform multi-stage communication with each other.
(1) Communication count means for adding and storing its own communication counter;
2) adding means for adding the stored communication counter to the communication message header part at the time of communication;
) If the message header part of the message addressed to other wireless communication terminal is checked and the other wireless communication terminal is a wireless communication terminal registered in the upper level terminal management table owned by itself, the higher rank from the communication message header part And storage means for acquiring the terminal communication counter and storing it in the corresponding part.

The CPU of the CPU control unit 101 (4) further compares the communication counters stored in the upper terminal management table when relaying to the upper terminal in communication, and gives priority to relay the least upper terminal. It has selection means for implementing the request. The CPU of the CPU control unit 101 further includes (5) means for the communication counter to clear by battery replacement, and means for deleting from the upper-level terminal management table when information regarding removal is received from the upper-level terminal. .

(Remote meter reading system)
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the remote meter reading system 1 communicates with a plurality of handsets 2 corresponding to a meter reading meter (not shown), a master 3 communicating with the plurality of slaves 2, and a master 3 The management center 4 is provided. The handset 2 includes the above-described wireless communication terminal 2 ', and a plurality of handsets 2 (A to
E) performs multi-stage communication. Here, handset 2 (C, D, E) is in the second stage, handset 2 (A
, B) constitute the first stage. The communication route is the slave unit 2 (C, D or E) and the ladder unit 2 (A or B) parent unit 3 management center 4.

Although FIG. 2 shows an example in which five handsets 2 (A to E) are provided as handsets 2, of course, the set quantity is not limited. Further, the number of multi-tiered layers is not limited to two but may be three or more. The meter reading meter may be related to any kind of propane gas, city gas, water supply, electricity, etc., for example, and the remote meter reading system 1 may cover a certain area, or may be one set It may cover a house.

FIG. 2 shows an aspect of sharing the communication counter on the communication message header in the remote meter reading system 1 and storing the same in the upper level terminal management table. The slave 2 (E) internally has a communication counter, and saves the communication counter in addition each time communication is performed. Then, when a communication event occurs, the stored own communication counter is added to the communication message header, and the handset 2 as the upper terminal (
Send to B). Similarly, at the time of transmission including relay communication, the slave 2 (B) received from the slave 2 (E) adds its own communication counter to the communication message header and transmits it to the master 3. In Figure 2,
The communication counter from the handset 2 (E) to the handset 2 (B) is 70 times, and the communication counter from the handset 2 (B) to the master 3 is 150 times. The parent device 3 transmits the message to the management center 4.

At this time, handset 2 (D) checks the communication message header addressed to the other in the surrounding communication,
If handset 2 (B) is registered in the upper level terminal management table as its own upper level terminal, the communication counters of these upper level terminals are acquired and stored. Table 1 shows an example of the upper-level terminal management table of handset 2 (D). Here, handset 2 (B) matches the communication counter of 150 times.

Subsequently, FIG. 3 shows an aspect of determining the communication counterpart (relay counterpart) from the communication counter stored in the upper level terminal management table in the remote meter reading system 1. When a communication event occurs, handset 2 (D), which is a subordinate terminal, refers to the upper terminal management table, compares the stored communication counters, selects the smallest upper terminal, and makes a relay request. Table 2 shows an example of the upper-level terminal management table of handset 2 (D). Here, the communication counter of handset 2 (A) is 20 times and the communication counter of handset 2 (B) is 150 times An example is shown, and handset 2 (D) selects handset 2 (A) with the smallest communication counter as the higher-level terminal to request relay.

In FIG. 3, for example, when the battery of the handset 2 (B), which is the upper-level terminal, is replaced and the battery remaining amount is maintained at a sufficient level, the communication counter may be cleared. Also, handset 2 (D), which is a subordinate terminal that has received information indicating that the terminal is removed when handset 2 (B) is removed, deletes handset 2 (B) from the upper level terminal management table You may do it.

As described above, the remote meter reading system 1 can reduce the concentration of the communication load on a specific upper terminal when the communication of the subordinate terminal occurs. In addition, since the communication generated in the remote meter reading system 1 is checked, even if the communication load due to a retry or the like is generated where the management center 4 is not aware, communication can be performed while avoiding the concentrated load terminal by itself. It becomes possible.

Hereinafter, the flow of the processing procedure will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. Although the processing procedure described below can be applied to any of the handsets 2 (A to E), in consideration of the ease of understanding, the description will be given by assuming the specific handset 2.

