JP7025583B1 - Sensor network system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To appropriately register a meter identifier. A sensor network system 100 identifies a meter from a sensor node 112 associated with each of a plurality of meters 110, a center device 116 that collects meter information through the sensor nodes, and an image of the meter itself. An identifier extraction unit 162 that extracts a first meter identifier that is a possible meter identifier, a second meter identifier that is a meter identifier that is previously associated with an installation location identifier that indicates a consumer's house to which a meter is attached, and a first meter. A match determination unit 164 for determining whether or not the identifier matches is provided. [Selection diagram] FIG. 4

Description

The present invention relates to a sensor network system that collects information from a plurality of meters.

Gas meters and electric power companies install gas meters and electricity meters at demand points in order to integrate the amount of gas and electric power used by consumers. In recent years, the installation of smart meters that have a communication function, perform bidirectional data communication with gas companies and electric power companies, and can automatically remotely read the amount of gas and electric power used has been promoted. ing. Such smart meters can also be used as an information source for improving the safety and utilization efficiency of infrastructure networks such as gas and electric power.

In addition, various means have been proposed to realize data communication between the above-mentioned smart meter and a gas company or an electric power company. For example, a short-range wireless device may be installed in a smart meter to form a mesh-type network, a star-type network may be formed by a mobile phone network such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), or a star-type network may be created by power line communication. It is possible to form.

In addition, as an application of the mesh type network, a technology is known in which a backbone network and ad hoc communication by wireless LAN are installed side by side, and the smart meter is operated stably by switching to ad hoc communication in the event of a backbone network failure (). For example, Patent Document 1). Further, a technique related to network routing is also open to the public (for example, Patent Document 2).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-065422 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-105258

In the sensor network system, a sensor node is associated with each of a plurality of meters, and the sensor node establishes communication with the center device through a repeater and transmits meter information to the center device. The meter is replaced every 10 years, for example, during the verification validity period in order to avoid defects due to aging deterioration.

In the meter replacement work, the operator uses a predetermined reading terminal to read the meter identifier (company number) attached to the slip enclosed with the new meter. Then, the worker registers the acquired meter identifier in the center device to associate the attached meter with the consumer's house. However, due to human error during work or the like, the actual meter identifier of the meter attached to the consumer's house may differ from the meter identifier associated with the consumer's house in the center device.

In view of such problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sensor network system capable of appropriately registering a meter identifier.

In order to solve the above problems, the sensor network system of the present invention includes a sensor node that is associated with each of a plurality of meters and acquires meter information from the meter, and a center device that collects meter information through the sensor node. An identifier extractor that extracts the first meter identifier, which is a meter identifier that can identify the meter, from the image of the meter itself, and a meter identifier that is previously associated with the installation location identifier that indicates the consumer's house where the meter is attached. A matching determination unit for determining whether or not a certain second meter identifier and the first meter identifier match is provided.

When the first meter identifier and the second meter identifier do not match, the match determination unit may associate the first meter identifier with the installation location identifier.

According to the present invention, the meter identifier can be appropriately registered.

It is explanatory drawing which showed the schematic structure of the sensor network system. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the replacement work of a meter. It is a functional block diagram which showed the schematic structure of a reading terminal. It is a functional block diagram which showed the schematic structure of a center device. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the meter installation method.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The dimensions, materials, other specific numerical values, etc. shown in the embodiment are merely examples for facilitating the understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In the present specification and the drawings, elements having substantially the same function and configuration are designated by the same reference numerals to omit duplicate explanations, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not shown. do.

(Sensor network system 100)
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of the sensor network system 100. As shown in FIG. 1, the sensor network system 100 includes a plurality of meters 110, a plurality of sensor nodes 112, a plurality of repeaters 114, a center device 116, and a base station 118.

The meter 110 is, for example, a smart meter, and is installed for each dwelling unit of a consumer, that is, an individual house or an apartment house. The meter 110 is a device that automatically reads at least the amount of gas or electric power used when the gas operator supplies gas to the consumer or the electric power operator supplies electric power to the consumer. In this embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the gas meter 110 by the gas company is illustrated, but it goes without saying that it can also be applied to electric power (electricity).

The sensor nodes 112 are installed in a one-to-one correspondence with each of the meters 110, and at least transmit and receive information (data) used by the meters 110.

The repeater 114 functions as a gateway device for connecting different networks, and is installed in association with any of the plurality of sensor nodes 112. The repeater 114 establishes wired communication with the sensor node 112 associated with the repeater 114, and also establishes communication with the center device 116. Then, the repeater 114 establishes wireless communication with one or a plurality of surrounding sensor nodes 112 through the associated sensor node 112.

