JPS6330824B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention is a telemeter system in which water, gas, electricity, etc. meters are read from a center in a no-ringing manner via a telephone line when the telephone is not in use. Without,
When implementing other new services to meter-side terminals, the procedure is the same from the center's point of view for both meter-side terminals on which the new service is being implemented and meter-side terminals on which the new services are not implemented. The present invention relates to a center-to-terminal connection system in a telemeter system that allows connections to be made at any time.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a general telemeter system that performs meter reading via such a telephone line. In the figure, 1 is a data collection center (an electronic computer that processes information), 2 is a center network control device that connects the subscriber telephone network 3 as a communication line and the center 1, and 4 is a no-ringing network control device, which connects the meter 6 and subscriber telephone network 3 in a no-ringing manner (does not ring the telephone bell). This is a meter that counts and stores the amounts used, and when activated by the no-ringing network control device 4, converts these usage amounts into electrical signals and transmits them. 5 is a telephone.

In this system, a function is added to the subscriber telephone network 3 to maintain the connection path of the exchange system during a series of meter readings without ringing the bell of the telephone 5 when reading the meter 6. When a call arrives at the telephone 5, a normal call can be made by ringing the bell with a 16Hz ringing signal and taking the telephone 5 off-hook. No effect. Also, if the telephone 5 is off-hook while reading the meter 6, the no-ringing network control device 4
is disconnected from the line, and the network considers it to be a normal telephone call. To accomplish this, special trunks are installed at telephone offices. By doing so, a telemeter system for centralized meter reading can be realized without affecting telephone service.

The operation of this system and the functions of each part will be explained below. First, the center 1 calls and connects to a special trunk installed in a telephone office in the area to be metered, and then connects to the subscriber's line by sending the subscriber number to the trunk. When connected via the trunk, a 16 Hz ringing signal is not sent out when a telephone call is received, but a ringing signal that does not cause the telephone bell to ring is sent out. This signal will hereinafter be referred to as a no-ringing call signal. When the no-ringing network control device 4 on the terminal side detects the no-ringing paging signal, it closes the line and sends out a terminal selection enable signal. When this signal is detected by the center network control device 2, a terminal selection code is sent from the center 1 side, the code is FS modulated by the center network control device 2, and sent to the network 3.
The no-ringing network control device 4 receives and demodulates this, decodes the terminal selection code, and activates the meter 6 for meter reading. At the same time, a response signal is sent to the center network control device 2. The response signal is constantly sent out while the meter, etc. is activated, and is used to check whether a communication loop is established. Thereafter, the meter value is serially transmitted from the meter 6 to the no-ringing network control device 4 in the form of a message. The no-ringing network control device 4 performs FS modulation on this serial data and sends it to the network 3. The center network control device 2 receives and demodulates this FS modulated signal, and sends it to the center 1. center 1
further converts this serial data into parallel data, checks for errors, and imports it internally. In this way, meter reading from a remote location is realized. When reading meters in the same area, please use Center 1.
The meter reading time is reduced by switching only the subscriber line while maintaining the connection between the subscriber line and the trunk.

In such a telemeter system for centralized meter reading, the no-ringing network control device 4 is installed in each household that has a meter.
It should be as cheap as possible in terms of cost, and should be the minimum necessary functionality.

However, since it is a waste to use the telemeter system as described above only for meter reading, the question has been raised whether it is possible to provide other new services by using this system, and we will respond to this question. As services, crime prevention information collection services, disaster prevention information collection services, etc. have been proposed.

The crime prevention information collection service is not only a passive service where each household equipped with a telemeter system for meter reading has its meter read by the center, but also a service that provides information in case a thief breaks into the household. This is an active service that automatically sends a call from the terminal (household) side to notify the center (in this case, a police station, security guard company, etc.) that a theft has occurred when the device (household) detects theft using appropriate means. . Similarly, the disaster prevention information collection service is a service that automatically sends a call from the terminal side when it detects the occurrence of a fire in each household and notifies the center (in this case, the fire department, etc.).

