JPH10293893A - Radio meter inspection method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To shorten the collection time of information by connecting again a master unit to another slave unit via a radio circuit under the control of an external device after the information on a meter are collected and without cutting the circuit connection between the master unit and the external device and then collecting the information on the meter that is connected to the slave unit. SOLUTION: An external device is connected to a master unit via a circuit (1), and a slave unit of a meter is connected to the master unit via a radio circuit (2). The communication is carried out with a 1st meter and the information on this meter is collected (3). The external device ends the communication with the 1st meter (4). The radio circuit connection is cut between the slave unit and the master unit (5), and an answer telegraphic message is replied to the external unit from the master unit (6). Then the master unit is connected to another slave unit via a ratio connection without cutting the circuit connection between the external device and the master unit (7). The external unit instructs the master unit to perform the next collection of information, and the master unit collects the information on a 2nd meter (8).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wireless meter reading system for remotely measuring meters such as a gas meter, a water meter, a hot water meter, and an integrating calorimeter by wireless communication between the master unit and the slave unit. The master unit connects / disconnects the wireless line with the slave unit on the weighing device side according to the control signal of the external device connected to the The present invention relates to a wireless meter reading method for collecting information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A procedure of a conventional wireless meter reading method for collecting information of a meter (meter) will be described with reference to FIG.

In step 1, a line is connected between an external device and a master unit, and a line connection control signal for starting communication between them is transmitted and received. In step 2, a wireless line connection control signal is transmitted and received between the meter-side slave unit for which information is to be collected and the master unit, and a wireless line is connected between the slave unit and the master unit. In step 3, communication for collecting information of the meter is performed. In step 4, an end message is transmitted from the external device to the master, from the master to the slave, and from the slave to the meter,
Terminates communication for the meter for which information was collected. In step 5, the wireless line connection between the slave unit and the master unit is disconnected. In step 6, a response message to the end message is returned from the master unit to the external device. In step 7, the line between the external device and the master unit is disconnected to complete the meter reading operation for one meter.

[0004] Thereafter, when the external device attempts to collect information on another meter connected to another slave unit or the next meter connected to the same slave unit, conventionally, as shown in steps 8 to 14, the external device is re-established again. Starting from the line connection between the device and the master unit, the same operations as those in steps 1 to 7 described above were repeated.

A procedure of a conventional wireless meter reading method for collecting information of a plurality of slave units by the same master unit will be described with reference to FIG.

In step 1, a line is connected between the external device and the master unit, and a line connection control signal for starting communication between them is transmitted and received. In step 2, a wireless line connection control signal is transmitted and received between the slave unit whose information is to be collected and the master unit, and a wireless line is connected between the slave unit and the master unit.
In step 3, communication for collecting information on the child device is performed. In step 4, an end message is transmitted from the external device to the parent device and from the parent device to the child device, and communication is terminated for the child device from which information has been collected. In step 5, the wireless line connection between the slave unit and the master unit that have collected the information is terminated. In step 6, a response message to the end message is returned from the master unit to the external device. In step 7, the line between the external device and the master unit is disconnected, and the meter reading operation for one slave unit is completed.

Thereafter, when the external device attempts to collect information of another slave unit, conventionally, as shown in steps 8 to 14, a wireless line connection between the master unit and the slave unit is performed. Before disconnecting the terminal, a termination message is always transmitted from the parent device to the child device, and the above steps 1 to 7 are performed.
The same operation as was repeated.

[0008]

As described above, conventionally, the line connection between the external device and the master unit is redone for each meter, so that the time required for the line connection is equal to the number of meters. Before disconnecting the wireless line connection between the handset and the slave unit, a termination message was sent from the master unit to the slave unit.If the number of meters and slave units to be wirelessly read increases, the time required for information collection will increase. Is very long.

[0009] Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to reduce the information collection time when continuously collecting information of a meter connected to a slave unit. A second object is to reduce the information collection time when collecting information on the child device.

