JP4807224B2 - Position detection system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a gas monitoring device, and more particularly, to a position detection system using communication means between a base station and a specific terminal device with a gas meter interposed therebetween.

  Conventionally, as this type of position detection system, a receiving means for wirelessly receiving an identification number of a radio base station having the current location of the own telephone as a management area by radio waves of a predetermined frequency band from the radio base station, A mobile telephone having position information transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting position information including the identification number of the radio base station received by the receiving means in response to an instruction to the radio base station by radio waves in a predetermined frequency band Using the location information receiving means for receiving the location information transmitted from the mobile phone via a predetermined communication network, and the location information received by the location information receiving means. Location information management having database management means for registering / updating a location information database for managing a carrier and the current location of the mobile phone in association with each other There are stem (e.g., see Patent Document 1).

  The mobile phone receiving means, for example, when a specific key is operated, wirelessly communicates with a radio base station having the current location of the own phone as a management area by a predetermined protocol, and the radio base station transmits the radio base station. An identification number assigned in advance to the station is received wirelessly by radio waves in a predetermined frequency band. Subsequently, for example, when an instruction for transmitting position information is given by operating another specific key or the like, the position information transmitting means transmits at least the position information including the identification number of the wireless base station received by the receiving means to the wireless Send to base station. Therefore, the mobile phone carrier can use the mobile phone to transmit location information indicating his current location to a radio base station covering (managing) his current location. The position information receiving means of the position information management system sequentially receives the position information transmitted by each mobile telephone via a communication network such as a general subscriber telephone network or ISDN, and outputs it to the database management means. .

  At this time, if the communication network is ISDN and the mobile phone transmits only the identification number of the radio base station that covers the current location of the own phone, the location information receiving means sends the caller from ISDN, The mobile phone number is also received, and the mobile phone number is output to the database management means as position information together with the identification number of the radio base station.

  The database management means uses the location information database based on the identification number of the wireless base station and the identification number of the mobile phone or the identification number (employee number, etc.) of the mobile phone carrier included in the input location information. The location information of the mobile phone or the mobile phone's carrier is registered / updated.

Therefore, an information processing apparatus connected to a general subscriber telephone network or a fixed network such as ISDN receives location information transmitted from the mobile phone, and based on the location information, the current information of the mobile phone carrier of each mobile phone is received. The position can be managed.
JP-A-5-167704

However, in the conventional configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, the mobile phone that is the location confirmation terminal is a system that uses a radio base station of a mobile phone represented by a PHS base station. It must receive radio waves and register location information, and when it is not used, it will result in communication, resulting in higher current consumption and a larger capacity power source for location confirmation terminals. Or it was necessary to charge regularly, and it was necessary to enlarge and maintain, making it difficult to use.

  In addition, a mechanism has been proposed to register by communicating with the wireless base station by the user pressing a button, etc., but it takes time for the user to register by pressing the button, and if the user forgets to register, the location is unknown As a result, there was a problem that accurate information could not be obtained.

  In addition, since the location information in this system is managed for each radio base station that covers the current location, it can be managed only by the location of the radio base station, and more detailed location information must be obtained. Was difficult.

  Further, there is a problem that it becomes difficult to obtain location information when the line is congested due to the use of the telephone line.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-described problem, and a gas monitoring device capable of obtaining detailed position information for each installation position of a gas meter by performing position detection using a gas meter monitoring system that is always installed in a general household. Is to provide.

In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, when the position detection command information is output from the monitoring center, the position detection system of the present invention first installs a base station by direct communication between the base station and the specific terminal device. The position of the specific terminal device is detected in units of places where the gas meter is installed by performing position detection of the specific terminal device in units of areas, and then performing communication between the base station and the specific terminal device via the gas meter. In the position detection system that detects
The gas meter includes a wide area communication radio module having a wide area communication frequency band, and an area communication radio module having a specific low power radio communication frequency band capable of communication within a predetermined area, the gas meter, the base station, Communication using the wide area communication wireless module, communication between the gas meter and the specific terminal using the area communication wireless module, and communication between the specific terminal device and the gas meter for a predetermined time. A terminal for transmitting a position detection end signal to the base station when continuously performed, and a specific terminal for a gas meter belonging to an area where the base station is installed from the base station via the wide area communication module Transmission of device tracking command information is prioritized except at least for operations related to the shutoff operation of the gas shutoff valve. Runs, the gas meter has received the tracking command information was to be sent a start signal through the area communication wireless module with the specific terminal device.

In the position detection system of the present invention , when the gas meter continuously receives the authentication signal from the specific terminal device for a predetermined time in the high-accuracy position detection mode, it is determined that the gas meter stays at a place where the gas meter is installed for a long time. However, it is determined that it is not necessary to continue the position detection mode, and a position detection mode end signal is sent to the base station, so that the influence on the gas monitoring function can be minimized and the gas supply safety It is possible to provide a new position detection system using a gas monitoring system capable of detecting the position in units of gas meters while securing the property.

In the first invention, when the position detection command information is output from the monitoring center, first, the position of the specific terminal device in a region unit where the base station is installed by direct communication between the base station and the specific terminal device. In the position detection system that detects the position of the specific terminal device in units of places where the gas meter is installed by performing communication between the base station and the specific terminal device via the gas meter, the gas meter A wide area communication radio module having a wide communication frequency band, and an area communication radio module having a specific low power radio communication frequency band capable of communication within a predetermined area, and communication between the gas meter and the base station The wide area communication wireless module is used, and the communication between the gas meter and the specific terminal uses the area communication wireless module. And shall, the gas meter, the communication with the specific terminal device and the gas meter is be one that transmits an end signal of the position detection when performed continuously for a predetermined time to the base station, the wide area communication module The transmission of the tracking command information of the specific terminal device from the base station to the gas meter belonging to the area where the base station is installed is preferentially executed except at least the operation related to the shut-off operation of the gas shut-off valve, the gas meter which receives the tracking command information is characterized in that it has a so that to send an activation signal via the area communication wireless module with the specific terminal device.

  Then, when the gas meter receives an authentication signal from the specific terminal device in the high-accuracy position detection mode, after performing a predetermined process, the position detection mode of the gas meter is terminated and the normal process mode is restored. Therefore, a new position detection system that uses a gas monitoring system that can detect the position in units of gas meters while ensuring the safety of gas supply while minimizing the impact on the gas monitoring function is provided. be able to.

The second invention is further characterized in that the specified gas meter transmits a location confirmation signal with a unique identification code to the base station .

When the gas meter continuously receives the authentication signal from the specific terminal device for a predetermined time in the high-accuracy position detection mode, it is determined that the gas meter has stayed for a long time and the position detection mode is continued. Because it is determined that it is not necessary to transmit the position detection mode end signal to the base station, the influence on the gas monitoring function can be minimized, while ensuring the safety of gas supply, It is possible to provide a new position detection system using a gas monitoring system capable of position detection in units of gas meters.

