JP3039596B2 - Liquid volume measurement device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid amount measuring apparatus for transmitting liquid amount data by radio at regular time intervals and receiving and displaying the data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a tank lorry for delivering kerosene or heavy oil to homes, factories, and the like is configured by mounting an oil storage tank, a refueling pump, a meter, and an extendable refueling hose on a vehicle carrier. Stopping on the road in front of the home that requires the fuel, a fueling hose is extended to a home oil storage tank, and the fuel is supplied by a nozzle. In such a liquid level measuring device, there is a considerable distance between the liquid level measuring means, in this case, the indicator of the meter and the refueling site. There is a problem that it is necessary to move the foot to the place where the liquid is to be made, and it takes time to check the liquid amount. In order to solve such a problem, for example, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-99996, a fueling amount measured by a weighing machine is transmitted by a weak radio signal, and the radio signal is received to refuel. There has also been proposed a liquid amount measuring device that uses a portable liquid amount display device that displays the amount so that the amount of refueling can be known at a refueling site remote from the weighing machine. However, the frequency band in which such weak radio wave radiation is observed is extremely narrow, and a large number of radio signals are flying around this band.
There is a problem that a reception failure such as interference is likely to occur and data reliability is low.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to transmit a liquid amount data and to receive and display the liquid amount data. To ensure reliable communication of fluid volume data with the portable fluid level indicator.
An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid amount measuring device capable of preventing consumption of a pond .

[0004]

According to the present invention, there is provided a transmitting means for transmitting a liquid amount data as a radio signal with a plurality of communication channels attached thereto with an identification code. A plurality of communication channels, receiving means for selectively receiving a signal with a code corresponding to the identification code, and after transmitting the liquid amount data , for a fixed time, or until the identification code is received. A liquid amount detecting means including a channel selecting means for searching for an empty channel from among a plurality of channels and setting the transmitting means and the receiving means to the empty channel, a plurality of communication channels, and an identification code is provided. Transmitting means for transmitting data indicating the reception state as a wireless signal, and a plurality of communication channels, and selecting the liquid amount data with the identification code. Receiving means for receiving the liquid amount data, display means for displaying the received liquid amount data, and a plurality of channels based on signals from the receiving means until data of the liquid amount detecting means can be received or a predetermined time has elapsed. searching for free channels from among, and a channel selection means for setting to the idle channel said transmitting means and receiving means, reception failure stop a display operation when a predetermined number of times consecutive
After a predetermined number of consecutive reception failures,
Switches to sleeping mode after the elapse of
Liquid amount display means.

[0005]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 shows an example in which the present invention is provided. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a portable liquid level display device 1 and reference numeral 2 denotes a tank lorry serving as a liquid amount transmitting side. This tank lorry has a vehicle 3 on which an oil storage tank 4, a refueling device 5, and a hose reel 6 are mounted, and a driver's seat is provided with a liquid amount transmitting device 7 for transmitting refueling data as liquid amount data. The refueling data from the refueling device 5 is displayed on the display 8 and transmitted from the antenna 9 to the portable liquid level display device 1 by radio, so that the refueling amount can be confirmed even at the refueling site.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a tank lorry. A fueling device 5 includes a fueling pump 12 which receives power from a vehicle engine 10 via a transmission mechanism 11 such as a lever. A flow meter 13 for measuring a discharge amount from the refueling pump 12, and a flow pulse transmitter 14 for converting a measurement result of the flow meter 13 into a flow pulse and outputting the pulse. With such a configuration, when the fuel in the oil storage tank 4 is pressure-fed to the fueling nozzle 16 via the hose 15 housed in the reel 6 and refueling is performed, the fuel is supplied from the flow rate pulse transmitter 14 connected to the flowmeter 13. The pulse is output and input to the liquid amount transmitting device 7 described later, and is transmitted wirelessly by the liquid amount transmitting device 7.

