JPH04332252A - Terminal network controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent wasteful use of telephone line by stopping calling operation to the center when data communication is impossible between the center and a terminal and informing the center about the abnormalty when data fetched from a terminal is abnormal. CONSTITUTION:When starting no-ringing communication or automatic terminal transmission, firstly, the main control circuit 606 detects whether or not interface circuits 607 for meter 7 and interface circuit 608 for sensor 8 are normal. When abnormalty is detected in even one of those interfaces, a defective port number is added to a telegram to be sent to the center. Next, main control circuit 606 controls the first modem 614 and the second modem 615 to send and receive test data therebetween, and by monitoring test data the main control circuit 606 discriminates whether the first modem 614 is normal or not. For data communication with the center, when the first modem 614 is discriminated to be abnormal, a calling operation to the center from a dialing pulse circuit 603 is stopped.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a terminal network control device, and more particularly to a terminal network control device for controlling communication between a terminal and a center via a telephone line.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventionally, information on meters, sensors, etc. installed at each user (for example, water meters, gas meters, electricity meters, gas leak detection sensors, fire detection sensors) has been transmitted to a center using telephone lines. Systems for communicating are known. In such a system, the center periodically collects meter information from each user via telephone line and intensively performs meter reading work to collect usage fees. On the other hand, the center receives emergency information from gas leak detection sensors and fire detection sensors and issues alarms in order to respond quickly to emergencies. Generally, such a data collection system using telephone lines is called a telemetering system.

In the above telemetering system, a terminal network control device is provided for each user, and information from each meter and sensor is sent to the center via this terminal network control device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the above telemetering system. In the figure, the center device 19 includes a host computer 1 and a center side network control unit (C-NCU) 2. The center side network control device 2 connects to the host computer 1 via the connection line 11.
It is also connected to the center-side telephone exchange 3 via a telephone line 12. On the other hand, the terminal device 18 includes a terminal network control unit (T-NCU) 6, a meter 7, a sensor 8, a recording terminal 9, and a home telephone 10. The terminal network control device 6 is connected to the terminal-side telephone exchange 4 via the subscriber telephone line 14. meter 7, sensor 8,
Each of the terminals, recording terminal 9 and home telephone 10, is connected to a connection line 1.
It is connected to the terminal network control device 6 via 50 and 15. The center-side telephone exchange 3 and the terminal-side telephone exchange 4 are interconnected by an inter-office trunk line 13.

[0005] The telemetering system employs a no-ringing communication method in which data is communicated without causing the home telephone 10 to ring. In this no-ringing communication system, the center-side network control device 2 calls the no-ringing trunk 5 according to a command from the host computer 1 and holds it. Next, after the no-ringing trunk 5 reverses the polarity of the subscriber telephone line 14, it provides a no-ringing paging signal (hereinafter referred to as an NRS signal) to the terminal network control device 6. When the terminal network control device 6 detects the NRS signal, the terminal network control device 6 transmits data from the meter 7 and the sensor 8 to the center device 19, for example, without making the home telephone 10 ring.

On the other hand, when the terminal automatically makes a call, when the terminal network control device 6 detects that a predetermined time has arrived, the terminal network control device 6 automatically calls the center side network control device 2. In this case, the information of the meter 7 and sensor 8 is transmitted to the terminal network control device 6, the telephone line 14, and the interoffice trunk line 13.
, is transmitted to the host computer 1 via the telephone line 12 and the center side network control device 2.

[0007] The host computer 1 performs data processing such as charge calculation and printout based on predetermined program processing based on information received from the terminal device 18 through no-ringing communication or automatic terminal transmission.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a more detailed configuration of the terminal network control device 6 shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG.