In the third aspect of the present invention, further, when the high-accuracy position detection mode is activated, whether or not the authentication signal receiving means built in the gas meter receives an authentication signal transmitted from the second authentication signal transmitting means of the specific terminal device. The presence / absence of the location is determined, and when it is determined that the location is present, an identification code unique to the gas meter is assigned and transmitted to the base station as a location confirmation signal.

  When the gas meter receives the authentication signal from the specific terminal device in the high-accuracy position detection mode, it is registered in advance by adding the identification code unique to the received gas meter and transmitting it to the base station as a location confirmation signal. The address can be easily specified from the installation location information of the gas meter.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the radio module with a built- in gas meter has a specific low power radio communication frequency band capable of communicating within a predetermined area with a wide area communication radio module having a wide area communication frequency band for communication with a base station. The area communication radio module is provided separately.

  Since the wide area communication wireless module and the area communication wireless module are separately incorporated as the storage form in the gas meter, the base station or a specific terminal device can be connected to the base station simply by selecting the wireless module corresponding to the transmission information. Communication can be easily performed, and communication between the base station and a specific terminal device can be performed at the same time, thereby improving usability.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the wireless module with a built- in gas meter is characterized in that communication between a base station and a predetermined area is performed using a single wireless module by switching a communication frequency band. It is.

  And, as a storage form in the gas meter, the wide area communication wireless module and the area communication wireless module are performed by switching the communication frequency band with one wireless module, so that the substrate configuration can be simplified and the battery consumption is suppressed. Can do.

A sixth invention is further the connected monitoring center dedicated line base station, identifiable confirm movement information as the display moves information in time series location confirmation signal received by the base station in a predetermined area on the screen It has the means.

  Then, by displaying the location confirmation signal transmitted from the gas meter in time series on the screen of the tracking target area, it can be grasped in real time as movement information, and the position can be detected more accurately.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the specific terminal device further includes a radio module having the same communication frequency band as the specific low power radio communication frequency band capable of communication within a predetermined area built in the gas meter. The communication is performed between the specific terminal device and the gas meter.

And since it is possible to receive an authentication signal from a specific terminal device only within a predetermined area, the position information of the specific terminal device can be captured relatively pinpointed, and the position can be specified more accurately. Become.

  And in the other processing modes, position detection mode based on tracking command information from the base station while ensuring safety by performing the operation of shutting down the gas shut-off valve in the event of an abnormality such as an earthquake or abnormal flow By preferentially executing, it is possible to quickly handle a response when assuming a tracking function having urgency.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a communication mode between a gas shut-off device and a base station and a customer's house in Embodiment 1 of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a communication mode with an adjacent gas meter in the gas shut-off device, and FIG. Is a diagram showing a communication mode between the gas shut-off device and a specific terminal device, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a communication mode between a base station and a gas meter for each region, and FIG. FIG. 6 is an internal configuration diagram of the gas cutoff device, and FIG. 7 is a configuration block diagram of a control circuit board of the gas cutoff device.

  A gas meter 2 is installed at the inlet portion of the gas supply pipe 1 of each household 13, and is branched from the gas pipe 3 after passing through the gas meter 2 to the place where various gas appliances used at home are installed. Is supplied. For example, a gas water heater 4 is installed outdoors, and hot water generated by the gas water heater 4 is installed in a kitchen hot water tap 5, a bath 6 in which a bathtub and a shower device are installed, a living room and the like through a water pipe. The floor heating 7 is supplied to form various usage forms.

  In addition, when indoors, gas is supplied to a gas table 8 installed in a kitchen, a gas fan heater 9 installed in a living room, a bedroom, or the like, and is used as needed.

  When the installed gas appliance is used and gas consumption occurs, the amount of use is measured by the gas meter 2, and the data is accumulated and stored every predetermined period. The data stored in the gas meter 2 is subjected to predetermined information processing based on a periodic data request command from the gas company 15, and then the gas fee, gas usage, discount service provided by the gas company 15, etc. Information is transmitted to the consumer 13 and the gas company.

  As this transmission means, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, the wireless module 11 integrated with the control circuit board 10 constituting the flow rate measurement means built in the gas meter 2 is used.

2, 3, and 7, the wireless module 11 is different from the telephone line for communicating with the base station 14, for example, a wide area communication wireless module 11 a having a communication frequency band of 200 MHz, a customer's house 13 for communicating with a specific terminal device 12 such as a television 12a, a personal computer or a mobile phone 12b in order to transmit information to the inside, or for directly communicating with the adjacent gas meters 2A to 2D to exchange various information. The control circuit 10a is composed of an area communication wireless module 11b having a specific low-power wireless communication frequency band of 429 MHz, for example, and calculates gas usage or detects abnormalities such as earthquakes and gas leaks based on flow rate signals and sensor signals. When receiving data from, for example, gas charges, gas usage or earthquakes, gas leaks, depending on the data In the case of contents to be notified to the consumer, such as the operation of a gas shut-off valve due to the occurrence of an abnormality, the information is displayed on a specific terminal device 12 such as the television 12a or the mobile phone 12b in the consumer's house 13 using the area communication wireless module 11b. Data is transmitted, and when it is determined that the flow rate fluctuation range is larger than the specified value and pulsation is generated in the supply gas, pulsation signals are transmitted to the adjacent gas meters 2A to 2D.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the gas meter 2 is installed in or integrated with a wireless module 11 c having the same communication frequency band as the area communication wireless module 11 b built in the gas meter 2 in a specific terminal device 12. Communication is possible, for example, the data of the control circuit 10a is transmitted as display data to the television 12a or the mobile phone 12b and displayed through the screen of each terminal device, so that information can be transmitted directly from the gas meter 2 to the consumer. As in the past, data is transmitted from the gas meter 2 to the gas company, and information processed by the gas company, such as postcards such as a charge notice, is sent to the customer by mail or the like. Since it is no longer necessary to adopt an information transmission method, man-hours required for notification work can be reduced, and postage costs for notification postcards, etc. Occur even eliminated, thereby contributing to the reduction of the gas charge to realize the rationalization of notification operations.

  In addition, when a pulsation signal is sent from an adjacent gas meter, it is received by the area communication wireless module 11b, and the information is sent to the control circuit 10a and reflected in the measurement cycle when the gas flow rate is measured. Is used to measure the flow rate to reduce the flow rate variation.

  When various information is transmitted from the gas meter 2 to the specific terminal device 12, a notification completion signal is sent from the area communication wireless module 11b to the wide area communication wireless module 11a, and the wide area communication wireless module 11a sends the notification completion signal to the base station. 14 to notify the gas company 15 that the information transmission to the consumer has been completed. In this case, it is preferable to receive a response signal from a specific terminal device 12 and transmit a notification completion signal, so that information can be more reliably transmitted to a consumer.

