JPH06253036A - Telemetering system using analog public telephone line and meter-reading terminal used for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a meter inspection terminal whose constitution is simple and connected with the same telephone line as that of a communication terminal equipment equipped with an automatic call incoming function such as a facsimile, and a telemetering system including the meter inspection terminal. CONSTITUTION:A meter inspection terminal A is called through an analog public telephone line L by a prescribed protocol by an interface CI/F for communication control provided at a meter inspection center B. When the meter inspection terminal A gets an incoming call in response to the call, converts meter inspection information read from a meter 7 to be meter-inspected into a tone signal, and returns it to a host computer HC.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a telemetering system using an analog public telephone line and a meter-reading terminal used in this system. In particular, the meter-reading center calls the meter-reading terminal according to a predetermined protocol to obtain meter-reading information. It is designed to be automatically collected.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A telemetering system using a public telephone line is already known, but in the conventional system, after calling a dedicated communication terminal connected to a meter to be meter-read from a meter-reading center without ringing. , Information communication using a modem is performed between both parties. Therefore, a modem having an automatic call receiving function is indispensable for both the host computer on the meter reading center side and the communication terminal, which complicates the system configuration.

In addition, such a telemetering system requires special communication software and cannot be used by connecting it to the same telephone line as a fax machine having an automatic incoming call function. , Provides services by providing a dedicated telephone line, which increases user installation fees and hinders their spread.

[0004]

The present invention was developed in order to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional telemetering system, and is the same public telephone line as a communication terminal device having an automatic call receiving function such as a facsimile. It is an object of the present invention to provide a meter-reading terminal that can be used by connecting to a terminal and a telemetering system including the meter-reading terminal.

[0005]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention proposed to achieve the above object comprises a telemetering system having the following construction and a meter-reading terminal.
That is, the system proposed in claim 1 calls a meter-reading terminal according to a predetermined protocol from an interface for communication control provided in a meter-reading center or the like through an analog public telephone line, and the meter-reading terminal responds to the call. When an incoming call is received, the meter-reading terminal device converts the meter-reading information read from the meter to be read into a tone signal, and then returns the tone signal to the communication control interface through the public telephone line.

[0006] Further, a meter reading terminal is proposed in claims 2 to 4, and in claim 2, it can be used by connecting to the same telephone line as another communication terminal having an automatic incoming call function. For the first time, when a ringing signal sent from an analog public telephone line according to a specific protocol is received,
The signal processing unit is put into a wake-up state for a predetermined time, and when a call signal is received again within the predetermined time, an automatic incoming call is instantaneously received. At this time, the meter reading information is read from the meter to be read and converted into a tone signal. And reply. After returning the meter reading information, the sleep state is restored again.

Further, in claim 3, only when a specific signal as a key code is transmitted from the meter-reading center after the line control means has arrived, the meter-reading information is read from the meter to be read and the tone signal is used. The meter-reading terminal is constructed integrally with the meter to be meter-read.

[0008]

According to the present invention described in claim 1, by simply connecting the meter-reading terminal to the existing analog public telephone line, the meter-reading can be automatically performed from the meter-reading center without any auxiliary equipment. it can. Further, according to the meter-reading terminal of the present invention described in claims 2 to 4, the normal signal processing unit is held in the sleep state, and when the call signal is transmitted according to the predetermined protocol, the wake-up signal is generated. After shifting to the up state and converting the meter-reading information into a tone signal, and after converting the meter-reading information into a tone signal, it returns to the sleep state again.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a meter-reading terminal A of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 is a signal processing unit
It is composed of a microcomputer such as, and is usually in a sleep state, and becomes a wake-up state during telemetering. 2 is connected to the public analog telephone line L,
Line control means for controlling the connection between the meter-reading terminal A and the telephone line L, 3 is a tone signal generating means for outputting a DTMF signal, and 4 is a DTMF signal or a specific frequency signal transmitted to the telephone line L side. The tone signal detecting means 5 is a key code sent from a meter reading center for performing telemetering, or an ID assigned to the meter reading terminal A.
A code, a memory for storing other data necessary for control, 6 is a digital display unit composed of an LED or LCD for displaying meter reading data, and 7 is a meter meter,
In the illustrated example, a gas flow meter provided with the rotary encoder 7a is shown. Reference numeral 8 is a ten-key pad for inputting a key code or ID code, TEL is a telephone for additional calls as necessary, and 9 is a power supply.

