JPH07225890A - Flow rate detector, terminal equipment and meter inspection system using these detector and equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the reading and input mistakes in a meter inspection mode and to improve the efficiency of the meter inspection jobs by converting the detected flow rates of the city water, gas, electricity, etc., into the bar code data and displaying these flow rates in bar codes. CONSTITUTION:A flow rate detector 2a detects the used amounts of city water, gas, electricity, etc., and an A/D converter 2b converts the flow rates detected by the detector 2a into the digital value. These digital flow rates are numerically shown on a display counter 2 by a CPU 2c. The CPU 2c also reads the bar code patterns out of a memory 9 in response to those flow rates changing momentarily and displays these patterns on a liquid crystal display 3 at each prescribed time interval counted by a counter 10. Thus a meter inspector turns a bar code reading scanner of his portable terminal equipment toward the display 3 to read the displayed bar code pattern. This read pattern is shown on the display screen of the portable terminal equipment and also stored in an internal memory. Then this bar code pattern can be inputted to a host computer.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a meter box for displaying the amount of water, gas, electricity, etc. used in homes and factories, a terminal device used for the meter reading work, and a meter reading using the meter box. It is about the system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, water used in homes and factories,
The meter reading work of a flow rate detection device (hereinafter referred to as a meter box) that displays the flow rate of gas, electricity, etc., has been performed visually by a meter reading operator.

[0003]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Conventionally, the visiting meter reader reads the numerical value of the amount of water, gas, electricity, etc. displayed on the counter of a meter box at home, and the numerical value is read by a handy terminal or the like. It was necessary to input data with the keyboard of the portable terminal device and store it in the memory built therein.

For this reason, an error in reading the counter by the meter reader, an erroneous input due to an error in key input, or in rainy weather, the working efficiency of the meter reader to the portable terminal device is remarkably high. There was a problem that it decreased.

Further, depending on the installation location of the meter box, etc., it may be difficult to read the value of the counter.
Even in such a case, there has been a problem that the working efficiency of the meter-reader for the portable terminal device is significantly reduced.

The first object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems by converting a flow rate value detected by a flow rate detecting device for water, gas, electricity or the like into bar code data and displaying it as a bar code. An object of the present invention is to provide a flow rate detection device, a terminal device, and a meter reading system using them.

A second object of the present invention is to enable the bar code displayed by the flow rate detecting device to be read by a terminal device carried by a meter-reading member, thereby improving the efficiency of the meter-reading work. An object of the present invention is to provide a flow rate detection device, a terminal device, and a meter reading system using them.

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems, a meter box according to the present invention comprises a flow rate detecting means for detecting the flow rate of water, gas, electricity, etc., and water flow detected by the flow rate detecting means. , Conversion means for converting the flow rate of gas, electricity, etc. into bar code data, and display means for displaying the bar code data converted by the conversion means as a bar code.

As the display means, specifically, a super twist nematic (STN) liquid crystal display panel,
There are active matrix liquid crystal display panels and the like.

Also, the terminal device according to the present invention comprises a reading means for reading a bar code.

The reading means is specifically an optical scanner device such as a laser scanner.

Further, the meter reading system according to the present invention comprises a flow rate detecting means for detecting the flow rate of water, gas, electricity, etc., and the flow rate of water, gas, electricity, etc. detected by the flow rate detecting means as bar code data. A flow rate detecting device having a converting means for converting, a display means for displaying the bar code data converted by the converting means as a bar code, and a terminal device having a reading means for reading the bar code displayed on the display means. Is used.

[0013]

Based on the above configuration, the flow rate detector (2) of the flow rate detector (1) for displaying the flow rate of water, gas, electricity, etc. used.
The flow rate is detected by a), the flow rate value is converted into a digital value by the A / D converter (2b), and the numerical value is displayed on the display counter (2) by the microcomputer (2c), and by the counter (10). The bar code data corresponding to the digital value is read from the memory 9 and displayed as a bar code on the liquid crystal display (3) at every predetermined time counted. Here, the bar code may not be displayed every predetermined time, but may be displayed by operating a switch provided in the flow rate detection device (1) or the like.

On the other hand, the bar code displayed on the liquid crystal display (3) is a portable terminal device (4) held by the meter reader.
It is read by the laser scanner (5) provided in the. This laser scanner (5) is driven by a microcomputer (11) via a scanner driver (12). The microcomputer (11) stores the barcode data read by the laser scanner (5) in the memory (13) or displays it as a numerical value on the display (6). Also, by pressing the reading start key (7a) provided on the keyboard (7),
Reading of the bar code by the laser scanner (5) is started.

The reference numerals in parentheses are for the purpose of contrasting with the drawings, but do not limit the structure of the present invention.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 reads a bar code corresponding to the usage amount displayed on a meter box 1 which is a flow rate detecting device for displaying the usage amount of water, gas, electricity and the like according to the present invention and its display counter 2. 3 is a diagram showing a portable terminal device 4. FIG.

The liquid crystal display 3 displays the above-mentioned bar code indicating the amount of water, gas, electricity, etc. used at predetermined time intervals.

Further, the portable terminal device 4 is provided with a laser scanner 5 for reading a bar code.