[0007] Reference numeral 7 in the figure denotes the above-mentioned liquid amount transmitting device. In this embodiment, a power switch 21 provided in the refueling device 5 is supplied with driving power from a vehicle battery 20.
It is configured to start transmission by a signal from. Reference numeral 22 denotes a liquid amount data output means. In this embodiment, a counter for counting the flow rate pulses from the flow rate pulse transmitter 14 and outputting the refueling amount is used. The amount of refueling is displayed, and transmitted to the portable liquid level display device 1 by a wireless signal by a transmitting means 23 described later.

Reference numeral 23 denotes the above-mentioned transmitting means, which outputs a carrier of the channel frequency selected by the channel selecting means 26 from among the carriers of the oscillating means 25 which can output the carriers of a plurality of frequencies F ₁ , F ₂ and F ₃ . In order to specify the transmission / reception system, the code data of the code output means 27 is added, and the data is transmitted from the antenna 9 together with the data of the liquid volume data output means 22 as a radio signal at regular intervals. The channel selecting means 26 searches for an empty channel by a predetermined procedure based on outputs from a receiving means 28 and a demodulating means 29 to be described later, and uses the found empty channel.

That is, three channels F ₁ , F ₂ , F
If ₃ is a assigned to this system, a particular channel, for example channel F ₁ is set to the main channel, when the vacant main channel F ₁ itself is used as this. If the if the blocked main channel F ₁ is channel F ₂ is free to inspect the vacant state of the second channel F ₂ uses the channel F _2. On the other hand, If this channel F ₂ are occupied examines the idle state of the main channel F ₁ again, using the main channel F ₁ when the vacant main channel F _1, when this is occupied using the third channel F ₃ of the. If you are busy the third channel F ₃ again repeated channel search in the above order.

Numeral 28 is a receiving means for receiving a radio signal of the channel selected by the channel selecting means 26 and outputting it via the demodulating means 29 to the code judging means 30 and the channel selecting means 26. Numeral 30 denotes a code judging means for judging whether or not the code is assigned to the system, and outputting a reception signal to the reception state judging means 31 when the code coincidence is confirmed. . Numeral 31 is a reception state determining means. When a code assigned to the system can be received, a signal indicating a reception result transmitted from the portable liquid amount display device 1 accompanying the code is normally received. Is determined, and a signal to that effect is output to the timekeeping means 32 when reception is successful, and a signal to the effect that reception was unsuccessful when reception was not possible is output.

When a signal indicating that the measurement data has been successfully received by the portable liquid level display device 1 is received, the time measuring means 32 transmits the signal to the transmitting means 23 at the time when a predetermined time, for example, 0.5 seconds has elapsed. To transmit the code and the liquid amount data, and when receiving the signal indicating that the reception of the weighing data has failed, immediately activates the transmitting means 23 to output the signal for transmitting the code and the liquid amount data. If the portable liquid level display device 1 has failed to receive data despite the multiple transmissions of the liquid amount data, the display driving means 33 indicates an abnormal state in signal transmission to the display 8. It is configured to output a signal for performing an indication of occurrence.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show the appearance of the portable liquid amount display device 1, respectively.
Indicates a case in which signal processing means to be described later is built-in.
1 is provided with a display panel 42 for displaying a received liquid amount and a message, and a control panel 43, a back surface 44 is provided with a clip 45 for fixing to clothing, and a flexible and rotating side portion is provided. A possible antenna 50 is provided. Further, a concave portion 47 is formed in the bottom surface 46, and a power source switch 48 is provided in the concave portion 47 so as not to be operated carelessly due to contact or the like. Note that reference numeral 49 in FIG.
Indicates a power supply terminal for charging when a secondary battery is used.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a display pattern on the display panel 42. A pattern 51 for displaying a total refueling amount, a pattern 52 for displaying a current refueling amount, a power supply operation, and a power supply operation. The configuration is such that patterns 53, 54 and 55 indicating the remaining battery level and the communication status can be displayed.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a portable liquid amount display device. In the drawing, reference numeral 60 denotes a receiving means main body.
Power is supplied from a battery 62 such as a dry battery or a secondary battery by a power source switch 48 and a switch means 61 described later. The switch means 61 is turned on at the same time when the power is turned on by the power switch 48, and supplies power only to some of the means in response to a signal from the timer means 69, which will be described later, and supplies power for putting the receiving means main body 60 into a sleeping state. It is configured as follows.

