JP5515998B2 - External output delay time automatic switching setting apparatus and method for gas leak alarm - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for automatically switching and setting an external output delay time in a gas leak alarm device, particularly a LP gas leak alarm device.

  Conventionally, the external output delay time in the gas leak alarm device, particularly the LP gas leak alarm device, is fixed and set when the specification is determined. In that case, the external output delay time is set by a timer, but the timer time is configured to be set by a hard timer or a microcomputer software timer, and cannot be changed after being installed in the market. Had been.

  In addition, after the installation in the market, when the switching of the external output delay time is necessary, the delay time between the external outputs is switched by operating a slide switch, a dip switch or the like (Patent Document 1). , See Patent Document 2).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-58964 (FIG. 3) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-102652 (FIGS. 2, 3, and 6)

  As described above, since the external output delay time is fixed in the conventional gas leak alarm device, particularly the LP gas leak alarm device, the external output delay time cannot be changed or the external When changing the output delay time, there is a problem that a troublesome change operation by an operation switch such as a slide switch is required.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to enable automatic setting change of the external output delay time of a gas leak alarm based on a combination of signals transmitted from a gas meter.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention extracts the external output delay time from the pattern formed by the detected two signal waveforms when detecting the power answer request signal and the unconnected detection signal transmitted from the gas meter, The external output delay time is automatically output based on the extracted external output delay time, so that it can be switched to one of different external output delay times .

According to the present invention, the external output delay time of the gas alarm can be automatically switched to one of different external output delay times based on the combination of signals transmitted from the gas meter. This eliminates the need for troublesome change operations.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure outline | summary of the external output delay time automatic switching apparatus of the gas leak alarm which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the automatic switching operation | movement of the external output delay time of the gas leak alarm which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a table which sets an external output delay signal from the detection result of a power supply answer request signal and an unconnected detection signal. It is a figure which shows the input signal waveform from a gas meter to a gas leak alarm. It is a circuit block diagram which shows the general structure of a gas leak alarm. FIG. 6 is a circuit block diagram illustrating a configuration of an external communication unit illustrated in FIG. 5.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an external output delay time automatic switching device for a gas leak alarm according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an automatic output delay time switching device for a gas leak alarm according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an unconnected detection signal detector that detects an unconnected detection signal (see FIG. 4) periodically transmitted from a gas meter. 1, a power answer request signal detection unit 2 for detecting a power answer request signal (see FIG. 4) periodically transmitted from a gas meter (not shown), and each signal of the unconnected detection signal and the power answer request signal The pattern table 3 that associates the pattern formed by the combination with the external output delay time and the pattern formed from the two detection results provided by the unconnected detection signal detection unit 1 and the power answer request signal detection unit 2 are the pattern table 3. A pattern determination unit 4 for determining whether the pattern is defined in the pattern and extracting an external output delay time corresponding to the determined pattern; An external output delay time output unit 5 for switching and setting the external output delay time extracted by down determining unit 4 automatically to one of the different external output delay time by outputting, and a.

  In the above, the hardware configuration of the functional block constituting the pattern determination unit of the external output delay time automatic switching device of the gas leak alarm is the central processing unit of a microcomputer (micro computer) level computer well known to those skilled in the art ( Although not shown in the figure, a memory (ROM (read only memory), RAM (random access memory)) is incorporated in the CPU. Includes an arithmetic processing unit that compares and determines the data contents, and the arithmetic processing unit executes comparison of data (pattern data), which includes an unconnected detection signal detection unit 1 and a power answer request signal detection unit 2. Can be realized as an input device of a computer that processes signals input via an input / output interface, and an external output delay time Power unit 5 can be implemented as computer output devices.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the automatic switching operation of the external output delay time of the gas leak alarm according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, the step is abbreviated as “S”. In FIG. 2, first, the presence / absence of an unconnected detection signal input from the meter side to the gas leak alarm side is detected. That is, on the gas leak alarm side, it is measured whether a non-connection detection signal and a power answer request signal (see FIG. 4) transmitted from a gas meter (not shown) transmitted periodically are detected (steps S1 and S2). . In the measurement, the pulse width and cycle of the unconnected detection signal and the pulse width and cycle of the power answer request signal are measured.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the pattern based on the two detection results is a predetermined pattern (see the table in FIG. 3) (step S3). If the pattern formed by the combination of the unconnected detection signal and the power answer request signal is A (detects signal waveform input as shown in FIG. 4), the external output delay time is automatically set to 30 seconds. Change over settings (Steps S4, S5).