Here, as the meter-reading meter 7, in addition to electric power, gas, water meter and the like, all kinds of integrating meters such as a counter of a copying machine can be used. Further, such a meter-reading meter 7 may have a structure in which the meter-reading information is mechanically held, or a structure in which count-up pulses are sequentially output and the signal processing unit 1 accumulates and accumulates the meter-reading information.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of use of the meter-reading terminal device A connected to the copy machine 10, and the meter-reading terminal device A connected to the telephone line L is connected via the signal line S to the inside of the main body of the copy machine 10. It has a configuration that can be connected to the meter reading meter (copy number counter) built into the
And may be integrally formed and built in the main body of the copying machine 10 (claim 4).

Such a system of the present invention can be used not only for electric power, gas, water, etc., but also for the count integrated amount of a copying machine, and can be easily used as long as there is a public telephone line. Next, a schematic configuration of the telemetering system of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 shows a schematic configuration of the telemetering system of the present invention. Simply by connecting the meter-reading terminal A to the existing analog public telephone line L, the meter-reading center B is automatically operated without any auxiliary equipment. Meter reading can be performed.

At the meter-reading center B, a telemetering contract has been signed with the customer in advance, and the usage fee is based on the meter-reading information taken out from the meter-reading terminal A installed at the customer every predetermined period (for example, on a monthly basis). To claim. In this case, the usage fee may be invoiced every time the meter-reading center B telemeters, by sending the invoice together with the usage statement to the customer by a method such as using mail or a facsimile. Alternatively, a method may be used in which the ID code of the consumer or the payout bank account is registered in advance on the side of the meter-reading center B and the usage fee measured on the side of the meter-reading center B is charged by debiting the account.

The meter reading center B collects meter reading data from customers and prepares a billing statement, as well as a meter reading terminal A installed at the customers for meter reading. The communication control interface CI / F for transmitting and receiving the data is provided, and the data of each customer is stored in the external recording device M or the like. Here, the communication processing interface CI / F is accessed by calling the telephone number assigned to the meter-reading terminal A of the customer, and transmitted in the form of a tone signal from the meter-reading terminal A installed in the accessed customer. Decodes the meter reading data, converts it to a binary signal, and converts it to the host computer H.
It is designed to be sent to C. As such a communication processing interface CI / F, one having a function of decoding a tone signal transmitted from a consumer and operating a host computer with the decoded signal is desirable.

For example, a communication processing interface called VPS (manufactured by Perifonic Co., USA) has such a function, and in addition to a system control processor for controlling basic operations, a telephone line control processor and a voice control processor. Since it is configured by combining a processor and a host control processor that performs signal processing with a host computer, it can be used as a communication processing interface of the system of the present invention.

The data output / distributing device FS such as a facsimile server provided on the side of the meter reading center B, for example, in the case where the customer is equipped with the facsimile F, an image such as a meter reading statement or bill can be received by the facsimile. It can be converted into data and sent back, but if the customer has a personal computer PC, the host computer HC
The data collected in step 1 is converted into data receivable by the personal computer PC and returned.

Steps 100 to 112 of FIG. 4 are time charts showing the basic operation of the telemetering system of the present invention. Telemetering is at the meter reading center B
It is performed by dialing the telephone number of the meter-reading terminal A attached to the meter-reading meter 7 from the communication control interface CI / F installed in the.

Communication control interface CI / F (shown as VPS) installed on the meter reading center B side
Outputs a ringing signal about 1 to 3 times that does not receive a call in a communication terminal device having another automatic call receiving function, then forcibly stops the call (advance call), and thereafter performs a dial re-call. In this way, since the meter-reading terminal device A has not received a call at the stage when the communication control interface CI / F is making a preliminary call, there is no charge. In the flowchart shown in the figure, the number of calls in this case is set to 3.

On the other hand, since the line control means 2 of the meter-reading terminal A is adapted to receive an incoming call by the control signal from the signal processing section 1, even if a call signal is output to the telephone line L, the line signal is immediately received. Doesn't arrive. When the signal processing unit 1 determines that the call from the outside line is the advance notice call, that is, the ringing sound is output by the call signal of 16 Hz transmitted through the telephone line L for the set number of advance notice calls and then stops. When the judgment is made, the sleep state is transited to the wakeup state and the wakeup state is held for a predetermined time. However, when the call signal of 16 Hz exceeds the number of notice calls, the sleep state is held and the program reset is performed. Return to the initial state.