In the figure, a terminal network control device 6 is connected to subscriber telephone lines 14a and 14b, and makes calls by itself to communicate with other terminal devices, and performs no-ringing communication. Recording terminal 9 and home telephone 1
0 is the subscriber telephone line 14a, 1 via the terminal network control device 6.
4b. In addition, the terminal network control device 6 includes:
A meter 7 and a sensor 8 are connected. meter 7,
The data of the sensor 8 is transmitted to the center device 19 via the terminal network control device 6 after the telephone line link is established.

The terminal network control device 6 includes a station line circuit 600. This station line circuit 600 includes a polarity reversal detection circuit 6
01, rectifier circuit 602, and dial pulse circuit 603
, NRS detection circuit 604 , and half-loop control circuit 605
including. The polarity reversal detection circuit 601 is connected to the subscriber telephone line 1.
It is detected that the polarity of the DC voltage applied to 4a and 14b has been reversed from the current state. Rectifier circuit 6
02 includes, for example, a full-wave rectifier diode bridge,
The polarity of the DC voltage applied to subscriber telephone lines 14a and 14b is converted to a predetermined constant polarity regardless of whether it is positive or negative. In response to a command from the main control circuit 606, the dial pulse circuit 603 dials the subscriber telephone line 14a,
A dial pulse is sent to 14b. That is, the dial pulse circuit 603 connects the subscriber telephone line 14 by intermittently shorting between the subscriber telephone line 14a and 14b.
Place the dial pulse on a and 14b. NRS detection circuit 604 detects the NRS signal sent from no-ringing trunk 5 in FIG. As this NRS signal, for example, PB (push button) signals from 0 to 9 are used. The detection output of NRS detection circuit 604 is given to main control circuit 606. In response to a command from the main control circuit 606, the half-loop control circuit 605
During no-ringing communication or when the terminal automatically makes a call,
In order to prevent deterioration of transmission characteristics due to impedance imbalance, the DC and AC impedances of subscriber telephone lines 14a and 14b are maintained at predetermined technical standard values (for example, 600Ω).

The terminal network control device 6 further includes a main control circuit 606, interface circuits 607 and 608, a reset circuit 609, an oscillation circuit 610, and a power supply circuit 61.
1, off-hook detection circuit 612, and connection switching circuit 61
3 and a modem 614. Main control circuit 606
includes, for example, a microcomputer, and controls the operation of each circuit in the terminal network control device 6. The interface circuit 607 takes in data output from the meter 7 and provides it to the main control circuit 606. Interface circuit 608 takes in data output from sensor 8 and provides it to main control circuit 606 . The reset circuit 609 is a circuit for resetting the main control circuit 606 when starting the terminal network control device 6 from an initial state. Oscillation circuit 6
Reference numeral 10 denotes a circuit for generating a timer clock signal that serves as a reference for the timekeeping operation in the main control circuit 606. The power supply circuit 611 is a circuit for supplying operating power to each circuit in the terminal network control device 6. Connection switching circuit 6
13 is a circuit for switching the connection state of the connection line 15 connected to the recording terminal 9 and the home telephone 10 in response to a command from the main control circuit 606. That is, the connection switching circuit 613 connects the connection line 15 to the subscriber telephone lines 14a, 14b during normal operation, and connects the connection line 15 to the off-hook detection circuit 612 during no-ringing communication or automatic terminal call. The off-hook detection circuit 612 detects whether the home telephone 10 is being used during no-ringing communication or when the terminal automatically makes a call. The detection output of off-hook detection circuit 612 is given to main control circuit 606. A modem 614 is provided for data communication between the terminal network control device 6 and the center device 19. That is, the modem 614
Modulate the data given from 06 and send it to subscriber telephone line 14.
a, 14b. Furthermore, the modem 614 demodulates data provided from the center device 19 via the subscriber telephone lines 14a and 14b and outputs the demodulated data to the main control circuit 606. The modulation/demodulation method in the modem 614 is, for example, FSK.
(Frequency Shift Keying) modulation and demodulation method is used.

Next, the operation of the terminal network control device 6 during no-ringing communication and when the terminal automatically makes a call will be explained.

