JP4042937B2 - Supply control system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a prepaid supply control system that can use a supply body such as gas, water, hot water, electricity, etc., in an amount corresponding to the frequency stored in a storage medium such as a magnetic card or an IC card.
[0002]
[Prior art]
This type of supply control system is connected to a measuring device such as a gas meter or a water meter, and the frequency stored in a storage medium such as a magnetic card or an IC card is read. It consists of a control device that allows supply of water or the like. As one of them, in the system described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-180053, the IC card insertion device is separated from the meter so that it can be installed in an arbitrary place such as a kitchen and the supply of the IC card is used by using up the frequency of the IC card. After being blocked, when a new IC card is inserted into the IC card insertion device, the supply is resumed.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In this type of system, as the accuracy of the supply amount with respect to the frequency stored in the storage medium is increased, it is necessary to grasp the supply amount in detail, so the number of communication times for reading the integrated value from the measuring device Will increase. However, when a battery is used as the power source of the weighing device or the control device, if the number of communications is increased, the battery will be consumed heavily, so that the number of communications is limited to ensure a specified life. Therefore, it is necessary to lengthen the time interval for reading the integrated value from the measuring device, and it becomes difficult to accurately grasp the actual supply amount, which may cause an error in the actual supply amount with respect to the frequency of the storage medium. there were. That is, the amount more than the frequency stored in the storage medium is used, which may cause a loss on the supplier side.
[0004]
In some storage media, the length of life and the number of communications are inversely proportional, that is, the life is shortened when the number of communications is increased.
[0005]
Therefore, the present invention solves such a problem, and even if the time interval for reading the integrated value from the measuring device is lengthened, an amount greater than the frequency stored in the storage medium is not used. It is to provide a supply control system.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In the supply control system according to the present invention, the total measuring device you integrated measures the supply amount of the supply body, and a control device for controlling the supply amount of the measuring device, the frequency corresponding to the usable amount of donor Consisting of a storage medium,
The measuring device includes a supply amount detection means for detecting the supply amount of the supply body, a measurement control means for integrating the supply amounts detected by the supply amount detection means, and the integrated value of the measurement control means is transmitted to the control device. and a communication means for communicating to,
Control apparatus performs reading of stored in the storage medium power, also a reading unit that writes to a storage medium, a communication unit configured to read out the integrated value through the communication means from the measuring device, preset intervals Control for reading the integrated value of the measuring device, comparing it with the frequency read by the reading means, and controlling the reading means so as to perform the opening / closing control of the supply path of the supply body to the measuring device according to the comparison result A supply control system comprising:
The controller stores in the internal memory is read out all the power stored in the storage medium at the start of use, with the frequency of the storage medium is set to 0, the frequency of the internal memory by subtracting according to the supplied amount of When it is desired to change the preset frequency stored in the control device, the preset frequency for that purpose is stored in the storage medium when the supply of the supply body is stopped when the frequency becomes equal to or lower than the preset frequency. In other words, this is read and stored .
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0010]
FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment. The supply control system measures and integrates the supply amount of a supply body such as gas, water, hot water, and electricity, and controls the supply amount of the measurement apparatus 1 that opens and closes the supply path of the supply body. It comprises a control device 2 to be performed and a storage medium 3 such as a magnetic card or an IC card that stores a frequency corresponding to the usable amount of the supply body.
[0011]
The measuring device 1 includes a supply amount detection means 4 for detecting the supply amount of the supply body, a measurement control means 5 for integrating the supply amounts detected by the supply amount detection means 4, and an integrated value of the measurement control means 5. Communication means 6 for performing communication such as transmission to the control device 2 and opening / closing means 7 controlled by the weighing control means 5 to open and close the supply path.
[0012]
The control device 2 reads the frequency stored in the storage medium 3, reads out the integrated value from the reading device 8 that performs writing, and the communication device 6 from the measuring device 1, and opens and closes the supply path to the communication device 6. The integrated value of the measuring device 1 is read at a predetermined interval with the communication means 9 that transmits the command, and is compared with the frequency read by the reading means 8 and supplied to the measuring device 1 according to the comparison result. And a control means 10 for controlling the reading means 8 so as to control the opening and closing of the road.
[0013]
The storage medium 3 is written in advance with the frequency at which the supply body can be used. The control means 10 of the control device 2 reads all the frequencies from the storage medium 3 through the reading means 8 at the start of use, stores them in the internal memory, and sets the frequency of the storage medium 3 to zero. Then, a command to open the supply path or a command to permit opening is sent to the measuring device 1 via the communication means 9. Further, the control means 10 reads the integrated value, subtracts the frequency corresponding to the supply of the supply body from the internal memory, and when the frequency in the internal memory falls below a preset frequency (hereinafter referred to as a set frequency) Command to stop the supply of the supplier.
[0014]
Here, as an example of the set frequency in the control means 10, an amount assumed to be supplied in a time interval until the integrated value is read from the measuring device 1, a maximum value of the supply capability in the measuring device 1, and the like are conceivable. .
[0015]
The measurement control means 5 of the measuring device 1 receives an instruction to open the supply path or an instruction to permit opening from the control device 2 via the communication means 6 and then opens an opening / closing switch (not shown). When operated by the user, the supply channel is opened. In this case, control is performed so that the supply path is not opened even when an open / close switch or the like is operated until a command permitting opening is received.
[0016]
Further, the measuring device 1 detects the supply amount of the supply body by the supply amount detection means 4, integrates it by the measurement control means 5, and stores it in the internal memory of the measurement control means 5.
[0017]
