RU176923U1 - Remote Receive Device - Google Patents

Abstract

A remote data acquisition device refers to devices for recording and transmitting data and can be used to remotely receive data from various devices equipped with a pulse output, in particular from meters for consumed resources, such as water and electricity meters, or from monitoring devices. The objective of the proposed technical solution is to create a device for remote data acquisition with reduced power consumption, with the ability to accumulate and transmit data from external devices, while transmitting data via radio. The technical result of the proposed solution is to reduce the power consumption of the device. The life of such an energy-efficient device without replacing the battery can reach 10 years. The technical result is achieved by the fact that the device for remote data acquisition contains a control unit (1), independent pulse inputs (2-5) connected to the control unit for connecting pulse outputs of external devices, non-volatile memory (6), a radio transceiver (8), an electric power element (7) and start button (9). The radio transceiver (8) is made in the form of a microchip with the ability to transmit and receive information using LoRaWAN network technology. 3 C.p. f-ls, 1 ill.

Description

The claimed technical solution relates to devices for recording and transmitting data and can be used to remotely receive data from various devices equipped with a pulse output, in particular from metering devices for consumed resources, such as water and electricity meters, or from monitoring devices.

The prior art knows the solution, which is a translator of the readings of the metering device for consumed resources, containing a control unit connected to a 220 V power source, pulse inputs made with the possibility of connecting external devices, a storage device, a GSM module transmitting and receiving GSM signals , an automatic timer configured to activate sending data with information on consumed resources and a start button. (patent for utility model RU153771, IPC G08C19 / 00, published July 27, 2015)

Common signs of the proposed solution and the known analogue are:

- Control block,

- pulse inputs,

- Memory device,

- start button.

Distinctive features of the proposed solutions are:

- power supply element,

- a radio transceiver configured to transmit and receive information using LoRaWAN network technology,

- real time clock,

- pulse inputs are configured to reconfigure operating modes,

- the control unit contains built-in switches for setting operating modes, made in the form of on / off switches.

The known technical solution is made connected to a constant power source, which significantly narrows the scope, limiting the possibility of installation only in those places where there is a connection to a 220V network. In addition, the transmission and reception of signals over the GSM network requires significant amounts of energy.

A technical solution is known, selected as a prototype, which is a pulse data acquisition device containing a control unit, pulse inputs configured to connect external devices, non-volatile memory, a radio transceiver that provides data transmission and reception over the air at a frequency of 433 MHz, real-time clock and a power element made in the form of a built-in battery. (patent for utility model RU108867, IPC G05B19 / 414, published on September 27, 2011)

Common signs of the proposed solution and the known analogue are:

- Control block,

- pulse inputs,

- Memory device,

- radio transceiver,

- real time clock,

- power supply element.

Distinctive features of the proposed solutions are:

- the radio transceiver is configured to transmit and receive information using LoRaWAN network technology,

- pulse inputs are configured to reconfigure operating modes,

- the control unit contains built-in switches for setting operating modes, made in the form of on / off switches,

- start button.

The reduction in power consumption in the known technical solution is achieved through the use of a passive mode of operation of the device, when activated, the radio controller is in the off state. However, this mode of operation does not allow receiving data from the device or requesting it outside the activation time of the radio controller.

The objective of the proposed technical solution is to create a device for remote data acquisition with reduced power consumption, with the ability to accumulate and transmit data from external devices, while transmitting data via radio.

The technical result of the proposed solution is to reduce the power consumption of the device. The life of such an energy-efficient device without replacing the battery can reach 10 years.

The technical result is achieved by the fact that the device for remote data acquisition contains a control unit, independent pulse inputs connected to the control unit for connecting the pulse outputs of external devices, a non-volatile memory, a radio transceiver, an electric power element and a start button, while the radio transceiver is made in the form of a microchip with the ability to transmit and receive information through LoRaWAN network technology.

