JPH07336451A - Terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatically report data to a monitor center at the time of connection, replacement, or removal of an external apparatus to or from a terminal equipment by adding the customer management number to which the work is preformed to inputted data to send them to an opposite party. CONSTITUTION:A data setting part 8 not only inputs required data but also inputs data corresponding to the classification of the external apparatus or work contents following a control code at the time of connecting, replacing, or removing the external apparatus like an external sensor 9 or a meter 10 to or from an I/O interface part 7. When the code indicating control data and data corresponding to the classification of the external apparatus and work contents of connection, replacememet, or removal are inputted from the data setting part 8 in this manner at the time of connecting, replacing, or removing the external apparatus like a gas leakage alarm device or the sensor 9 to or from the terminal equipment, the terminal equipment automatically generates data to which at least the customer management number of the customer who performs the work is added, and this data is automatically reported to the monitor center through a telephone line 11.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a terminal device for monitoring the status of a sensor or meter provided at a remote place by using a telephone line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a device for monitoring a sensor or a meter provided at a remote place by using a telephone line has become widespread. For example, an automatic notification system has been introduced that regularly uses a telephone line to automatically measure the amount of gas, water, electricity, etc. used.

FIG. 2 shows a general system configuration.

In the figure, reference numeral 50 is a center device for collecting meter reading value data of a gas meter 54 installed in a general home or the like, via a telephone line 51, an exchange 52 and a telephone line 57. And is connected to the terminal device 53 installed in a general home.

Further, the terminal device 53 includes a gas meter 5
4, a telephone 55, and various external sensors 56 including a gas leak alarm.

The terminal device 53 is registered with data necessary for the system, such as the telephone number of the center to be notified, the management number of the customer, the automatic meter reading date and time, and the automatic meter reading date check and gas leak alarm monitoring. , And external sensors are constantly monitored.

Such a terminal device is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
No. 162061 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-5605
No. 3 or Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-148753, and is generally known.

[0008]

Since the sensor in the external equipment connected to the terminal device detects a change in the state, it is desired to always detect it under a constant condition. If the detection conditions change during use, there is a problem that a malfunction occurs and correct monitoring cannot be performed.

[0009] For example, in a gas leak alarm device, the detection level of gas changes with time, so that the expiration date is set.

Therefore, the gas leak alarm must be replaced with a new one when the expiration date has passed.
In reality, due to inadequate management of the replacement period, smooth replacement has not been carried out in reality.

Therefore, even though it is installed, the reliability is inferior and therefore meaningless.

Further, even in a gas meter and the like, the expiration date is clearly indicated, and the expiration date must be replaced.

In the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-56053, only the data necessary for the operation of the system is set and changed, and the data concerning the maintenance of the external equipment is not mentioned at all.

[0014]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A data setting section for setting data such as a telephone number and a customer management number, an I / O interface section for connecting an external device such as a meter and an external sensor, and an input from the data setting section. The data and the information input from the I / O interface unit via the control unit, a storage unit for storing and storing the data, a line control unit for controlling the opening / closing of the telephone line and the state of the telephone line, and the line control unit. After closing the telephone line, dial the telephone number read from the storage unit, and after dialing by the dial transmitting unit, confirm the response of the dial destination, and send data such as meter value and customer management number. In the terminal device configured to control the data transmission / reception unit, the line control unit, the dial transmission unit, and the data transmission / reception unit respectively, Connecting an external device such as a meter or an external sensor I / O interface unit, exchange or
When a code indicating the control data, the type of the external device and the data corresponding to the work contents of connection, replacement or removal are input from the data setting unit when the removal is performed,
The control unit activates the line control unit, the dial transmission unit and the data transmission / reception unit, and adds at least the customer management number for the above work to the input data to the other party of the dial destination via the telephone line. I decided to send it out.