Numeral 63 denotes a receiving means which receives a radio signal of the channel selected by the channel selecting means 64 from the channel frequencies F ₁ , F ₂ , F ₃ caught by the antenna 50 and outputs the signal to the demodulating means 65. Is what you do. The channel selecting means 64 is configured to watch the same channel around the main channel for a predetermined time, for example, 0.5 second, and to switch to another channel when a signal-like signal cannot be caught.

That is, three channels F ₁ , F ₂ , F
If ₃ is a assigned to this system, a particular channel, for example, when the channel F ₁ is set in the main channel, this channel by watching whether it can receive the code of the system This channel is used if it can be determined and received. If you can not receive the specific code in the main channel F ₁ is watching the second channel of the channel F _2, and watching of the main channel F ₁ again when a specific code in the channel can not be detected, the main If a particular code channel F ₁ is detected, the main channel, also if the code is not detected by using the third channel F ₃ of repeats an operation of returning to the main channel F ₁ again, always sent It operates to select a channel so as to match the channel on the side, that is, the channel on the liquid amount measuring device side.

Reference numeral 66 denotes a code judging means for judging a code signal and liquid amount data from the received signals, and outputting them to the display driving means 67 and the reception state judging means 68.

Reference numeral 69 denotes a time measuring means, and the receiving state determining means 6
If the code and the liquid volume data can be received normally according to 8, the timer operation, that is, the operation of counting up is reset, and the code assigned to the system cannot be received for a predetermined time, for example, 0.5 seconds. If there is an error in the liquid volume data even if the code can be received, only one count-up operation is performed, and if the count value is 1, it indicates that the reception has failed. If the count value is 2 or more and 9 or less (time T ₁ ), a signal is output to the display driver 67 to indicate that the reception state is abnormal. 10 above, in the case of 59 or less (time T _2), switch hands when a signal for stopping display by the display drive means 67, furthermore count value reaches 60 (time T ₃₎ It is configured to output a signal to the receiving unit body 60 in the sleeping state 61.

Reference numeral 70 denotes a transmitting means, which reads a carrier wave from the oscillating means 71 selected by the channel selecting means 64 from a code output means 72 and assigns the code to the reception state determining means. The result of the judgment at 68 and the command from the control panel 43 are attached to the data encoded by the encoding
Is transmitted from the antenna 50 based on the signal from the antenna 50. Reference numeral 74 in the figure denotes a data storage unit that stores the normally received liquid amount data.

Next, the operation of the above-configured apparatus will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. When the power switch 21 of the liquid amount measuring device, in this embodiment, the tank lorry is turned on (Step A in FIG. 6),
Channel selection means 25 checks for free channels that can be used as the line around the main channel F ₁ (FIG. 6 step b), vacant channels are a channel selected by switching until have (FIG. 6 step c).

When an empty channel is found in this manner, the code assigned to the system, for example, "257" from the code output means 27 and the liquid amount data from the liquid amount data output means 22 are transmitted to the transmission means 23. Output and transmit on the selected channel (Fig. 6 Step
D) After transmission, a channel check is performed again (FIG. 6).
Step e), and switch channels (step f in FIG. 6).

On the other hand, in the portable liquid level display device 1, when the power source switch 48 is turned on (Step A in FIG. 7), the switch means 61 is turned on in conjunction (Step B in FIG. 7), and the receiving means 63 is turned on. Can be received. In this state, the channel selection unit 64 determines whether a signal meaningful, that is, a signal other than noise can be received for a predetermined time, for example, 0.
After checking for 5 seconds (step c in FIG. 7), if the signal cannot be received even after the lapse of the predetermined time, the channel is switched in the same manner as in the above-described liquid amount measuring device (step d in FIG. 7). When a signal-like signal can be received in this way, the code determining means 66 determines whether or not this signal is the code "257" assigned to the liquid amount measuring device. If a matching code can be received (step E in FIG. 7), the reception state determining means 68 determines whether the fluid volume data transmitted with the code is normal as a signal (step E). Fig. 7 Step).