LoRaWAN networking technology combines the LoRa RF modulation technique and the LoRaWAN network layer protocol. LoRaWAN is an open protocol for long-range, low-power networks developed and standardized by the LoRa Alliance for Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWANs). Communication between devices is carried out in the unlicensed range at frequencies from 863 to 868 MHz. Data is transmitted in encrypted form.

Due to the presence in the device of a microchip capable of supporting LoRaWAN network technology, a reduction in the power consumption of the device for remote data acquisition is achieved with a communication range of up to 15 km in rural areas and up to 5 km in urban areas and high penetration of radio signals in urban areas. This allows you to install the device in places where there is no direct current source and the penetration of radio signals is difficult, for example, in the basements of buildings. This ensures full two-way communication between the data receiving device and the operator collecting the data.

The device for remote data acquisition contains a control unit, independent pulse inputs connected to the control unit for connecting the pulse outputs of external devices, non-volatile memory built into the control unit, a radio transceiver and an electric power element. The functions of the control unit include counting pulses from the pulse inputs of the device, processing the contact closure pulse when the pulse input is in the guard mode, storing data obtained during pulse counting, and archiving these data in the non-volatile memory of the device, controlling the operation of the radio transceiver by establishing the time of data transfer or the formation of a packet for transmission upon an incoming request, ensuring operation with a LoRaWAN standard radio network in accordance with the exchange protocol. The device is powered by an integrated power source.

The remote data receiving device further comprises a start button, which allows you to transfer the device from passive mode to active mode and vice versa. In the passive mode of operation, the device is turned on, but the control unit does not count pulses and does not interact with the radio transceiver in order to transmit or receive data to the network. This allows you to reduce energy consumption during transportation and storage, to increase the life of the device after activation.

The remote data receiving device further comprises built-in control unit switches for setting operating modes, made in the form of on-off switches (DIP-switch). This design of the control unit allows you to configure the basic parameters of the device without the use of external devices and does not require additional elements in the form of a display and / or communication elements with an external device. This embodiment of the device allows to reduce energy consumption, since the on-off switches are, in fact, a mechanical key that has two fixed positions of its contacts and does not require power to perform its functions.

The remote data receiving device can be configured to reconfigure the pulse input mode of operation. Such a reconfiguration is carried out using the built-in switches of the control unit and allows you to set one or more pulse inputs into such an operation mode when the pulses from an external device are not counted at the specified input, but only control the contact closure of the pulse input with subsequent signal transmission in case such a circuit. This embodiment of the device allows using one device to obtain data from several devices equipped with a pulse output, in particular, from meters for consumed resources, such as water and electricity meters, and from monitoring devices, for example, leakage sensors, security sensors and like that. This embodiment of the device allows, if necessary, to avoid the installation of additional devices for connecting control devices and thus reduce power consumption.

The device for remote data acquisition can be performed additionally containing a mini-USB connector for changing additional configuration parameters and / or updating firmware.

Figure 1 shows a functional diagram of a device for remote data acquisition. The device for remote data acquisition contains a control unit (1), independent pulse inputs (2-5), non-volatile memory (6), an electric power element (7), a radio transceiver (8), a start button (9), built-in switches (10) and mini-USB connector (11).

The implementation of the use of the remote data acquisition device is further illustrated by an example.

The device is an electronic device made in a sealed enclosure, the specified enclosure contains a 3-in-1 mounting design that allows mounting on a wall, on a DIN rail and using nylon ties. The functional unit of the device is made in the form of a printed circuit board on which there are pairs of contacts for connecting external devices, a block of on-off switches (10), a start button (9), an LED indicator, a microchip that performs the functions of a control unit (1), for example, an STM32L151 microchip, mini-USB connector (11), designed to change additional configuration parameters and / or software updates, non-volatile memory (6), integrated into the microchip of the control unit, for example, non-volatile EEPROM memory, microchips Performing radio transceiver functions (8), such as a microchip SX-1272. The battery element (7) for the device is a soldered battery ER17505 / P, designed for a service life of up to 10 years.

