JPS6236434B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a relay encoder type meter reading system that remotely and centrally reads meters using meter reading terminal devices to which a multi-stage rate system such as hourly and seasonal rate systems is applied.

Various methods have been considered for centrally reading the indicated value from a meter that integrates the consumption of electricity and the like. However, conventional meter reading systems are designed to cover a single rate; for example, meter reading of the amount of electricity used by equipment that uses late-night electricity, which is implemented in some parts as part of a multi-tiered rate system, requires manual meter reading. I stopped talking. In other words, in this case, the power supply time is controlled by a timer set up for each consumer, the power consumption during that time is measured and integrated with a dedicated watt hour meter, and this integrated value is periodically inspected. That's what I was doing.

On the other hand, from the perspective of recent resource and energy countermeasures, for example, when it comes to electric power, it is being considered to change the rates on a temporal or seasonal basis. In other words, a multi-tiered fee system will be applied. Therefore, there is a need for a meter reading system that can be applied under such a multi-tiered pricing system.

The present invention was made in response to the above-mentioned circumstances, and includes providing a relay device with a number of memories corresponding to the multi-tiered rate system, and integrating the consumption amount of each of a plurality of terminal devices under each rate in this memory. The present invention provides a meter reading system that accumulates accumulated data and returns this integrated data from a central device.

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

Figure 1 shows the basic configuration of the meter reading system according to the present invention, where 1 is a central device, 2 is a relay device, and 3 is a central device.
4 and 5 are dedicated lines as signal transmission paths between the central device 1 and the relay device 2, and between the relay device and each terminal device 3. Or power transmission and distribution lines.
Detailed block diagrams of the relay device 2 and the terminal device 3 are shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, respectively.