When the signal processing unit 1 determines that the call is foreknowledge, the operation clock of the signal processing unit 1 shifts from the sleep state to the wakeup state, but within the time of the wakeup state (20 sec in the example), When the ringing signal is received, the signal processing section 1 immediately activates the line control means 2 to receive the call. Under such a set condition, if the call is recalled from the meter-reading center B and then called again, the meter-reading terminal A instantly activates the line control means 2 to connect to the telephone line L, so that there is almost no ringing. The incoming call is completed with. In this way, after the meter-reading terminal A has arrived, a key code is sent from the meter-reading center B for performing telemetering (in the figure, "*", "1", "*" are displayed. Signal processing section 1 receives and decodes this key code.

As a result, this key code is previously stored in the memory 5
If it is registered in, the signal processing unit 1 reads the meter reading information from the meter reading meter 7, and the tone signal generating means 3
Is activated to send the meter reading data to the tone signal (for example, DTM
Converted to F signal) and sent back via telephone line L,
When the key code transmitted from the meter-reading center B is not registered, the signal processing unit 1 refuses to read the meter-reading data.

The signal processing unit 1 confirms the registration of the key code transmitted from the meter-reading center B in this way,
After returning the meter-reading data to the meter-reading center B, it returns to the sleep state again to cut off the telephone line, and after the lapse of a predetermined train recovery time, the power is cut off. As described above, according to the meter-reading terminal of the present invention, the signal processing unit is normally held in the sleep state, and when the call signal is transmitted according to the predetermined protocol, the signal processing unit shifts to the wake-up state. The meter reading information is converted into a tone signal and returned. Then, after the meter reading information is converted into the tone signal in this way, the sleep state is restored again, so that power saving can be achieved and the running time of the equipment can be reduced because the billing time is short.

In the above example, the key code is transmitted from the meter reading center. Instead of the key code, a tone signal of a specific frequency is transmitted for a predetermined time, and after confirming the specific signal, the meter reading data is sent. May be converted into a tone signal and returned, or a combination thereof may be used.

[0023]

According to the system of the present invention, by simply connecting the meter-reading terminal to a normal analog public telephone line, the meter-reading center can automatically access the meter-reading terminal installed in each consumer to read the meter. Since it can be performed, it is not necessary to use auxiliary equipment such as a modem, and it can be easily realized by using an existing analog public telephone line.

Further, since it can be used by connecting to the same telephone line as a fax machine having an automatic incoming call function, there is no need to add a new dedicated line, and the installation fee for the user is significantly reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a meter-reading terminal device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example in which the meter-reading terminal of the present invention is used in a copying machine.

FIG. 3 is a schematic system configuration diagram of a telemetering system of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a time chart explaining the basic operation of the telemetering system of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A ... Meter-reading terminal B ... Meter-reading center 1 ... Signal processing unit 2 ... Line control means 3 ... Tone signal generating means 4 ... Tone signal detecting means 7 ... Meter reading meter L ... Analog public telephone line

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A meter reading terminal is called from a communication control interface provided in a meter reading center or the like through an analog public telephone line according to a predetermined protocol, and the meter reading terminal which has received a call in response to this call is read from a meter to be metered. A telemetering system that uses analog public telephone lines that read meter reading information, convert it into tone signals, and send it back to a communication control computer. 2. A line control means for controlling the connection between the terminal body and the telephone line, a tone signal detecting means for detecting a ringing signal transmitted through the telephone line, and meter reading information read from a meter to be metered. , A tone signal generating means for converting into a tone signal and returning to the analog public telephone line, and a signal processing unit, wherein the signal processing unit transmits a call signal from the analog public telephone line by a predetermined protocol. Only when it comes to the wake-up state for a predetermined time, and when the ringing signal is transmitted again within the predetermined time, the line control means is activated to make the incoming call and then the meter reading from the meter to be read. By reading the information and operating the tone generating means, the meter reading information is converted into a tone signal and returned, and thereafter the meter is configured to return to the sleep state. Terminal. 3. The tone processing unit reads the meter reading information from the meter to be metered only when a specific signal serving as a key code is transmitted after the line control means receives an incoming call. The meter-reading terminal according to claim 2, which is configured to operate the generating means to return a tone signal. 4. The meter-reading terminal according to claim 2, wherein the terminal body is integrally formed with a meter to be meter-read.