  Further, by incorporating the wireless module 11 in the gas meter 2, the gas meter 2 can be used as an information terminal device in addition to the original functions of flow rate measurement and gas shut-off function in the event of an abnormality. It can be used as a terminal for detailed information collection and transmission, and various services can be provided using this information collection and transmission function.

  As an example, a start signal Sa that is tracking command information from a base station 14 connected to a gas monitoring center 15 by a dedicated line or the like to a mobile terminal carried by a person such as a mobile phone 12b as a specific terminal device 12 Is the same as the wireless communication module 11d which is a first authentication signal transmitting means capable of transmitting an authentication signal Sa ′ having a predetermined period to the base station 14 by this reception information and the area communication wireless module 11b built in the gas meter 2. A wireless module 11c, which is a second authentication signal transmission means having a communication frequency band, is built in and configured.

  When the position detection command information of the mobile phone 12b that is the specific terminal device 12 is output from the gas monitoring center 15, first, it is given to the mobile phone 12b that is the detection target from each base station 14 that belongs to the gas monitoring center 15. A signal including the unique identification code is transmitted as the activation signal Sa. When the activation signal Sa is received by the mobile phone 12b to be detected, an authentication signal Sa ′ having a predetermined period is generated using the first authentication signal transmitting means 11d. send. This authentication signal Sa 'may be a predetermined signal or an authentication signal including a unique identification code given to the mobile phone 12b. Then, the base station 14 that has received the authentication signal Sa ′ transmits the received information to the gas monitoring center 15, and depends on which region of the base station 14 currently receives the authentication signal of the mobile phone 12 b that is the detection target. Is roughly limited. This series of position detection processes is defined as an ambiguous position detection mode.

  When the location area of the mobile phone 12b to be detected is limited in the ambiguous position detection mode, the tracking command information Sb is transmitted from the base station 14 in the limited area to the gas meter 2 belonging to the base station 14. To do. When the tracking command information Sb is transmitted as information from the base station 14 to the control circuit 10c of the gas meter 2, and the information is received by the wide area communication wireless module 11a built in the gas meter 2, the position detection mode is set as the processing mode of the control circuit 10a. Select. The control circuit 10a is provided with an activation signal transmitting means 10i and an authentication signal receiving means 10j that operate only when the tracking command information Sb is received, and when the position detection mode is selected, the gas meter 2 is interposed and the second signal of the mobile phone 12b is provided. By transmitting the reception status of the authentication signal from the second authentication signal transmission means 11c to the base station 14, the location of the person holding the mobile phone 12b can be ascertained in units of places where the gas meter 2 is installed. A series of position detection processes using communication information between the gas meter 2 and the mobile phone 12b as the specific terminal device is defined as a high-accuracy position detection mode.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, a gas company (monitoring center) 15 uses a dedicated line for a base station 14 installed in each area A to F in response to a location confirmation request from a user. Tracking command information is sent, and an activation signal including a unique identification code assigned to the mobile phone 12b to be detected is transmitted as a broadcast signal from each base station 14 as position detection command information Sa. In the case of FIG. 4, the detection target mobile phone 12b receives the position detection command information Sa transmitted from the base station 14 installed in the area A, and the detection target mobile phone 12b receives the authentication signal Sa ′. Is automatically started.

  The authentication signal having a predetermined cycle may be transmitted using a communication frequency band originally owned by the mobile phone 12b, or may be a communication frequency band specially set for gas monitoring. In the former case, it is necessary to provide the base station 14 with a communication means capable of transmitting and receiving in a communication frequency band for mobile phones in addition to the communication frequency band for gas monitoring. It is necessary to mount a wireless communication module that can transmit and receive in the communication frequency band.

  When the base station 14 in the area A receives the authentication signal Sa ′ from the first authentication signal transmitting means 11d provided in the mobile phone 12b to be detected, this reception information is transmitted to the gas operator (monitoring center) 15. . The gas company (monitoring center) 15 confirms from the received information that the mobile phone 12b to be detected exists in the area A. When the area A is limited in this ambiguous position detection mode, the tracking command information Sa ′ for the high-accuracy position detection mode is sent to the base station 14 in the area A and transmitted to the gas meters 2E-2J belonging to the area A. Receiving this signal Sb, the gas meter 2E-2J activates the activation signal transmitting means 10i, and uses the area communication wireless module 11b to generate an activation signal including a unique identification code previously assigned to the mobile phone 12b to be located. Send. By exchanging signals with the mobile phone 12b using this area communication wireless module 11b, communication can be performed within a relatively narrow range in which communication is possible in a specific low-power wireless communication frequency band, and the location of the mobile phone 12b can be determined. It becomes easy to specify.

  Then, the cellular phone 12b that has received the activation signal starts to operate, and an authentication signal is transmitted at a predetermined cycle by the second authentication signal transmitting means 11c. This authentication signal may include its own unique identification code or only a predetermined authentication signal.

  When switching from the ambiguous position detection mode to the high-accuracy position detection mode is executed as a series of processes, it is not necessary to execute the start signal from the gas meter by the start signal transmitting means 10i. In the embodiment, a description will be given in the form in which the activation signal is transmitted.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the tracking command information Sb transmitted from the base station 14 in the area A
The mobile phone 12b carried by Mr. Y starts operating in response to the start signal transmitted from the start signal transmitting means 10i of the gas meter 2G which has been operated in the above manner, and a predetermined authentication signal Sc is transmitted at a predetermined cycle.

  The transmitted authentication signal Sc is received by the authentication signal receiving means 10j built in the gas meter 2. For example, when the authentication signal receiving means 10j of the gas meter 2G receives the received information, the reception information is received by the wide area communication wireless module 11a built in the gas meter 2G. To the base station 14 as a response signal Sd. At this time, by transmitting as a response signal Sd transmitted to the base station 14 as a signal including a unique identification code given to the gas meter 2G, the location can be accurately grasped from the unique identification code of the gas meter, and more precisely Position detection is possible.

  In addition, when other gas meter, for example, the gas meter 2J is out of the communication range in the specific low-power wireless communication frequency band, the reception information from the gas meter 2J is not transmitted to the base station 14 for transmission. The position can be specified only by the information, and the position can be detected with high accuracy.

  When Mr. Y moves, the reception by the authentication signal receiving means 10j of the gas meter 2G is interrupted, and the authentication signal Sc is received by the authentication signal receiving means 10j of the next gas meter 2F. The wide-area communication wireless module 11a built in 2F is transmitted to the base station 14 as a signal Sd including a unique identification code assigned to the gas meter 2F. Furthermore, when Mr. Y moves, the reception of the authentication signal Sc by the authentication signal receiving means 10j of the gas meter 2F is interrupted, and the authentication signal Sc is received by the authentication signal receiving means 10j of the next gas meter 2H. The reception information is transmitted to the base station 14 as a signal Sd including a unique identification code given to the gas meter 2H using the wide area communication wireless module 11a built in the gas meter 2H.