However, since the communication between the sensor nodes 112 is realized by short-range wireless communication, it is not always possible for all the sensor nodes 112 to directly establish wireless communication with the sensor node 112 associated with the repeater 114. .. In this case, the sensor node 112 is connected to the repeater 114 by hopping (via) another sensor node 112 capable of wireless communication one or more times. In this way, the repeater 114 transmits the information of each sensor node 112 to the center device 116 and the information of the center device 116 to the surrounding sensor node 112 through the associated sensor node 112 and other sensor nodes 112 around it. Can be sent to. At this time, since the transmitted information includes an identifier that identifies the repeater 114 and the base station 118 that were passed through when the information was transmitted, the center device 116 determines the source and route of the information. Can be identified.

The center device 116 is a device composed of a computer or the like and belongs to the administrator side of the sensor network system 100 such as a gas company or an electric power company. The center device 116 establishes communication with one or more repeaters 114 to collect or transmit information. The position (coordinate information) where the meter 110 is installed is managed by the center device 116 through conduit mapping (GIS system). Therefore, the position of the sensor node 112 installed on the meter 110 and the position of the repeater 114 attached to the sensor node 112 can also be specified by the conduit mapping.

The base station 118 can establish communication with both the repeater 114 and the center device 116, and relays the communication between the repeater 114 and the center device 116.

Here, communication between each device will be described. For example, wireless communication between the repeater 114 and the base station 118, and communication between the base station 118 and the center device 116 are used for communication volumes such as a mobile phone network or a PHS (Personal Handyphone System) network, for example, LTE. An existing pay communication network that incurs communication charges will be used accordingly. Such a pay communication network is managed by, for example, a communication company, which is different from a gas company or an electric power company.

The sensor nodes 112 establish wireless communication with each other, for example, through a wireless system for smart meters (U-Bus Air) using the 920 MHz band. It is assumed that the wireless communication between the sensor nodes 112 is free of charge, but the communication cost may be at least lower than the communication between the repeater 114 and the center device 116 regardless of whether the sensor nodes are charged or free of charge. Through such wireless communication, the repeater 114 is connected to the center device 116 through the pay communication network and is connected to each sensor node 112 through the smart meter wireless system.

In the sensor network system 100, the meter 110 and the sensor node 112 are arranged for each consumer. Further, as described above, the repeater 114 may be provided side by side with the meter 110 and the sensor node 112. The center device 116 collects information on the meter 110 or controls the meter 110 through the sensor node 112 and the repeater 114. Therefore, the sensor node 112 and the repeater 114 will be arranged at any position where the consumer exists.

As described above, by constructing the sensor network system 100 that transmits information between the sensor node 112 and the center device 116, meter reading information can be collected even if the meter reading staff of the gas company does not directly read the meter 110 (meter reading information). Automatic meter reading) is possible, and work efficiency can be improved.

(Replacement of meter 110)
The meter 110 has a fixed test validity period, for example, 10 years, and must be replaced when the test validity period expires. However, instead of replacing all the meters 110 at once, for example, by replacing 1/10 of the total amount every year, the replacement of the total amount is completed after at least 10 years.

In this way, in the sensor network system 100, the replacement time of the meter 110 is dispersed in the time direction. Then, when the timing of replacement of the meter 110 arrives, the configuration of the sensor network system 100 including the repeater 114 is reviewed, and the sensor network system 100 is reconstructed. By distributing the replacement time in this way, even if the number of dwelling units increases or decreases in the middle, the information of the meter 110 can be appropriately collected by the center device 116.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the replacement work of the meter 110. The new meter 110 is packed with the slip 130. A meter identifier that can individually identify the meter 110 is associated with the meter 110. Therefore, the meter identifier can identify one meter 110. The meter identifier is represented by a plurality of numerical values, but may be represented by letters or symbols. The meter identifier is written on the slip 130 with a numerical value 132 and a barcode 134. Further, the meter identifier is represented by a numerical value 132 and a QR (Quick Response) code (registered trademark) 136 at a position visible on the exterior of the meter 110. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, a meter identifier that can be directly acquired from the meter 110 through a numerical value 132 integrally attached to the meter 110, a QR code 136, or the like may be referred to as a first meter identifier. Further, a meter identifier that can be obtained from an object other than the meter 110 through a numerical value 132, a barcode 134, or the like attached to the slip 130 may be referred to as a second meter identifier.

The worker removes the meter 110 to be replaced from the consumer's house and installs a new meter 110 taken out from the packing material in the consumer's house. Next, the operator uses a predetermined reading terminal 120 owned by the gas company to read the barcode 134 attached to the slip 130 enclosed with the meter 110 to acquire the second meter identifier. The operator transmits the acquired second meter identifier to the center device 116 together with the installation location identifier (meter installation location number) indicating the consumer's house where the meter 110 is installed. The center device 116 stores the second meter identifier of the newly installed meter 110 and the installation location identifier in association with each other.

