JP4846289B2 - Remote meter reading system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a remote metering system for metering data of metering devices such as water meters and gas meters by wireless communication.

  Conventionally, data collection devices for remote meter-reading systems such as water meters and gas meters have had to open the iron covers of snow and heavy manholes, for example, when it is difficult to check the measured values by looking directly at the measuring instrument. For dangerous places, etc., the data collection device is installed in an easy-to-see place, and is connected to the measuring instrument with a communication cable or the like to acquire measurement data, alarm information, and the like. In recent years, cable connection is not possible due to problems such as aesthetics and construction costs, and systems using wireless communication are increasing.

However, radio waves for wireless communication have the property of being strengthened or weakened by reflected waves, diffracted waves, etc., and the radio wave condition improves or worsens due to slight differences in the position of the data collection device or measuring instrument. Or Therefore, in order to ensure the reliability and reliability of wireless communication, it is important to install the data collection device at a position where the radio wave condition is good. For this reason, conventionally, in order to obtain the weighing data of the weighing instrument on the data collection device by wireless communication and display it remotely, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, the data collection device receives the weighing data. There is known a system that includes monitoring means and detects and outputs a reception state of a response signal sent from a measuring instrument (gas meter).
Japanese Patent No. 3316918

  However, in the system disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above, when the system is activated by a switch, transmission / reception is performed between the data collection device and the measuring instrument. At the time of this reception, the data collection device receives a test signal instructing a check of the reception state sent from the measuring instrument side, is changed to a signal according to the reception level, and is output by the notification means. . For this reason, when searching for an optimal reception position while gradually changing the position of the data collection device, it is necessary to start the system by pressing the switch many times, which is a troublesome operation. In addition, since the detection is performed at the time of transmission / reception, for example, it is impossible to continuously check the radio wave state with respect to the movement of the data collection device, and the optimal transmission / reception position may be overlooked.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described situation. For remote meter reading by wireless communication, the radio wave condition between the data collection device and the measuring instrument can be easily detected, and the optimum radio wave condition can be accurately obtained. The objective is to provide a remote meter reading system that can perform reliable meter reading.

Remote meter reading system according to the invention, the weighing data of the weighing instrument a remote meter reading system for displaying acquired data collecting device by wireless communication means, the data collection device, transmitted from the meter in the transmission request signal Weighing Radio wave state detection means for receiving a radio wave state detection signal consisting of repetition of signals assigned to each device and detecting the radio wave state and display means for displaying the detection result are provided. The measuring device includes a measurement signal generating unit that receives a transmission request signal from the data collection device and transmits a measurement signal for a predetermined time.
Further, the data collection device or the measuring instrument includes a time measuring unit for releasing the radio wave monitoring state at a preset time.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, when acquiring the measurement information of a measuring device by wireless communication with a data collection device, the radio wave state between a measuring device and a data collection device can be checked easily and confirmed beforehand. As a result, for example, it is possible to acquire measurement information in an optimal communication state by adjusting the position and direction of the data collection device according to the surrounding terrain and environmental conditions, etc., and to perform reliable remote meter reading Is possible.
In addition, even if there are many measuring instruments in the vicinity, the target measuring instrument and other measuring instruments can be easily determined, and the detection of the radio wave condition for the specified measuring instrument can be made without mistake. Can be implemented.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an outline of a remote meter reading system, FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining another embodiment. In the figure, 1 is a data collection device, 2 is a measuring instrument, 3 and 4 are wireless communication means, 5 is a display means, 6 is a radio wave state detection means, 7 is a measurement signal generation means, and 8 is a time measurement means.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the remote meter reading system includes a data collection device 1 and a meter 2, and includes wireless communication means 3 and 4 for transmitting and receiving data and various signals. The data collection device 1 is of a portable type or a fixed installation type and transmits / receives data to / from the measuring instrument, and also transmits / receives data by connecting to an external management device through a public telephone line, for example. Can do. As the measuring instrument 2, one capable of acquiring integrated values of various usages such as a water meter and a gas meter and electrically outputting them is used.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an embodiment of a remote meter reading system including the data collection device 1 and the measuring instrument 2 according to the present invention. The data collection device 1 acquires the measurement data from the measuring device 2 through the wireless communication unit 3, and the measuring device 2 transmits the measurement data to the data collection device 1 through the wireless communication unit 4. Although not shown in the drawing, it is provided with transmission / reception means, control means, data processing means, storage means, display means, and the like for obtaining weighing data from the weighing instrument.

  In the present invention, the data collection device 1 has a function of acquiring and processing the above-described measurement data, and in addition to having a function of processing, the radio wave state detection means 6 for checking and confirming the wireless communication state with the measuring instrument 2, and the detection result Is provided. In addition, the display means 5 may be configured to be used also as a display device for obtaining measurement data in the case of analog or digital liquid crystal display. In addition, the display means 5 can be formed in various forms such as a lamp blinking or a color display or a sound notification.