(1) Operation during no-ringing communication During no-ringing communication, the center-side network control device 2 calls the no-ringing trunk 5 according to a command from the host computer 1 and holds it. In response, the no-ringing trunk 5 reverses the polarity of the DC voltage applied to the subscriber telephone lines 14a and 14b, and then transmits the NRS signal to the terminal network controller 6. In the terminal network control device 6, a polarity reversal detection circuit 601 detects the reversal of the polarity of the DC voltage applied to the subscriber telephone lines 14a and 14b, and transmits it to the main control circuit 606. Therefore, the main control circuit 606 recognizes that there is a request for no-ringing communication from the no-ringing trunk 5. Next, the NRS signal is
It is detected by the detection circuit 604. As previously mentioned,
As the NRS signal, PB signals from 0 to 9 are used. The number of terminal network control devices 6 provided to each user is not limited to one, and a plurality of terminal network control devices may be provided to the same user. Therefore, the main control circuit 6
06 has registered a number assigned in advance to the corresponding terminal network control device 6, and this registered number and NR
It is detected whether or not the number of the PB signal detected by the S detection circuit 604 matches. At this time, if a match is detected, the main control circuit 606 determines that the corresponding terminal network control device 6 has been accessed. Therefore, the main control circuit 60
6 controls each circuit in the terminal network control device 6 to perform no-ringing communication.

First, the main control circuit 606 switches the connection switching circuit 613 so that the connection line 15 is connected to the subscriber telephone lines 14a and 14b. This prevents communication messages from leaking from subscriber telephone lines 14a, 14b to home telephone 10 during no-ringing communication. Next, main control circuit 606 uses modem 614 to communicate data with center device 19 . At this time,
Data output from the meter 7 and sensor 8 is provided to the modem 614 via the main control circuit 606 and transmitted to the center device 19.

(2) Operation during automatic terminal calling The automatic terminal calling is an operation in which the terminal network control device 6 makes a call itself and transmits data to the center device 19. Such a terminal automatic calling operation is performed periodically (for example, every month) or when the sensor 8 outputs emergency information. That is, the main control circuit 606 performs a timekeeping operation by counting the timer clock signal given from the oscillation circuit 610, and when the timer clock reaches a predetermined date and time, the data from the meter 7 and the sensor 8 are sent to the main control circuit 606. It is transmitted to the center device 19. Further, the main control circuit 606 constantly monitors the output of the sensor 8 and transmits the emergency information to the center device 19 when the sensor 8 outputs emergency information.

When the terminal automatically makes a call, the main control circuit 606 first controls the dial pulse circuit 603 and causes the dial pulse circuit 603 to send out a dial pulse specifying the center device 19 onto the subscriber telephone lines 14a and 14b. As a result, a telephone line link is established between the terminal network control device 6 and the center device 19. Thereafter, the main control circuit 606 uses the modem 614 to send out the data of the meter 7 taken in by the interface circuit 607 or the data of the sensor 8 taken in by the interface circuit 608 onto the subscriber telephone lines 14a and 14b. . Note that at this time, the connection switching circuit 613 is switched to connect the connection line 15 to the off-hook detection circuit 612, as in the above-described no-ringing communication.

[0017] The operation during ringing communication is not particularly relevant to the present invention, so a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0018]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Since the conventional terminal network control device is configured as described above, when the modem 614 fails or the interface circuits 607, 6
When the 08 fails, the following problems occur.