  With this series of information, Mr. Y can grasp that he has moved from the place where the gas meter 2G is installed to the place where the gas meter 2H is installed via the place where the gas meter 2F is installed. And since the address where the gas meter is installed can be easily confirmed from a unique identification code registered in advance, the address where Mr. Y is present can be easily identified.

  And the gas company (monitoring center) 15 is provided with the movement information confirmation means which displays the location confirmation signal acquired via the base station 14 in time series on the area screen which shows a predetermined area, for example, the area A. , It can be grasped as movement information of the portable terminal whose location is to be confirmed.

  The position detection mode is preferentially executed except for at least the processing mode related to the shut-off operation of the gas shut-off valve 2c among the various processing modes described below, and in the event of an abnormality such as an earthquake or an abnormal flow rate. By preferentially executing the position detection mode based on the tracking command information from the base station 14 among other processing modes while ensuring safety by executing the operation of shutting off the gas cutoff valve 2c with the highest priority. Thus, it is possible to promptly handle a response when an urgent tracking function is assumed.

  In addition to the position detection mode, many processing modes are prepared for executing other functions of the gas meter 2 incorporating the wireless module 11, and an example thereof and its processing rules will be described below.

From the base station 14 connected to the centralized monitoring center managed by the gas company 15 through a dedicated line, for example, various types of information transmitted by the gas company using a wide communication frequency band of 200 MHz are installed in each customer's house. The gas meter 2 receives the various information by the built-in wide-area communication wireless module 11a and inputs the received data to the control circuit 10a.
The control circuit 10a is provided with a processing mode storage means 10g that stores a predetermined processing mode corresponding to the received information. Priorities are determined for the processing modes stored in the processing mode storage unit 10g, and processing is performed in the order of higher priority, for example, processing mode 1> processing mode 2> processing mode 3>. When processing mode 3 information is received while processing mode 3 is being executed, processing mode 3 is interrupted or stopped, and processing mode 2 is executed with priority. In this processing mode, the central monitoring center 15 transmits disaster information as a broadcast signal all at once, judging that a disaster will spread over a wide area due to a large-scale earthquake, etc., and at least gas corresponding to the disaster information Appropriate response according to the degree of urgency by giving priority to all processing modes as processing mode 1 including processing to transmit disaster information to a specific terminal device including shut-off operation of the shut-off valve 2c Gas supply management that prioritizes safety is possible.

  Information transmitted from the base station 14 includes time setting information, meter-reading instruction information, and simultaneous shut-off information of the gas shut-off valve 2c associated with gas construction, etc., and the processing mode corresponding to each information is a processing mode. For example, as processing corresponding to the simultaneous shutoff information of the gas shutoff valve 2c associated with gas construction or the like as the processing mode 2, the shutoff related information is transmitted to the display terminal device 12 and the notification to the base station 14 is completed. It is determined that a signal is to be transmitted, and as processing corresponding to meter reading instruction information as processing mode 3, fee information and / or gas usage information stored in the control circuit 10a is transmitted to the display terminal device 12, and the base station 14 is determined to transmit a notification completion signal, and the processing mode 4 is built in the control circuit 10a as processing corresponding to the time setting information. It has been established to run the time setting of the clock function 10h all at once.

  In addition, information transmitted from a gas meter adjacent to the base station 14 or a specific terminal device can also be received. For example, as information from other gas meters, there are pulsation information, cutoff information, and further life information. Similarly, the processing mode with priority assigned to these received information is stored in the processing mode storage means 10g, so that the measurement accuracy using the pulsation information can be improved, or the earthquake is detected using the cutoff information. And vibrations due to shocks can be differentiated, or life confirmation information based on the actual gas usage can be used to check for abnormalities in elderly people living alone in the neighborhood.

  As described above, since the processing mode having a predetermined priority order is selected according to the information transmitted from the base station 14 or other gas meter or the like and the predetermined operation is executed, the urgency level of the received information It is possible to take appropriate measures according to the situation, and it is possible to distinguish between general information such as meter reading request commands and disaster information such as earthquakes, and it is impossible to report due to congestion of the line at the time of abnormalities such as earthquakes The safety can be ensured by eliminating and quick processing, and the processing for the general information can be smoothly executed via the wireless module 11 built in the gas meter 2, so that a rational information transmission system can be constructed.

  Specifically, when shutting off gas in a wide area due to gas construction, etc., the gas shut-off information specifying the date and time was sent to the customer's house in advance by mail, etc., but the base station 14 simultaneously shuts off as a broadcast signal By transmitting the information, the gas meter 2 installed in the receivable area executes the processing mode for transmitting the gas cutoff information specifying the date and time to the display terminal device 12 such as the television 12a or the mobile phone 12b. 12a, a mobile phone 12b, etc. can be displayed, and the transmission work of simultaneous blocking information that has been performed by mail or the like from the center 15 as in the past can be omitted, and notification to the display terminal device 12 is possible. By transmitting the completion signal to the base station 14, it is possible to confirm that the information transmission to the consumer is completed in the center 15.

In addition, by transmitting meter reading instruction information as a broadcast signal for the meter reading work performed by the center (gas company) 15 every predetermined period, the gas meters 2 installed in the receivable region simultaneously perform a predetermined meter reading processing mode. It becomes possible to execute the meter reading information to the base station 14,
Since the meter reading information transmitted to the base station 14 can be transmitted to the display terminal device 12 such as the television 12a or the mobile phone 12b, the center information is displayed by using the television 12a or the mobile phone 12b. 15 can be omitted, and the transmission of the meter reading information that has been performed by mail or the like can be omitted, and a notification completion signal to the display terminal device 12 can be transmitted to the base station 14 so that information can be transmitted to the customer at the center 15. You can confirm that it is complete.

  Further, by transmitting the time setting information from the center 15 as a broadcast signal, the gas meters 2 installed in the receivable area can perform time setting all at once, and the accuracy of the processing performed using the time information Information with less error.

  Here, an example of information transmission will be described. First, when meter reading instruction information is transmitted as a broadcast signal from the gas company 15 in the wide communication frequency band (200 MHz) via the base station 14, it is built in the gas meter 2. The wide-area communication wireless module 11a receives the meter reading instruction information and sends it to the control circuit 10a mounted on the same substrate. In the control circuit 10a, the processing mode corresponding to the received information is stored in the processing mode storage means 10g, the processing mode 3 corresponding to the meter reading instruction information is selected, and the flow rate measured by the flow rate measuring means as a specific process. Data is accumulated every predetermined period, and the accumulated data or information converted into charge data is stored in the information storage means 10b, and when the meter reading instruction information from the gas company 15 is input, the control circuit 10a receives information. The flow rate accumulation data in the storage means 10b or the information converted into the charge data is sent to the area communication radio module 11b and the wide area communication radio module 11a via the communication switching means 10c, and the wide area communication radio module 11a has a wide area communication frequency band (200 MHz). The base station 14 transmits the meter reading information to the gas company 15 using a dedicated line. It is.

