KR100358885B1 - Automatically Meter Read apparatus for recording a water meter at the outdoors - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automatic outdoor meter reading automatic recording device of a water meter, and to a water meter outdoor meter reading device to enable the outdoor meter reading by using a metering device and lighting means for photographing the water meter and an outdoor connector A portable automatic meter reading recording device (AMR) for supplying power to the connection port of the meter reading device to operate the photographing means, and to store the photographed image information as an image file of a corresponding customer and to read the photographing device; The meter reader connects the automatic meter reading device to the comprehensive management system at the headquarters for water meter reading management, reads and stores the meter photographed image file for each customer stored in each automatic meter reading device, and stores the stored image file for each customer in the OCR program. Automatically read and save as ASCII file, convert the ASCII file into its own operating database file, calculate the usage amount and print the billing paper.

Description

Automatic meter reading apparatus for recording a water meter at the outdoors}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to an automatic meter reading device for outdoor water metering, and more particularly, to a meter reading device characterized in that the water meter installed indoors of each household can be automatically read outdoors.

In general, home meters include water, gas, and electricity meters, which are installed indoors unlike other meters. Therefore, the water meter reader was able to read the water meter only when he visited each household when the residents of the home were at home. Accordingly, the visitor can be visited only when he is at home, and thus, it is difficult to read the meter. Therefore, a method of arbitrarily setting a fee is charged and a bill is used for billing.

In the conventional billing method, when there is a month when residents of each household move or use more water than the average due to special events, water users may have to pay an unfair water rate. In order to read the water supply meter to come in, there is a problem such as a crime to be disguised as a meter reader.

Accordingly, according to 1999 Utility Model Registration No. 0166476, "Water Meter Meter Outdoor Metering Device", which was filed and filed by the applicant, the CCD reader is installed to read the meter reading of the water meter from a portable monitor from the outside. A water meter outdoor meter reading device is available for meter reading using a monitor.

1 and 2, the above-described " water meter outdoor meter reading device " is provided with a predetermined power supply by installing a CCD camera 30 on the upper part of the meter display unit inside the water supply meter 10 compartment installed indoors, as shown in FIGS. In this case, the CCD camera 30 outputs the meter reading device (configuration of FIG. 1) to read the tap water usage information displayed on the meter 10, and the tap water reading information read from the meter device and supplies power to the meter reading device. Power supply for supplying power to the meter reading device from the outdoors through the two connectors (71, 72) fixed to the outdoors by extending the two signal lines 60 from the meter reading device for the purpose It consists of a reading device (configuration of FIG. 2) for reading by the reader, consisting of a device 90 and a small monitor 80 for operating the metering device and displaying the resultant value read from the metering device. do.

This is because a plurality of high-brightness LED device 40 is installed around the small CCD camera 30 to illuminate the space between the waterproof cover 20, the lower half of the fixed plate 50 attached to the upper inside of the hemispherical transparent The cap 51 is attached to protect the CCD camera 30 and the high brightness LED device 40 from external shocks.

The tap water meter outdoor meter reading device pre- filed by the present applicant having such a configuration connects the connector 71, 72 of the reading device configured to be portable by the meter reader to the connector 70 fixedly installed outdoors in each home, When power is applied to the meter reading device, the small CCD camera 30 and the high-brightness LED device 40 in the meter are operated by the external power source, and the contents of the tap water meter 10 photographed are output to the small monitor 80. The meter reader can visually check the meter reading.

Accordingly, the reader can be connected to the connector 70 drawn out to the outdoors regardless of the presence of a resident, and can be checked through a monitor, thereby eliminating illegal inspections such as speculative inspection using the resident member as an excuse, and disguising a crime disguised as a meter. At the same time, it is possible to implement an outdoor meter at a low cost by installing only a small CCD camera and a connector for transmitting the signal to the outdoors while maintaining an existing water meter.

However, the outdoor meter reading device of the tap water meter, which has been filed by the applicant, has the advantage of being able to read with or without a resident, but it may cause an error because the meter should be read by reading a portable monitor. There is a problem that the cost of labor is high and the labor cost is high because of the inconvenience of having to carry the existing meter reading record and using the metering record again by inputting it to the comprehensive management system. And the problem of guessing meter reading could not be ruled out.