[0015]

[Function] A code indicating control data from the data setting unit when an external device such as a sensor or a sensor such as a gas leak alarm is connected to the terminal device, exchanged or removed.
When data corresponding to the type of the external device and the work content of connection, replacement or removal is input, the terminal device automatically creates data in which at least the customer management number of the work performed is added to the data, and the telephone line Through
Notify the surveillance center automatically.

On the center side, the received data is processed by a computer for automatic management.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a terminal device, which is connected to a telephone line 11 and is also connected to a monitoring center through an exchange (not shown).

On the other hand, the telephone line 11 is connected to the line control unit 3 to open and close the telephone line 11 and monitor the usage state of an attached telephone (not shown).

Reference numeral 3 is a line control unit, and dial transmission unit 4
And the data transmission / reception unit 5.

The dial sending unit 4 dials the telephone number of the monitoring center according to the type of the telephone line 11.

The data transmission / reception unit 5 transmits / receives data for communication after the monitoring center responds.

The storage unit 6 stores the data of the monitoring center and the like in response to the input from the data setting unit 8, and also stores the meter value of the meter 10 or the state of the external sensor 9. ing.

The I / O interface section 7 connects the external sensor 9 such as a gas leak alarm or the meter 10 or the like.

The data setting unit 8 is necessary for the normal operation of the terminal device 1, such as the telephone number of the monitoring center, the type of the telephone line 11, the management number of the customer who installs the terminal device 1 and the date and time when automatic meter reading is performed. I input various data and I
External sensor 9 and meter 1 to the / O interface section 7
When an external device such as 0 is connected, replaced, or removed, data corresponding to the type of external device or work content is input after the control code.

The control unit 2 includes the line control unit 3 described above,
Dial sending unit 4, data transmitting / receiving unit 5, and storage unit 6
And the I / O interface unit 7 and the data setting unit 8 for controlling each unit.

The meter 10 has a built-in microcomputer and progressively increases the meter value according to gas consumption.
When an abnormal flow rate that exceeds the gas flow rate according to the gas equipment being used is detected, a safety mechanism is provided to automatically close the built-in shutoff valve and stop the outflow of gas.

In the above configuration, the terminal device 1 operates as follows.

The terminal device 1 periodically communicates via the I / O interface section 7 and stores the meter value of the meter 10, and notifies the monitoring center if necessary.

The notification is performed according to the following procedure under the control of the control unit 2.

The control unit 2 monitors the line control unit 3 to check whether a telephone (not shown) is in use. If the phone is busy, wait until the phone is no longer in use.

Next, when the telephone is not in use, the line controller 3 is controlled to close the telephone line 11, and
The telephone number of the monitoring center is read from the storage unit 6 and the dial is sent from the dial sending unit 4. When the sending of the dial is completed, the data transmitting / receiving unit 5 monitors the response signal from the monitoring center.

Upon confirming the response signal from the monitoring center which has received the dial call, the terminal device 1 sends the meter value and the customer management number stored in the storage unit 6 as a series of data from the data transmitting / receiving unit 5.

After transmitting the data, the data transmitting / receiving unit 5 again monitors the data reception completion signal from the monitoring center, and when the data reception completion signal is confirmed, the line control unit 3 is controlled to open the telephone line 11, and The reporting operation ends.

On the other hand, if the data reception completion signal cannot be confirmed within a fixed time after data transmission, the data is transmitted again.

When a gas leak alarm is connected as the external sensor 9, the following operation is performed.

The case where the gas leak alarm is of a type that outputs different voltages depending on the state will be described.

6V when normal, 1 when abnormal gas leak
When 2V is not supplied at 100V due to power failure or disconnection, 0V is output.

The terminal device 1 constantly monitors the state of the gas leak alarm through the I / O interface section 7.

That is, in a normal state where there is usually no gas leakage, a voltage of 6 V is input, and therefore it is judged to be normal based on this voltage.

On the other hand, when the voltage of 12 V is input, it is judged that the gas is leaked and the monitoring center is notified by the above procedure.

When the gas leak is restored, the input voltage changes to 6V. When the terminal device 1 detects this, a notification indicating that the gas leak has been restored is issued in the same procedure as described above.

