RU2786351C1 - System for managing resources using smart meters - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: measuring.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a system for automated collection and management of resource data (in particular, data of gas, water, heat and electricity meters), storage, subsequent analysis, as well as provision and use of the resulting information to build a resource consumption system and response thereto. System for managing resources using smart meters comprises consumer resource consumption meters and three converters, wherein the first one is made in the form of a GSM modem, the second one in the form of a LoRaWAN radio module, and the third one in the form of an RS232/RS485 serial interface to Ethernet converter, wherein each meter is connected to the corresponding converter depending on the type, a system for data collection via a SIM card with Internet access is connected to the converter implemented as a GSM modem, a LoRaWAN base station is connected to the converter implemented as a LoRaWAN radio module, a system for data collection via an Ethernet line is connected to the RS232/RS485 serial interface to Ethernet converter, each system for data collection via radio channels, cellular communication channels, industrial network communication lines, or Ethernet networks is connected to a cloud server for data processing and storage, software configured to automatically simultaneously poll the metering devices and to store and process the measuring information is installed on the cloud server, and a cloud platform Internet-connected to the software interface pre-installed on the consumer's computer equipment is connected to the cloud server via a local network.

EFFECT: expanded range of polled devices, use of various communication channels customised for each meter, protocol for the exchange with the polled device, remote user access to the obtained data from heat, gas, electricity and water resources from any point with Internet access.

1 cl, 1 dwg

Description

The invention relates to a system for automated collection and accounting of resource data (in particular, from gas, water, heat, electricity meters), storage, subsequent analysis, and presentation of the information received and use to build a system for consuming resources and responding to them.

The invention can be used in the field of housing and communal services (HCS), and automated systems for monitoring and accounting for consumed resources.

There are and are constantly being developed various systems for accounting for resources in housing and communal services, which include individual and common house meters for metering heat, gas, cold and hot water, electricity, etc.

An automated system for collecting data on energy consumption and an electric energy meter is known (RU 2595939C2, IPC G06Q 50/06, published on 27.08.2016). The system contains electricity meters, data concentrators, a server and client devices. Data exchange takes place on a request-response basis based on a packet protocol. The packet contains start and stop elements, parameter field and data field length, sender and recipient addresses, command code, password, data field and checksum. The parameter field contains the data protection bit. The password field when replying is used to post notifications. A short packet has a data field length of up to 31 bytes and additionally contains relay fields and relay paths. A long packet has a data field length of up to 8191 bytes and additionally contains a high order byte field.

The disadvantage of this system is its limited operational capabilities due to a narrow range of interrogated devices (only electricity meters), which makes it difficult to account for resources on other types of devices (water, heat, gas), thereby the subscriber has to use other solutions to cover the entire volume of devices used to account for resources. Another disadvantage is the high capital costs associated with the need to install expensive equipment in each apartment.

An analytical system for estimating water consumption by subscribers is known (RU2620041C2, IPC G06Q 50/06, published on May 22, 2017), which contains a subscriber kit installed in the subscriber's water metering unit. The subscriber kit includes a controller, a water consumption meter and a subscriber's transceiver, made in the form of a GSM modem, for transmitting information over a wireless network to a data processing and storage server connected to the settlement management server, which are installed in the supplier's centralized control room water. The subscriber set is equipped with a non-volatile memory that stores the individual subscriber number and is connected to the water consumption meter and to the controller, configured to accumulate water consumption meter readings with discreteness for the period. The billing management server is configured to determine the type of subscribers and the number of inhabitants of residential type subscribers by the individual subscriber number. The system is equipped with a module for individual data sampling by types of subscribers, the input of which is connected to the outputs of the data processing and storage server and the server for managing settlements, an analytical module designed to obtain dependences of uneven water consumption by residential subscribers on the number of residents, the input of which is connected to the outputs of the module of individual data sampling by types of subscribers and billing management server.