First, as shown in FIG. 2, the relay device includes a first data memory 6 and a second data memory 7 corresponding to a multi-tiered pricing system, for example, a two-tiered pricing system.
A monitoring data memory 8 is also provided. Each of these memories has a plurality of registers corresponding to the number of terminal devices, and when a write command is given as described later, a write pulse is sequentially applied to each register at a predetermined timing and sent out in a time-sharing manner. The system integrates the meter reading data from the incoming terminal devices and stores it in a non-volatile manner. On the other hand, when a read command is given to these memories,
First, the contents of each register of the first data memory 6 and the second data memory 7 are sequentially read out, and then the contents of each register of the monitoring data memory 8 are read out. Signals sent from the central device to the relay device include a signal specifying each operating mode corresponding to the two-tiered rate system, and a signal for returning the data stored in the memory, but these signals is encoded and further modulated onto a predetermined carrier wave and transmitted. This signal is inputted to a determination circuit 11 via a coupling circuit 9 and a demodulation circuit 10, and a mode designation signal M, a read command signal R, and a switching control signal E are output from this determination circuit 11. The signal from the relay device to the central device is data read from the memory, and this signal is encoded by the encoding circuit 12,
The signal is modulated by the modulation circuit 13 and sent out via the coupling circuit 9. Signals sent from the relay device to each terminal device include a signal that specifies the operating mode of each terminal device and a call signal that causes the relay device to send data, but the signals are sent to each terminal device simultaneously as follows. Ru. That is, a time pulse is generated by the timer 14 at a required scanning period, and a pulse signal of a predetermined width is obtained from the encoding circuit 15 for each time pulse, and a carrier wave is modulated in the modulation circuit 16 with this pulse signal, and the signal is combined. It is sent out via circuit 17. In this embodiment, there are two types of carrier frequencies, one of which is used when the first rate is applied, and the other is used when the second rate is applied.
The switching is performed by a mode designation signal M from the determination circuit 11.
It is carried out according to the following. The signal from the terminal device to the relay device is a signal indicating whether or not each terminal device consumes the unit power amount for each scanning period. A carrier wave is modulated with the encoded signal and sent out from each terminal device in a time-division manner. This signal is input to a determination circuit 19 via a coupling circuit 17 and a demodulation circuit 18. In this judgment circuit 19, as described later, the judgment circuit 11
The timing of the signals from each terminal device is monitored according to the mode designation signal M from the terminal device, and those that are sent normally are input directly to the first or second data memory via the input data switching circuit 20. However, those that are not sent normally are input into the monitoring data memory. At this time, the start point of the monitoring timing is given by the encoding circuit 15, and the signal sent from the encoding circuit 15 to the determination circuit 19 is also the write command signal W for each of the memories described above. The input data switching circuit 20 is controlled by the mode designation signal M from the determination circuit 11, and the output data switching circuit 21 is also controlled by the determination circuit 1.
It is controlled by the switching control signal E from 1.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the terminal device has two
A first watt hour meter 22 and a second watt hour meter 23 are provided corresponding to the tiered rate system. This watt hour meter has register parts (dials) 24 and 25 that integrate and display the amount of power consumption in the same way as a normal watt hour meter.
It consists of one-pulse generating circuits 26 and 27 which generate a single pulse each time the unit power consumption is determined from this register. The pulses from the one-pulse generation circuits 26 and 27 are transmitted to the switching circuit 2
8 to the 1-bit memory 29 and temporarily stored therein. A signal from the relay device to the terminal device is inputted to a determination circuit 32 via a coupling circuit 30 and a demodulation circuit 31. This determination circuit 32 outputs a mode designation signal M and a start signal S similar to the mode designation signal in the relay device. The signal from the terminal device to the relay device is formed as follows. When the activation signal S from the determination circuit 32 is applied to the encoding circuit 33, the encoding circuit 33 generates an encoded signal according to the content stored in the 1-bit memory 29, that is, the presence or absence of unit power consumption. After that, a clear signal is given to the 1-bit memory to clear the stored contents. The encoded signal is given to a modulation circuit 34, which modulates a predetermined carrier wave, and this modulated wave is sent out via a coupling circuit 30. Here, the signal transmission from each terminal device to the relay device needs to be performed in a time-sharing manner, and after receiving the paging signal from the relay device, each terminal device transmits the signal after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. Sent out. The determination circuit 32 or the encoding circuit 33 may have a timing function for this purpose. In addition, in this embodiment, in order to monitor whether the terminal device is operating reliably when the first charge is applied and when the second charge is applied, the allocation is made to each terminal device. The time slot thus obtained is further divided into a first half and a second half, and the signal is transmitted in the first half or the second half. The timekeeping function for that purpose is also performed by the determination circuit 32 or the encoding circuit 3.
Let 3 have it. In the one shown in FIG. 3, the encoding circuit 33 has both timekeeping functions, and the determination circuit 32 supplies the encoding circuit 33 with a mode designation signal M as well as a start signal S. Note that the judgment circuit 3
The mode designation signal M from 2 is also applied to the switching circuit 28 and the switching circuit 35 to control the switching thereof. The latter switching circuit 35 is for switching so that one of the Watt hour meters can be used to integrate the power consumption at the customer's load.

Next, the overall operation of the system configured as described above will be explained with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6.

First, the central device specifies which rate is to be applied to the relay device. In other words, specify the mode. When the signal for this designation is received by the relay device, the mode designation signal M is sent from the determination circuit 11.
is output. It is assumed that this mode designation signal is continuously output from the time of change to the next time of change. Now, it is assumed that the time has come for the first charge to be applied by this new mode designation signal M, and the input data switching circuit 20 is controlled to switch as shown in FIG. A timer 14 in the relay device generates a time pulse at every predetermined scanning period, which is enough to detect the consumption of unit power on the terminal device side without error. When this time pulse is generated, a pulse signal of a predetermined width is formed in the encoding circuit 15, and this pulse signal is given to the modulation circuit 16. In this modulation circuit 16, as described above, the mode designation signal M from the determination circuit 11 is
According to the content of the above, one of the two carrier wave frequencies is used, and one of the carrier waves is modulated with the pulse signal. The modulated wave is simultaneously sent to each terminal device via the coupling circuit 17.