  Further, the area communication wireless module 11b transmits to the wireless module 11c integrally attached to the display terminal device 12 such as the television 12a in the specific low-power wireless communication frequency band (429 MHz), and on the screen, for example, FIG. Display charge information and usage as shown in. Then, when the transmission to the display terminal device 12 is completed, as described above, a notification completion signal is transmitted to the gas company 15 to notify the completion of information transmission to the consumer.

  When the disaster information is transmitted as a broadcast signal from the base station 14 during execution of this series of meter reading processing modes and the wide area communication wireless module 11a receives the information, the processing mode 1 corresponding to the information is changed to the processing mode storage means 10g. Since this processing mode 1 is executed in preference to all processing, the various meter reading processing modes 3 are interrupted or stopped, and the gas shut-off valve 2c which is the processing mode 1 is shut off. The disaster information to the display terminal device 12 is executed using the area communication wireless module 11b.

  As another example, when the time setting information is transmitted as a broadcast signal from the gas company 15 in the wide-band communication frequency band (200 MHz) via the base station 14, the wide-area communication wireless built in the gas meter 2 is used. The module 11a receives the time setting information and sends it to the control circuit 10a mounted on the same board. In the control circuit 10a, the processing mode corresponding to the received information is stored in the processing mode storage means 10g, and the processing mode 4 corresponding to the time setting information is selected. As a specific process, a clock function built in the control circuit 10a is selected. It is set all at once so that the time of 10h becomes a predetermined time. In this case as well, when the processing mode 4 is being executed, the simultaneous shutoff information of the gas shutoff valve 2c accompanying the high priority gas construction is transmitted as a broadcast signal, and when the wide area communication wireless module 11a receives the information, the processing mode Since the processing mode 2 is selected from the storage unit 10g, the processing mode 4 being executed is interrupted and the processing mode 2 is preferentially executed, and the date and time is designated to the display terminal device 12 using the area communication wireless module 11b. The simultaneous shut-off information of the gas shut-off valve 2c is transmitted, and the gas stop information associated with the gas work is notified in advance through the screen of the television 12a or the mobile phone 12b.

  As another processing mode, when the shutoff valve 2c is forcibly operated in the processing mode 1, when the cause is eliminated and the safety is confirmed, a return instruction from the gas operator 15 is transmitted as a broadcast signal. In some cases, it is transmitted in the wide communication frequency band (200 MHz) via the station 14, and in this case as well, a plurality of broadcast signals from the base station 14 are stored in the processing mode storage means 10g as the processing mode 5. The return process can be guided to the gas meters 2 simultaneously. Specifically, the wide area communication wireless module 11a built in the gas meter 2 receives the return instruction information and sends it to the control circuit 10a mounted on the same substrate, and the processing mode 5 of the processing mode storage means 10g is changed. By being selected, information related to the return work stored in the information storage unit 10b is sent to the area communication radio module 11b via the communication switching unit 10c, and the area communication radio module 11b transmits the specific low power radio communication frequency band (429 MHz). ) To the wireless module 11c integrally attached to the display terminal device 12 such as the television 12a, and the procedure of the return operation as shown in FIG. 8B is displayed on the screen, for example. Then, when the transmission to the display terminal device 12 is completed, as described above, a notification completion signal is transmitted to the gas company 15 to notify the completion of information transmission to the consumer.

  Further, the area communication wireless module 11b built in the gas meter 2 can perform mutual communication with the adjacent gas meter 2 in a predetermined area, and a control function that constitutes, for example, a flow rate measuring means using the communication function between the gas meters. When the circuit 10a detects a flow fluctuation caused by pulsation, the area communication wireless module 11b is used to transmit a pulsation signal to the adjacent gas meter, and the gas meter that has received the pulsation signal receives the gas supplied in the area. When it is determined that pulsation has occurred and the measured flow rate value exceeds a predetermined determination value, it is determined that the flow rate fluctuation is caused by pulsation and immediately switched to the high-accuracy measurement mode in which the measurement cycle is shortened. Various other devices that use the information by directly transmitting and receiving information between gas meters , It is also possible to use, for example, the earthquake and impact caused by the distinction of vibration, or gas, such as the elderly by using information life information such as confirmation.

  Note that the information received by the wireless module 11 is not limited to the present embodiment, and all assumed information may be targeted, and the priority order of the processing modes is not limited to the present embodiment. Needless to say, it can be set freely.

  As described above, the control circuit 10a has the communication switching means 10c to select the radio module having a different communication frequency band corresponding to the other party to communicate according to the information to be transmitted. In the information from 15, in the case of meter-reading instruction information, it is necessary to transmit the information stored in the information storage means 10 b built in the control circuit 10 a to the gas company 15 and the display terminal device 12. When the wide area communication wireless module 11a having the communication frequency band and the area communication wireless module 11b having the specific low power wireless communication frequency band of 429 MHz, for example, are selected and the return instruction information from the gas company 15 is displayed, the display terminal device 12 In this case, for example, a specific low power wireless communication frequency of 429 MHz may be transmitted. The area communication wireless module 11b having the band may be selected. Furthermore, in the case of communication between adjacent gas meters such as transmission / reception of pulsation signals, the area communication wireless module 11b can be selected and various information can be directly exchanged between the meters, reflecting changes in the surrounding environment. The gas meter can be managed.

Note that the wide area communication radio module 11a and the area communication radio module 11b may be provided separately, or may be configured as a common radio module, and the communication frequency band may be switched between the wide area communication frequency band and the specific low power radio communication frequency band. However, in the former case, the communication switching means 10c needs to select the wide area communication wireless module 11a and the area communication wireless module 11b, and there is a merit that simultaneous communication is possible, but there are demerits such as a large installation space and high cost. is doing. In the latter case, the communication switching means 10c needs to switch the communication frequency band according to the communication partner, and has the demerit that the simultaneous communication cannot be performed and the alternate communication is possible while having the advantages of small installation space and low cost. ing.

  Next, the flow rate measuring means for measuring the gas flow rate built in the control circuit 10a will be briefly described. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the gas meter 2 has a gas inlet 2a and a gas outlet 2b. A gas shutoff valve 2c for shutting off gas in the event of an abnormality and a pair of ultrasonic sensors 17A and 17B for measuring the gas flow rate are provided in the gas flow path therebetween, and a pressure sensor 2d for detecting the gas pressure is disposed downstream thereof. Yes. Further, a control circuit board 10 equipped with a control circuit 10a for calculating a gas flow rate by signals from the ultrasonic sensors 17A and 17B is arranged so as to face the liquid crystal display 10e on the display unit 2e of the gas meter 2, and further control is performed. A battery 2f for driving the circuit 10a is accommodated. Further, a return button 2g is arranged as means for manually performing a return operation after the shutoff valve 2c is activated.