The disadvantage of this system is the limitation to one communication channel via GSM, which may lead to possible communication failures, since SIM cards require constant maintenance.

Known, a system for remote reading of sensor readings (RU 2628331, IPC G08C 17/02, published on August 16, 2017), which contains a network of data transmission devices, each of which consists of a serially connected sensor, a processor and a first radio module, a data receiving device consisting of a serially connected second radio module, a second processor and a computer, while the data transmission devices are divided into m groups of n data transmission devices, the first radio module contains a noise-like signals spread spectrum receiver and a narrow-band transmitter, the second radio module contains a noise-like signals spread spectrum transmitter and the first narrow-band receiver, n-1 or more narrow-band receivers are introduced into the second radio module, the inputs of which are connected to the input of the first narrow-band receiver, and the outputs are connected to the second processor, and the spreading factor of the transmitter with a noise-like signal is chosen to be greater than 10, and the data transmission rate is narrow-band voice transmitter is selected less than 480 bps.

The known system does not allow a user who is not behind the dispatcher's workstation (with specialized software installed) to access data viewing, as well as to poll all devices simultaneously, only in groups in turn. Also, the known system does not allow expanding the range of interrogated devices by changing the communication channel.

Known, closest to the claimed, automated information-measuring system (RU 2679965C1, IPC G06Q 50/06, published on February 14, 2019), which contains four levels of hierarchical structure. The first level consists of primary measuring instruments that measure the parameters of the coolant, gas, water, and electric current. The second level consists of communication tools designed to organize communication and data exchange between the primary measurement tools and the servers of the polling service of the third level. The third level includes the main server, the computing facilities of which are communicated with the computing servers of the polling service; software is installed on the server with the ability to control user access rights. The measuring information is stored and processed on the main server and transmitted via communication means to the fourth level of the system. The fourth level provides user interaction with the system of automated operator workstations with an application programming interface.

The disadvantage of this system is the possibility of obtaining readings only with pre-installed software (hereinafter referred to as software) on a computer.

The conducted patent search showed that no identical solutions were found in the prior art, which indicates the novelty of the claimed invention.

The present invention is aimed at developing a system for automated collection and accounting of resource data from various types of meters and sensors with an expanded range of communication channels, storage, subsequent analysis, as well as presentation of the information received and use to build a system for consuming resources and responding to them in a cloud platform.

The technical result is achieved by the fact that the resource accounting system using smart meters contains meters for accounting for the consumption of subscriber resources, to which, depending on the type of meter, a converter is connected, made in the form of a GSM modem or a LoRaWAN radio module, or in the form of a converter of the RS232/RS485 serial interface to Ethernet, and a data collection system via a SIM card with Internet access is connected to the converter with a version in the form of a GSM modem, a LoRaWAN base station is connected to the converter with a version in the form of a LoRaWAN radio module, and a base station is connected to the converter with a version of the RS232/RS485 to Ethernet serial interface converter a data collection system is connected via an Ethernet line, each data collection system via radio channels, cellular channels, communication lines of an industrial network, an Ethernet network is connected to a cloud server for processing and storing data, software is installed on the cloud server with the ability to automatically simultaneously poll the instrument in accounting and the ability to store and process measurement information, a cloud platform is connected to the cloud server via a local network, which is remotely connected via the Internet to a software interface preinstalled on the subscriber's computing facilities.

The system contains a network of devices (gas, heat, water, electricity meters) consisting of a large number of devices (n-devices), each of which, or a group of devices, is connected to an interface converter. The counter can be any, and the communication channel that is supplied to this device will depend only on whether the configuration of this device includes a digital interface RS-232 / RS-485, or a pulse output, and also depends on the coverage of the cellular network, coverage of the LoRaWAN network, or the availability of Internet access at the location of the meter. Connecting a meter device (for example, a heat meter), the functionality of which includes a digital interface RS-232 / RS-485, which measures the parameters of the coolant (temperature, pressure, volume / mass, calculates thermal energy, flow and saves these data in the built-in memory) , is carried out to an interface converter, which includes a digital RS-232/RS-485 interface, as well as a wired Ethernet interface. These conditions are necessary for the exchange of information between the heat meter and the server. The interface converter is connected to the Ethernet network and, when polled from the server using the heat meter exchange protocol, transmits the readings of the resources received from the heat meter to the server. A similar scheme is also used when connecting a gas, electricity, water meter device, which includes a digital interface RS-232 / RS-485, which measure the parameters provided for by the purpose of the device software.

