JPH09247282A - Automatic meter inspecting system of integration type - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To use a network controller for centralizedly inspecting meters by the different enterprises of electricity, gas, water, etc., in common by allowing the center equipment of each enterprise to communicate with the network controller through a public telephone line so as to automatically inspect each meter. SOLUTION: This system is provided with transmission repeating boards 22 for communicating with the using meter 10 of each enterprise of electricity, gas, water, etc., through a communication line and the network controller for centralizedly inspecting the meters 20 for respectively communicating with these plural transmission repeating boards 22 through communication lines. The controller 20 is provided for each residential building connected to the boards 22 connected with plural meters 10 through private lines 21 from plural ports and is provided with center equipments 1A to 1C for each enterprise of electricity, gas, water, etc. The center equipments 1A to 1C for each enterprise communicates with the controller 20 through the public telephone line to automatically inspect each meter 10. Thereby an automatic meter inspecting system of an integration type which is used by the different enterprises of electricity, gas, water, etc., in common.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an integrated automatic meter reading system for automatically metering meters used for electricity, gas, water, etc. through a public telephone line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 10 shows, for example, JP-A-5-260569.
It is a block diagram which shows the conventional automatic meter-reading system shown by the publication. In FIG. 10, 1 is a center device having a sending center side network control device 1a and a receiving center side network control device 1b, 3 is an exchange connected to the center device 1 via a telephone line 2a, and 4 is a telephone line 2b. An exchange connected to the exchange 3 via the above-mentioned exchange 3, 5 a no-ringing trunk connected to the exchange 4, 6 a network controller connected to the exchange 4 via the telephone line 2c, 8 a network controller 6 by a dedicated line 7
A centralized meter reading board 10 connected to the central meter reading board 10 connected to the centralized meter reading board 8 by a dedicated line 9 is a meter for electricity, gas, water or the like having a communication function.

Next, the operation according to the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG.
Description will be made with reference to the communication sequence between the center side and the terminal side in the case of the center side call shown in FIG. 1 and the communication sequence between the center side and the terminal side in the case of the terminal side call shown in FIG. First, in the case of the call from the center side, in FIG. 11, the telephone number of the no-linking trunk is transmitted from the center device 1 to the exchange 3 via the center side network control device 1a. Exchange 3
Connects the telephone line to the exchange 4 on the terminal side by the telephone number of the no-linking trunk from the center device 1.

Upon receiving the response signal from the exchange 4, the center apparatus 1 sends out the terminal telephone number of the telephone 11 on the terminal side. The exchange 4 is an NRS that is a business entity identification number that changes depending on the business entity instructed by the terminal telephone number after connecting to the line of the telephone 11 with the terminal telephone number.
Send a signal. The network control device 6 receives this NRS signal and returns an ANS signal as a response signal when it matches the preset NRS number, and then starts communication between the center device 1 and the centralized meter reading board 8.

[0005] Several network control devices 6 may be connected to a telephone line in parallel only for business entities such as electricity, gas and water. In that case, the corresponding network control device 6 is indicated by an NRS signal.
Is selected. The telephone 11 on the terminal side is controlled by the exchange 4 or the network control device 6 so that the bell does not ring. This is a commonly used NTT no ringing service. The network control device 6 communicates with the meter 10 via the centralized meter reading board 8 in response to a command from the center device 1, relays a message from the meter 10 and transmits the message to the center device 1. In addition, the centralized meter-reading board 8 is set to the centralized meter-reading board 8 at the instructed time by the batch meter-reading command from the center device 1.
After meter reading is individually performed for all meters connected to pair 1, processing such as calling the center device 1 to transmit the meter reading result is performed at a designated time.

Next, in the case of a call from the terminal side, as shown in FIG. 12, the network control device 6 receives a call-out message having a center-side telephone number from the meter 10 via the centralized meter reading board 8, and the exchange 4 Send the telephone number of the center side to. The exchange 4 is connected to the exchange 3 on the center side and gives a telephone number on the center side.
When the exchange 4 calls the center device 1, the receiving center side network control device 1b picks up the call, and the center device 1 and the meter 10
Is in a communication state via the network control device 6 and the centralized meter reading board 8.