As shown in FIG. 4, handset 2 (E) adds the communication counter at the time of communication and adds it to the communication message header. That is, when the transmission operation is started at the time of own communication (S100), handset 2 (E
) Executes the self communication counter addition program installed in the ROM 102 (S101).
). Then, the self communication counter addition program to the communication message header is executed to transmit the message to the upper terminal (S102), and the transmission operation is ended (S103). The communication message is as shown in Table 3, and the transmission source ID is its own handset 2 (E).

When this transmission operation is executed in handset 2 (B), which is the upper level terminal of the first stage, the self communication counter is added to the self communication counter managed by handset 2 (B). Then, the message to the parent device 3 which is the upper level terminal is set.

As shown in FIG. 5, the second stage child device 2 (D) around the child device 2 (E) browses the other-addressed message, acquires the communication counter of the upper terminal, and stores it in the upper terminal management table. That is, when the handset 2 (D) starts the reception operation (S200), the handset 2 (E) determines whether the received message is another addressed message (S201). If it is not the other-addressed message, the self-addressed reception operation is executed as the self-addressed message (S202). If the received message is another-addressed message, it is determined whether the destination addressed to the other is a terminal registered in the upper level terminal management table of handset 2 (E) (S203).

If the destination addressed to the other is not the terminal registered in the upper level terminal management table, the reception operation is ended (S205). If it is a terminal registered in the upper level terminal management table, handset 2 (E) is made to correspond to the corresponding upper level terminal number, and the upper level communication counter acquired from the telegram addressed to another destination Are stored in the upper level terminal management table (S204), and the reception operation is ended (S205). The communication message is as shown in Table 4, and the transmission source ID is a registered upper terminal.

If there are a plurality of upper terminals registered in the upper terminal management table, handset 2 (D) executes the step of S200 described above. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, handset 2 (D) determines the other party of communication from the communication counter of the upper terminal stored in the upper terminal management table when transmitting to the upper terminal. That is, handset 2 (D) is the relay partner (communication partner)
When the selection of the upper terminal, which is the above, is started (S300), among the upper terminals registered in the upper terminal management table, the number of the upper terminal with the smallest communication counter is acquired (S301).
Then, the acquired upper terminal number is selected as the relay destination at the time of transmission (S302), and the selection of the relay partner is ended (S303).

If the upper-level terminal management table of handset 2 (D) is, for example, as shown in Table 5 (in FIG. 3, four handsets (A, B, A ′, B ′) are arranged in the first stage) In the above case, when a communication event occurs, the handset 2 (B) with the smallest communication counter is selected from the upper level terminal management table.

Although various modifications are possible in this embodiment, for example, when the power supply unit 109 of the slave unit 2 is a solar power supply or the like and needs to be aware of the maximum storage amount for one day, from the communication counter A communication amount upper limit may be set within one day. This makes it possible to prevent the use of the stored power in the own terminal and the surrounding upper terminals.

As mentioned above, although embodiment was described, this invention is not limited to a specific embodiment, What variously changed is included, This is a claim for those skilled in the art. It is clear from the description of the range.

1 ... Remote meter reading system,
2 ... slave unit, 2 '... wireless communication terminal 3 ... master unit 4 ... management center 101 ... CPU control unit 102 ... ROM
103 ... RAM
104: Operation unit 105: Display unit 106: Specified low power wireless unit 107: Antenna 108: Meter I / F (interface)
109 ... Power supply unit

Claims (4)

A wireless communication terminal that performs multistage communication, and
Communication count means for additively storing its own communication counter;
Adding means for adding the stored communication counter to the communication message header portion at the time of communication;
If the message header portion of the message addressed to the other wireless communication terminal is checked and the other wireless communication terminal is a wireless communication terminal registered in the upper level terminal management table owned by itself, the upper layer from the communication message header portion A wireless communication terminal comprising: storage means for acquiring a terminal communication counter and storing it in a corresponding place. further,
The communication apparatus further comprises selection means for comparing the communication counters stored in the upper terminal management table at the time of making a relay request to the upper terminal in communication, and giving a relay request priority to the least upper terminal. The wireless communication terminal according to claim 1. further,
A communication counter is a means to clear by battery exchange,
The wireless communication terminal according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: means for deleting from the upper terminal management table when receiving information on removal from the upper terminal. A remote meter reading system,
Management center,
A parent device in communication with the management center;
A remote meter reading system comprising the wireless communication terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and a plurality of slaves communicating with the master.

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