  In addition, the pattern formed by the combination of each signal of the unconnected detection signal and the power answer request signal is not A but B (similar to that shown in FIG. 4 and having a cycle defined by meter B in the table of FIG. In the case of detecting a signal waveform input having), the external output delay time is automatically switched to 40 seconds (steps S6 and S7).

  Also, the pattern formed by the combination of the unconnected detection signal and the power answer request signal is not A and B but C (similar to that shown in FIG. 4 and is defined in the meter C in the table of FIG. In this case, the external output delay time is automatically switched to 0 seconds (steps S8 and S9).

  If the pattern formed by the combination of the unconnected detection signal and the power answer request signal is not a predetermined pattern belonging to any of patterns A to C, the delay time is automatically switched to 0 seconds. Set (step S10). That is, the meter is immediately shut off without any external delay time.

  In the above flow, an example of checking whether or not a non-connection detection signal and a power answer request signal from a gas meter (not shown) transmitted periodically is detected is described. However, in step S3, non-connection detection is performed. If the meter type can be specified by checking either the signal detection or the power answer request signal detection, the external output delay time can be extracted from the pattern table 3 using the meter type as a key. The “pattern” described in steps S4, S6, and S8 is read as “meter type”.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a table for setting an external output delay signal from the detection results of the power answer request signal and the unconnected detection signal. In FIG. 3, meter A, meter B, and meter C are listed as meter types (models), but this is merely an example and is not limited thereto. If a pattern as shown in FIG. 4 is detected from the detection results of the power answer request signal and the unconnected detection signal as described above, the meter type is determined to be model A from the pattern. . For models B and C, the detected pattern is not shown, but it is the same as in FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an input signal waveform from the gas meter to the gas leak alarm. FIG. 4 shows signal waveforms of the power answer request signal related to the meter A and the unconnected detection signal among the meter types shown in FIG. Regarding the meter A, the power answer request signal waveform shown in FIG. 4 is defined as a signal having a pulse width of 10 to 20 ms and a period of 10 minutes, and the unconnected detection signal waveform shown in FIG. The signal is defined with a pulse width of 3 to 5 ms and a period of 1 minute. Note that the meter B and the meter C are not shown because the period of each signal is different as shown in the table shown in FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a circuit block diagram showing a general configuration of the gas leak alarm. The gas leak alarm device shown in FIG. 5 is configured for LP gas, and rectifies AC (commercial power) 100V, and obtains DC (direct current) 5V by a switching power source well known to those skilled in the art, and the control unit or the like. The signal from the power supply unit 11 that supplies power to the gas and the gas detection unit 16 is read and calculated by an A / D (analog / digital converter) to determine a gas leak alarm, or the display unit 13 displays the result of the determination. Control, output sound from alarm sound unit 14, output alarm signal from external communication unit 15, and input signal from external device (eg S-type safety gas meter) from external communication unit 15 A control unit 12 composed of a microcomputer for judging whether it is a signal, a display unit 13 for notifying the state of a gas leak alarm with one LED (Light Emission Diode) by turning on at the time of monitoring and flashing at the time of alarm, etc. , Alarm sound that sounds with sound, for example, buzzer, continuous sound, intermittent sound, etc. 14, an external communication unit 15 that reads a signal output from the outside and a signal from an external device (eg, S-type safety gas meter), and a gas detection unit 16 that detects a gas leak using a sensor. Yes.

  FIG. 6 is a circuit block diagram showing a configuration of the external communication unit shown in FIG. The external communication unit 15 shown in FIG. 6 includes an alarm communication unit circuit that performs bidirectional communication with an S-type safety gas meter (not shown) well known as an external device. The output signal from the gas leak alarm (see Fig. 5) will be explained. The gas leak alarm is always set to "H" (high level) by the control unit microcomputer 12 so that the PC (Photo Coupler) 1 (1510) is in an OFF state, and “meter communication 1”-“meter communication 2” is in a high impedance state. When the gas leak detector detects a gas leak at the gas detection unit 16 and outputs a signal to the gas meter, the control unit microcomputer 12 sets the “microcomputer output” to “L” (low level), that is, the resistor 1511 is connected from the power supply Vdd. By passing the current through the photodiode of PC1 (1510), PC1 (1510) is turned on, and “meter communication 1”-“meter communication 2” is in a low impedance state. The gas meter can recognize the output signal from the gas leak alarm device by performing a current check on the electric circuit from “meter communication 1” to “meter communication 2”.