[0007]

By the way, in the above-described conventional automatic meter reading system shown in FIG. 10, in order to carry out meter reading of meters for different business entities such as electricity, gas, and water, the network control device 6 is used. It must be prepared for each business such as electricity, gas, water, etc., and the configuration overlaps. In this case, it will respond when it matches the NRS number preset based on the reception of the NRS signal from the center side. However, it could not be an integrated meter-reading system that can be commonly used by different businesses such as electricity, gas, and water.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to obtain an integrated automatic meter-reading system that can be commonly used by different businesses such as electricity, gas, and water.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An integrated automatic meter reading system according to the present invention includes a transmission relay panel for communicating with a meter used by each business entity such as electricity, gas, and water supply through a communication line, and these. Centralized meter reading network controller for communicating with a plurality of transmission relay boards via communication lines, and electricity, gas, water, etc. for communicating with the centralized meter reading network controller via a public telephone line. A center device for each business entity is provided, and the center device for each business entity communicates with the centralized meter-reading network control device via a public telephone line to perform automatic meter reading of each meter.

Further, the centralized meter-reading network control device has a built-in non-volatile memory, in which the meter ID of each meter and the connection terminal number of the communication line connected to the transmission relay board are stored. Connection management information for each electricity, gas, and water meter consisting of a hard address having an address of the transmission relay board and a terminal number of a meter connected to the transmission relay board, and a management number indicating a room in which each meter is installed. It is characterized by storing a table.

Further, the centralized meter reading network control device has a modem corresponding to a communication specification different for each business,
It is characterized in that a modem is selected and communicated by a signal.

Further, the centralized meter-reading network control device issues a telegram requesting the meter IDs to all the meters based on the collective table construction command from the center device, and when there is a response from the meter, at that time. Is stored in the connection management information table, and a management number is set in the connection management information table based on a management number setting message including the meter ID and the management number from the center device. It is what

Further, the network controller for centralized meter reading obtains the hard address of the corresponding meter from the connection management information table based on the meter reading command of the meter from the center unit, and connects the address of the transmission relay board and the meter connection. Send the meter reading message including the terminal number to the communication line connected to the corresponding transmission relay board, and the transmission relay board sends the meter reading message to the designated meter terminal, and the self-address in the response message from the meter. A meter connection terminal number is added and sent to the centralized meter-reading network control device, and the centralized meter-reading network control device transmits a response message from the meter and management information of the centralized meter-reading network control device to the center device. It is characterized by that.

Further, in the case of a telegram containing a meter ID as a meter reading command from the center device, the centralized meter reading network control device, based on the meter ID, a hard address of the corresponding meter ID from the connection management information table. It is characterized by carrying out the meter reading after obtaining.

Further, in the case of a telegram including a management number as a meter reading command from the center device, the centralized meter reading network control device displays a meter of a corresponding management number from the connection management information table based on the management number. It is characterized by obtaining a hard address and performing meter reading.

Further, the centralized meter reading network control device requests a meter ID via the transmission relay board to the meter at the hard address based on the individual table construction command including the management number and the hard address from the center device. Is sent, the meter ID is obtained from the response message from the meter, and the connection management information table is individually constructed.

The centralized meter-reading network control device assigns a hard address corresponding to the old meter ID from the connection management information table based on an individual table construction command including the old meter ID and the new meter ID from the center device. Send a message requesting the meter ID via the transmission relay board, obtain the meter ID from the response message from the meter, and then obtain the new meter ID.
If it matches, the new meter ID is set to meter I.
The connection management information table D is individually constructed.

Further, the centralized-meter-reading network control device collectively transmits the connection management information table to the center device based on an upload command from the center device when the centralized-meter-reading network control device is replaced. The device stores the connection management information table in a built-in memory, replaces the centralized meter reading network control device, and then sends a download command including the connection management information table to the centralized meter reading network control device,
The network control device for centralized meter reading stores a connection management information table based on a download command in a non-volatile memory.

The centralized meter-reading network control device determines that the message from the center device is "management number + message to meter" when the first character of the command message from the center device is a numeral. Then, send a message to the meter with the hard address corresponding to the management number via the transmission relay board, add the management number to the response message from the meter, and use the above-mentioned center as "management number + meter response message". It is characterized by sending to the device.

