JPH0461560B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides a system in which a gas meter that counts each time a constant flow rate of gas flows through a gas flow path and generates the counted value as gas meter reading data is connected via a signal line. and giving access to the gas meter in response to a call from a center connected through a communication line,
The present invention relates to a communication controller in a meter reading system that transmits gas meter reading data transmitted from a gas meter via a signal line to a center via a communication line in response to the access.

[Problems to be solved by conventional technology and invention]

Conventionally, for example, a center and a terminal were installed at an LPG distributor and an LPG consumer, and a communication line such as a telephone line was used to connect the two, and requests from the center were sent from the terminal to the center via the communication line. A meter reading system is being considered that reports gas meter reading data and warning information such as gas leaks at any time based on the above.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the general configuration of this type of meter reading system. In the figure, 11 is a center, 12 is a center network control device (C-
NCU), 13 and 14 are subscriber line exchanges, 15 is a no-ringing trunk, 16 is a terminal network control device, 17 is a terminal consisting of a controller 17a, a central monitoring system type microcomputer gas meter (hereinafter abbreviated as gas meter) 17b, etc. .

The center 11 is installed at an appropriate location of an LPG distributor, for example, and a terminal 17 (only one terminal is shown in the figure, but in reality there are many terminals installed at each of a large number of gas consumers) For example, it requests gas meter reading data from the terminal 17 once a month, collects the gas meter reading data reported from the terminal 17 in response to the request, and issues bills to each gas consumer. It performs tasks such as monitoring warning information such as gas leaks reported from each terminal 17 from time to time and making it possible to quickly take appropriate measures according to the content of the warning information.

The C-NCU 12 is connected to the center 11 via n signal lines and is provided attached to the center 11.
Communication control between 1 and a large number of terminals 17 is performed by time-shalling.

LS13 and LS14 are center 11 and terminal 1
It is installed at the nearest telephone office of No. 7 and performs telephone exchange operations between the center 11 and the terminal 17 based on the telephone number issued when a call is made from one side to the other. In particular, since the terminal 17 side also uses a subscriber telephone line, when a call is made from the center 11, the LS1
4 is connected to NRT15. Note that NRT is not connected to LS 13 because the line is not used with a telephone on the center 11 side.

The ANR-NCU 16 is used to connect a line to the terminal 17 when a call is received from the center 11, and is attached to the terminal 17 and installed at each gas consumption destination.

The gas meter 17b of the terminal 17 counts the flow rate pulses generated each time a constant flow rate of gas flows through the gas flow path, generates gas meter reading data as an index of gas consumption based on the counted value, and generates gas meter reading data as an index of gas consumption. It has a built-in microcomputer that has the function of transmitting meter reading data to the controller 17a in response to requests from the controller 17a. On the other hand, controller 17
For example, in response to a meter reading data request call issued from the center 11 once a month, a requests the gas meter 17b to transmit the meter reading data, and in response to the request, sends the meter reading data transmitted from the gas meter 17b to the center 11. In addition to transmitting gas meter 1
It also performs tasks such as reporting warning information to the center 11 based on signals from gas leak alarms and the like connected to devices other than 7b.

By the way, for example, C-NCU12 and ANR-
The transmission method between the NCU 16 and the FSK (frequency
DTMF (dual tone
ANR−
A digital serial system is used between the NCU 16 and the controller 17a, and between the controller 17a and the gas meter 17b. The protocol uses half-duplex start-stop synchronization with a 7-bit per character configuration. Furthermore, message construction is performed by stacking characters, and each piece of information is interpreted based on the content of the characters.

In addition, security information such as the maximum flow rate that can be detected within the gas meter 17b, usage time over, and low battery is transmitted as an upstream message in the same manner as the downstream message.