If it is determined that the received signal is normal in both the code and the liquid volume data, the received signal is stored in the data storage means 74 and the display driving means 67
Is displayed on the display panel 42 as a liquid amount. at the same time,
The timekeeping operation of the timekeeping means 69 is reset (step ７ in FIG. 7), an empty channel is checked for transmission (step 、 in FIG. 7), and the reception result, that is, the liquid amount data on the portable display device side is normal. A signal indicating that the liquid was successfully received is transmitted (step 7 in FIG. 7), and the process returns to step (b) to prepare for receiving the next liquid amount data.

On the other hand, although a signal-like signal is received, the code "25" is not included in the received signal even after a lapse of a predetermined time, for example, 0.5 seconds, due to a signal from another wireless user.
If "7" cannot be detected (figure 7, step F),
The operation of step (c) and the operation of step (d) are performed again to perform channel watch and channel switching.
If the assigned code “257” is detected from the received signal by repeating such an operation, but the signal is an invalid signal as the liquid volume data (FIG. 7
E) The time counting means 69 increments the count value "n" by one (step e in FIG. 7), and checks whether the reference value (T ₁ , T ₂ , T ₃ ) set in the time counting means 69 does not match. judge. In this case, since the counting is performed once (step w in FIG. 7), the channel check (FIG.
Step), channel switching (Fig. 7 step)
7), the fact that the reception of the weighing data has failed is transmitted through the above-described channel selection step for transmission, and the next liquid volume data is again prepared for reception (step in FIG. 7).
B).

As described above, although the channel selection is performed for 0.5 seconds and the code signal can be normally received, that is, although the channel selection is successful,
Until nine consecutive times (time T ₁ ) in which an abnormality is recognized in the received weighing data (time T _{1 in} FIG. 7), the reception means of the timekeeping means 69 is abnormal by the display driving means 67. Is displayed on the display panel 42 (step Y in FIG. 7) to alert the user.

Further, the state of the poor reception continues for 10
(T ₂ ) in FIG.
The timing unit 69 outputs a signal to the display driving unit 67 to stop the display operation of the display panel 42 (step S in FIG. 7), thereby preventing power consumption in the display panel 42. Then, in the same manner as described above, after adjusting to an available channel (FIG. 7)
Then, a signal to that effect is transmitted from the transmission means 70 (step 7 in FIG. 7) to prepare for receiving the next liquid amount data.

If both the code and the liquid volume data can be normally received in a state where such a reception failure has occurred (step (FIG. 7)), the timer 69 is started.
Resets the count value n so far, displays the received liquid amount data on the display panel 42, and transmits a signal indicating that the reception was successful.

When a normal liquid level signal cannot be finally received during a reception failure and the count value of the timer 69 reaches 60 (time T ₃ ) (step T in FIG. 7). Since it is highly probable that the refueling operation has ended and the transmission has stopped, the timer 69 outputs a signal to the switch 61 to enter the sleeping mode (steps in FIG. 7). Accordingly, even if the power is not turned off by forgetting the operation of the switch 48, the apparatus automatically enters the sleeping mode, thereby suppressing unnecessary power consumption and preventing battery consumption.

On the other hand, after transmitting the code and the liquid amount signal, the liquid amount measuring device performs a channel check and the like (FIG. 6, step (e) and (f)) while transmitting the signal transmitted from the portable liquid amount display device 1. Is input and if a signal is received, it is determined whether or not the code "257" is included (step in FIG. 6). If the codes do not match, a predetermined time, for example, 0. For 2 seconds, the checking of this channel is continued or the switching of the channel is executed (FIG. 6, step e, f).

In this way, when a signal having the same code can be received (step G in FIG. 6), and a signal indicating the reception state of the portable liquid level display device 1 can be normally received (step S6 in FIG. 6). After the transmission of the liquid amount data, the timer 32 waits for a predetermined time, for example, 0.2 seconds, to return to step (A) to transmit the next liquid amount data.

If a signal can be received, but a code cannot be detected after a predetermined time of 0.2 seconds (step stitches in FIG. 6), or if the code matches, a signal from the portable display device cannot be detected. If a signal indicating the reception state cannot be received (step (figure 6)), an abnormal state is displayed (step (figure 6)).