However, due to human error during work, the actual meter identifier of the meter 110 installed in the consumer's house and the meter identifier (second meter identifier) associated with the installation location identifier in the center device 116 It may be different. For example, when a plurality of meters 110 reach the inspection replacement time at the same time in an apartment house or the like, the plurality of meters 110 must be replaced at once. The operator sequentially attaches a plurality of new meters 110, and then sequentially acquires a second meter identifier from the slip 130 enclosed in the plurality of meters 110. At this time, if the slip 130 is unintentionally mistaken and the mounting order of the meter 110 and the reading order of the slip 130 do not match, the wrong second meter identifier is transmitted to the center device 116 and associated with the installation location identifier. The meter identifier (second meter identifier) is different from the original meter identifier. In this case, there is a possibility that the gas consumer and the billing destination of the charge may be different.

Even if the meter identifier is erroneously reported in this way, conventionally, when the meter reader reads the meter 110, the meter identifier and the installation location identifier are confirmed, so that it is possible to grasp that the meter identifier is incorrect. By acquiring the correct meter identifier and requesting the center device 116 to change the meter identifier, the meter reader can associate the original meter identifier with the installation location identifier.

However, if the meter 110 is replaced with a smart meter that has a communication function and can automatically read the amount of gas or electric power used remotely, the meter reading itself by the meter reader becomes unnecessary. Then, the meter reader cannot change the meter identifier correctly.

Therefore, the first meter identifier of the replaced new meter 110 is acquired from the meter 110 itself and collated (collated) with the registered meter identifier (second meter identifier). Hereinafter, the characteristic reading terminal 120 and the center device 116 in the present embodiment will be described, and the meter installation method will be described in detail.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the reading terminal 120. The reading terminal 120 includes a reading communication unit 140, an image pickup unit 142, a reading holding unit 144, and a reading control unit 146.

The read communication unit 140 establishes communication with the center device 116 through the base station 118. The image pickup unit 142 is composed of an image pickup element and images an external environment. The operator takes an image of the barcode 134 attached to the slip 130 through the image pickup unit 142. Further, the operator can take an image of the numerical value 132 attached to the meter 110 or the vicinity of the QR code 136 through the image pickup unit 142. The read / hold unit 144 is composed of a RAM, a flash memory, an HDD, and the like, and holds various information such as an image captured by the image pickup unit 142. The read control unit 146 includes a processor and a memory for storing a program. The read control unit 146 transmits the second meter identifier extracted from the barcode 134 and the image (enforcement photograph) captured by the image pickup unit 142 to the center device 116 when the processor executes the program.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the center device 116. The center device 116 includes a center communication unit 150, a center holding unit 152, and a center control unit 154.

The center communication unit 150 establishes communication with the repeater 114 and the reading terminal 120 through the base station 118. The center holding unit 152 is composed of a RAM, a flash memory, an HDD, and the like, and holds various information such as a conduit mapping used for the center device 116 and a meter installation database described later. The center control unit 154 includes a processor and a memory for storing a program. The center control unit 154 functions as a functional module such as a data storage unit 160, an identifier extraction unit 162, and a match determination unit 164 when the processor executes a program.

Hereinafter, the meter installation method of the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the operation of each functional module of the center control unit 154. In the following, an example in which the center device 116 realizes the meter installation method of the sensor network system 100 will be described. However, the meter installation of the sensor network system 100 is not limited to this case, and any computer having a processor is used to install the meter of the sensor network system 100. The method can be realized.

(Meter installation method)
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of the meter installation method. Hereinafter, the flow of each process of the meter installation method will be described in detail, and the description of the process unrelated to the features of the present embodiment will be omitted.

(Consumer home identification processing S200)
First, the worker visits the consumer's house where the meter 110 is replaced, and identifies the consumer's house on the reading terminal 120. In the reading terminal 120, the installation location identifier and the meter identifier of the old meter 110 are associated with the specified consumer's house. Therefore, in the reading terminal 120, the installation location identifier and the meter identifier of the old meter 110 are associated with each other.

(Meter identifier acquisition process S202)
The worker removes the old meter 110 to be replaced from the consumer's house. At this time, the operator can confirm the installation location identifier associated with the new meter 110 by referring to the installation location identifier associated with the removed old meter 110 through the reading terminal 120. The worker takes out a new meter 110 from the packing material and installs it in the consumer's house. Then, the operator reads the barcode 134 attached to the slip 130 through the user interface to which the installation location identifier in the reading terminal 120 is associated, and acquires the second meter identifier. The reading terminal 120 transmits the acquired second meter identifier and the installation location identifier of the consumer's house to which the meter 110 is attached to the center device 116 according to the operation of the operator.