Further, the transmission relay board sends the connection terminal number and the self address of the meter to the centralized meter-reading network controller when the meter makes a call, and the centralized meter-reading network controller transmits the hardware to the centralized meter-reading network controller. It is characterized in that it obtains an address, knows the business to which the meter belongs from the connection management information table, and notifies the center device of the business to which the meter belongs based on the telephone number included in the message from the meter. .

Further, the transmission relay board is provided with a test device which is connected to the meter connection terminal of the transmission relay board to issue a hard address request command to the transmission relay board. The transmission relay board sends a hard address request command to the centralized meter-reading network controller. To the test device via the transmission relay board with the hard address to which the test device is connected, and the test device is sent to the test device. It is characterized in that the hard address is displayed.

[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An integrated automatic meter reading system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an integrated automatic meter-reading system according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1A, 1B, and 1C are center devices 3A and 3 for each business entity such as electricity, gas, and water supply.
B and 3C are exchanges connected to the center devices 1A to 1C by telephone lines 2a, 4 are exchanges connected to the exchanges 3A to 3C, respectively, via telephone lines 2b,
5 is a no-ringing trunk connected to the exchange 4;
0 is connected to the exchange 4 via the telephone line 2c, is connected to the telephone 11 via the telephone line 7, and is further connected to a plurality of meters 10 by dedicated lines 21 from a plurality of ports. It is a network controller for centralized meter reading provided for each residential building connected to 22.

Here, the centralized meter reading net control device 20 is provided.
2, the center communication control unit 23, the communication control unit 25 provided corresponding to each of the plurality of ports connected to the communication line connected to the transmission relay board 22, and the center communication unit 23. The main control circuit 24 is provided between each of the communication control units 25.

The center communication control unit 23 uses the telephone line 2
Line I / F unit 26 with c, network control unit 27, switching circuit 2
8. NR provided to correspond to different communication specifications for each business
It is composed of a modem circuit 29 selected by the S signal, a CPU 30, and an I / F unit 31 with the main control circuit 24.

Further, the main control circuit 24 has a built-in non-volatile memory 24a.
In a, as shown in FIG. 3, the meter ID of each meter 10, the connection terminal number of the communication line connected to the transmission relay board 22, the address of the transmission relay board 22, and the transmission relay board 22. A connection management information table for each electricity, gas, and water meter is stored, which includes a hard address having a terminal number of the meter 10 connected to each and a management number indicating a room in which each meter 10 is installed. .

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the transmission relay board 22 further includes a communication control section 32, a CPU 33, a meter I / F section 34, and a communication section 32 for communicating with the centralized meter-reading network control apparatus 20 via a dedicated line 21. It comprises an address setting unit 35.

Next, regarding the operation of the integrated automatic meter reading system configured as described above, the communication sequence between the center side and the terminal side in the case of the center side transmission shown in FIG. 5 and the center side transmission shown in FIG. A description will be given with reference to a communication sequence between the center side and the terminal side when the content is a meter command message including a management number, and a communication sequence between the center side and the terminal side when originating from the terminal side shown in FIG. First, for example, when transmitting from the center device 1A to the terminal side, as shown in FIG.
Similar to the conventional example, the centralized meter reading network control device 20 is connected through the exchanges 3 and 4 by the no ringing service. Here, in the configuration diagram of the centralized meter-reading network control device 20 shown in FIG. 2, the line I / F unit 26 includes insulation between the telephone line 2c and the centralized meter-reading network control device 20, impedance matching, connection of the telephone line, etc. Then, the network control unit 27 monitors the state of the telephone line 2c and performs control for no-ringing communication and control according to the use state of the telephone 11, and the switching circuit 28 selects one of a plurality of signals according to a switching signal from the CPU 30. To connect the modem circuit 29 to the line I / F unit 26.

