KR20020024959A - The remote-metering system using wireless cell-telephone mode - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: Provided is a remote system for a gauge examination by using a radio cell method, which can maximize the velocity and the accuracy of the gauge examination for distant consumers and can reduce the cost of management and can manage the matters of the gauge examination efficiently. CONSTITUTION: The remote system for the gauge examination comprises: a computer(100) for the gauge examination for centrally managing the remote gauge examination of the consumers(300); a telephone office system(200) connected with the computer(100) by a telephone line; a plurality of radio base stations(250) established in every distant places with regular cell-radius; a plurality of radio gauges(350) installed at a plurality of consumers(300) in the distant places, which transmits the values of the gauge examination wirelessly.

Description

Remote metering system using wireless cell method {The remote-metering system using wireless cell-telephone mode}

The present invention relates to a remote meter reading system using a wireless cell method, and more particularly, by installing a wireless meter base station at a remote location of a certain radius to remotely read a plurality of consumer meters by cell, thereby facilitating meter reading. The present invention relates to a remote meter reading system using a wireless cell method that can improve meter reading speed and reduce costs.

In general, charges for electricity, gas, water, and the like used in homes and offices are charged for the current month's usage after the meter readers read the accumulated meter value of each meter each month. However, the conventional meter reading method by the meter reader not only has a lot of problems in terms of metering time and management costs, but also has a cause of complaints due to a missing meter or a meter reading error.

Accordingly, in order to solve the above problems, a remote meter reading system has been sought in various ways, such as a meter using a telephone line or a power line, a method using a meter reading wireless terminal, and the like.

However, the conventional method of meter reading by a telephone line is to remotely read the meter while the meter computer and the phone and the meter sensor of each customer are interconnected. But there is a problem of excessive phone costs. In addition, it is not easy to cope with the replacement, dismantling, breakdown of the telephone of the customer, and in this case, there are many problems in implementation such as the impossibility of meter reading.

In addition, the method using the wireless meter for meter reading is that the meter reader approaches the customer and wirelessly reads the usage of the nearby meter. Effective meter reading has its limits.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to maximize the meter reading speed and accuracy for remote customers and to reduce the management cost as well as to wirelessly manage the metering information of each customer It is to provide a remote meter reading system using a cellular method.

1 is a view showing a schematic configuration of a remote meter reading system using a wireless cellular system according to the present invention.

2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a dial-up modem of a remote meter reading computer according to the present invention.

Figure 3 is a block diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of a remote radio base station according to the present invention.

Figure 4 is a block diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of a wireless meter according to the present invention.

5 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the wireless meter reader of the wallpaper consumer according to the present invention.

6A and 6B are flowcharts illustrating one embodiment of a remote meter reading method according to the present invention;

<Description of Symbols for Main Parts of Drawings>

100. Meter computer 200. Telephone station system

250. Remote base station 300. Audience

350. Wireless meter 400. Wallpaper consumer

450. Meter reading phones 21, 31, 41, 51. Microprocessor

22,32,52. Hook switch 23, 33, 53. DTMF Decoder

24,34,54. DTMF Encoder Telephone ring detection circuit

36,42,56. RF Module 43. Unique number storage

44. A / D conversion unit Meter Reading Sensor

46. Accumulation storage

In order to achieve the above object, the remote meter reading system using the wireless cellular system according to the present invention is provided with a system DB and a dial-up modem, connected to a plurality of wireless base stations and telephone lines, to a large number of customers in a remote location in charge of each wireless base station. A metering computer for remote metering and managing meter readings; A wireless base station connected to the meter reading computer by a telephone line and wirelessly connected to a plurality of wireless meters for a remote site allocated to the remote site by a wireless transmission / reception function; And a wireless meter having a wireless transmission / reception function and wirelessly connected to a corresponding wireless base station and identifying a metering command of the metering computer to transmit a metering value to the meter.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a view showing a schematic configuration of a remote meter reading system using a wireless cell method according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention provides a meter reading computer 100 for centrally managing a remote meter reading of each customer, a telephone station system 200 connected to the meter reading computer 100 by a telephone line, and a predetermined cell radius. A plurality of wireless base stations 250 installed at each remote location of the plurality of wireless meters 350 built in a plurality of customers 300 in the remote location is made in conjunction with each other, the wallpaper station 400 for the telephone station system 200 And a meter reading telephone 450 connected with a telephone line and a plurality of radiometers 350.