  For example, the radio wave state detection means 6 can connect the data collection device 1 to an external device to be in an operation state by a switch signal from the outside, or can be in an operation state by a switch operation provided in the data collection device 1. Further, when acquiring the weighing data from the measuring instrument 2, the radio wave condition may be automatically detected for a predetermined time prior to the acquisition of the weighing data. When the radio wave state detection means 6 is put into an operating state, a transmission request signal for a measurement signal for detecting the radio wave state is transmitted to the measuring instrument 2. Note that the measuring instrument 2 is set to an operation state that enables transmission / reception via the wireless communication means 3 and 4 by a switch signal on the data collection device 1 side or a switch operation, and receives a transmission request signal.

  The radio wave state detection means 6 receives the measurement signal for radio wave state detection transmitted from the measuring instrument 2 side through the wireless communication means 3, converts the received signal into a level signal that can be notified, and detects it. By displaying the detection result when receiving the measurement signal on the display means 5, it is possible to check and confirm whether the radio wave condition is good or bad. In the display means 5, when the position and direction of the data collection device 1 are changed, the display state of the display means changes, so that the optimum position and direction of the data collection device 1 can be easily set while observing the change. it can.

  Further, the measuring instrument 2 is provided with a measurement signal generating means 7 for transmitting a measurement signal for detecting a radio wave state to the data collecting device 1. This measurement signal is generated and transmitted by receiving a transmission request signal from the data collection device 1. When the measurement signal is transmitted to the data collection device 1 for a predetermined time (for example, about 30 seconds), the transmission is automatically stopped. When the transmission of the measurement signal is stopped, the detection of the radio wave state on the data collecting device 1 side is also stopped, so that the user on the data collecting device 1 side operates the switch or the like to change the detection state of the radio wave state. To release.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining another embodiment, in which a data collection device or a measuring instrument for detecting a radio wave state is provided with a time measuring means 8 . The data collection device 1, the wireless communication unit 3, the display unit 5, in addition to the radio-signal condition detecting means 6, and a timing means 8. As in the case of FIG. 2, when the data collection device 1 is in a communicable state and the radio wave state detection means 6 is in an operating state, a measurement signal for detecting the radio wave state is transmitted to the measuring instrument 2. A request signal is transmitted. The measuring instrument 2 is in an operating state via the wireless communication means 3 and 4, receives the transmission request signal, and transmits the measurement signal generated by the measurement signal generation means 7.

  The radio wave state detection means 6 receives the measurement signal transmitted from the measuring instrument 2 side through the wireless communication means 3, and displays the detection result when the measurement signal is received on the display means 5. Check and check the condition. Simultaneously with the reception of the measurement signal, the time measuring means 8 is activated and time measurement is started. The user of the data collection device sets the optimal position and direction of the data collection device 1 while observing changes in the display means. The measurement signal transmitted to the data collection device 1 is transmitted for a predetermined time, and then the transmission is stopped. Further, when the time measuring means 8 reaches a predetermined time, the operating state of the radio wave state detecting means 6 is released.

The time measuring means 8 in FIG. 3 can set the operating time of the radio wave condition detecting means 6 and may be set to be the same as the transmission time of the measurement signal generating means 7 or may be different. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, after the measurement signal is transmitted for a predetermined time, the operation state of the radio wave state detection unit 6 is manually canceled. Can be automatically released, and battery consumption due to forgetting to cut can be prevented.

Measuring signal used for the detection of radio waves state, meter unique, for example, the ID number, serial number, preferably on the display unit this. By using the measurement signal unique to this measuring instrument, even if there are many measuring instruments in the vicinity, the target measuring instrument can be easily distinguished from other measuring instruments. On the other hand, it is possible to detect the radio wave condition without making a mistake.

It is a figure explaining the outline | summary of a remote meter-reading system. It is a figure explaining embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining other embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Data collection device, 2 ... Measuring instrument, 3, 4 ... Wireless communication means, 5 ... Display means, 6 ... Radio wave state detection means, 7 ... Signal generation means for measurement, 8 ... Time measuring means.

Claims (2)

A remote meter reading system for acquiring and displaying weighing data of a measuring instrument on a data collecting device by wireless communication means,
The data collection device receives a measurement signal consisting of repetition of a signal assigned to the measuring instrument possessed by the measuring instrument transmitted from the measuring instrument by a transmission request signal, and detects a radio wave condition. A state detecting means and a display means for displaying a detection result;
The meter is provided with a measurement signal generating means for receiving the transmission request signal from the data collection device and transmitting the measurement signal for a predetermined time. . Remote meter reading system according to claim 1 wherein the data acquisition equipment is characterized in that it comprises clock means for releasing at set time radio wave monitoring state in advance.

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