At this time, the exchange 4 sends an NRS signal, which is a business identification number, to the centralized meter-reading network control device 20. The NRS signal is a signal in which signals 0 to 9 are frequency-modulated. It is demodulated by the modem circuit 29 in the meter-reading network control device 20, and is notified to the CPU 30. CPU 30
Notifies the main control circuit 24 of the NRS signal, and the main control unit 2
4 determines which entity the NRS signal belongs to,
CPU3 to select the modem circuit 29 for the business entity
0, and the CPU 30 switches the switching circuit 28 to the modem by a modem switching signal according to this instruction. After that, the main control unit 24 determines that the selected modem circuit 2
9 communicates with the center device 1A. Similarly, when there is a transmission from the center 1B or 1C, the modem circuit 29 is selected by the NRS signal designated by each center device to perform communication.

Here, after the center device 1 (collectively the center devices 1A to 1C) and the centralized meter-reading network control device 20 are connected by the no-linking service, the center device 1 is connected.
FIG. 8 shows the format of a message sent between the centralized meter reading network controller 20 and the centralized meter reading network controller 20. In FIG. 8, a business entity code is a code indicating a business entity, a control code is a code indicating a command content of a telegram, and a centralized meter reading network control device ID is an ID unique to each centralized meter reading network control device 20. An ID preset by the center device is held in a non-volatile memory in the main control circuit 24 of the centralized meter-reading network control device 20. In addition, other blanks such as communication control information and error information are entered in the blank portion.

Now, the content of the control code of the message sent from the center device 1 to the centralized meter-reading network control device 20 is a collective table construction command, and when the connection management information table is generated by this command, the centralized meter-reading network control is executed. From the main control circuit 24 of the device 20 to each communication control unit 25 corresponding to each port, sequentially at high speed through the transmission relay board 22 to each meter 10 meter ID
A message including a request message, a transmission relay panel address, a meter connection terminal number of the transmission relay panel 22 and the like is sent to each communication control unit 25.
Sends a telegram from the main control circuit section 24 as a polling signal to the transmission relay board 22 connected to the port.

The transmission relay board 22 sends a telegram request to the meter 10 included in the telegram to the meter 10 having the designated terminal number when its own address is designated by the telegram from the communication control unit 25. The meter 10 that has received the message from the transmission relay board 22 returns a response message including the meter ID to the transmission relay board 25, and the transmission relay board 22 sends the response message to the meter 1
A response message from 0, a self address, and a message including the meter connection terminal are sent to the communication control unit 25 via the connection port,
The communication control unit 25 transfers the transmission relay board 22 to the main control circuit unit 24.
Pass the message from and the connection port number.

The main control circuit section 24 has a built-in non-volatile memory in which a port number, an address of the transmission relay board 22, a hard address including a meter connection terminal number of the transmission relay board 22, a meter ID, and a place where the meter is connected. In the memory area of the connection management information table consisting of the management number indicating
Write the hard address and meter ID. To set the management number in the connection management information table in which the meter ID and the hard address are written, the management number is set in the table of the designated meter ID from the center device 1 by a message including the meter ID and the management number.

The operation during meter reading operates as follows. When the content of the control code of the message from the center device 1 to the centralized meter reading network control device 20 is a meter reading command including the meter ID or the management number, the centralized meter reading network control device 20
Searches the connection management information table by the meter ID or management number, obtains the hard address of the corresponding meter ID or management number, and connects to the port indicated by the hard address to the address of the transmission relay board 22 and the meter to be metered. Then, a telegram including the connection terminal number of the transmission relay board 22 and the meter reading command is transmitted. The transmission relay board 22 sends a meter-reading command to the designated meter connection terminal when the self-address and the address of the transmission relay board 22 designated by the telegram from the centralized meter-reading network controller 20 match.

The meter 10 returns a response message, the transmission relay board 22 sends the response message from the meter 10 to the communication control unit 25 via the connection port, and the communication control unit 25 sends it to the main control circuit unit 24. The electronic message from the transmission relay board 22 is delivered. The main control circuit unit 24 sends the meter reading message of the meter 10 and the meter ID or management number corresponding to the meter 10 to the center device 1 via the network control unit 27.

If the content of the control code of the message sent from the center device 1 to the centralized meter-reading network control device 20 is an individual table construction command including the management number and the hard address, the centralized meter-reading network control device 20 On the basis of the individual table construction command including the management number and the hard address from the center device 1, a message for requesting the meter ID is sent to the meter 10 having the hard address via the transmission relay board 22, and a response message from the meter 10 is sent. The connection management information table is individually constructed by obtaining the meter ID from.