[0010]

In order to achieve the first object, a first aspect of the present invention provides a slave unit to which a measuring device is connected, and a wireless unit which performs wireless communication with the slave unit. In a wireless meter reading system including a master unit that reads out the measuring device information of the measuring device together with the information and an external device connected to the master unit, the external device and the master unit are line-connected and controlled by the external device. Connect the master unit and the slave unit via a wireless line, read the weighing device information of the weighing device connected to the slave unit, and send an end message from the master unit to the slave unit according to the end instruction from the external device. After the collection of measuring instrument information from the measuring instrument has been completed, without disconnecting the line connection between the external device and the master unit, the master unit and another slave unit continue to operate under the control of the external device. Connect and repeat to connect to another slave Is characterized in that it collects meter information in the following measuring instruments are.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a slave unit to which a plurality of scales are connected, and a master unit for performing wireless communication with the slave unit and reading the scale information of the scale together with the slave unit information. And a wireless meter reading system including an external device connected to the master device, wherein the external device and the master device are line-connected, and the master device and the slave device are controlled according to control from the external device. And a wireless line connection, reads the weighing device information of one weighing device connected to the slave unit, and transmits an end message from the master unit to the slave unit according to an end instruction from the external device. After the collection of the weighing device information of the one weighing device is completed, the line connection between the external device and the master device and the wireless line connection between the master device and the slave device are continued without being disconnected. The next one connected to the slave again Reads meter information amount unit, likewise repeated to collect meter information of the next meter, characterized by omitting the time for a wireless line connection between the master unit and the slave unit again.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, after transmitting an end message from the master unit to the slave unit and terminating the collection of the measuring device information from the measuring device, a message for the end response is returned to the external device. In this case, the measuring device information of the next measuring device is repeatedly collected in the same manner, and the time required for responding to the external device is omitted.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the second object, a slave unit connected to a measuring device, and wireless communication with the slave device, and the measuring device information of the measuring device together with the slave device information. In a wireless meter reading system composed of a master unit for reading out and an external device connected to the master unit, the external device and the master unit are line-connected, and the master unit and the slave unit are controlled according to the control from the external device. Is connected to a wireless line, the slave unit information of the slave unit is read, and according to an end instruction from an external device,
Without transmitting a termination message from the master unit to the slave unit, the wireless line between the slave unit and the master unit is cut off, and the line connection between the external device and the master unit is cut off, and the It is characterized in that slave unit information is collected.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a slave unit to which a measuring device is connected, a master device for performing wireless communication with the slave device and reading the measuring device information of the measuring device together with the slave device information, In a wireless meter reading system including an external device connected to a parent device, a line connection is made between the external device and the parent device, and the parent device and the child device are wirelessly controlled according to control from the external device. Line connection, read the slave unit information of the slave unit, and according to the end instruction from the external device, without transmitting an end message from the master unit to the slave unit, and between the slave unit and the master unit After collecting the slave unit information of the slave unit by disconnecting the wireless line between the slave units, the line connection between the external device and the master unit is not cut off, and the slave unit information of the other slave unit is repeated in the same manner. And reconnect the line between the external device and the master unit. Characterized in that to reduce the time.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, after a termination instruction is issued from an external device, slave device information of the child device is collected without returning a message for a termination response to the external device, and a response to the external device is made. It is characterized in that the time required for is omitted.

[0016]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an example of a communication procedure when collecting information from an external device for each of the meters connected to three slave units.

In step 1, a line is connected between the external device and the master unit, and a line connection control signal for starting communication between them is transmitted and received. In step 2, a wireless line connection control signal is transmitted and received between the meter-side slave unit for which information is to be collected and the master unit, and a wireless line is connected between the slave unit and the master unit. In step 3, communication is performed with the first meter (meter) via the master unit and the slave unit, and the information is collected. In step 4, an end message is transmitted from the external device to the master unit, from the master unit to the slave unit, from the slave unit to the first meter, and communication is terminated for the meter for which information has been collected. In step 5, the wireless line connection between the slave unit and the master unit is disconnected. In step 6, a response message to the end message is returned from the master unit to the external device.

In step 7, a wireless line between the master unit and another slave unit is connected without disconnecting the line connection between the external device and the master unit. In step 8, after receiving the end response message related to the first meter, the external device instructs the master unit waiting for the next control signal to perform communication for collecting the next information. The parent device that has received the information collects the information of the second meter. In step 9, an end message is transmitted from the external device to the master unit, and further, an end message is sent from the master unit to another slave unit, from another slave unit to the second meter connected thereto, The communication with the second meter from which information has been collected is terminated. In step 10, the wireless line between the master unit and another slave unit is disconnected in accordance with a command from the external device. In step 11, a response message to the end message is returned from the master unit to the external device.

In step 12, the wireless line between the master unit and another slave unit is connected without disconnecting the line connection between the external device and the master unit. In step 13, after receiving the end response message related to the second meter, the external device instructs the master unit waiting for the next control signal to perform communication for collecting the next information. The parent device that has received the information collects the information of the third meter. In step 14, a final termination message is transmitted from the external device to the parent device, and the termination message is transmitted from the parent device to yet another child device, and from the further child device to the third meter connected thereto. Then, the communication with the third meter from which the information has been collected is terminated. Step 1
In step 5, the wireless line between the master unit and another slave unit is disconnected in accordance with a command from the external device. In step 16,
A response message to the final termination message is returned from the master unit to the external device. In step 17, the line connection between the external device and the master unit is disconnected, and the wireless meter reading of the meters connected to the three slave units is terminated.