When this signal is received at the terminal device, a mode designation signal M and a start signal S are output from the determination circuit 32. This mode designation signal M has the content changed from the previous second rate application mode to the first rate application mode, and is output continuously until it is changed again. It is assumed that the switching circuits 28 and 35 are controlled to switch according to this mode designation signal M and become as shown in FIG. As a result, power is supplied to the load via the first watt hour meter 22, and each time the power is consumed by a unit amount (for example, 1 kWh), the one pulse generating circuit 26
A single pulse is generated from the switching circuit 28.
The data is then sent to the 1-bit memory 29 and stored therein.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4, a signal 36 for the first scanning under the new mode is sent from the relay device. Then, the determination circuit 11 outputs the activation signal S. Based on this activation signal S, each terminal device forms a return signal to the relay device according to whether or not it consumes its own unit power amount and according to its respective determined time slot. 37a, 37b, 37c, etc. are transmitted. FIG. 5 shows this situation in more detail. As mentioned above, each terminal device determines in accordance with the mode designation signal M that, for example, because the first mode is currently designated, it is supposed to transmit a signal in the latter half of its respective time slot. For example, the terminal devices 1 to 3 are sending out signals normally, but the mode switching of the terminal device 4 is not performed normally, that is, it is malfunctioning.

When such signals from each terminal device are received by the relay device, the signals are demodulated by the demodulation circuit 18 and then input to the determination circuit 19 . This determination circuit 19 monitors the timing of signals from each terminal device, and those sent at normal timing are sequentially input to the first data memory 6 via the input data switching circuit 20. However, if the data is sent in the first half of the predetermined time slot even though it is in the first mode, as shown in 37d in FIG. , input into the monitoring data memory 8. Each memory accumulates newly input data in the register corresponding to the terminal device.

Scanning is performed a second time, a third time, etc. according to a predetermined scanning cycle, and data is stored and accumulated in each memory each time.

When the first charge application time ends and the second charge application time begins, a signal indicating this is sent from the central device and the mode is switched to the second mode. The same control as under the first mode is performed also under this second mode. In this way, the amount of power consumed during the time when the first charge is applied and during the time when the second charge is applied is accumulated in the first data memory 6 and the second data memory 7.

The central device then periodically (e.g. once/month)
The integrated data is sent back to the relay device at any time or as needed. That is, for example, when the signal 38 is sent out as shown in FIG. 6 in order to return the integrated data in the first data memory 6 and the monitoring data memory 8, the determination circuit 11 of the relay device that receives this sends the read command signal R and The output data switching circuit 21 is connected to the first data memory 6
A signal E to be switched to the side is output. As a result, as shown in FIG.
9, and subsequently a return signal 40 based on the integrated data from each register of the monitoring data memory 8 is formed and sent out sequentially.

As described above, the relay device is equipped with two data memories that support the two-tiered rate system, and the power consumption of each terminal device under each rate application is accumulated in this memory, and the amount of power consumed by each terminal device under each rate application is accumulated in this memory. Since the integration data is sent back, there is no need to provide an integration function for each of a large number of terminal devices, and the configuration is extremely simple because the terminal device only needs to send out whether or not a unit power amount is consumed. Also, if you change the signal transmission form for each mode as in the above embodiment and monitor this with a relay device,
It is possible to monitor whether the operation of the terminal device is normal or not, thereby improving the service. Furthermore, since signals are transmitted by modulating carrier waves, a power line carrier method can be applied in this case, and therefore there is an advantage that existing power transmission and distribution lines can be used as signal transmission paths.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments,
It can be implemented with various modifications. For example, if signal transmission is performed by pulse code transmission, the modulation circuit and demodulation circuit in the above embodiments can be omitted. In this case, a dedicated line is used as the signal transmission path. Furthermore, when applied to things such as supplying late-night electricity to current specific loads, the third
In the figure, the switching circuit 35 is not provided, power is supplied from the distribution line to each individual load, and a 1-bit memory is provided for each watt hour meter.
This may be scanned sequentially. Furthermore, the switching of the operating mode may not be performed by commands from the central device, but may be controlled by the output of a timer using commercial frequency, for example.

