JPH04294499A - Line terminal equipment in automatic meter inspecting system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce electric work cost by adopting a radio system for signal transmission/reception among many meters distributed in a wide range and a line terminal equipment. CONSTITUTION:At the time of receiving a radio signal for requesting the output of measured data of integrated flow rate from the line terminal equipment with a radio function, a meter 1 arranged on each demanded position to measure the integrated flow rate of fluid in each demanded position transmits radio data like electric waves from a radio set 2. At the time of receiving electric wave-like radio data from each meter 1, the terminal equipment 5 converts the radio data into a wired signal by a radio control part and transmits the wired signal to a line control part. The line control part converts the wired signal into a line signal to be transmitted through a line 4 and sends the line signal from an exchange 8 to a center meter inspector 12 in a meter inspection center through a gauge inspection center side line terminal equipment 10. The inspector 12 successively inputs the line signal and coverts the input signal into integrated flow rate data to execute meter inspection.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] When fluids such as gas or tap water are used in multiple locations, such as in vast factories or relatively wide areas, the present invention can be applied to Concerning an automatic meter reading system that measures the cumulative flow rate with a meter, transmits the cumulative flow data from each meter to a meter reading center via a line terminal and line, and performs a comprehensive meter reading. For details, please contact each mail
The present invention relates to a line terminal device that communicates between a computer and a line terminal device using wireless signals.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventionally, a meter reading center automatically reads the amount of gas or water used at a large number of demand locations, such as a large factory. A meter is installed to measure the amount of electricity, each meter is connected to a line terminal using a communication cable, and the usage data from each meter is transmitted between that line terminal and the line. The data is transmitted to a central meter-reading device at a meter-reading center installed in a remote location, and the central meter-reading device aggregates the amount of gas or tap water used at each demand location.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The conventional automatic meter reading system described above has a meter for measuring the amount of gas or tap water used at each demand location, and each meter and line terminal are connected to each other. Since it is necessary to connect using communication cables, there is the problem that the electrical work between the meters and the line terminals, which are generally distributed over a wide area, requires a huge amount of effort and expense. be. Therefore, in the present invention, by using a wireless method instead of a wired method for transmitting and receiving signals between a large number of meters distributed over a wide area and a line terminal, each of a large number of meters and a line terminal The technical problem to be solved is to omit the wiring work between the two and to reduce the cost of the electrical work in between.

0004

[Means for Solving the Problems] The technical means for solving the above problems is to install a line terminal device in an automatic meter reading system at each demand location within a predetermined area, and to provide an integrated flow rate of fluid for each demand location. The meter is connected to each meter that measures the flow rate and outputs the cumulative flow data, and transmits the cumulative flow data measured by the meter to wireless data in the form of radio waves.
a wireless device that transmits data as a signal; and a wireless control section that is installed within the predetermined area and receives the wireless data output from each of the wireless devices and converts the wireless data into a wired signal. A line with a wireless function is also provided to convert the wired signal from the wireless control unit into a line signal that can be transmitted over the line, and sends the line signal to the central meter reading device of the meter reading center via the line. The purpose is to create a configuration that includes a terminal device.

[0005]

[Operation] According to the line terminal device in the automatic meter reading system configured as described above, the meter installed at each demand location in a predetermined area and measuring the cumulative flow rate of fluid at each demand location is connected to a line with a wireless function. When a wireless signal requesting the output of measurement data of the cumulative flow rate is received from the terminal via the wireless device, the wireless device transmits the cumulative flow rate data as wireless data in the form of radio waves. On the other hand, when the line terminal with wireless function receives wireless data in the form of radio waves transmitted from each meter via the radio, the wireless control unit of the line terminal with wireless function receives the wireless data. is converted into a wired signal, and the wired signal is sent to the line control section. The line control section converts the wired signal into a line signal that can be transmitted over the line, and sends the line signal to the central meter reading device of the meter reading center via the line. The central meter reading device at the meter reading center sequentially inputs the line signals, converts them into integrated flow rate data, and reads the meter. In this way, signals are exchanged between the wireless device constituting the line terminal device of the automatic meter reading system and the line terminal device with wireless function using wireless signals in the form of radio waves.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing the overall configuration of an automatic gas meter reading system using a line terminal device according to the present invention. Generally, in a vast factory where gas usage locations are dispersed, the amount of gas used at each gas demand location within the factory is measured by a gas meter installed at each gas demand location. . Therefore, as shown in Figure 1, the gas meter installed at each gas demand location is replaced by a gas microcomputer meter 1 equipped with a built-in microcomputer 1M.
The gas microcomputer meter 1 measures the cumulative flow rate of gas used at each gas demand location, outputs a signal corresponding to the cumulative flow rate, and, if an abnormality occurs in the gas flow rate,
It is configured to detect the abnormal state and output abnormal information.