In FIG. 1, even if steps 6 and 11 are omitted, that is, the return of the end response message to the external device is omitted, it is possible to continuously collect information to the next meter. Then, the time can be further reduced.

In the example of FIG. 1, an example of a communication procedure when information is collected from an external device for each of the meters connected to the three slave units is shown. 3 shows an example of a communication procedure when information is collected from an external device for three meters connected to. In FIG. 2, in step 1, a line is connected between the external device and the master unit, and a line connection control signal for starting communication between them is transmitted and received. In step 2, a wireless line connection control signal is sent and received between the meter side slave unit and the master unit for which information is to be collected,
Connect the wireless line between the slave unit and the master unit. In step 3, communication is performed with the first meter via the master unit and the slave unit, and the information is collected. In step 4, an end message is transmitted from the external device to the master unit, from the master unit to the slave unit, from the slave unit to the first meter, and communication is terminated for the meter for which information has been collected. In step 5, a response message to the end message is returned from the master device to the external device without disconnecting the wireless line connection between the slave device and the master device.

In step 6, after receiving the end response message relating to the first meter, the external device instructs the master unit waiting for the next control signal to perform communication for collecting the next information. The master unit receiving the information collects the information of the second meter. In step 7, a response message to the end message is returned from the master device to the external device without disconnecting the wireless line connection between the slave device and the master device. In step 8, a response message to the end message is returned from the master device to the external device without disconnecting the wireless line connection between the slave device and the master device.

In step 9, after receiving the end response message relating to the second meter, the external device instructs the master unit waiting for the next control signal to communicate for the next information collection. The master unit receiving the information collects information of the third meter. In step 10, an end message is transmitted from the external device to the master unit, from the master unit to the slave unit, from the slave unit to the third meter, and communication to the information collected meter is ended. In step 11, the wireless line between the master unit and the slave unit is disconnected in accordance with a command from the external device. In step 12, a response message to the final end message is returned from the parent device to the external device. In step 13, the line connection between the external device and the master unit is disconnected, and the wireless meter reading of all meters connected to one slave unit is terminated.

In FIG. 2, even if steps 4 and 8 are omitted, that is, the return of the end response message to the external device is omitted, it is possible to continuously collect information to the next meter.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a communication procedure when information is collected from two external devices via an external device via one master device.

In step 1, a line is connected between the external device and the master unit, and a line connection control signal for starting communication between them is transmitted and received. In step 2, a wireless line connection control signal is transmitted and received between the master unit and the first slave unit according to a command from the external device, and a wireless line is connected between the slave unit and the master unit. In step 3, the external device instructs the parent device to perform communication for collecting information on the first child device. In step 4, the external device transmits the first termination message to the parent device, but does not transmit the termination message from the parent device to the first child device, and transmits the information to the first child device from which information has been collected. End the communication. In step 5, the wireless line connection between the master unit and the first slave unit is cut off according to a command from the external device. In step 6, the master device returns an end response message corresponding to the first end message to the external device. In step 7, disconnect the line connection between the external device and the base unit,
The operation for the first slave unit ends.

In step 8, the external device and the master unit are again connected to the line. In step 9, a wireless line connection control signal is transmitted and received between the master unit and the second slave unit in accordance with a command from the external device, and a wireless line is connected between the slave unit and the master unit. In step 10, the external device instructs the parent device to perform communication for collecting information on the second child device. In step 11, the external device transmits a second end message to the parent device, but does not transmit the end message from the parent device to the second child device, and transmits the information to the second child device for which information has been collected. End the communication. In step 12, the wireless line connection between the master unit and the second slave unit is cut off according to a command from the external device. In step 13, a final termination response message corresponding to the second termination message is returned from the master unit to the external device. In step 14, the line connection between the external device and the parent device is disconnected, and the operation for all the child devices is terminated.