(Meter identifier Registration Process S204)
The data storage unit 160 of the center device 116 associates the second meter identifier transmitted from the reading terminal 120 with the installation location identifier and stores them in the meter installation database held in the center holding unit 152. In the meter installation database, the meter identifier (second meter identifier) and the installation location identifier have a one-to-one correspondence, and one can be uniquely identified from the other.

(Image acquisition process S206)
The operator uses the reading terminal 120 to take an image of the numerical value 132 attached to the attached meter 110 and the vicinity of the QR code 136 to acquire a meter image. The reading terminal 120 transmits the captured meter image to the center device 116 in response to the operation of the operator. At this time, the meter image is associated with the meter identifier (second meter identifier) and the installation location identifier transmitted from the reading terminal 120.

(Meter identifier Extraction Process S208)
The identifier extraction unit 162 of the center device 116 extracts the first meter identifier from the meter image. For example, the identifier extraction unit 162 recognizes the image of the numerical value 132 portion attached to the meter 110 through OCR (Optical Character Reader) and converts it into text. Further, the identifier extraction unit 162 recognizes the QR code 136 attached to the meter 110 through the OCR and converts it into text.

(Meter identifier Collation Processing S210)
In the match determination unit 164 of the center device 116, whether or not the first meter identifier extracted by the identifier extraction unit 162 and the meter identifier (second meter identifier) associated with the installation location identifier by the data storage unit 160 match. judge. Here, when the match determination unit 164 determines that the two meter identifiers match each other (YES in S210), the match determination unit 164 ends the meter installation method. On the other hand, if it is determined that the two meter identifiers do not match (NO in S210), the match determination unit 164 transmits information indicating that fact to the reading terminal 120. The operator reloads the barcode 134 based on the information, and repeats the process from the meter identifier acquisition process S202.

Here, if both meter identifiers do not match, the operator is asked to reconfirm whether the cause of the difference in the meter identifiers is the improper reading of the slip 130 or the improper imaging of the meter 110. Can be identified. In this way, the meter identifier can be appropriately registered.

When imaging the vicinity of the meter 110, it can be considered that at least the meter 110 and the first meter identifier extracted by the identifier extraction unit 162 match. Then, there is a higher possibility that the operator reading the slip 130 is erroneous than the operator taking the image of the meter 110. Therefore, when the match determination unit 164 determines that the first meter identifier extracted by the identifier extraction unit 162 and the meter identifier (second meter identifier) associated with the installation location identifier by the data storage unit 160 do not match. Forcibly, the first meter identifier extracted by the identifier extraction unit 162 may be overwritten with the meter identifier (second meter identifier) associated with the installation location identifier by the data storage unit 160. In this way, the meter identifier and the installation location identifier can be appropriately associated with each other without bothering the operator.

Further, here, an example in which the reading terminal 120 once transmits the image captured by the worker to the center device 116 and the center device 116 collates the two meter identifiers with each other has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this case. , In the reading terminal 120, both meter identifiers may be collated with each other. Specifically, the identifier extraction unit 162 and the match determination unit 164 are provided in the reading terminal 120, and the match determination unit 164 has a first meter identifier extracted by the identifier extraction unit 162 and a second meter identifier read from the slip 130. Determine if they match.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the original meter identifier and the installation location identifier are appropriately associated with each other.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can come up with various modifications or modifications within the scope of the claims, which naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention. Understood.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the example in which the barcode 134 attached to the slip 130 is imaged through the image pickup unit 142 of the reading terminal 120 has been described. Code 134 may be read.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example of photographing the vicinity of the numerical value 132 and the QR code 136 attached to the meter 110 through the image pickup unit 142 of the reading terminal 120 has been described, but the external environment is not limited to this case. An electronic device having an image pickup unit capable of taking an image is sufficient.

In addition, a program that causes the computer to function as an identifier extraction unit 162 and a match determination unit 164, and a storage medium such as a computer-readable flexible disk, magneto-optical disk, ROM, CD, DVD, or BD that records the program are also available. Provided. Here, the program refers to a data processing means described in any language or description method.

It should be noted that each process shown in the present specification does not necessarily have to be processed in chronological order in the order described in the flowchart, and may include parallel or subroutine processing.

100 Sensor network system 110 Meter 112 Sensor node 116 Center device 160 Data storage unit 162 Identifier extraction unit 164 Match determination unit

Claims (2)

A sensor node associated with each of a plurality of meters and acquiring information on the meter from the meter ,
A center device that collects information from the meter through the sensor node,
An identifier extraction unit that extracts a first meter identifier, which is a meter identifier that can identify the meter, from an image of the meter itself.
A matching determination unit for determining whether or not the second meter identifier, which is the meter identifier associated with the installation location identifier indicating the consumer's house to which the meter is attached, and the first meter identifier match.
A sensor network system equipped with. The sensor network system according to claim 1, wherein the matching determination unit associates the first meter identifier with the installation location identifier when the first meter identifier and the second meter identifier do not match.

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