The microcomputer 1M built into each gas microcomputer meter 1 is connected to a radio device 2 capable of transmitting and receiving wireless signals in the form of radio waves, and an antenna 3 is connected to the radio device 2. ing. Incidentally, the antenna 3 may be a whip antenna, a dipole antenna, etc., or a planar antenna integrated with the case of the radio device 2. The radio device 2 has a function of transmitting the integrated flow rate corresponding signal and the abnormality information signal outputted from the microcomputer 1M by radio waves from the antenna 3 upon input thereof. The radio device 2 also amplifies a radio signal transmitted from the wireless function line terminal 5 side described later and received by the antenna 3, converts the radio signal into a wired signal, and sends it to the microcomputer 1M. It also has an output function.

On the other hand, the wireless function line terminal 5 connected to the no-ringing line (hereinafter simply referred to as the line) 4 that has been drawn into the factory is connected to each gas microcomputer installed in the factory. An antenna 7 is provided in order to communicate with the data signal 1 and the radio device 2 using radio signals. The wireless function-equipped line terminal 5 is connected to a line terminal 10 on the meter reading center side via a line 4, an exchange 8, and a line 9. Note that the wireless function line terminal 5 has a telephone 1.
1 is connected and used as a normal telephone. The meter reading center side line terminal device 10 is a central meter reading device 12.
The central meter reading device 12 comprehensively reads the integrated flow rate measured by each gas microcomputer meter 1, and inputs the abnormality information from each gas microcomputer meter 1. It has a function to recognize when this occurs.

[0009] The meter reading center side line terminal device 10 is as follows:
As mentioned above, in addition to collecting and managing the integrated flow rate data and abnormality information of each gas microcomputer meter 1 placed in the factory, it is also necessary to collect and manage the integrated flow rate data and abnormality information of each gas microcomputer meter 1 placed in the factory. Collects and manages integrated flow rate data from a large number of installed gas microcomputer meters. As an example, the meter reading center side line terminal device 10, as shown in FIG.
It is connected via a line 13, an exchange 14, and a line 15 to a line terminal with a wireless function 5A installed in a building 16, for example. The line terminal 5A with wireless function is equipped with an antenna 7A to communicate with a large number of gas microcomputer meters 1A in the area by wireless signals, while each gas microcomputer meter 1A is equipped with the radio device 2. A similar radio device 2A is connected, and an antenna 3A is also connected to each radio device 2A.

FIG. 2 shows a wireless function line terminal 5 (5A).
FIG. As shown in the figure, the line terminal with wireless function 5 (5A) has a microprocessor (CP
U) 20 and its microprocessor (
A CPU serial input/output port 21 that serves as an interface when the CPU) 20 communicates signals using serial signals;
Microprocessor (CPU) via bus line 22
20 and memory elements ROM 23 and RAM 24 connected to the microprocessor (CPU
) 20 and memory elements ROM 23 and RAM 24, and is equipped with a parallel input/output port 25 which serves as an interface when the microprocessor (CPU) 20 communicates signals using parallel signals. It has a data section. Furthermore, microprocessor (CPU)
20 is connected to a wireless transmitter/receiver 26 via a CPU serial input/output port 21. The wireless transmitter/receiver 26 transmits a wireless signal in the form of radio waves from the antenna 7 (7A), and converts the wireless signal received by the antenna 7 (7A) into a wired signal that can be input to the microprocessor (CPU) 20. and send the wired signal to the CPU serial input/output port.
The data is input to the microprocessor (CPU) 20 via the port 21.

The no-ringing line network control section 27 connected to the line 4 (15) and the modem 28 connected to the no-ringing line network control section 27 constitute a line terminal section. The ringing line network control unit 27 mainly controls the input and output of signals to the line 4 (15), while the modem 28 transfers line transmission signals to the microcomputer.
The microcomputer converts the signal into a signal that can be processed by the microcomputer section, or conversely converts the signal output from the microcomputer section into a line transmission signal, and sends it to the line 4 (15 ). Note that the wireless function line terminal 5 (5A) is provided with a power supply control circuit 32 that uses a battery 31 as a power source to generate a predetermined voltage, and a setting switch 33 for setting various control conditions.

[0012] The frequency of radio waves used in wireless communication between the wireless function line terminal 5 (5A) configured as described above and the gas microcomputer meter 1 (1A) is not particularly specified. It is conceivable to use the UHF band or VHF band in consideration of directivity and the like. Further, it is desirable that the output power of each of them be 10 mW or less, which is the applicable range of the specific radio equipment, and the communication range covers a radius of about 300 meters from the antenna 7 (7A). Furthermore, if the battery 31 is a solar battery, charging work can be eliminated.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. For example, when the central meter reading device 12 installed at the meter reading center performs an operation to read the cumulative gas flow rate measured by each of the gas microcomputer meters 1 distributed in the factory, the central meter reading device 12 A calling signal for calling the wireless function-equipped line terminal 5 is output to the line terminal device 10 on the meter reading center side. When the meter-reading center-side line terminal device 10 receives a call signal from the central meter-reading device 12, it calls the wireless-capable line terminal 5 via the line 9, the exchange 8, and the line 4 in a no-ringing manner.