The system (telesupervisor system) that implements this new service is realized by using the telemeter system for meter reading mentioned above, which has automatic calling function, automatic receiving function, modulation/demodulation, terminal selection connection function, etc. Requires no-ringing network controller.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the main components of the proposed new service implementation system (telesupervisor system). In the same figure, 7
is a no-ringing network control device with automatic calling function,
8 is an automatic calling terminal, 9 is a usage expansion additional device, 10
is the subscriber telephone line. i.e. electricity, gas,
The water meter 6A is connected to the network control device 7 via a usage extension device (adapter) 9, and the originating terminal 8 is directly connected to the network control device 7. Additional device 9
serves to select the terminal (meter) of the meter 6A connected to its subsequent stage, activate it, respond to it, and relay serial data.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a multiplex system in which a telesupervisor system is added to an existing telemeter system for meter reading, and the two systems are mixed. Components that are the same as in FIGS. 1 and 2 are given the same reference numerals. In addition, 1A is a center for the telesupervisor system, and 2A is a network control device for the center.

Now, in the system shown in FIG. 3, even though the meters 6 are the same, those in the telemeter system are directly connected to the no-ringing network control device 4, while those in the telesupervisor system 6A are connected directly to the additional device 9. It can be seen that they are connected via. Therefore, according to the prior art, the connection procedure from the center to the meter 6 in the telemeter system is different from the connection procedure to the meter 6A in the supervisor system.
As a result, not only is operation efficiency poor, but when adding a telesupervisor system to an existing telemeter system, or vice versa, it is necessary to change the connection procedure between the center and the terminal side of the existing system. The drawback was that you could not use the same terminal as is.

The present invention has been made in order to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art as mentioned above, and therefore, it is an object of the present invention to solve the problem of adding a telesupervisor system to an existing telemetry system or vice versa. To provide a center-to-terminal connection method that does not require changing the connection procedure from the center to each terminal and can always be performed using the same procedure.

The main point of the configuration of this invention is that in a system where a telemeter system and a telesupervisor system coexist, a unique address is assigned to each meter as the final terminal, and the center only needs to send that address once. The point is that the meter can be connected in the same way whether it is a meter belonging to a telemeter system or a meter belonging to a telesupervisor system.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Referring again to FIG. In the multiplex system shown in FIG. 3, as explained earlier, 1 is the center (electronic computer) for the telemeter system;
A is a center (electronic computer) for the telesupervisor system. Reference numeral 7 denotes a no-ringing network control device with an automatic call function, which includes a connection port for connecting a plurality of automatic call terminals 8, and a connection port for connecting a usage expansion add-on device 9 for connecting a meter, etc. of a telemeter system for automatic meter reading. , has a connection port for connecting a telephone 5. 9 is when installing the network control device 7;
This is an additional device for expanding usage that accommodates meters 6A, etc. that are subject to automatic meter reading, and has connection ports for a plurality of meters, etc.

In a multiplex system set up in this way,
How the connection procedure in the telemeter system for automatic meter reading can be used to deal with the meter 6A, etc. will be explained, especially regarding the actions on the terminal side. Now, a no-ringing paging signal is being sent from the network side. On the other hand, when the network control device 7 detects a no-ringing paging signal, it closes the line and sends a terminal selectable signal to the network side. Subsequently, the terminal selection code sent from the center (computer) side is received, demodulated, stored, and decoded. This terminal selection code is determined to correspond 1:1 to the connection port of the automatic calling terminal 8 (plurality) of the network control device 7 and the connection port of the meter etc. (plurality) of the additional device 9, that is, to be determined as an address. (determined according to the system). If a telemeter system for automatic meter reading has been installed in advance, a known code is already used as the terminal selection code (address code) for the meter, etc., so the connection for the automatic calling terminal 8 of the network control device 7 Assign a new code to the mouth. Additionally, the additional device 9
The known codes used in meters, etc. are assigned as they are. The network control device 7 decodes the received terminal selection code, checks whether it matches the code assigned to the connection port for the automatic calling terminal 8 of the network control device 7, and if there is a matching code, For example, the corresponding terminal connection port is activated, the automatic calling terminal 8 is connected, and a response signal is sent to the network. In this way, the automatic calling terminal 8 can also automatically receive calls using the no-ringing method.

If a code other than the code assigned to the automatic transmission terminal 8 of the network control signal 7 is received, the connection port for usage expansion is activated, the connection is made with the additional device 9 for usage expansion, and the code is sent to the additional device 9. and transmits the stored terminal selection code. The additional device 9 receives this and
It memorizes and decodes it, checks whether it matches the code assigned to itself, and if it matches, activates the connection port and connects it to the meter 6A, etc. It also sends a second response signal to the network control device 7 indicating that the connection has been completed. Upon receiving the second response signal from the additional device 9, the network control device 7
Sends a response signal to the network side. When the center 1 detects the response signal via the center network control device 2, it can be confirmed that the connection to the meter 6A etc. is completed.

Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the terminal side connection in the telemeter system shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation when connecting the terminal side in the telemeter system shown in Fig. 1. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing movements on the terminal side when making a connection. Comparing FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, it can be seen that the procedures between the network and the no-ringing network control device and between the network and the no-ringing network control device with an automatic call function are exactly the same. Therefore, by taking the above procedure, even if a telesupervisor system as shown in FIG. 3 is added, system multiplexing can be realized without changing the connection procedure of the preceding system.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the usage expansion additional device 9 used in the present invention. In the figure, 92 is a terminal selection code decoding section, 93 is a second response signal sending section, 94 is a terminal selection section, 95 is a bidirectional data line, 96 is a response signal line, and 97 is a power supply line.

In FIG. 6, first, this device 9 is connected to a power line 97 from a no-ringing network control device with an automatic calling function.
It starts up and connects when power is supplied to it. Subsequently, a terminal selection code is transmitted via the bidirectional data line 95. This is received and decoded by the selection code decoding section 92, and the corresponding connection port is selected by the terminal selection section 9.
Connect to the meter 6A etc. via 4. At the same time, the second response signal transmitter 93 transmits a second response via the response signal line 96.

According to this invention, even after the installation of an automatic meter reading telemeter system using the no-ringing method, it is possible to install multiple service systems using the no-ringing method on the same subscriber line without being restricted by this, and thereby, the existing system Since the system can be operated without changing the connection procedure between the center and terminals, the overall system has the advantage of being able to be installed and operated at a minimum cost.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described with respect to a connection system between a center and a terminal when the terminal side is expanded in system multiplexing using a no-ringing method using a subscriber telephone network. By the way, even in the current subscriber telephone network, it is possible to multiplex and expand the system in a similar manner if there is no need to take into account calls.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a general telemeter system that reads meters via a telephone line, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the main components of a proposed new service implementation system (telesupervisor system), Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a multiplex system in which a telemeter system and a telesupervisor system coexist, Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the terminal side in the telemeter system shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the movement of the terminal side when connecting to a meter etc. via an additional device in the multiplex system, and FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the expansion additional device used in the present invention. be. Explanation of symbols, 1... Center, 2... Center network control device, 3... Subscriber telephone network, 4... No-ringing network control device, 5... Telephone, 6... Meter, 7
. . . No-ringing network control device with automatic calling function, 8 . . . Automatic calling terminal, 9 . Department, 94...
...terminal selection section, 95...bidirectional data line, 96...
...Response signal line, 97...Power line.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A center connected to a telephone network via a center network control device, a telephone connected to a telephone line from the telephone network, and a no-ringing network control device connected to the telephone line near the telephone. (hereinafter referred to as a first network control device) and a meter etc. connected to the first network control device. When the telephone is not in use, the center is connected to the meter etc. via a telephone line, and the meter etc. A no-ringing network control device (hereinafter referred to as a second network control device) with an automatic dialing function that enables the collection of meter reading data, etc., and is connected to a telephone line near a telephone connected to a telephone line from the telephone network. , further comprising an automatic calling terminal connected to the second network control device, and a meter etc. also connected to the second network control device via an additional device for expanding usage, and in addition to collecting meter reading data, A telesupervisor which also enables an automatic remote monitoring service for terminals from the center side by automatically calling the center from the terminal side using the automatic calling terminal and sending data regarding matters to be monitored on the terminal side. In a telemeter system that also serves as a visor, a unique address is assigned to each of the meters, etc. as the final terminal, and when connecting from the center to the meters, etc. connected to the first network control device,
This is done by sending the address of the meter from the center to the first network control device, and when connecting from the center to the meter etc. connected to the second network control device via the usage expansion device, The address of the meter is sent from the center to the second network control device, and the second network control device examines the received address to determine that it is not the address of an automatic oscillation terminal directly connected to itself. After knowing the
The address is sent to an additional device for usage expansion, and the additional device decodes the address and connects to the corresponding meter. Even if the final terminal is a meter etc. connected via the first network control device, Second
A connection method between a center and a terminal in a telemeter system, characterized in that the connection procedure to the final terminal as seen from the center side is the same even if the meters are connected via a network control device.