First, if the modem 614 is out of order, data communication cannot be performed between the terminal network control device 6 and the center device 19. Nevertheless, when the terminal automatically makes a call, the dial pulse of the center device 19 is sent out from the dial pulse circuit 603, and the dial pulse of the center device 19 is sent out from the dial pulse circuit 603.
A telephone line link is established between the center device 19 and the center device 19 . Therefore, telephone charges are charged even though data communication is not possible. In particular, when transmitting emergency information from sensor 8, due to the nature of transmitting emergency information,
Even if data communication is not possible, calls to the center device 19 are repeated a predetermined number of times. As a result, telephone charges increase. This situation in which a telephone line link is established between the terminal network control device 6 and the center device 19 even though data communication is not possible occurs when the center device 1
Regarding 9, it is a completely wasteful operation. Therefore, a problem arises in that the telephone line is occupied by the defective terminal network control device, and communication between other normal terminal network control devices and the center device is obstructed.

On the other hand, if the interface circuit 607 or 608 is out of order, the meter 7 or sensor 8
Normal data will no longer be sent to the center device 19. As a result, an incorrect charge is calculated by the host computer 1, putting the user at a disadvantage. Also, sensor 8
Emergency information from is no longer sent to the center device 19,
It becomes impossible to quickly respond to emergencies such as gas leaks and fire outbreaks.

Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to provide a terminal network control device that can stop unnecessary calls to a center device when data communication is disabled.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a terminal network control device that can notify a center when an abnormality occurs in the acquisition of data from terminals such as meters and sensors.

[0023]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A terminal network control device of the present invention according to claim 1 is for controlling communication between a terminal and a center via a telephone line, and includes a calling means and a center. , a communication means, a determination means, and a call stop means. The calling means makes a call itself and calls the center. The communication means communicates data between the center and the terminal via the telephone line. The determining means determines whether the communication means is normal or not before the calling means performs a calling operation. The means to stop calling is
In response to the determination means determining that the communication means is abnormal,
The calling operation of the calling means is stopped.

Another terminal network control device of the present invention according to claim 2 is for controlling communication between a terminal and a center via a telephone line, and includes terminal data importing means;
It includes a determining means and a transmitting means. The terminal data importing means imports data from the terminal. The determining means determines whether the terminal data importing means is normal. The means of transmission is
The data acquired by the terminal data acquisition means and the determination result of the determination means are transmitted to the center via the telephone line.

[0025]

[Operation] In the invention according to claim 1, it is determined whether the communication means is normal or not before the calling operation of the calling means, and if it is determined that the communication means is abnormal, the calling means To prevent telephone lines from being used wastefully by stopping call operations.

[0026] In the invention according to claim 2, the data for determining whether or not the terminal data importing means is normal is transmitted to the center along with the data taken in from the terminal, so that the center always monitors the terminal data importing means. Able to recognize the condition.

[0027]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a terminal network control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The terminal network control device 6' shown in FIG. 1 is similar to the conventional terminal network control device shown in FIG. It has the same configuration as device 6, and corresponding parts are given the same reference numerals and their explanation will be omitted. In addition, as for the overall configuration of the telemetering system, the terminal network control device 6 in FIG.
It is only necessary to replace the terminal network controller 6' with the terminal network control device 6' shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, the second modem 615 is for testing the first modem 614, and is used to perform data communication with the first modem 614 during no-ringing communication or automatic terminal dialing. Let's do it. Further, the second modem 615 generates an alarm sound when the first modem 614 is out of order. This alarm sound is given to the home telephone 10 via the attenuation circuit 617, the connection switching circuit 613, and the connection line 15. The off-hook detection circuit 616 detects whether the home telephone 10 is in use during normal operation, that is, when the connection switching circuit 613 connects the connection line 15 to the subscriber telephone lines 14a, 14b. The detection output of off-hook detection circuit 616 is given to main control circuit 606.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the terminal network control device 6' shown in FIG. 1 during no-ringing communication and when the terminal automatically makes a call. The operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 will be described below with reference to FIG. 2. At the start of no-ringing communication or the start of automatic terminal call, the main control circuit 606 first checks in steps S1 and S2 in FIG. 2 whether the meter interface circuit 607 and the sensor interface circuit 608 are normal. To detect. Interface circuit 60
If an abnormality is detected in any one of 7,608, the number of the defective port is added to the message to be sent to the center in step S3.