In the example of FIG. 3, when the process proceeds to information collection of the next slave unit, the line connection between the external device, the master unit, and the slave unit is disconnected, but FIG. Here is an example of migration. In FIG. 4, in step 1, a line is connected between the external device and the master unit, and a line connection control signal for starting communication between them is transmitted and received. In step 2, a wireless line connection control signal is transmitted and received between the master unit and the first slave unit according to a command from the external device, and a wireless line is connected between the slave unit and the master unit. In step 3, the external device
Communication is performed to instruct the master unit to collect information on the first slave unit. In step 4, the external device sends the first
Although the second termination message is transmitted, the parent device does not transmit the termination message to the first child device, and terminates communication with the collected first child device. In step 5, the wireless line connection between the master unit and the first slave unit is cut off according to a command from the external device. In step 6, a termination response message corresponding to the first termination message is returned from the parent device to the external device, but the line connection between the external device and the parent device is not cut off.

In step 7, a wireless line connection control signal is transmitted and received between the master unit and the second slave unit in accordance with a command from the external device, and a wireless line is connected between the slave unit and the master unit. I do. In step 8, the external device instructs the parent device to perform communication for collecting information on the first child device. In step 9, the external device transmits a second end message to the master unit, but does not send the end message from the master unit to the second slave unit, and transmits the information to the second slave unit for which information has been collected. End the communication. In step 10, the wireless line connection between the master unit and the second slave unit is cut off according to a command from the external device. In step 11, a final termination response message for the second termination message is returned from the parent device to the external device, but the line connection between the external device and the parent device is not cut off.

In step 12, in response to a command from the external device, a wireless line connection control signal is transmitted and received between the master unit and the third slave unit, and a wireless line is connected between the slave unit and the master unit. I do. In step 13, the external device instructs the parent device to perform communication for collecting information on the third child device. In step 14, a third end message is transmitted from the external device to the parent device, but the termination message is not transmitted from the parent device to the third child device, but the third End the communication. In step 15, the wireless line connection between the master unit and the third slave unit is cut off according to a command from the external device. In step 16, a final termination response message corresponding to the third termination message is returned from the master unit to the external device. In step 17, the line connection between the external device and the master unit is disconnected, and the operation for all slave units is terminated.

In FIG. 4, even if steps 6 and 11, that is, the return of the end response message to the external device is omitted, it is possible to continuously collect information to the next slave unit.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 show different examples of connecting the external control device to the base unit 1 and collecting meter information. FIG. 5 shows a case of a mobile wireless meter reading in which the master unit 1 is connected to the handy terminal 2 and the master unit 1 and the slave unit 3 perform wireless communication to read out information of a meter. FIG. 6 shows a fixed wireless meter reading in which the base unit 1 is connected to the terminal network control device 4, the base unit 1 and the handset 3 perform wireless communication, and reads out meter information using the telephone line 5. Is the case. FIG. 7 shows that the master unit 1 is connected to the centralized data control unit 6 connected to the terminal network control unit 4, and the master unit 1 and the slave unit 3 are connected.
This is a case of fixed wireless meter reading in which wireless communication is carried out with the use of the telephone line 5 and information of the meter is read out using the telephone line 5.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show an example of connection between the slave unit 3 and the meter 7. In FIG. 8, when one meter 7 is connected to one slave unit 3, FIG. Is a case where a plurality of meters 7 are connected by a distributor 8.

FIG. 10 shows an example of the master unit 1, in which a control signal from an external device is received by the data input / output unit 9, and the control unit 10 refers to information stored in the storage unit 11 based on the control signal. To control the wireless transmission / reception unit 12 to establish a wireless line connection with the slave unit 3, perform wireless communication with the slave unit 3, transmit the data from the data input / output unit 9 to an external device, or terminate the process. Various processes are performed by controlling electronic messages and the like. The parent device 1 in this example has a power supply 13 built-in.

[0035]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when information on each of the meters connected to a plurality of slaves is continuously collected, the external device and the master are connected to each other. Since the information of the next meter is collected without disconnecting the line connection, the time for reconnecting the external device and the master unit can be omitted, and the time required for collecting the information of the meter can be reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when information on a plurality of meters connected to the same slave unit is continuously collected, the time required for reconnecting the wireless line between the master unit and the slave unit. Can also be omitted, so that time can be reduced.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the end response message after the information collection of a certain meter is completed is not returned to the external device, the process shifts to the information collection of the next meter. Time can be reduced.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when collecting information on the slave unit, the wireless line between the slave unit and the master unit and the line connection between the external device and the master unit are disconnected. The master unit does not transmit an end message to the slave unit, thereby reducing the time required for collecting information of the slave unit.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, when collecting information on the slave unit, the wireless line between the slave unit and the master unit is disconnected, but the line connection between the external device and the master unit is not established. Without cutting
In addition, the master unit does not transmit an end message to the slave unit, so that the time required for collecting information of the slave unit can be further reduced.