If the content of the control code of the message sent from the center device 1 to the centralized meter reading network control device 20 is a command for constructing an individual table including the old meter ID and the new meter ID, the centralized meter reading network control device. The reference numeral 20 designates a transmission relay board 22 for transmitting a message requesting the meter ID from the connection management information table to the hard address corresponding to the old meter ID based on the individual table construction command including the old meter ID and the new meter ID from the center device 1. When the meter ID is sent from the meter 10, the meter ID is obtained from the response message from the meter 10 and compared with the new meter ID. If they match, the connection management information table having the new meter ID as the meter ID is individually constructed.

If the content of the control code of the electronic message from the center device 1 to the centralized-metering network control device 20 is an upload command for replacing the centralized-metering network control device 20, the centralized-metering network control device is displayed. 20 is the center device 1
The connection management information table is collectively transmitted to the center apparatus 1 by an upload command from the center apparatus 1, and the center apparatus 1 stores the connection management information table in a built-in memory and replaces the centralized meter reading network control apparatus 20. 1 is sent to the centralized meter-reading network controller 20 by a download command including the connection management information table, and based on this, the centralized meter-reading network controller 20 downloads the connection management to the nonvolatile memory built in the main control circuit 24. Save the information table.

Further, as a message from the center device 1 to the centralized meter-reading network control device 20, an arbitrary meter command message having unique contents regarding the meter 10, such as when changing the meter ID or designating a time zone for measurement, is transmitted. If you want to
It is executed according to the communication sequence shown in. After the center device 1 and the centralized-metering network controller 20 are connected by the no-linking service in the same manner as in FIG. 5, in the command message from the center device 1 to the centralized-metering network controller 20, the message format of FIG. The business entity code, which is the first character shown in Figure 1, is usually given as a character code, but when it is a number, the centralized meter-reading network control device 20 is used.
Determines that the message from the center device 1 is "control number + command message to meter", and from the connection management information table to the meter 10 at the hard address corresponding to the management number via the transmission relay panel 22. To the center device 1 by adding a management number to the response message from the meter 10 and adding it as "management number + meter response message".

Further, the meter 10 is provided with a sensor for detecting an abnormal use which is not normally possible in a gas meter or a water meter, and when these sensors detect an abnormal state, the meter 10 is detected. Notification from the side to the center device 1 is executed according to the communication sequence shown in FIG. That is, when a call is made from the meter 10 side, the transmission relay board 22 sends the connection terminal number and the self address of the meter 10 to the centralized meter-reading network control device 20, and the centralized meter-reading network control device 20 receives the hardware. Obtain the address, know the business to which the meter 10 belongs from the connection management information table,
Based on the telephone number included in the electronic message from the meter 10, the center device 1 of the business to which the meter belongs is notified.

Next, confirmation of connection of the meter 10 will be described. The connection confirmation of the meter 10 is performed using the test apparatus shown in FIG. In FIG. 9, reference numeral 36 denotes a test device, which is used for communication I with the transmission relay board 22.
The / F section 37, a display section 38a for displaying the test result, and a handy terminal 38 having an operation section 38b for sending a hard address request command described later are provided.

The communication I / F section 37 includes a transmission relay board 22.
The handy terminal 38 is connected to the meter connection terminal of the handy terminal 38, and the operation portion 38 of the handy terminal 38 is connected to the meter connection terminal of the transmission relay board 22.
When b is operated and a hard address request command is sent from the handy terminal 38 to the transmission relay board 22 via the communication I / F unit 37, the transmission relay board 22 causes the transmission relay board 22 to send its own address, test device connection terminal number, and hard address request command. To the network controller 20 for centralized meter reading. The centralized-meter-reading network control device 20 attaches the hard address of the terminal to which the test device 36 is connected to the transmission relay board 22 and sends the transmission relay board 22 to the test device 36.
Send hard address to. The test device 36 displays the hard address from the transmission relay board 22 on the display portion 38a of the handy terminal 38.