In the above configuration, the meter reading data of the gas meter 17b is read in the form of a downstream message from the center 11 that centrally monitors a large number of terminals 17 via the controller 17a of the terminal 17 installed at each gas consumption destination. and security information from the gas leak alarm can be sent to the controller 17a.
It is possible to send a message via a message to the center 11.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in the conventional system described above, although the center 11 can detect abnormalities in the equipment and wiring from the center 11 to the controller 17a of the terminal 17, it cannot detect abnormalities between the controller 17a and the gas meter 17b. I couldn't do that.

Therefore, an abnormality in the gas meter 17b cannot be detected at the center 11, and for example, if the signal line between the controller and the gas meter is shorted or open, the center 11 cannot know this. Therefore, when requesting meter reading data once a month, the controller 17a cannot receive the meter reading data from the gas meter 17b, and as a result, the center 11 cannot properly collect the meter reading data from the terminal 17. It was hot.

Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, the present invention has been developed by knowing in advance whether or not the transmission between the gas meter and the gas meter is being carried out normally, and notifying the center when there is an abnormal state in which the transmission is not being carried out normally. Before the center issues a meter reading request to collect meter reading data, it is possible to know whether collection is possible or not, and if there is an abnormality, it can be resolved, and it is possible to prevent the center from being unable to collect meter reading data as much as possible. The purpose is to provide a communication controller in a meter reading system.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to solve the above problems, the communication controller 1 in the meter reading system, whose basic configuration is shown in FIG. A gas meter 3 that generates the counted value as gas meter reading data
is connected via a signal line 4 and gives access to the gas meter 3 in response to a call from a center 6 connected via a communication line 5;
A communication controller in a meter reading system that transmits gas meter reading data transmitted from a gas meter to the center 6 via the communication line 5, provides access to the gas meter 3 at regular intervals independently of calls from the center 6. an access means 1a; a detection means 1b for detecting whether the transmission state between the gas meter 3 and the signal line 4 is normal when accessed by the access means 1a; The present invention is characterized by comprising an abnormality reporting means 1c that immediately reports an abnormality to the center 6 via the communication line 5 when it is detected that the transmission between the communication terminal and the communication terminal 3 is not being performed normally.

[Effect]

With the above configuration, the access means 1a gives access to the gas meter 3 at regular intervals shorter than the meter reading data collection cycle independently of the call from the center 6, and the detection means 1b is connected to the gas meter 3 at the time of access by the access means 1a. detect whether the transmission status via the signal line 4 is normal;
When the detection means 1b detects that the transmission is not performed normally, the abnormality reporting means 1c reports the abnormality to the center 6 via the communication line 5.

Therefore, before the center 6 issues a meter reading request and starts the operation of collecting meter reading data, it becomes possible to know whether the meter reading data can be collected.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of a communication controller according to the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the controller 17a as a communication controller. In the figure, 17a-1 is a microcomputer (CPU) with built-in RAM, ROM, timer, and registers.
and the control program stored in ROM,
It operates based on data stored in RAM, registers, and time measured by a timer. The CPU1
ANR is connected to input/output port ₁₀₁ of 7a-1 via NCU interface (I/F) 17a-2.
- The NCU 16 connects the gas meter 17b to the input/output port ₁₀₂ through the gas meter interface (I/F) 17a-3, and connects the gas meter 17b to the input port _I1 through the non-voltage/voltage discrimination circuit 17a-4. The leak alarm has a contact input discrimination circuit 1 on the input port I ₂ .
A cylinder exchange information switch, a rice bin sensor, etc. are connected through the port 7a-5, and a display circuit 17a-6 is connected to the output port _O1 .

The CPU 17a-1 operates according to a predetermined control program and performs the following various functions in a time-sharing manner.

First, the status of input/output port IO ₁ is monitored, and when there is a call requesting meter reading data by a down message from the center (Fig. 6, 11),
As shown in the figure, input/output port _IO2 is raised to H level at time _t1 . During the subsequent period from time t ₂ to time t ₃ , a message in the format shown in Figure 4a requesting the gas meter for guideline data is transmitted to the gas meter via the gas meter I/F 17a-3. do. In other words, the message is transmitted to the gas meter using a digital serial method, which consists of a start STX, a meter reading data request, a business entity,
This is done by adding up characters representing machine number 2, machine number 1, and switching ETX, respectively, and each piece of information is interpreted on the gas meter side based on the contents of the characters.