The metering computer 100 is a computer having a system DB, a processing device, a dial-up modem, a metering program, and the like. The metering machine dials each wireless base station 250 or individual customer 400 by the metering program. Send a command, receive meter reading information, and manage it by database.

In the system DB, the address, telephone number, unique number of the meter, the previous month's reading amount, the current month's reading amount, the current month's usage, etc. are databased in the system DB, and each wireless base station 250 of each remote location has a plurality of customers 300. It is managed as the telephone number.

The dial-up modem is for the meter reading computer 100 to transmit and receive telephone signals to and from the wireless base station 250 or the individual customer 400 in conjunction with the telephone station system 200, the processing through the parallel or serial port Connected with the device.

2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a dial-up modem of the metering computer 100. The dial-up modem is connected to a computer processing apparatus through a serial port (or a parallel port) to operate the dial-up modem in general. A microprocessor 21 for processing a signal, a hook switch 22 for turning on / off a telephone line with a telephone station system, a DTMF decoder 23 for interpreting a DTMF (Dual Tone Multiful Frequency) signal from a telephone station, and a computer. And a DTMF encoder 24 which transmits the transmission data from the 100 by changing the DTMF signal.

The reading process of the metering computer 100 through the dial-up modem briefly described as follows.

First, as the computer 100 starts a meter reading by selecting a specific remote location or individual customer by the operation of the processing device and the meter reading program, the microprocessor 21 turns on the hook switch 22 to turn on the telephone station system 200. ) And establish a telephone line.

Then, the microprocessor 21 operates the DTMF encoder 24 to convert the telephone number of the corresponding remote place from the computer 100 into a DTMF signal and transmit it to the telephone station system 200. In addition, when a telephone line is established with the corresponding remote site, a DTMF signal for the meter reading command signal is generated and transmitted to the remote site.

The meter reading command signal includes a unique number and metering information of the meter on the bed.

In addition, meter reading information from a remote location is analyzed and received through the DTMF decoder 23.

On the other hand, the wireless base station 250 is installed in a fixed radius or a number of customers in a densely populated area, such as downtown, residential area, building, etc., and has a short-range output and a different frequency band from neighboring base stations like the wireless base station 250 of the general mobile Wirelessly by RF (Radio Frequency).

The internal configuration of the wireless base station 250, as shown in Figure 3, is connected via the telephone line system 200 and the telephone line hook switch 32 for turning on / off the telephone line, DTMF decoder 33 for interpreting the DTMF signal Detection of the telephone ring signal from the DTMF encoder 34, the microprocessor 31 for controlling the overall operation of the wireless base station 250, and the telephone station system 200, which is converted into a DTMF signal, and notified to the microprocessor 31. It includes a circuit 35, and an RF module 36 for transmitting and receiving a radio signal with each wireless meter 350 in a remote location.

When the telephone station system 200 transmits a telephone ring signal to the telephone line of the remote site according to the telephone number information from the meter reading computer 100, the telephone ring detection circuit 35 detects this and transmits it to the microprocessor 31. In response, the microprocessor 31 turns on the hook switch 32 to open the telephone line with the metering computer 100 and receives a metering command signal through the DTMF decoder 33.

Also, the received meter reading command signal is wirelessly transmitted to the neighboring area as the RF high frequency signal through the RF module 36.