According to the invention described in claim 6, the master unit is
The end response message after the information collection of the slave unit is not returned to the external device, so that the time can be further reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 illustrates a meter connected to three slave units.
FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a communication procedure according to the present invention when information is collected from an external device.

FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing another communication procedure example of the present invention when information is collected from an external device for three meters connected to one child device.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a communication procedure according to the present invention when information is collected from two external devices via an external device via one master device.

FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing another example of a communication procedure of the present invention when information is collected from three external devices via an external device via one master device.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a usage example in which a base unit is connected to a handy terminal to perform wireless meter reading.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a usage example in which a master unit is connected to a terminal network control device and wireless meter reading is performed using a telephone line.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a usage example in which a master unit is connected to a centralized data control device connected to a terminal network control device and wireless meter reading is performed using a telephone line.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a connection example in which one child device is connected to one meter.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a connection example in which a plurality of meters are connected to one slave unit by a distributor.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a master unit.

FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a conventional communication procedure when collecting information from an external device with respect to a plurality of meters connected to one slave unit.

FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a conventional communication procedure when collecting information from a plurality of slaves from an external device via one master.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Base unit 2 Handy terminal 3 Handset 4 Terminal network control unit 5 Telephone line 6 Centralized data control unit 7 Meter 8 Distributor 9 Data input / output unit 10 Control unit 11 Storage unit 12 Wireless transmission / reception unit 13 Power supply

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A slave unit to which a measuring device is connected, a master device which performs wireless communication with the slave device and reads the measuring device information of the measuring device together with the slave device information, and an external device connected to the master device. In the wireless meter reading system, the external device and the parent device are connected by a line, and according to control from the external device, the parent device and the child device are connected by a radio line and connected to the child device. Read the measuring device information of the measuring device that has been, according to a termination instruction from the external device,
After transmitting the termination message from the master unit to the slave unit and completing the collection of the weighing device information of the weighing device, without disconnecting the line connection between the external device and the master unit, the external device continues to be connected again. In accordance with control from a device, the master unit and another slave unit are connected by a wireless line, and the weighing device information of the next weighing device connected to the another slave unit is collected in a similar manner. The wireless meter reading method. 2. A slave unit to which a plurality of scales are connected, a master unit that performs wireless communication with the slave unit and reads scale information of the scale together with the slave unit information, and is connected to the master unit. In a wireless meter reading system including an external device, the external device and the master unit are connected by a line, and the master device and the slave unit are wirelessly connected to each other according to control from the external device. Reads the weighing device information of one weighing device connected to the device, sends a termination message from the master device to the slave device according to the termination instruction from the external device, and weighs the one weighing device. After terminating the collection of the device information, the device is continuously connected to the slave again without disconnecting the line connection between the external device and the master and the wireless line connection between the master and the slave. Reads the weighing instrument information of the next Wireless meter reading method characterized by repeatedly collecting meter information of the next meter. 3. After transmitting an end message from the master unit to the slave unit and ending collection of the measuring device information from the measuring device,
The wireless meter reading method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the meter information of the next meter is repeatedly collected without returning a message for the end response to the external device. 4. A slave unit to which a weighing machine is connected, a master unit that performs wireless communication with the slave unit and reads out the weighing device information of the weighing device together with the slave unit information, and an external device connected to the master unit. In the wireless meter reading system, the external device and the parent device are connected by a line, and the parent device and the child device are connected by a radio line according to control from the external device. The device information is read, and in accordance with a termination instruction from the external device, without transmitting a termination message from the master device to the slave device, disconnecting a wireless line between the slave device and the master device, A wireless meter reading method, comprising disconnecting a line connection between an external device and the master unit and collecting slave unit information of the slave unit. 5. A slave unit to which a weighing machine is connected, a master unit which performs wireless communication with the slave unit and reads out the weighing device information of the weighing device together with the slave unit information, and an external device connected to the master unit. In the wireless meter reading system, the external device and the parent device are connected by a line, and the parent device and the child device are connected by a radio line according to control from the external device, and the child device of the child device is connected. The device information is read out, and in accordance with the termination instruction from the external device, without transmitting a termination message from the master device to the slave device, and by disconnecting a wireless line between the slave device and the master device, After collecting the slave unit information of the slave unit, the line connection between the external device and the master unit is not disconnected, and the slave unit information of the other slave unit is continuously and similarly collected to collect slave unit information. Wireless meter reading method. 6. The slave unit information of the slave unit is collected without returning a message for an end response to the external device after the termination instruction from the external device. 5. The wireless meter reading method according to 5.