In this way, the test device 36 is connected to the meter connection terminal of the transmission relay board 22, the hard address request command is issued from the test equipment 36 to the transmission relay board 22, and the transmission relay board 22 controls the network for centralized meter reading. The hard address request command is sent to the device 20 with its own address and test device connection terminal number sent, and the centralized meter-reading network control device 20 attaches the hard address of the terminal to which the test device 36 is connected to the transmission relay board 22. By sending to the test device 36 via
6 displays the relevant hardware address and knows the terminal number to which the meter 10 is connected in the transmission relay board 22 to confirm that the meter 10 in the planned room is connected and make a connection error. Can be eliminated.

[0043]

As described above, according to the present invention, the transmission relay board for communicating with the meter used for each business such as electricity, gas, and water supply through the communication line, and a plurality of these transmission relay boards. Centralized meter-reading network control device for each communication via the panel and communication line, and electricity, gas, water supply etc. for each business entity to communicate with this centralized meter-reading network control device via a public telephone line Since the center device of each business unit communicates with the centralized meter-reading network control device via the public telephone line to perform automatic meter-reading of each meter, electricity, gas, water It is possible to obtain an integrated automatic meter reading system that can be commonly used by different business entities.

The centralized meter-reading network control device has a built-in non-volatile memory, in which the meter ID of each meter and the connection terminal number of the communication line connected to the transmission relay board are stored. Connection management information for each electricity, gas, and water meter consisting of a hard address having an address of the transmission relay board and a terminal number of a meter connected to the transmission relay board, and a management number indicating a room in which each meter is installed. Since the table is stored, the connection management information table for each business entity is provided, and automatic meter reading from the center device of each business entity becomes possible.

Further, since the centralized meter-reading network control device has the modems corresponding to the different communication specifications for each business entity, by selecting the modem by the NRS signal and communicating, one centralized meter-reading The network control device enables the center devices of a plurality of business entities having different communication specifications to perform automatic meter reading of a plurality of meters through a public telephone line.

Also, the centralized meter-reading network control device issues a telegram requesting the meter IDs to all the meters based on the collective table construction command from the center device, and when there is a response from the meter, at that time. By storing the hard address and the meter ID in the connection management information table and setting the management number in the connection management information table based on the management number setting message including the meter ID and the management number from the center device, Since the meter can be accessed by the management number indicating the room number or the like, which is unlikely to change in the future, even if the meter is changed and the meter ID is changed, it is possible to respond.

Further, the network controller for centralized meter reading obtains the hard address of the corresponding meter from the connection management information table based on the meter reading command from the center unit, and connects the address of the transmission relay board and the meter connection. Send the meter reading message including the terminal number to the communication line connected to the corresponding transmission relay board, and the transmission relay board sends the meter reading message to the designated meter terminal, and the self-address in the response message from the meter. A meter connection terminal number is added and sent to the centralized meter-reading network control device, and the centralized meter-reading network control device transmits a response message from the meter and management information of the centralized meter-reading network control device to the center device. This enables automatic meter reading from the center device for each business entity.

Further, in the case of a telegram including a meter ID as a meter reading command from the center device, the centralized meter reading network control device, based on the meter ID, outputs the hard address of the corresponding meter ID from the connection management information table. By performing the meter reading after obtaining, it is possible to meter the meter designated by the meter ID.

Further, in the case of a telegram containing a management number as a meter reading command from the center device, the centralized meter reading network control device displays the meter of the corresponding management number from the connection management information table based on the management number. By obtaining the hard address and performing meter reading, meter reading specified by the management number becomes possible.

Further, the centralized meter reading network control device requests a meter ID through the transmission relay board to the meter at the hard address based on the individual table construction command including the management number and the hard address from the center device. Is sent, the meter ID is obtained from the response message from the meter, and the connection management information table is individually constructed, whereby the connection management information table can be constructed individually by the management number and the hard address.

Further, the centralized meter-reading network control device assigns a hard address corresponding to the old meter ID from the connection management information table based on the individual table construction command including the old meter ID and the new meter ID from the center device. Send a message requesting the meter ID via the transmission relay board, obtain the meter ID from the response message from the meter, and then obtain the new meter ID.
If it matches, the new meter ID is set to meter I.
By separately constructing the connection management information table D, the connection management information table is changed and constructed corresponding to the change of the meter ID, and the new meter ID from the center device is also constructed.
It is possible to check whether or not this matches the meter actually installed, and it is possible to save the trouble of constructing a new connection management information table.