  2) Next, the input signal to the gas leak alarm will be described. The gas meter is always passing a current from “meter communication 1” to “meter communication 2” or is in a state of zero current. In this case, the PC (Photo Coupler) 2 (1520) is in an OFF state, and the “microcomputer input” line is “H” (high level) because the power source Vdd is applied through the resistor 1512. When a signal is input from the gas meter to the gas leak alarm device, the gas meter causes a current to flow through the resistor 1513 on the electric path from “meter communication 2” to “meter communication 1”. Then, current flows to the phototransistor of PC2 (1520), PC2 (1520) is turned on, the line of “microcomputer input” becomes “L” (low level), and the control unit microcomputer 12 reads this line. The signal from the gas meter can be recognized.

  3) Finally, the exchange of signals between the gas leak alarm and the gas meter will be explained. (A) The signal output to the gas meter from the gas leak alarm is the starting point when the gas leak alarm Outputs a pulse signal with a duty ratio of 50%. On the other hand, (b) Regarding the signal input to the gas leak alarm from the gas meter, the gas meter inputs several types of signals to the gas leak alarm based on combinations of signal width (pulse width) and signal period.

  In the external output delay time automatic switching device of the gas leak alarm according to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, among the signals input to the gas leak alarm from the gas meter, the power answer request signal shown in FIG. The external output delay time is automatically set using the unconnected detection signal.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Unconnection detection signal detection part 2 Unconnection detection signal detection part 3 Pattern table 4 Pattern determination part 5 External output delay time determination output part
11 Power supply
12 Control unit
13 Display
14 Alarm sound
15 External communication section
16 Gas detector
1510 PC (Photocoupler) 1
1511 Resistance 1
1512 Resistance 2
1513 Resistance 3
1514 Zener diode
1520 PC (Photocoupler) 2

Claims (4)

An unconnected detection signal detecting means for detecting an unconnected detection signal periodically transmitted from the gas meter;
A power answer request signal detecting means for detecting a power answer request signal periodically transmitted from the gas meter;
A pattern table that associates a pattern formed by a combination of each signal of the unconnected detection signal and the power answer request signal with an external output delay time;
It is determined whether the pattern formed from the two detection results provided by the unconnected detection signal detection means and the power answer request signal detection means is a pattern defined in the pattern table, and corresponds to the determined pattern Pattern determination means for extracting external output delay time;
An external output delay time output means for switching to one of different external output delay times by automatically outputting the external output delay time extracted by the pattern determination means;
An external output delay time automatic switching setting device in a gas leak alarm device. When the unconnected detection signal detecting means or the power answer request signal detecting means detects either the unconnected detection signal or the power answer request signal, the meter type is specified from the signal waveform detected by the pattern determining means. The external output delay time corresponding to the specified meter type is extracted, and the external output delay time output means automatically outputs the external output delay time extracted by the pattern determination means, so that different external output delay times can be obtained. 2. The external output delay time automatic switching setting device for a gas leak alarm according to claim 1 , wherein switching is set to any one of the above. When the detection of the power answer request signal from the gas meter is detected by the power answer request signal detecting means and the unconnected detection signal is detected by the unconnected detection signal detecting means , the pattern determining means determines the pattern formed by the combination of the detected signals. The external output delay time corresponding to the determined pattern is extracted, and the external output delay time is automatically output based on the external output delay time extracted by the external output delay time output means . An external output delay time automatic switching setting method for a gas leak alarm, characterized in that the switching is set to any one . When the detection of the power answer request signal from the gas meter is detected by the power answer request signal detecting means or the detection of the unconnected detection signal by the unconnected detection signal detecting means , the pattern judging means selects the meter type from the detected signal waveform. Different external output delays by identifying and extracting the external output delay time corresponding to the specified meter type and automatically outputting the external output delay time based on the external output delay time extracted by the external output delay time output means external output delay time automatic switching setting in the gas leak alarms, characterized in that the switching and setting any time.