In addition, when the hook switch 32 is turned on, the RF module 36 wirelessly receives meter reading information from the radio meter 350, and the DTMF encoder 34 converts the meter reading information into a DTMF signal. The computer 100 transmits the data through a telephone line.

On the other hand, each of the wireless base station 250 has a plurality of customers 300, each customer may be provided with a plurality of wireless meter 350 according to electricity, gas, water and the like.

Each of the wireless meter 350 has a unique number and has a wireless access function. As shown in FIG. 4, the wireless meter 350 has a microprocessor 41, an RF module 42, and a unique number storage unit 43. ), The meter reading sensor 45, the AD change unit 44, the accumulation storage unit 46, and the meter 47.

The unique number storage unit 43 may be a read-only memory (ROM), the integrated storage unit 46 is a data update RAM is used.

The metering sensor 45 measures the measured value of the meter 47 according to the amount of use of electricity, gas, water, etc. of the consumer for a predetermined period or continuously, and the metering value for this is accumulated in the accumulation storage unit 46. Stored.

The RF module 42 restores the meter reading command data to the microprocessor 41 after receiving the radio signal from the radio base station 250, and the microprocessor 41 has a unique number included in the meter reading command data. Recognizes and compares the unique number of the unique number storage unit 43, and if the unique number is matched, the metered value accumulated in the integration storage unit 46 is wirelessly transmitted through the RF module 42.

In addition, if necessary, the wireless meter 350 may be configured by connecting a plurality of meters 350 having a metering sensor to one wireless access device. Accordingly, the unique number for each meter 47 is stored in the unique number storage unit 43, and the microprocessor 41 stores the unique value for each meter 47 in the integrated storage unit 46. According to the classification and storing, the integrated measurement value corresponding to the received unique number is transmitted through the RF module 42.

The detection information signal transmitted through the RF module 42 includes information on a unique number of a meter, reading information (electricity, water, gas, etc.), reading value (measurement value), and the like.

On the other hand, in an area where the customer density is low, such as mountains or wallpaper, by connecting the metering phone 450 having a wireless metering function to the telephone line of the customer can be remotely read by dialing each individual customer unit.

5 briefly illustrates an internal configuration of the meter reading telephone 450.

The metering phone 450 includes a microprocessor 51, a hook switch 52, a DTMF decoder 53, a DTMF encoder 54, a telephone bell detection circuit 55, and an RF module 56.

When the metering computer 100 makes a call to the telephone number of the individual customer 400, the telephone ring detection circuit 55 detects a bell signal and notifies the microprocessor 51, and accordingly the microprocessor ( 51 turns on the hook switch 52 and receives the detection command signal from the meter reading computer 100 through the DTMF decoder 53, and the electric, water and gas of the customer through the RF module 56 Wireless transmission to the wireless meter 350 according to.

In addition, the integrated measurement value from the wireless meter 350 is transmitted to the meter reading computer 100 through the DTMF encoder 54.

Hereinafter, a remote reading process by the wireless cell type remote reading system will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 6A and 6B.

As shown in FIG. 6A, first, the metering computer 100 selects a specific remote location on a reading bed from the system DB (S61).

In this case, when the remote station is a wireless base station 250 installation area (S62), the telephone number of the wireless base station 250 is dialed to open a telephone signal with the wireless base station 250 (S63).

When the telephone signal is opened, the system DB selects the customer on the bedside in the remote area and transmits a metering command signal including the meter unique number and the metering information of the customer to the wireless base station 250 (S64).

The radio base station 250 converts the metering command signal into an RF high frequency signal and transmits one-way radio to a remote location.

At this time, the wireless meter 350 receives the RF signal and demodulates the metering command signal, and then compares the unique number information included with the unique number of the own meter 350. (S66)

If the unique numbers do not match, the wireless meter 350 does not operate, and if the unique numbers match, the RF meter reads the integrated measurement value and reading information stored in the integration storage unit 46 and the unique number. Wireless transmission through the module 42. (S67)

In addition, the wireless base station 250 receives the metering information from the radio meter 350 as an RF high frequency signal, converts it into a DTMF signal, and transmits it to the metering computer 100 (S68).