If the switch 48 of the portable display device 1 is turned off at the stage when the refueling of the predetermined amount has been completed and the display of the liquid amount is no longer necessary (step A in FIG. 7), the battery 62 Is stopped, and the power consumption of the battery 62 is stopped.

In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the liquid amount data transmitted from the refueling device mounted on the tank lorry is displayed. It is obvious that the present invention can be similarly applied to the apparatus only by changing the data input to the liquid amount data output means 22 to the liquid level and the volume.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, there are provided a plurality of communication channels, a transmitting means for attaching an identification code and transmitting liquid amount data as a radio signal, and a plurality of communication channels. receiving means for selectively receiving attached a code corresponding to the identification code signal, the liquid
After transmitting the amount data, a liquid selecting means for searching for an empty channel from a plurality of channels for a fixed time or until receiving the identification code, and a channel selecting means for setting the transmitting means and the receiving means to the empty channel. A transmitting means for transmitting data indicating a receiving state with a code for identification as a wireless signal, comprising a quantity detecting means, a plurality of communication channels, and a liquid quantity comprising a plurality of communication channels, and having a code for identification; Receiving means for selectively receiving data;
A display means for displaying the received liquid amount data, and whether or not the data of the liquid amount detecting means can be received, or a vacant channel is searched from a plurality of channels based on a signal of the receiving means until a certain time has elapsed, Channel selecting means for setting the transmitting means and the receiving means to the vacant channel, and the display operation is stopped when the reception failure continues for a predetermined number of times.
After the reception failure has continued for a predetermined number of times, the predetermined time
Portable that switches to sleeping mode after a lapse
Since the liquid amount display means is provided, it is possible to reliably secure communication between the side that transmits the liquid amount data and the side that receives and displays the liquid amount data, and transmit the liquid amount data with high reliability. it can
Not only does it prevent the battery consumption of the portable liquid level indicator
can do.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a tank truck to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the tank truck according to the present invention.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams showing an outline of a portable liquid amount display device used in the present invention, respectively.

FIG. 4 is a view showing one embodiment of a display pattern of a display panel of the portable liquid amount display device.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing one embodiment of a portable liquid amount display device.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a liquid amount data transmission operation of the tank truck.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the portable liquid amount display device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Portable liquid level display device 2 Tank lorry 4 Oil storage tank 16 Oil supply nozzle 7 Liquid amount transmission device 9 Antenna 12 Oil supply pump 13 Flowmeter 14 Flow rate pulse transmitter 20 Automotive battery 21 Oil supply switch

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B67D 5/22 H04L 29/04 H04L 29/14

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A transmitting means having a plurality of communication channels, transmitting an amount of liquid data as a radio signal with an identification code, and a code corresponding to the identification code, comprising a plurality of communication channels. Receiving means for selectively receiving the received signal, and after transmitting the liquid volume data, searches for an empty channel from among a plurality of channels for a fixed time or until the identification code is received, the transmitting means and the receiving means. A liquid amount detecting means including a channel selecting means for setting the means to the empty channel; a transmitting means including a plurality of communication channels, transmitting data indicating a receiving state with an identification code as a wireless signal, and A receiving means comprising a plurality of communication channels for selectively receiving the liquid amount data to which the identification code is attached; and a display means for displaying the received liquid amount data. Searching for an empty channel from among a plurality of channels based on a signal from the receiving unit until data of the liquid amount detecting unit can be received, or until a predetermined time has elapsed, and sets the transmitting unit and the receiving unit to the empty Channel selection means for setting a channel, and when a reception failure continues for a predetermined number of times.
Display operation is stopped, and reception failure continues for a predetermined number of times.
After that, when the specified time has elapsed,
A liquid level measuring device comprising: 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the channel selecting means selects a vacant channel before data transmission and a channel that can receive the identification code after data transmission.
Liquid volume measuring device. 3. The liquid amount measuring device according to claim 1, wherein each of said channel selecting means sets a main channel among a plurality of channels, and performs a search centering on the main channel.