Therefore, the present invention further complements and improves the technology of the “waterworks meter outdoor meter reading device” previously filed by the present applicant, and automatically stores the photographed screen of the meter as it is instead of a portable monitor, and automatically reads and manages it. It is to provide an automatic meter reading device of an outdoor water meter.

The automatic meter reading apparatus according to the present invention is an upgrade of the performance of a portable monitor carried by a meter reader, which is one of the contents of the Utility Model Registration No. 0166476 of the waterworks meter in 1999, and the meter reader records the automatic meter reading instead of the portable monitor. Take the device (AMR: Automatically Meter Read) and visit the customer, connect this automatic meter reading device (AMR) to the connector of the meter installed to take water meter. As a storage device, the meter reader returns to the headquarters after reading all the target customers on the day, and connects the meter reading to the comprehensive management computer of the waterworks headquarters to automatically read the value so that the user can calculate the water usage of the customer. It features.

1 is an exemplary view of a meter reading device of the automatic meter reading device of the outdoor meter reading water meter according to the present invention,

2 is an exemplary diagram of a reading device of an outdoor meter reading automatic recording device of a water supply meter according to the present invention;

3 is a block diagram of an automatic meter reading apparatus of the present invention.

<Description of main parts of drawing>

10: meter

20: waterproof cover

30: CCD camera

40: high brightness LED device

50: fixed plate

51: transparent cap

60: signal line

70: connector

80: small monitor

90: power supply

100: automatic meter reading device (AMR)

101: connector

110: rechargeable battery

120: CPU

121: ROM

122: clock generator (RTC)

123: Backup Battery

130: A / D converter

140: MPEG signal processing unit

150: storage means (RAM or Disk)

160: I / O Part

170: scanner

In the automatic meter reading apparatus of the water meter outdoor meter reading apparatus of the present invention, a photographing means for photographing the meter is installed in the cover of the water supply meter, and a connector for supplying power and outputting the photographed image to the photographing means is installed. A metering device such as; A portable automatic meter reading recording device (AMR) connected to the connector of the meter reading device to supply power to operate the photographing means, and to store the photographed image information as an image file of a corresponding customer; The meter reader connects the automatic meter reading device to the comprehensive management system at the headquarters for water meter reading management, reads and stores the meter photographed image file for each customer stored in each automatic meter reading device, and stores the stored image file for each customer in the OCR program. Automatically read and save as ASCII file, convert the ASCII file into its own operating database file, calculate the usage amount and print the billing paper.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail the automatic meter reading device of the outdoor meter reading apparatus of the water supply meter provided in the present invention in detail.

3 is a configuration diagram of the automatic meter reading device of the outdoor meter reading apparatus of the water supply meter according to the present invention.

Water supply meter equipped with photographing means and lighting means for photographing the water supply meter, and a metering device equipped with an outdoor connector, and using a metering recorder carried by the meter reader to supply power outdoors and take a meter image to read the meter. A meter reading apparatus of an outdoor meter reading device, comprising: a connector 101 for supplying power by connecting to a connector of the meter reading device, controlling a meter reading device, and receiving image information; and a meter reading through the connector 101 Rechargeable battery 110 for supplying power to the device, and the A / D converter 130 for receiving the video signal of the meter taken from the photographing means of the metering device through the connector 101 to convert into digital data And an MPEG signal destination which processes the meter-captured video signal inputted through the A / D converter 130 as an MPEG signal for storing as a file. The unit 140, an I / O part 160 for reading the customer's information and outputting the image information, and connected to the I / O part 160, the water meter's identification information of the customer (for example, a barcode) Information), and a file name is determined by the customer information read through the I / O part 160, and the meter photographing information of the customer processed by the MPEG signal processor 140 is image filed. A storage means (e.g., RAM or Disk) 150 for storing the data, and a CPU for controlling each part to supply power to the meter reading device, read customer information, store image files of image information, and output and delete stored files. 120, a ROM 121 storing an operation program of the CPU 120, a real time clock generator (RTC) 122, and a backup battery 123 for maintaining stored information, as shown in the drawings. Though not configured, it is provided with operation buttons.