The metering computer 100 interprets the received metering information and updates the data for the corresponding customer by making a database in the system DB.

In addition, when the telephone line between the wireless base station 250 and the metering computer 100 is turned on, the metering computer 100 performs a remote meter reading on another meter 350 of the customer or another customer in the remote place. It is executed in the above-described process. (S70)

As described above, the present invention can quickly and easily execute the remote meter reading for the multi-user and the multi-meter meter 350 as a one-time call with the wireless base station 250 in the remote place, thereby improving the meter reading speed and reducing the telephone cost. can do.

On the other hand, in the case of the wallpaper customer (or individual customer), as shown in FIG. 6B, the metering computer 100 dials the telephone number of the wallpaper customer 400 and the metering phone 450 and the phone. Open the signal (S71).

When the telephone signal is opened, and transmits a metering command signal including the unique number and metering information of the meter on the bed (S72) (S72), the metering phone 450 wirelessly transmits the metering command signal as an RF high frequency signal (S73)

In addition, the wireless meter 350 compares the unique number included in the meter reading command signal and wirelessly transmits a metering information signal including an integrated weighing value and a unique number to the meter reading phone 450 (S74). The meter reading phone 450 updates the meter reading DB of the corresponding customer by transmitting it to the meter reading computer 100 (S75).

In addition, when a meter reading is required for the other meter 350 of the customer, the remote meter reading is easily performed by repeating the above process in the state in which the telephone line is opened.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

According to the present invention made as described above, it is possible to improve the meter reading speed and reduce the cost, and to manage the metering information of each consumer in the remote meter reading of the amount of electricity, gas, water, etc. of the consumer.

Claims (4)

A metering computer having a system DB and a dial-up modem, connected to a plurality of radio base stations by telephone lines, for remote metering and managing meter readings for a plurality of users in remote locations that each radio base station is in charge of; A wireless base station connected to the meter reading computer by a telephone line and wirelessly connected to a plurality of wireless meters for a remote site allocated to the remote site by a wireless transmission / reception function; And And a wireless meter having a wireless transmission / reception function and wirelessly connected to a corresponding wireless base station and identifying a metering command of the metering computer to transmit a metering value to a meter. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless base station, A telephone ring detection circuit for detecting a telephone ring signal from the meter reading computer and informing the following microprocessor; A hook switch for turning on / off a telephone line with the meter reading computer; A telephone signal converter for interpreting and converting a telephone signal with the meter reading computer; A wireless transceiver for connecting the wireless meter with a wireless signal; And The hook switch is turned on according to a telephone ring signal to open a meter reading computer and a telephone line, and then receives a meter reading command signal from the meter reading computer through the telephone signal converting unit and wirelessly transmits the reading signal to the meter through the radio transceiver. And a microprocessor which receives meter reading information from a meter through the radio transmitter and receiver and transmits the meter reading information to the meter reading computer through the telephone signal converter. According to claim 1, wherein the wireless meter, A wireless transceiver for transmitting and receiving wireless high frequency signals; Unique number storage unit for storing the unique number of the meter; A meter reading sensor unit that reads the meter and provides digital information to the following microprocessor; An integration measurement value storage unit for accumulating and storing the metered measurement value; And A microprocessor which interprets the metering command signal received through the wireless transceiver and confirms whether or not the coincidence with the unique number stored in the unique number storage unit and transmits the corresponding integrated storage value through the wireless transmission / reception unit when it matches. Remote meter reading system using a wireless cell system, characterized in that. According to claim 3, As the wireless meter is connected to a plurality of meters, the unique number of each meter is stored in the unique number storage unit, the accumulated value stored in the cumulative meter value storage unit according to the unique number And the microprocessor wirelessly transmits an integrated measurement value corresponding to a unique number.