In the above embodiment, two Watt hour meters are provided in response to the two-tiered rate system, but these are for service to customers, and from a pure technical point of view, only one meter is required. This will be understood by those skilled in the art.

As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible not only to automatically collect meter reading data in response to a multi-stage toll system, but also to automate the switching control of multi-stage Watt hour meters, thereby increasing the versatility of the meter reading system. ,
Centralized supervision becomes possible.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the basic configuration of the meter reading system according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a specific example of the relay device of the meter reading system shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. A block diagram showing a specific example of the device, FIGS. 4 and 5 are time charts of signals between the relay device and the terminal device, and FIG. 6 is a time chart of the signals between the relay device and the terminal device.
This is a time chart of signals between relay devices. 1... Central device, 2... Relay device, 3... Terminal device, 4, 5... Signal transmission path, 6, 7... Data memory, 8... Monitoring data memory, 14... Timer, 22, 23 ... What Hour Memory, 28,
35...Switching circuit.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A terminal device that consists of a central device, a relay device, and a plurality of terminal devices, and is used to obtain consumption data such as electric power of a consumer corresponding to each terminal device divided into multiple stages such as by time and season. In a meter reading system that collects data from the terminals to the central device via a relay device, each terminal device has a number of meters corresponding to the above-mentioned multi-stages and a designated meter based on a call signal from the relay device at each predetermined scanning period. A means for transmitting a signal indicating the presence or absence of unit consumption of the above-mentioned power, etc. related to the meter is provided, and the relay device is connected to the above-mentioned multi-stage, each of which is capable of individually accumulating and accumulating the number of units of consumption from each terminal device. A meter reading system comprising a corresponding number of data memories and a means for sending integrated data stored in the data memories based on a return command signal from a central device. 2 Between the central device and the relay device and the relay device
2. The meter reading system according to claim 1, wherein a power line carrier method is applied to at least one of the signal transmissions between the terminal devices. 3 Between the central device and the relay device and the relay device
2. The meter reading system according to claim 1, wherein a pulse code transmission method is applied to signal transmission between terminal devices. 4 Switching circuits are inserted and connected between the large number of meters and the signal sending means in each of the above terminal devices, and between the large number of meters and loads such as electric power, etc., and switching circuits are inserted and connected between the large number of meters and the signal sending means in each of the above terminal devices, and the switching circuits are connected to A mode designation signal is sent from the relay device to the terminal device based on the output from the timer, and each terminal device controls switching of the switching circuit at the same time based on the mode designation signal. The meter reading system according to any one of items 1 to 3. 5 Consists of a central device, a relay device, and a plurality of terminal devices, and transmits information from the terminal device via the relay device in order to know consumption data such as electricity at customers corresponding to each terminal device divided into multiple stages such as hourly and seasonal. In a meter reading system that collects data in a central device, each terminal device receives the above-mentioned electric power, etc. related to the number of meters corresponding to the above-mentioned multi-stages and the meters specified based on the call signal from the relay device at each predetermined scanning period. Means for transmitting a signal representing the presence or absence of unit consumption of unit consumption in different formats corresponding to the above-mentioned multiple stages is provided, and means for monitoring the format of the signal from the terminal device is provided in the relay device; a number of data memories corresponding to the multi-stages capable of individually accumulating and accumulating numbers with unit consumption, and a monitoring memory that individually accumulating and accumulating the numbers when signals from each terminal device are defective as a result of monitoring by the monitoring means; and a meter reading system, further comprising means for transmitting integrated data stored in the data memory and the monitoring memory based on a return command signal from a central device.