The centralized meter-reading network control device collectively transmits the connection management information table to the center device based on an upload command from the center device when replacing the centralized-meter-reading network control device, and the central device The device stores the connection management information table in a built-in memory, replaces the centralized meter reading network control device, and then sends a download command including the connection management information table to the centralized meter reading network control device,
The centralized meter-reading network control device can store the connection management information table corresponding to the replacement of the centralized-metering network control device by storing the connection management information table based on the download command in the non-volatile memory. .

The centralized meter-reading network control device determines that the message from the center device is "management number + message to meter" when the first character of the command message from the center device is a numeral. Then, send a message to the meter with the hard address corresponding to the management number via the transmission relay board, add the management number to the response message from the meter, and use the above-mentioned center as "management number + meter response message". By sending it to the device, it is possible to cope with future changes in meter message text specifications, and it is possible to communicate with the meter using the control number.

Further, the transmission relay board sends the connection terminal number of the meter and the self address to the centralized meter-reading network controller when the meter calls, and the centralized meter-reading network controller transmits the hardware to the centralized meter-reading network controller. When the call is sent from the meter, by obtaining the address, knowing the business to which the meter belongs from the connection management information table, and notifying the center device of the business to which the meter belongs based on the telephone number included in the message from the meter. It can be automatically sent to the center device of the business to which the meter belongs.

Further, the transmission relay board is equipped with a test device connected to the meter connection terminal of the transmission relay board to issue a hard address request command to the transmission relay board. The transmission relay board sends a hard address request command to the centralized meter-reading network controller. To the test device via the transmission relay board with the hard address to which the test device is connected, and the test device is sent to the test device. By displaying the hardware address, it is possible to confirm the meter connection and eliminate connection mistakes.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an integrated automatic meter-reading system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a network controller for centralized meter reading in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the contents of a connection information management table provided in the main control circuit in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a lock diagram showing an internal configuration of a transmission relay board in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a communication sequence diagram between the center side and the terminal side in the case of center side transmission in the integrated automatic meter reading system according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a communication sequence diagram between the center side and the terminal side when the content transmitted from the center side in the integrated automatic meter reading system according to the present invention is a meter command message including a management number.

FIG. 7 is a communication sequence diagram of the center side and the terminal side in the case of the terminal side transmission in the integrated automatic meter reading system according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a message format between the center device and the centralized meter-reading network control device in FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a test apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a conventional automatic meter reading system.

FIG. 11 is an operation sequence diagram of center calling in the conventional automatic meter reading system.

FIG. 12 is an operation sequence diagram of a meter call in the conventional automatic meter reading system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1A, 1B, 1C Center device, 10 meters, 20
Centralized meter reading network control device, 22 transmission line.