Each pulse input (2-5) of the remote data receiving device is connected to a pair of contacts to which external devices are connected from which data is to be received. As such devices, devices equipped with a pulse output can be connected, such as water meters, electric meters, heat meters, leakage sensors, security sensors and others. The pairs of contacts are made with the ability to connect circuits with make contacts made, in particular, in the form of a reed switch contact, a mechanical button, an open collector.

The remote data receiving device is constantly on, but has two operating modes - passive and active. Passive mode is intended for storage and transportation. After connecting external devices to the pulse inputs (2-5) using pairs of contacts, the basic parameters of the device are configured using the built-in switches (10) of the control unit (1), and then the device is put into active mode using the start button (9). In this case, the control unit (1) of the device immediately generates a control signal to the radio transceiver (8) to carry out the activation process and connect to the network, in accordance with the settings of the control unit (1).

Settings made using the built-in switches (10) of the control unit (1) include, in particular, the activation mode in the network, the mode of sending packets, the period of transmission of data packets, the operating mode of pulse inputs (2-5).

After connecting external devices and putting the device into active mode, the pulse inputs (2-5) of the device receive pulses from external devices, the control unit (1) calculates and stores them in non-volatile memory (6). Archives are also formed there for subsequent transmission by means of a radio transceiver (8) to a data transmission network.

When the pulse input (2-5) is in the guard mode when a signal is received at the input of the device from an external device that the circuit is closed, from the pulse input (2-5), immediately after receiving a signal from an external device, a signal comes to the control unit (1) which generates a control signal to the radio transceiver (8), for transmitting an “alarm” packet containing a signal about the closure of the input to which the control device is connected.

The control unit (1) is made with a built-in clock with a calendar, the time and date on which is set during production. Upon receipt of a signal with a packet of the established format received through the radio transceiver (8), the control unit (1) adjusts the clock and calendar.

The radio transceiver (8) is made in the form of an SX-1272 chip operating in the range of 864-869 MHz and using the LoRa radio modulation method to interact at frequencies of the 868 MHz range using the LoRaWAN protocol. The radio transceiver (8), by the control signal from the control unit (1), transmits packets containing data archives stored in non-volatile memory (6), with a frequency set in accordance with the settings established by the built-in switches (10) of the control unit (1). Such a periodicity can be selected, in particular, from the following series: 1, 6, 12, 24 hours. The battery charge data is additionally included in the package containing data archives.

The control unit (1) is configured to generate a control signal to the radio transceiver (8) to transmit a packet with data archives outside the time interval specified by the settings, upon receipt of a request in the form of a packet of the established format, which is received through the radio transceiver (8). Upon receipt of such a request, the control unit (1) performs the extraction from the non-volatile memory (6) of the corresponding archive, the formation of the packet for sending and its transmission to the radio transceiver (8), which, in turn, performs the transmission of the specified packet.

The device is equipped with an anti-bounce algorithm with a time constant of 5 ms; pulse counting is possible for frequencies up to 200 Hz.

The claimed technical solution has reduced power consumption, can be used for remote data acquisition, for example, in Automated systems for commercial metering of energy consumption (ASKUE), in particular, using commercial metering devices with a pulse output.

Claims (4)

1. A remote data receiving device comprising a control unit, independent pulse inputs for connecting pulse outputs of external devices, a non-volatile memory, a radio transceiver and an electric power element, characterized in that it further includes an activation button that transfers the device from passive operation to active, and vice versa, and the radio transceiver is made in the form of a microchip with the ability to transmit and receive information through LoRaWAN network technology. 2. The remote data acquisition device according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit contains built-in switches for setting operation modes. 3. The remote data acquisition device according to claim 1, characterized in that the built-in switches are made in the form of on-off switches. 4. The device for remote data acquisition according to claim 1, characterized in that the pulse inputs are configured to reconfigure the operating mode to the security one.

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