JPH03238597A - Gas meter terminal equipment for automatic inspection - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To divide the quantity of gas used into plural gas apparatus sections and to totalize the quantity of gas used in each section by integrating a gas flow rate in each previously set gas apparatus section and storing the integrated value in each section. CONSTITUTION:When an inspection command is outputted from a center to a gas meter terminal equipment through a telephone line 3 and a network controller 2, the equipment 8 returns the integrated value (quantity of gas used) of respective gas flow rates integrated and stored by a gas apparatus section flow rate integration/storing means 10 in accordance with gas apparatus sections previously set by a gas apparatus section estimating means 9 to the center through the controller 2 and the line 3. Consequently, the quantity of gas used can be inspected in each section at the time of inspecting a gas meter from the center through the communication line 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a gas meter that can automatically read the integrated value of a gas meter installed in each customer's house at a gas supplier's center etc. via a communication line. The present invention relates to a gas meter terminal device in an automatic meter reading system.

Conventional technology In recent years, gas meters have been introduced in which the gas usage amount of each customer, which is the basis for gas rate calculation, is automatically read at a gas supplier's center (hereinafter simply referred to as the center) via a communication line such as a telephone line. Automatic meter reading systems are becoming popular.

Figure 2 shows an example of the configuration of the gas meter side of each customer in a conventional automatic meter reading system, where 1 is a gas meter terminal device that sends out gas usage according to instructions from the center, and 2 is an external communication device connected to the center. This is a network control device that switches and connects a telephone line 3 to a general telephone 4 and a gas meter terminal device 1. The gas meter terminal device 1 includes a flow rate measuring means 5 for measuring the flow rate of gas per unit time, a flow rate integrating/storing means 6 for integrating and storing this flow rate, and a network control device for controlling the flow integrating/storing means 6. 2 and a communication control section 7 connected to the communication control section 2.

In the above configuration, the meter reading command from the center is sent to the telephone line 3.
If the telephone set 4 is not in use, the network control device 2 connects the gas meter terminal device 1 to the telephone line 3, and calculates the accumulated value of the gas flow rate accumulated and stored by the gas meter terminal device 1. (amount of gas used) will be sent to the center via the network control device 2 and telephone line 3.

IIN to be solved by the invention However, in the above configuration, the amount of gas used that is accumulated and stored by the flow rate integration/storage means 6 is the sum of the amount of gas used by all the gas appliances used by the consumer. Since the breakdown of usage by individual gas appliances is unknown,
It was not possible to calculate charges by gas appliance. On the other hand, if you are trying to increase gas consumption or expand sales of new types of gas appliances, you may want to lower the gas consumption fee for gas appliances that consume a large amount of gas, or offer temporary discounts on certain gas appliances. It is always effective to reduce gas usage charges for a limited period of time, but this poses the problem of not being able to implement such a policy with conventional automatic meter reading systems that can only read the total amount of gas used. Was.

The present invention solves the above problems, and aims to provide a gas meter terminal device for automatic meter reading that divides gas usage into a plurality of gas appliance categories and totals the gas usage for each category.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the automatic meter reading gas meter terminal device of the present invention includes a flow rate measuring means for measuring the flow rate of gas per unit time, and a gas flow rate measured by the flow rate measuring means. Gas appliance classification estimating means for estimating which of the preset gas appliance classifications the gas appliance in use belongs to, and integrating and storing the respective flow rates for each gas appliance classification estimated by the gas appliance classification estimating means. It is composed of a gas appliance category-specific flow rate integration/storage means, and a communication control for connecting the gas appliance category-specific flow rate integration/storage means to a communication line.

Effects of the present invention Due to the above-mentioned advantages, when the gas flow rate is integrated and stored, it is divided into gas appliance categories estimated by the gas appliance category estimating means. When doing so, it is possible to read the meter for gas usage separately for each of these categories. therefore,
This makes it possible to calculate charges by changing the criteria for calculating charges depending on individual gas appliances, as needed.

Example An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 1, the same blocks as in FIG. 2 are given the same numbers. The gas meter terminal device 8 is connected to the flow rate measuring means 5
According to the gas flow rate measured by the flow rate measuring means 5, the gas appliances currently in use are classified in advance (for example, ■ those with large gas flow rates such as large gas hot water heaters, ■
Items such as gas stoves and gas fan heaters that have a small gas flow rate but are used for a relatively long time, Cooking appliances such as gas stoves and grills that generally have a small gas flow rate and are used for short periods of time, ■Other specific gases The gas appliance category estimating means 9 estimates whether the appliance belongs to a type of gas appliance that has a characteristic gas usage pattern and is divided into categories. It is composed of a gas appliance category-specific flow rate integration/storage means 10 that integrates and stores the flow rate of the gas appliances, and a communication control section 7 connected to the network control device 2 of the gas appliance category-specific flow rate accumulation/storage means 1o.

In the above configuration, when a meter reading command is sent from the center to the gas meter terminal device 8 via the telephone line 3 and the network control bag f2, the gas meter terminal device 8 reads the gas appliances of the above-mentioned According to the classification, the gas appliance classification-specific flow rate integration/storage means 10 integrates and stores the gas flow rate integration (i [(gas usage amount)) which is sent back to the center via the network control bag ff12 and the telephone line 3.

Therefore, according to the gas meter terminal device for automatic meter reading according to one embodiment of the present invention, the gas usage amounts stored separately according to the gas appliance classifications (■ to ■) can be sent separately to the center. For example, if the center wants to calculate charges for large gas water heaters that belong to category ■ at a lower price than those for other categories, only the standard for calculating the charges for category ■ should be changed and the charges would be sent as category ■. This means that the gas rate can be calculated according to the amount of gas used, making it possible to create a very flexible gas rate system.

In this embodiment, the gas appliances are categorized as shown in (1) to (2) above, but there is no particular limitation to this.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the gas meter terminal device for automatic meter reading of the present invention, the gas flow rate is integrated for each preset gas appliance category, and each is stored separately, so the gas flow rate can be calculated from the center. When considering the integrated value (gas usage amount), it can be done separately for each of these gas appliance categories, and it is also possible to calculate charges separately for each gas appliance category. When trying to increase gas consumption by lowering the gas rate for appliances that consume a large amount of electricity, or when trying to temporarily lower the gas rate for a specific gas appliance to increase sales of that gas appliance. can be calculated by changing the rate calculation standard for the gas appliance category corresponding to those appliances, making it possible to establish a very flexible gas rate system.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a gas meter terminal device for automatic meter reading according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional gas meter terminal device for automatic meter reading. 5...Flow rate measuring means, 7...Communication control unit, 8...Gas meter terminal device, 9...
- Gas appliance classification estimation means, 10... Gas appliance classification flow rate integration/storage means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] a flow rate measuring means for measuring the flow rate of gas per unit time;
gas appliance classification estimating means for estimating which of preset gas appliance classifications a gas appliance in use belongs to based on the gas flow rate measured by the flow rate measuring means; and each gas appliance classification estimated by the gas appliance classification estimating means. A gas meter terminal device for automatic meter reading, comprising a flow rate integration/storage unit for each gas appliance category that separately integrates and stores the flow rate for each gas appliance category, and a communication control unit that connects the flow rate accumulation/storage unit for each gas appliance category to a communication line.