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A transmission relay panel for performing communication with a meter used by each business entity such as electricity, gas, and water supply through a communication line,
Centralized meter reading network control device for performing communication with each of these plurality of transmission relay boards via communication lines, and electricity, gas, and water supply for performing communication with the centralized meter reading network control device via a public telephone line. An integrated automatic meter-reading system for automatically metering meters by communicating with the centralized meter-reading network controller via a public telephone line. . 2. The integrated automatic meter-reading system according to claim 1, wherein said centralized meter-reading network control device has a built-in non-volatile memory, and this non-volatile memory has a meter ID of each meter and said transmission relay. From the connection terminal number of the communication line connected to the panel, the address of the transmission relay panel and the hardware address having the terminal number of the meter connected to the transmission relay panel, and the management number indicating the room in which each meter is installed. An integrated automatic meter reading system characterized by storing a connection management information table for each electricity, gas, and water meter. 3. The integrated automatic meter-reading system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said centralized meter-reading network control device has a modem corresponding to a communication specification different for each business entity, and an NRS.
An integrated automatic meter-reading system characterized by selecting a modem for communication using signals. 4. The integrated automatic meter-reading system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said centralized meter-reading network control device requests a meter ID to all meters based on a collective table construction command from said center device. When there is a response from the meter, the hard address and the meter ID at that time are stored in the connection management information table, and based on the management number setting message including the meter ID and the management number from the center device. An integrated automatic meter reading system characterized by setting a management number in the connection management information table. 5. The integrated automatic meter reading system according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the centralized meter reading network control device reads the connection management information table based on a meter reading command from the center device. Obtain the hard address of the corresponding meter, send the meter reading message including the address of the transmission relay board and the meter connection terminal number to the communication line connected to the corresponding transmission relay board, and the transmission relay board is designated. The meter reading message is sent to the meter terminal, the response message from the meter is added to the self-address and the meter connection terminal number and sent to the centralized meter reading network controller. An integrated automatic meter reading system characterized by transmitting a response telegram from the management information of the centralized meter reading network control device. 6. The integrated automatic meter-reading system according to claim 5, wherein, in the case of a telegram including a meter ID as a meter-reading command from the center apparatus, the centralized-meter-reading network controller is based on the meter ID. An integrated automatic meter-reading system characterized by obtaining a hard address of a corresponding meter ID from a connection management information table to perform meter-reading. 7. The integrated automatic meter-reading system according to claim 5, wherein the centralized-meter-reading network control device is a telegram including a management number as a meter-reading command from the center device,
An integrated automatic meter-reading system, characterized in that a meter hard address of a corresponding management number is obtained from the connection management information table based on the management number to perform meter-reading. 8. The integrated automatic meter-reading system according to claim 2, wherein said centralized meter-reading network control device is based on an individual table construction command including a management number and a hard address from said center device. And sends a message requesting the meter ID to the meter at the hard address via the transmission relay board, obtains the meter ID from the response message from the meter, and builds the connection management information table individually. Meter reading system. 9. The integrated automatic meter-reading system according to claim 2, wherein the centralized meter-reading network control device issues an individual table construction command including the old meter ID and the new meter ID from the center device. On the basis of the above, a message requesting the meter ID is sent from the connection management information table to the hard address corresponding to the old meter ID via the transmission relay board, and the meter ID is obtained from the response message from the meter.
Compared with the new meter ID, if they match, the new meter I
An integrated automatic meter reading system characterized by individually constructing a connection management information table with D as a meter ID. 10. The integrated automatic meter-reading system according to claim 2, wherein said centralized meter-reading network control device receives an upload command from said center device when replacing the centralized meter-reading network control device. Based on this, the connection management information table is collectively transmitted to the center device, and the center device stores the connection management information table in its built-in memory, replaces the centralized meter reading network control device, and then sends it to the centralized meter reading network control device. An integrated automatic meter-reading system, characterized in that a download command including a connection management information table is sent, and the centralized meter-reading network control device stores a connection management information table based on the download command in a non-volatile memory. 11. The integrated automatic meter-reading system according to claim 2, wherein the centralized-meter-reading network controller is a center when the first character of the command telegram from the center device is a numeral. It is determined that the message from the device is "control number + message to meter", and the message to the meter with the hard address corresponding to the control number is sent to the meter via the transmission relay board, and the response message from the meter is sent. An integrated automatic meter-reading system characterized by adding a management number to the above and sending it as the "management number + meter response message" to the above center device. 12. The integrated automatic meter reading system according to claim 2, wherein the transmission relay panel centralizes the connection terminal number and the self-address of the meter when a call is made from the meter. The centralized meter reading network control device obtains the hard address, knows the business to which the meter belongs from the connection management information table, and sends the meter reading network control device based on the telephone number included in the message from the meter. An integrated automatic meter reading system that reports to the center device of the business to which the company belongs. 13. The integrated automatic meter reading system according to claim 2, further comprising a test device connected to the meter connection terminal of the transmission relay board to issue a hard address request command to the transmission relay board, The transmission relay board sends a hard address request command to the centralized meter-reading network control device with a self-address and a test device connection terminal number, and the centralized meter-reading network control device sends the hard address to which the test device is connected. An integrated automatic meter-reading system characterized in that it is attached and sent to a test device via a transmission relay board, and the test device displays the hard address.