Thereafter, the input/output port IO ₂ is set to H level again for a predetermined time T ₁ from time t ₃ , and during this period, the input/output port IO ₂ is monitored and the gas meter I/F 17a-3
Wait for the message transmitted from the gas meter via the . In the case of Fig. 3a, when there is no abnormality in the signal line between the gas meter itself and the gas meter, the gas meter is connected to the gas meter during the period from time t ₄ to time t ₅ before the end of the predetermined time T ₁ . I/F17a
-3, a message in the format shown in FIG. 4b is input to the input/output port _IO2 . This message is transmitted in the same digital serial format as the message to the gas meter, and consists of start STX, entity, machine number 2, machine number 1, meter reading data information, data 10 ⁷ to 10 ⁰ , and switching ETX. This is done by adding up the characters represented, and each piece of information is interpreted within the CPU 17a-1 according to the content of the characters.

Then, based on the read meter data, a message in a predetermined format is assembled and output to the input/output port.
It is transmitted from IO ₁ to the center (Fig. 6, 11).

As described above, even if the predetermined time T ₁ has elapsed from the time t ₃ when the transmission of the message to the gas meter ended, the message from the gas meter remains at the input/output port IO ₂ as shown in FIG.
If it is not input, it is assumed that there is an abnormality in the transmission, and after setting _{the input/output port IO 2 to L level for a predetermined time T2 from time t6 to time t7 after the elapse} of a predetermined time T1 _, the above-mentioned Repeat the action again. If this same action again ends in the same result, the same action is repeated again and again, and if this same action is also the same, the signal line between the gas meter and the gas meter is open and the message is not transmitted to the gas meter. Based on this judgment, it assembles a message in a predetermined format, transmits it from input/output port IO ₁ to the center (Fig. 6, 11), and sends the controller 17a and gas meter (6th Figure 17
b) Notifies that the signal line between the terminal and the terminal is open. Based on this, the operator can send a worker to the terminal where the abnormal condition has occurred to restore the signal line.

In addition, as described above, even if a request message for meter reading data is received from the center (Fig. 6, 11) and the input/output port IO ₂ is raised to H level at time t ₁ based on this message, the message shown in Fig. 3 c If the signal line between the gas meter (Fig. 6, 17b) is shorted and the signal line remains at the L level as shown in Figure 6, it is determined that an abnormality has occurred, and a message to that effect is sent. assembled and transmitted to the center. This allows the operator at the center to know that the signal line is shorted, and based on this information, sends a worker to the terminal to take appropriate measures.

The CPU 17a-1 also performs 24-hour data processing, for example, even if there is no request for meter reading data from the center as described above.
In other words, once a day, the same operation as described above is performed to request meter reading data from the gas meter, and the status of the input/output port IO ₂ due to this operation is monitored to determine whether the signal line is normal, abnormal (open, short), etc. , determines whether the gas meter itself is normal or abnormal, and when an abnormality occurs, transmits a message to that effect to the center.

The CPU 17a-1 mentioned above further has an input port.
The status of I ₁ and I ₂ is monitored, and if a gas leak or self-inflicted act is detected, a message to that effect is sent to the assembly center, and information on cylinder replacement and rice bins is collected and The remaining amount and the amount remaining in the rice bin are monitored, and when the remaining amount becomes low, a corresponding process is performed, such as displaying on the display circuit 17a-6 or notifying the center.