  Then, the flow rate measurement unit 17 and the control circuit 10a that measure the gas flow rate, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, arrange a pair of ultrasonic sensors in the gas flow path, and change the propagation time that changes according to the flow rate that flows through the flow path. Some measure the flow rate by measuring. Hereinafter, the configuration will be described. A measurement control unit having a switching means that constitutes a control circuit 10a, in which a first transmitter / receiver 17A for transmitting or receiving ultrasonic waves and a second transmitter / receiver 17B for receiving or transmitting ultrasonic waves are arranged in the flow direction. Switching between transmission and reception is possible by 18 and the flow state of fluid such as gas is detected. The flow rate is measured by processing the signals of the first transmitter / receiver 17A and the second transmitter / receiver 17B. Specifically, the first transmitter / receiver 17A is first driven by the measurement control unit 18 and the second transmitter / receiver 17B is then driven. The ultrasonic wave is transmitted toward the upstream, that is, from the upstream to the downstream. Then, the signal received by the second transmitter / receiver 17B is amplified by the amplifying means provided in the measurement control unit 18, the amplified signal is compared with the reference signal, and after the signal equal to or higher than the reference signal is detected, the measurement control unit The above-described transmission / reception is repeated a predetermined number of times by the repeating means provided at 18, and each time value is measured by a time measuring means such as a timer counter provided at the measurement control unit 18.

  Next, transmission / reception of the first transmitter / receiver 17A and the second transmitter / receiver 17B is switched by the measurement control unit 18 having switching means, and the ultrasonic waves are transmitted from the second transmitter / receiver 17B to the first transmitter / receiver 17A, that is, from downstream to upstream. A signal is transmitted, this transmission is repeated as described above, and each time value is measured. Then, the flow rate value is obtained by the signal processing unit 19 in consideration of the size of the flow path 16 and the flow state of the fluid from the ultrasonic propagation time difference between the first transceiver 17A and the second transceiver 17B. The obtained flow rate data is accumulated in the information storage means 10b and stored as accumulated data for each predetermined period.

  Further, the flow path 16 in which the flow rate measuring unit 17 is disposed is provided with a shutoff valve 2c that shuts off the gas flow in the event of an abnormality or the like. When the flow rate value is detected beyond a certain usage time, it is determined that there is an abnormality, and the shutoff valve 2c is operated to shut off the gas flow path 16. Further, when an earthquake, impact, or abnormal gas pressure signal is input from the vibration sensor or pressure sensor 2d, the shutoff valve 2c is operated via the information storage means 10b to shut off the gas flow path 16.

  Next, the flow rate fluctuation caused by the pulsation phenomenon will be briefly described.

When a GHP (gas heat pump) or the like is installed in a consumer connected to the same gas pipe 1, when this GHP is used, a pressure fluctuation occurs in the supply gas pressure, and this pressure fluctuation is transmitted through the gas pipe 1. This also affects the gas pressure supplied to other customers, and the gas flow rate, that is, the gas flow rate fluctuates as a pulsation phenomenon. In this case, since the gas flow rate is measured at a predetermined measurement cycle, if pulsation occurs at a cycle shorter than the measurement cycle, the flow rate that fluctuates during the measurement cycle is not reflected in the measurement value, and the flow rate variation increases. . For this reason, in general, the measurement cycle is shortened to cope with this problem. However, if the measurement cycle is shortened, another problem arises that battery consumption becomes severe and the battery warranty period cannot be satisfied.

  Therefore, it is only necessary to switch the measurement cycle to be shortened only when pulsation occurs, but it is difficult to accurately detect the timing of pulsation occurrence and termination, so high accuracy that once caused pulsation and shortened the measurement cycle When the measurement mode is entered, the measurement mode is continued for a predetermined period of time, and it is not possible to return to the normal measurement mode unless it is confirmed that the flow rate fluctuation has stabilized. Therefore, it was forced to measure the flow rate in an unnecessary high-precision measurement mode.

  In the present invention, the timing of occurrence and termination of pulsation is confirmed by checking the pulsation phenomenon occurring in a specific area by receiving the pulsation signal from the adjacent gas meter, and the measurement mode is switched based on the confirmation result. Specifically, a gas meter with a battery capacity sufficient to satisfy the warranty period even if the high-accuracy measurement mode is frequently performed in a specific area is installed. The pulsation phenomenon of the pipe 1 is detected. When the pulsation phenomenon is detected, a pulsation signal is transmitted from the area communication wireless module 11b to the adjacent gas meter.

  As a means for detecting the pulsation phenomenon in the specific gas meter, the pulsation determination unit 25 compares the flow rate value measured by the above method with the pulsation determination value set in advance in the normal measurement mode in which the measurement cycle is set to be long. When there is a flow rate fluctuation that exceeds the judgment value one or more times, it is determined that the flow rate is abnormal due to pulsation, and a pulsation signal is output. When a pulsation signal is output from the pulsation determination unit 25, the pulsation signal is sent to the wireless module 11 and transmitted as an external pulsation determination signal to another adjacent gas meter using the area communication wireless module 11b. When the pulsation phenomenon is determined, the control circuit 10a sends an instruction signal to the measurement control unit 18 to switch the measurement cycle to the high-accuracy measurement mode that drives and measures the ultrasonic sensors 17A and 17B at a cycle shorter than the normal measurement mode. Output. Thereafter, the flow rate measurement is performed in the high-accuracy measurement mode in which the measurement cycle is shortened, and when the measured flow rate value is kept stable for a predetermined period, the normal measurement mode is restored.

  Next, a gas meter that receives a pulsation signal transmitted from the specific gas meter and determines a pulsation phenomenon will be described. When the pulsation signal is received by the area communication wireless module 11b, the information is sent to the control circuit 10a and registered as having an external pulsation determination signal by the external pulsation signal determination unit 10f. In this state, when the flow rate value measured in the normal measurement mode exceeds the pulsation determination value, the pulsation determination unit 25 outputs a pulsation signal to the control circuit 10a. In other words, the state in which the pulsation signal is transmitted from the adjacent gas meter is that an instrument that causes pulsation in the area, such as GHP, is used, and the pulsation may be specified as the cause when the flow rate fluctuation occurs. Therefore, the flow rate variation can be reduced by immediately switching to the high-accuracy measurement mode and accurately measuring the flow rate.