Here, although the CCD camera 30 is illustrated as a photographing means, in the present invention, since it is not confirmed by the monitor, it is stored as an image file. Therefore, only at least one frame of information needs to be photographed. Therefore, not only the CCD camera 30 but also a digital camera, a DSP camera, etc. can be used as the photographing means. In this case, if the information input from the camera is a digital signal, only the simple filtering without the operation of the A / D converter 130 is required You may also do it.

First, referring to FIG. 1, the metering device for outdoor metering is provided with photographing means and lighting means at an upper end of a waterproof cover 20 installed above the display unit inside a water supply meter box installed indoors. When a certain power is applied from the outside, it reads the water usage information displayed on the meter, that is, the water consumption and outputs it to the outside.

In the automatic meter reading device (AMR) according to the present invention for controlling the outdoor meter reading device to receive and record the photographed image, the meter reader carries the automatic meter reading device 100, visits the customer, and advances the When the customer number bar code or management number attached to the outdoors is automatically read through the scanner 170 and the connector 101 of the automatic meter reading device 100 is connected to the connector 70, the automatic meter reading is performed. The apparatus 100 supplies power to the CCD camera 30 from the rechargeable battery 110 held therein, and the CCD camera 30 sends an image of the current state to the automatic meter reading apparatus 100.

At this time, the automatic meter reading device 100 automatically generates an image file with the name of the customer management number by the software (S / W) program stored in its ROM 121 and stores it in the storage means 150. After repeated meter reading, the meter returns to the headquarters, connects the automatic meter reading device 100 to the input / output port of the headquarters computer, sends the data to the headquarters computer for storage, deletes the data in the automatic meter reading device 100, and charges the battery. Conduct.

Comprehensive management computer system installed in the headquarters is connected to the automatic meter recording device 100 and a serial communication port (for example, printer port) to receive and store all meter reading data of the day stored in the automatic meter recording device 100, LAN On another computer connected to the network, personnel can run the OCR program to automatically read and save it as an ASCII file, convert the ASCII file into its own database file, calculate usage, and even print billing papers. have.

As described in detail above, the meter reader portable monitor of the pre- filed water meter outdoor meter reading device may cause a recording error of the meter reading, etc., but the use of the automatic meter reading device according to the present invention does not record the meter reading at all The occurrence of errors can be prevented.

In the case of the existing water meter outdoor meter reading device, there is a point that the meter reader must carry the existing meter reading record as it is, but by removing such elements, it can increase the meter reading efficiency and save a lot of people. . In addition, it is automatically performed from the meter reading to the recording, and the meter reader can not arbitrarily manipulate the meter number at all, thereby completely eliminating any irregularities caused by the meter reading.

Therefore, the reduction of the management costs can be achieved by eliminating the source of various civil complaints related to the damage of residents and water bills due to incorrect meter reading.

Claims (2)

Outdoor meter reading of the water tap meter, which is equipped with photographing means and lighting means for photographing the water meter, and a metering device equipped with an outdoor connector and a meter reading device carried by the meter reader to read the meter image taken outdoors. In the apparatus, A connector 101 for controlling the metering device and receiving image information by supplying operating power of the metering device through the connector, and a rechargeable battery 110 for supplying power to the metering device through the connector 101. And an A / D converter 130 which receives an image signal of a meter photographed from the photographing means of the meter reading device through the connector 101 and converts the image signal into digital data, and photographs the meter input through the A / D converter. MPEG signal processing unit 140 for processing the video signal as an MPEG signal for storing as a file, I / O part 160 for reading the customer information and outputting the video information, and to the I / O part. The MPE is connected to a scanner 170 for reading water meter identification information (eg, barcode information or customer management number) of a customer, and a customer name read through the I / O part 160 to determine a file name. Storage means (e.g., RAM or Disk) 150 for storing the meter photographing information of the consumer processed by the G signal processing unit 140, and supplying power to the meter reading device, reading the customer information, image A CPU 120 for controlling image file storage of information and output and deletion of stored files, a ROM 121 for storing operation programs of the CPU 120, a real time clock generator (RTC) 122, An outdoor meter reading automatic recording device of a water supply meter, comprising a backup battery 123 and operation buttons for maintaining stored information. According to claim 1, wherein the photographing means of the meter reading device, Outdoor meter reading automatic recording device of a water supply meter, characterized in that any one of a CCD camera, a digital camera or a DSP camera.