Next, the case where the external sensor 9 and the meter 10 are installed will be described.

When the external sensor 9 or meter 10 is installed, the data setting section 8 is operated. The control data input from the data setting unit 8 is defined as shown in Table 1, for example.

[0045]

[Table 1]

As an example, when the gas leak alarm of the external sensor 9 is replaced, the control data is "x01".
21 ”. When the control unit 2 accepts the data input of “× 0121”, the control unit 2 determines that the upper three digits “× 01” will notify the monitoring center, and the lower two digits “21” will determine the external sensor A (here, gas leakage). It is determined that the alarm device has been replaced).

Based on this judgment, the customer management number of the gas user is added to the data "external sensor A has been replaced" and the same is reported to the monitoring center by the same procedure as described above.

When the monitoring center receives the data obtained by exchanging the external sensor A from the terminal device 1, the data is input to the storage device to manage the data such as the date of reception, the customer management number of the gas user and the installed equipment. Or output the incoming call list.

As described above, if the data is organized and the list list for which the expiration date is expired is output and checked, planned replacement can be performed and forgetting of replacement can be prevented.

With respect to the connection, replacement, or removal of the meter, it is possible to notify by the same procedure and manage it at the monitoring center.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the procedure described above.

In this embodiment, the meter 10 is of the microcomputer built-in type, but it goes without saying that it is not limited to this type.

Although the meter reading value is reported from the terminal device to the monitoring center, the effect does not change even if the terminal reading device reads the meter reading value from the monitoring center. Is clear.

[0054]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to centrally manage the usage period of external devices such as a gas leak alarm and a meter, and the computer can process the usage period to reduce the usage period. By performing the replacement work before the passage of time, it is possible to prevent the gas leak alarm from being continuously used with low reliability in which the gas detection level fluctuates after the usage period elapses.

Further, even in the case of the meter, it is possible to prevent the meter from being used when the expiration date has passed and the flow rate control is inaccurate.

Therefore, it is always possible to use a gas leak alarm or meter with high reliability within the period of use, and it is possible to ensure reliability.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a terminal device showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a terminal device showing a conventional example.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart in a terminal device showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 control unit 3 line control unit 4 dial sending unit 5 data transmitting / receiving unit 6 storage unit 7 I / O interface unit 8 data setting unit 9 external sensor 10 meter 11 telephone line

Front Page Continuation (72) Inventor Kuniaki Ito 1-3, Shinjyojiyo, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba, Japan 1 (72) Inventor, Junichi Shimizu 3-1, Shinjyoji, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A data setting unit (8) for setting data such as a telephone number and a customer management number, and an I / O interface unit (7) for connecting an external device such as a meter (10) and an external sensor (9). A storage unit (6) for storing and storing the data input from the data setting unit (8) and the information input from the I / O interface unit (7) via the control unit (2); and a telephone line ( A line control unit (3) for controlling the opening and closing control of (11) and the state of the telephone line (11);
A dial sending unit (4) for dialing a telephone number read from the storage unit (6) after the line control unit (3) has closed the telephone line (11), and a dial dial after the dial sending unit (4) dials. Check the previous response, meter (10)
The data transmission / reception unit (5) for transmitting data such as the value of the number and the customer management number, the line control unit (3), the dial transmission unit (4) and the data transmission / reception unit (5) are controlled by the control unit (2) In the terminal device configured as described above, when an external device such as a meter (10) or an external sensor (9) is connected to, replaced with, or removed from the I / O interface unit (7), the data setting unit ( When the code indicating the control data, the type of the external device, and the data corresponding to the work content of connection, exchange, or removal are input from 8), the control unit (2) causes the line control unit (3) and the dial transmission unit ( 4) and the data transmitter / receiver (5) are activated to add the data to which at least the customer management number for the above-mentioned work is added to the input data, and the other party to dial through the telephone line (11). Terminal apparatus characterized by delivering to.