The control means 10 of the control device 2 has a timekeeping function, reads the integrated value of the measuring device 1 over a predetermined time or elapsed time, calculates the supply amount from the previous integrated value stored, The corresponding frequency is subtracted from the stored frequency in the internal memory. Thereafter, this operation is repeated. When the stored frequency is equal to or less than the set frequency, a command to close the supply path is sent to the measuring device 1 to stop supply of the supply body.
[0018]
After the remaining frequency of the internal memory of the control means 10 is reduced and the supply of the supply body is stopped, the user can continue to use it by preparing the storage medium 3 having a sufficient frequency. Further, when the remaining frequency of the internal memory of the control means 10 decreases and the supply of the supply body is stopped, it is also conceivable to return the remaining frequency to the storage medium 3.
[0019]
In addition, when it is desired to stop the use, although not shown in the figure, the control device 2 reads the current integrated value from the measuring device 1 by operating a clearing switch or the like, and after clearing the frequency, stores the remaining frequency. Return to medium 3. At this time, it may be possible to inform the user of the remaining frequency by display or the like. Further, instead of operating the clearing switch or the like, it may be possible to perform clearing similarly by inserting a storage medium dedicated to clearing.
[0020]
Another example in the case of decreasing the frequency from the storage medium 3 will be described next.
The control device 2 is installed at the user's house and operates at the same time as the above example with the stored set frequency as a fixed value for a certain period, for example, two weeks, starting from the time when the supply body is first supplied. In the meantime, the supply amount of the supply body (hereinafter referred to as section supply amount) in the time interval for reading the integrated value from the measuring device 1 is stored.
[0021]
At the end of the fixed period, the control device 2 stores the stored maximum value of the section supply amount, or a coefficient for multiplying the maximum value by a margin, for example, an amount obtained by multiplying the maximum value as a set frequency. It operates similarly to the above example. In this case, the fixed period is set to two weeks from the time when the supply body is first supplied, but it may be possible to repeat this for a plurality of times instead of once.
[0022]
In the configuration of FIG. 1, when it is desired to change the setting frequency stored in the control device 2, the setting frequency for that purpose is stored in the storage medium 3, and this is read out by the control device 2 and stored in the control device 2. You can also.
[0023]
Further, as in the second embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the control device 2 is provided with an external input / output means 11 capable of inputting / outputting data by communication with an external device such as a telephone line or a handheld computer. Thus, the set frequency stored in the control device 2 may be changed from a remote place via a telephone line by data communication or by connecting a handheld computer or the like.
[0024]
Furthermore, a switch such as a numeric keypad may be used as the external input / output unit 11 as in the third embodiment shown in FIG.
[0025]
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the opening / closing means 7 is incorporated in the weighing device 1. However, as shown in FIG. 4, the opening / closing means 7 may be provided outside the weighing device 1. The measurement control unit 5 of the measurement apparatus 1 performs the measurement, but the measurement unit 1 of the control apparatus 2 may perform the measurement as illustrated in FIG.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, at the start of use of a storage medium, all the frequencies stored in the storage medium are read out and stored in the internal memory of the control device, and the frequency of the storage medium is set to 0 and the integration read out from the measurement device When subtracting the frequency of the internal memory compared to the value, if the frequency is less than the preset frequency (hereinafter referred to as the set frequency), the supply of the supply is stopped. The supply body is not used. Therefore, the communication interval for confirming the integration status of the measuring device can be widened, the power consumption of the measuring device and the control device can be suppressed, and even if the communication interval is widened, the supplier of the supply body is more than the frequency of the storage medium. Is less likely to be used. In addition, the number of communications of the storage medium can be reduced, and the life of the storage medium can be extended.
[0029]
In addition, when it is desired to change the preset frequency stored in the control device, the preset frequency for that purpose is stored in the storage medium, and this is read and stored. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the user of the supplier from using the storage medium more than the frequency of the storage medium, and it is possible to easily change the set frequency for the control device.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system configuration according to a first embodiment of this invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system configuration of a second embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a system configuration of a third embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a modified example.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of another modified example.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Measuring apparatus 2 Control apparatus 3 Storage medium 4 Supply amount detection means 5 Measurement control means 6 Communication means 7 Opening and closing means 8 Reading means 9 Communication means 10 Control means 11 External input / output means

Claims (1)

Consists of a total measuring device you integrated measures the supply amount of the supply body, and a control device for controlling the supply amount of the measuring device, a storage medium storing a frequency corresponding to the usable amount of the donor,
The measurement device includes a supply amount detection unit that detects a supply amount of the supply body, a measurement control unit that integrates the supply amount detected by the supply amount detection unit, and an integrated value of the measurement control unit to the control device. and a communication means for performing communication to be transmitted,
Wherein the control apparatus performs reading of the stored in the storage medium power, also a reading unit that writes to a storage medium, a communication unit configured to read out the integrated value through the communication means from the measuring device, preset The integrated value of the measuring device is read out at a predetermined interval, compared with the frequency read out by the reading means, and the opening and closing control of the supply path of the supply body is performed on the measuring device according to the comparison result. A supply control system having control means for controlling the reading means;
The control device, stored in the internal memory is read out all the power stored in the storage medium at the start of use, and the zero frequency of the storage medium, the internal memory by subtracting according to the supplied amount When the supply is stopped when the frequency falls below a preset frequency, and the preset frequency stored in the control device is to be changed, the preset frequency for that purpose is stored in the storage medium. Is stored, and is read and stored .

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