Next, the main control circuit 606 performs step S4.
At , it is determined whether the first modem 614 is normal. This determination is based on whether the first modem 614 and the second modem 61
This is done by sending and receiving test data between the main control circuit 606 and the main control circuit 606. Note that communication between the first modem 614 and the second modem 615 is performed using subscriber telephone lines 14a and 14b. If the first modem 614 is normal as a result of the determination in step S4, no-ringing communication is performed in step S5 during no-ringing communication, and terminal calling communication is performed in step S6 during automatic terminal calling. Step S
Since the no-ringing communication in step S5 and the terminal calling communication in step S6 are performed in the same procedure as those in the conventional terminal network control device 6 shown in FIG. 4, a detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

On the other hand, in step S4, the first modem 614
If it is determined that there is an abnormality, the call origination from the terminal network control device 6' to the center device 19 is stopped in step S7. That is, the dial pulse circuit 603 does not send out a dial pulse that designates the center device 19. Therefore, the terminal network control device 6' and the center device 1
No telephone line link is established with 9. As a result, unnecessary telephone charges can be prevented from being added.

[0032] Next, the process advances to step S8, and it is determined whether the off-hook detection circuit 616 has detected the use of the home telephone 10. That is, in step S8, during normal operation (the connection line 15 is connected to the subscriber telephone lines 14a and 14b via the connection switching circuit 613),
It is detected whether the home telephone 10 is in use. If the home telephone 10 is in use, the process advances to step S9, and the second modem 615 outputs an intermittent alarm sound. After this alarm sound is attenuated by the attenuation circuit 617, it is sent to the home telephone 10 as an audible sound. Therefore, the user using the home telephone 10 knows that the first modem 614 is out of order by sensing the alarm sound. By notifying the user in advance of the destination to report when an alarm sound occurs, prompt action can be taken (terminal network control device 6
) is possible.

The message to which the number of the defective port has been added in step S3 is transmitted to the center device 19 by no-ringing communication in step S5 or terminal calling communication in step S6. By having the host computer 1 of the center device 19 decode the contents of the transmitted message, it is possible to prevent incorrect charge calculations. Furthermore, by displaying or printing out the list of defective ports on the host computer 1, it becomes possible to take immediate action thereafter (replacing the terminal network control device 6').

[0034]

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, when data communication with the center is impossible, calling to the center is stopped, so it is possible to prevent telephone lines from being unnecessarily occupied. . As a result, you will save on telephone charges and
There is less interference with normal communication between other users' terminal network control devices and the center, and the operating rate of the system as a whole can be improved.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, if an abnormality occurs in data acquisition from a terminal, data specifying the abnormality is sent to the center, so the center can check the terminal network control device in which the abnormality has occurred. Not only can this be detected early, but also erroneous charge calculations can be prevented.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a terminal network control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing the overall configuration of a telemetering system that is the background of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional terminal network control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Host computer 2: Center side network control device 6': Terminal network control device 7: Meter 8: Sensor 10: Home telephone 603: Dial pulse circuit 606: Main control circuit 607, 608: Interface circuit 614: First modem 615: Second modem

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A terminal network control device for controlling communication between a terminal and a center via a telephone line, comprising: a calling means for calling the center by calling the center; a communication means for communicating data between the center and the terminal via the terminal; and a determination means for determining whether or not the communication means is normal before the calling means performs a calling operation. and a call stopping means for stopping the calling operation of the calling means in response to the determining means determining that the communication means is abnormal. 2. A terminal network control device for controlling communication between a terminal and a center via a telephone line, comprising terminal data importing means for importing data from the terminal, and the terminal determining means for determining whether the data importing means is normal; and transmitting the data imported by the terminal data importing means and the determination result of the determining means to the center via the telephone line. A terminal network control device comprising: a transmitting means for transmitting data;