Generally, a bar code can be remotely read by a laser scanner if the contrast ratio of black and white to be read is at least twice. on the other hand,
In a liquid crystal display, the contrast ratio changes depending on the angle at which the screen is viewed, so it is usually shown as maximum contrast. This value is approximately 10 times higher for STN (super twisted nematic) liquid crystals and 100 times higher for active matrix liquid crystals. Has been done. Therefore, with such a liquid crystal display panel, it is possible to discriminate the black and white contrast by the laser scanner from a position facing the screen to some extent.

Further, as a general bar code standard, E
Although AN and UPC are used, the bar size is 0.26
The size is up to 0.56 mm, and even in high-definition liquid crystal modules, the dot size is up to about 0.2 mm, so it is possible to create a liquid crystal display panel that displays a barcode corresponding to the above standards.

Therefore, by displaying a bar code having a line width corresponding to the resolution of the laser scanner on the liquid crystal,
The configuration as shown in FIG. 1 can be realized.

As mentioned above, the display counter 2 is provided on the front panel 1a of the meter box 1. Further, the front panel 1a of the meter box 1 is provided with an individual power source such as a solar cell 8 and the liquid crystal display 3 for converting the used amount into a bar code and displaying the bar code separately from the display counter 2. There is.

The circuit configuration inside the meter box 1 is shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 2a is a flow rate detector for detecting the flow rate of water, gas, electricity, etc., and 2b is A / D conversion of the flow rate value detected by the flow rate detector to convert it into a digital value. The A / D converter, or 2c, numerically displays the digitally converted flow rate value on the display counter 2, or reads the bar code pattern corresponding to the flow rate value (digital value) that changes from moment to moment from the memory 9 and causes the counter 10 to operate. It is a microcomputer (CPU) that displays on the liquid crystal display 3 at predetermined time intervals.

The memory 9 has a part composed of a RAM (random access memory) capable of writing data and a part composed of a ROM (read only memory) capable of only reading data. A bar code pattern corresponding to numerical values, a control program, and the like are stored in the ROM portion.

FIG. 3 shows a circuit configuration inside the terminal device 4.

In FIG. 3, the keyboard 7 has a reading start key 7a, numerical keys, etc., and the microcomputer (CPU) 11 has a reading start key 7a.
The laser scanner 5 is driven via the scanner driver 12 in response to the pressing of a. Further, the microcomputer (CPU) 11 converts the read barcode data into numerical values or the like and displays them on the display 6, or the memory 1
I memorize it in 3. The display 6 may be composed of a liquid crystal display panel or a CRT (cathode ray tube).

The memory 13 also has a part composed of a data writable RAM (random access memory) and a part composed of only a data readable ROM (read only memory). , Character patterns, control programs, etc. are stored.

The meter-reader directs the laser scanner 5 for bar code reading of the portable terminal device 4 toward the liquid crystal display 3 within a range where the laser can reach, and presses the reading start key 7. Here, it is also possible to inform the meter-reader by a beep sound or the like whether or not the reading of the barcode has been completed normally (or abnormally).

The read data can be displayed on the display screen 6 of the portable terminal device 4 and stored in an internal memory so that a meter reader can later input the data into the host computer.

(Other Embodiments) In the above embodiment, the information displayed on the liquid crystal display 3 is only the amount of water, gas, electricity, etc. used, but in addition to this, individual information for each household (household owner) Information obtained by code conversion of names, addresses, etc.) may be simultaneously displayed by a bar code and read collectively.

In the above embodiment, the bar code displayed on the liquid crystal display 3 is displayed at predetermined time intervals. However, the bar code is provided on the meter box only when the meter-reader comes to read the meter box. The bar code may be displayed by the switch provided, or the bar code may be displayed by pressing a predetermined key provided on the terminal device. Further, it may be possible to detect that the meter-reader comes in front of the meter box by a sensor provided in the meter box and automatically display the bar code.

[0034]

According to the meter box and the terminal device of the present invention, and the meter-reading system using them, due to a mistake in reading the counter of the meter-reader or a mistake in the key input during the meter-reading work of the meter box. In the case of erroneous input or rain, the working efficiency of the meter reader to the terminal device will not be significantly reduced.Furthermore, it is difficult to read the counter value depending on the installation location of the meter box. Even in such a case, it is possible to solve the problem that the working efficiency of the meter-reader for the terminal device is significantly reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a flow rate detection device (meter box) and a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a circuit configuration of a flow rate detection device (meter box) according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a circuit configuration of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Meter Box 2 Display Counter 2a Flow Rate Detector 2b A / D Converter 2c Micro Computer (CPU) 3 Liquid Crystal Display 4 Portable Terminal Device 5 Laser Scanner 6 Display Screen 7 Keyboard 7a Reading Start Key 8 Power Supply 9, 13 Memory 10 Counter 11 Microcomputer (CPU) 12 Scanner driver

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical display location G06K 7/00 U 9069-5L

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A flow rate detecting means for detecting a flow rate of water, gas, electricity, etc .; a converting means for converting the flow rate of water, gas, electricity, etc. detected by the flow rate detecting means into bar code data; And a display unit for displaying the bar code data converted by the unit as a bar code. 2. A terminal device having reading means for reading a bar code displayed on the liquid crystal display means. 3. Flow rate detecting means for detecting the flow rate of water, gas, electricity, etc., and water detected by the flow rate detecting means,
A flow rate detection device having a conversion means for converting the flow rate of gas, electricity, etc. into bar code data, and a display means for displaying the bar code data converted by the conversion means as a bar code, and the flow rate detection device displayed on the display means. A meter-reading system using a terminal device for meter-reading having a reading means for reading a barcode.