Upon receiving a call from the central meter reading device 12, the wireless function line terminal 5 calls the gas microcomputer under the control of a built-in microprocessor (CPU) 20.
The signal for calling each gas microcomputer meter 1, that is, the identification data (I
D code) is output to the wireless transmitting/receiving section 26. The wireless transmitter/receiver 26 converts the signal into a wireless signal and transmits it from the antenna 7. When the signal transmitted from the antenna 7 is received by the antenna 3 of the radio device 2 connected to the gas microcomputer meter 1, the received signal is converted into a wired signal in the radio device 2, and the signal is sent to the gas microcomputer meter 1. The signal is input to the microcomputer 1M built in the .

When the microcomputer 1M determines that the wired signal matches the preset ID code, it transmits the accumulated gas flow rate data measured and stored up to that point to the wireless device 2. send. The radio device 2 converts the gas integrated flow rate data into a radio signal and transmits it from the antenna 3. When the wireless signal corresponding to the gas cumulative flow rate data transmitted from the antenna 3 is received by the antenna 7, the signal is transmitted to the wireless transmitter/receiver section 26 of the wireless function line terminal 5 via the wired signal corresponding to the gas cumulative flow rate data. It is converted into a signal and input to the microprocessor (CPU) 20. The microprocessor (CPU) 20 then temporarily converts the wired signal into RA.
It may be stored in the M24 or sent directly to the modem 28 and placed on the line 4.

As described above, after the gas integrated flow rate data measured by each gas microcomputer meter 1 is read by the wireless function line terminal 5 and temporarily stored in the RAM 24, or When the data is sent directly to the modem 28, the microprocessor (CPU) 20 of the wireless function line terminal 5 modulates the integrated gas flow rate data measured by each gas microcomputer meter 1 using the modem 28. and transmits it to the line terminal device 10 on the meter reading center side via line 4, exchange 8, and line 9. The meter reading center side line terminal device 10 demodulates the sequentially transmitted gas integrated flow rate data and converts it into a signal that can be input to the central meter reading device 12. The central meter reading device 12 inputs and totals the respective gas integrated flow rate data output from the meter reading center side line terminal device 10.

On the other hand, the microcomputer 1M of each gas microcomputer meter 1 measures the cumulative gas flow rate, and when an abnormality occurs in the gas flow rate, detects the abnormal state and outputs abnormality information. It has an automatic calling function. Therefore, when the above-mentioned abnormal condition is detected, the microcomputer 1M outputs an emergency call signal for calling the central meter reading device 12 of the meter reading center and the details of the abnormality. The emergency call signal and the abnormality details include the ID code so that the central meter reading device 12 of the meter reading center can recognize the source. The emergency call signal and the details of the abnormality are converted into a radio signal by the radio device 2, and when transmitted from the antenna 3, the signal is received by the antenna 7 of the line terminal with radio function 5. The emergency call signal received by the antenna 7 and its abnormality details are converted into wired signals by the wireless transmitter/receiver 26, modulated by the modem 28, and then sent to the meter reading center side line via the line 4, exchange 8, and line 9. It is transmitted to the terminal device 10. The meter reading center side line terminal device 10 demodulates the emergency call signal and its abnormality details, and then outputs the demodulated signal to the central meter reading device 12. When the central meter reading device 12 receives the emergency call signal and the details of the abnormality, it recognizes the source of the signal.

The central meter reading device 12 recognizes the source of the emergency call signal and its abnormality, and depending on the abnormality, the cutoff valve of the gas microcomputer meter 1 is activated in the opposite direction to the transmission direction of the emergency call signal. In addition to transmitting the closing signal, the abnormality data is also transmitted to the relevant departments, so that they can take action to remove the abnormal condition. In addition, although the above example shows an example of gas meter reading, tap water or oxygen in a tank,
It can also be applied to meter reading for the amount of LPG, etc. used.

[0019]

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the cumulative flow rate of fluid at each of a plurality of locations is measured with a meter,
In an automatic meter reading system, data from each meter is transmitted to a meter reading center via line terminals and lines, and the meters are read comprehensively. Since signals are transmitted and received between the meter and the line terminal using a wireless method, the cost of electrical work between each of the many meters and the line terminal can be significantly reduced.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing the overall configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of a line terminal with wireless functionality according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Gas microcomputer meter 2 Radio equipment 3 Antenna 4 Line 5 Line terminal with wireless function 7 Antenna 9 Line 10 Meter reading center side line terminal device 12 Central meter reading device

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: Connected to each meter that is installed at each demand location within a predetermined area, measures the cumulative flow rate of fluid for each demand location, and outputs the cumulative flow data. - a radio device that transmits cumulative flow rate data measured at the meter as wireless data in the form of radio waves, and a radio device installed within the predetermined area that receives the wireless data output from each of the radio devices; A wireless control section is provided to convert the wireless data into a wired signal, and a line control section is provided to convert the wired signal from the wireless control section into a line signal that can be transmitted over a line. 1. A line terminal device in an automatic meter reading system, comprising a line terminal device with a wireless function that sends data to a central meter reading device of a meter reading center via a line.