Details of the main functions of the CPU 17a-1 mentioned above will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The flowchart starts by turning on the power to the controller 17a, and in the first step S1, it is determined by monitoring the input/output port _IO1 whether or not there is a meter reading request from the center. This judgment
If YES, proceed to step S2, where the input/output port IO ₂ is connected to supply power to the gas meter.
After setting it to H level, the process proceeds to step S3, where a meter reading data request message for the gas meter is transmitted from the input/output port _IO2 . After transmitting this message,
Proceeding to step S4, the input/output port _IO2 is monitored and meter reading data from the gas meter is received after waiting for a predetermined time _T1 . Next, step S5
The process proceeds to step S4, and it is determined whether or not the meter reading data has been received normally.
If YES, the process advances to step S6. In step S6, it is determined whether the meter reading data from the gas meter is based on a meter reading request from the center, and if the determination is YES, step S7
The process proceeds to step S8, where a message for transmitting the meter reading data to the center is assembled, and the assembled message is transmitted from the input/output port IO ₁ to the center in the next step S8.

If the determination in step S5 is NO, that is, if the meter reading data is not normally received from the gas meter, the process proceeds to step S9, where the abnormality has occurred a total of three times, that is, if the determination in step S5 is NO, three times. Determine whether it is warm or not. If the determination in step S9 is NO, the process waits for a predetermined time _T2 in step S10, then returns to step S2, and re-executes each step from step S2 to step S5. If the determination in step S9 is YES, the process advances to step S11, where a message is assembled to notify the center that an abnormality has occurred in the terminal, and this is transmitted to the center in step S8.

When the determination in step S1 is NO, that is, when there is no request for meter reading from the center, the process advances to step S12, where it is determined whether 24 hours have passed since the previous meter reading, and when the determination is NO, step S1 Steps S1 and S2 are repeated until either step S1 or S2 becomes YES.

If the determination in step S12 is YES, the process advances to step S2 and performs the same operations as when there is a meter reading request from the center in steps S2 to S11. Due to the existence of step S12, the center issues a meter reading request once a day, which normally occurs only once a month, increasing the chances of detecting an abnormality in the terminal. Note that the meter reading data transmitted from the gas meter in response to this once-a-day meter reading request does not need to be transmitted to the center, but this is because if the determination in step S6 becomes NO, the process returns to step S1. It is being addressed.

〔effect〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, in response to a meter reading request from the center, access is given to the gas meter, meter reading data is collected and transmitted to the center, and the meter reading request is issued regardless of whether there is a meter reading request or not. The gas meter is accessed at fixed intervals shorter than the cycle to detect whether meter reading data can be received normally from the gas meter, and if it cannot be received normally, the center is notified.

Therefore, the center will be able to know whether collection is possible before issuing a meter reading request and starting the process of collecting meter reading data, and if a situation in which data cannot be collected arises, it will be possible to take measures to resolve the situation in advance. This has the effect of significantly reducing the possibility that meter reading data will not be collected.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of the communication controller in the meter reading system according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the communication controller according to the invention, and Fig. 3 is the transmission state between the communication controller and the gas meter. Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the format of the message used for transmission between the communication controller and the gas meter, and Figure 5 is the
A flowchart diagram showing the work performed by the CPU in the figure,
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the general configuration of a meter reading system to which a communication controller according to the present invention is applied. 1... Communication controller, 1a... Access means, 1b... Detection means, 1c... Abnormality reporting means,
2... Gas flow path, 3... Gas meter, 4... Signal line, 5... Communication line, 6... Center.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A gas meter that counts each time a constant flow rate of gas flows through a gas flow path and generates the counted value as gas meter reading data is connected via a signal line and connected via a communication line. A meter reading system that provides access to the gas meter in response to a call from the center, and in response to the access, transmits gas meter reading data transmitted from the gas meter via the signal line to the center via the communication line. In the communication controller, access means provides access to the gas meter at regular intervals shorter than the call cycle independently of the call from the center, and the signal line between the gas meter and the gas meter when accessed by the access means. a detection means for detecting whether the transmission state via the communication line is normal; and abnormality reporting means for reporting an abnormality to the center.