  Further, when the area communication wireless module 11b does not receive a pulsation signal, it is registered in the external pulsation signal determination unit 10f of the control circuit 10a as no external pulsation determination signal. In this state, regardless of the determination result of the pulsation determination unit 25, that is, even if a flow rate fluctuation exceeding the pulsation determination value occurs, the normal measurement mode is continued and the flow measurement is continued without switching to the high-accuracy measurement mode. Do. In other words, the state in which no pulsation signal is transmitted from the adjacent gas meter is that an instrument that causes pulsation in the area, such as GHP, is not used, and the cause when the flow rate fluctuation occurs is the use of the instrument in your home. Therefore, it is possible to suppress battery consumption by continuing the normal measurement mode.

In addition, when no external pulsation determination signal is registered during the high-accuracy measurement mode, battery consumption can be suppressed by immediately returning to the normal measurement mode without lapse of a predetermined stable period. .

  In addition, when switching between the high-accuracy measurement mode and the normal measurement mode using the external pulsation determination signal, the switching timing between the high-accuracy measurement mode and the normal measurement mode may be changed according to the number of times the external pulsation determination signal is received. In this case, the degree of influence of pulsation in the gas supply system in the area is determined from the number of occurrences of pulsation of the adjacent gas meter via the area communication wireless module 11b, and the high-accuracy flow rate measurement mode and normal flow rate measurement are performed according to the degree of influence. Since it is possible to switch modes, it is possible to accurately identify the cause of flow fluctuations, select flow measurement conditions suitable for actual usage conditions, and reduce battery consumption while suppressing battery consumption. Variations can be reduced.

  In addition, as a communication partner using the area communication wireless module 11b, a pulsation signal is transmitted to and received from a gas meter specified in advance among neighboring gas meters, and the pulsation determination signal from the specific gas meter and the determination result of the pulsation determination unit are transmitted. Accordingly, the high-accuracy flow rate measurement mode and the normal flow rate measurement mode may be switched.In this case, the measurement mode is switched based on the pulsation information of the gas meter specified in advance based on the strength of the reception level, the condition of the instrument usage frequency, etc. Therefore, the cause of the accurate flow rate fluctuation can be specified, and the flow rate variation can be reduced while suppressing battery consumption by selecting a measurement mode suitable for actual use.

  In addition, the pulsation signal is transmitted to and received from a gas meter that is specified in advance among adjacent gas meters, and the flow measurement instruction unit performs high-accuracy flow measurement according to the number of pulsation determination signals from the specific gas meter and the determination result of the pulsation determination unit. The mode and normal flow rate measurement mode may be switched. In this case, the measurement mode is switched according to the frequency of pulsation information from a specific gas meter, so the cause of flow rate fluctuation can be specified more accurately. Therefore, the flow rate variation can be reduced while suppressing battery consumption by selecting a measurement mode suitable for actual use.

  Furthermore, in addition to the high-precision flow measurement mode and the normal flow measurement mode as the flow measurement mode, a medium-precision flow measurement mode may be provided and selected according to an external pulsation determination signal from an adjacent gas meter. By providing a medium-precision flow rate measurement mode, it is possible to set the measurement cycle in multiple stages, and it is difficult to identify flow fluctuations caused by pulsation by selecting according to the external pulsation judgment signal from the adjacent gas meter Thus, it is possible to achieve a good balance between the suppression of battery consumption and the like and the reduction in flow rate variation.

  In recent years, gas meters using an ultrasonic sensor can easily measure the instantaneous flow rate. Therefore, in addition to a security function such as gas leakage, provision of various services using an instrument discrimination function has been studied.

  An example of this would be to set a discount rate for gas charges according to the equipment used and the application, specify the gas appliance or application used by the instrument discrimination means using the instantaneous flow rate measurement function by the ultrasonic sensor, The amount of use is determined for each appliance or for each purpose, and a gas rate is calculated by applying a predetermined discount rate, thereby promoting gas use and providing services to consumers.

  As an example of the specific means, an appliance signal registration means 21 for setting and registering an appliance signal specifying the type of gas appliance to be used, an application-specific signal registration means 22 for specifying a usage form for each usage of the gas appliance to be used, and There is provided an appliance discriminating means 24 having appliance classification means 23 for classifying household gas appliances for each predetermined classification based on the registration information of the appliance signal registration means 21 and the application-specific signal registration means 22.

  Here, the appliance signal registration means 21 sets and registers a signal according to the type of appliance, for example, as shown in the following table (Table 1).

  Moreover, the signal registering means 22 classified by use sets and registers a signal for specifying a use form for each use of the appliance, for example, as shown in the following table (Table 2).

  Further, the appliance classification means 23 is the information obtained in the above (Table 1) and (Table 2), in which the gas business operator presets and classifies the discount target field of the gas fee based on the type and usage pattern of the gas appliance. For example, as shown in the following table (Table 3), if floor heating is performed using a water heater, discount A is used, and hot air is supplied by a gas fan heater or the like. When heating is performed, the discount is set to B, and the others are classified as standard, and the gas appliances used in the home are set and registered.

  Information storage for monitoring the amount of gas used according to the usage status of the gas appliance based on the registration signal from the appliance discriminating means 24 comprising the appliance signal registration means 21, the application-specific signal registration means 22, and the appliance classification means 23. Means 10b are provided. This information storage means 10b receives the gas flow rate value obtained by the signal processing means 19 of the flow rate measurement unit 17, is managed together with the registration information of the gas appliance corresponding to the field classified by the appliance classification means 23, and is supplied by the gas operator. When the wireless module 11 receives the meter reading instruction information periodically requested from 15, specifically, the wide area communication wireless module 11 a, the accumulated flow data for each predetermined period of the information storage means 10 b, the charge data reflecting the discount rate, etc. Information is taken out and transmitted to the base station 14 and the display terminal device 12 from the wireless module 11, more specifically, the wide area communication wireless module 11a and the area communication wireless module 11b, and notified to the gas company 15 from the base station 14 using a dedicated line. At the same time, the gas price information for a predetermined period is notified to the consumer using the screen of the display terminal device 12.

  The outline of the instrument discrimination performed by the information storage means 10b will be described below. As the registration data stored in the instrument discrimination means 24, for example, a flow rate pattern as shown in FIG. As actual registration data, for example, data of a flow rate value every 0.2 seconds from the start of the instrument is stored for a predetermined time. Note that the data time interval does not need to be limited to 0.2 seconds, and can be arbitrarily set depending on the required appliance discrimination capability.

  The flow rate measuring unit 17 measures the gas flow rate at regular intervals, and when the newly measured gas flow rate value increases by more than a predetermined value from the previous value, it is determined that a new instrument has been used, and the flow rate change and instrument discrimination The flow rate pattern corresponding to the instrument code registered in the means 24 is compared to determine the instrument being used.

  In the present embodiment, the information storage means 10b manages the information on whether or not there is a gas appliance use registration for each classified item and the total gas use amount for each predetermined period, for example, During the heating period in winter, as shown in Table 3, the amount of gas used is managed with the equipment used for floor heating and hot air heating registered, and in summer the gas is used with no equipment registered for discounted fields. In addition to this, for example, by adding a function for obtaining the amount of gas used for each gas appliance classified by the appliance discriminating means 24 to the information storage means 10b, a finer classification It is possible to provide a variety of services and enhance security.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the discount item is targeted as a classification item of the appliance discriminating means 24. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is intended for a service that a gas company or the like considers necessary, such as a security service. A monitoring method for each device can be adopted.

  As described above, the wireless module 11a capable of communicating with the base station 14 using wireless communication means other than the telephone line, and various types of information based on the measurement results of the flow rate measuring means built in the control circuit 10a are specified low-power wireless. A specific terminal device 12, such as a television 12a or a mobile phone 12b, or a wireless module 11b capable of communicating with the adjacent gas meters 2A to 2D using a wireless communication means such as a flow rate measurement control circuit in the gas meter 2. Since it is integrated into the substrate 10, it is possible to communicate with the base station 14 without using a telephone line simply by installing the gas meter 2, and the meter reading from the base station 14 is not affected by the congestion of the line. Broadcast signals such as request command information and abnormal return instruction information can be transmitted smoothly, and the gas meter 2 is an instrument based on commands from the base station 14 Meter reading data reflecting different information and information at the time of abnormality can be transmitted smoothly, there is no need for the meter reader to go to the customer's house as before, and when there is an abnormality such as gas leak The problem of not being able to report to the center due to congestion is eliminated.

  Moreover, since the gas meter 2 can transmit to the specific terminal device 12 such as the television 12a or the mobile phone 12b the fee information for each predetermined period reflecting the instrument discrimination information based on the meter reading data transmitted to the base station 14. By displaying on the television 12a, the mobile phone 12b, etc., it is possible to omit the charge information sending work that has been done by mail from the gas company 15 as in the past, and the gas shut-off valve 20 With regard to the return method in the case of operation, visual display on the television 12a and the mobile phone 12b can reduce the dispatch of workers accompanying the return work, and a rational information transmission system can be constructed.

  In addition, since it is possible to easily acquire the pulsation occurrence status of the adjacent gas meter via the wireless module 11b, it is possible to grasp the installation or usage status of instruments such as GHP that affect the gas pressure fluctuation over a wide range. Because it is possible to determine in a short period whether transient flow fluctuations or continuous flow fluctuations due to pulsation based on this information, it is possible to reduce flow fluctuations while suppressing battery consumption. Can do.

Furthermore, by transmitting the information emitted by the specific terminal device through the gas meter to the base station as a specific signal, the position of the person carrying the specific terminal device can be detected in units of the installation location of the gas meter, Finer position detection using an information communication network unique to a gas meter is possible. In addition, since the position detection mode is activated only when tracking command information from the base station is received, the influence on the flow rate measurement, which is the basic function of the gas meter, can be suppressed as much as possible, and the influence on battery consumption Can also be reduced.

  As described above, the gas shut-off device according to the present invention can receive various information from the base station, other gas meters, and even a specific terminal device simply by installing the gas meter, and is set according to the received information. By executing the processed mode, it is possible to appropriately cope with the urgency of the received information, such as position detection, and it can be applied to the entire 1 to N information transmission system.

Whole block diagram which shows the communication form of the gas cutoff device in Embodiment 1 of this invention The figure which shows the communication form between the adjacent gas meters in the gas cutoff device The figure which shows the communication form of the same gas cutoff device and a specific terminal device The figure which shows the communication form of the base station and the gas meter according to each region The figure which shows the external appearance and component of the gas shut-off device Internal configuration diagram of the gas shutoff device Configuration block diagram of the control circuit board of the gas shutoff device (A) The figure which shows the charge information display form in the display terminal device (b) The figure which shows the return information display form in the display terminal apparatus Control block diagram of the gas shutoff device The figure which shows an example of the flow rate pattern for the instrument discrimination | determination in the gas cutoff device

Explanation of symbols

2 Gas meter 2A-2D Adjacent gas meter 2c Gas shut-off valve 10 Control circuit board 10a Control circuit 10b Information storage means 10c Communication switching means 10g Processing mode storage means 10i Start signal transmission means 10j Authentication signal reception means 11 Wireless module 11a Wide area communication wireless module (Wireless module)
11b Area communication wireless module (wireless module)
11c 1st authentication signal transmission means 11d 2nd authentication signal transmission means 12 Display terminal device (specific terminal device)
12a Television (specific terminal device)
12b Mobile phone (specific terminal device)
17A, 17B Ultrasonic sensor (flow rate measuring means)

Claims (7)

When the position detection command information is output from the monitoring center, first, the position of the specific terminal device is detected in the area unit where the base station is installed by direct communication between the base station and the specific terminal device, and then In the position detection system that detects the position of the specific terminal device in units of places where the gas meter is installed by performing communication between the base station and the specific terminal device via a gas meter,
The gas meter includes a wide-area communication radio module having a wide-area communication frequency band, and an area communication radio module having a specific low-power radio communication frequency band capable of communication within a predetermined area,
Communication between the gas meter and the base station shall use the wide area communication wireless module, and communication between the gas meter and the specific terminal shall use the area communication wireless module,
The gas meter transmits a position detection end signal to the base station when communication between the specific terminal device and the gas meter is continued for a predetermined time, and the base station via the wide area communication module The transmission of the tracking command information of the specific terminal device from the station to the gas meter belonging to the area where the base station is installed is preferentially executed except for the operation related to the shut-off operation of the gas shut-off valve, and the tracking command information The gas meter that has received the signal transmits an activation signal to the specific terminal device via the area communication wireless module . The position detection system according to claim 1, wherein the identified gas meter transmits a location confirmation signal with a unique identification code to the base station. When the high-accuracy position detection mode is activated, the presence / absence of the location is determined by whether or not the authentication signal receiving means built in the gas meter receives the authentication signal transmitted from the second authentication signal transmitting means of the specific terminal device. The position detection system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when the presence is determined, an identification code unique to the gas meter is assigned and transmitted to the base station as a location confirmation signal. The wide area communication wireless module with the position sensing system of any one of claims 1 to 3, the area communication wireless module with each separately. The position detection system according to claim 1, wherein the wide area communication wireless module and the area communication wireless module are performed using one wireless module by switching a communication frequency band. The monitoring center connected to the base station via a dedicated line has a movement information confirmation means that displays a location confirmation signal received by the base station in a time series on a predetermined area screen and can be confirmed as movement information. The position detection system according to any one of 5. The specific terminal device incorporates a wireless module having the same communication frequency band as the specific low-power wireless communication frequency band capable of communication within a predetermined area built in the gas meter. With this wireless module, the specific terminal device and the gas meter are connected. The position detection system of any one of Claims 1-6 which performs communication.