When connecting a device whose functionality includes a pulse output (for example, a cold water meter), an interface converter with the LoRaWAN radio module type is used. An interface converter with the LoRaWAN radio module type includes pulse inputs, as well as a LoRaWAN wireless module for transmitting pulse readings of a water meter to a server, by communicating via a LoRaWAN wireless network, through a LoRaWAN base station. The LoRaWAN base station includes a LoRAWAN module and an antenna for communication with an interface converter, as well as a wired Ethernet interface for communication over the Internet with a cloud data processing server. Gas, heat, electricity meters can be connected in a similar way if they have pulse outputs. The LoRaWAN base station is installed on demand if it is necessary to expand the coverage radius of the device survey area.

When connecting devices, it is possible to use interface converters with the GSM modem type, which has a digital RS-232/RS-485 interface for receiving data from meters, or pulse inputs. If the meter is connected to a GSM-modem interface converter, it is required to provide for cellular network coverage in the place where the meter is installed.

Connected meters can be equipped with a wired Ethernet interface, which eliminates the additional installation of interface converters, and the meters are polled from the server directly via the Internet, using the exchange protocol of the interrogated device.

Thus, the range of connected devices is quite extensive, because most devices are equipped with one or another means of communication, and also, if there is, or not, any connection option, you can choose an alternative.

The functioning of the proposed system is illustrated by a block diagram (Fig.). The resource accounting system using smart meters contains meters accounting 1 for the consumption of subscriber resources, to which, depending on the type of the meter, an interface converter 4, 5, 6 is connected, made in the form of a GSM modem or LoRaWAN radio module, or in the form of a RS232/RS485 serial interface converter to Ethernet. A data collection system 9 via a SIM card with Internet access is connected to the converter 4 with a version in the form of a GSM modem; a data collection system is connected to Ethernet via an Ethernet line 8. Each data collection system via radio channels, cellular channels, communication lines of an industrial network, an Ethernet network is connected to a cloud server for processing 2 and data storage 3, software is installed on the cloud server 2 and 3 with the possibility of automatic simultaneous polling of metering devices and the possibility of storing and processing measurement information, a cloud platform 10 is connected to the server 2-3 via a local network, which is remotely connected via the Internet to a software interface preinstalled on the subscriber's computing facilities 11.

The resource accounting data received from the devices 1 during the poll is loaded via one of the communication channels 7, 8, 9 to the cloud server 2-3 for data processing and storage. The server 2-3 for processing and storing data is not installed at the subscriber, and the subscriber also does not have direct access to the server. Polling of devices 1 occurs automatically, manual start of the polling of devices is not required, it is possible that the user can receive operational readings from the device by pressing a button. All devices connected to the resource accounting system are polled simultaneously, there is no queue.

The resource accounting representation is made in the cloud platform 10, for example, the Smart City cloud platform of Intersvyaz. Platform 10 is accessed via the Internet by entering the platform 10 website page. The resource accounting user can directly view, analyze, generate and download reports in platform 10, filter data, and set up a response system to changes in indications. Installation and launch of separate software on the computer is not required, the user only needs access to the Internet and a web browser. In platform 10, the user is identified, and if there is access, then all connected devices and data on them are displayed. Accounting for resources is reliable, the data comes directly from the instruments, the change in metrological characteristics and readings is not performed. It is possible to view on the monitor screen, download and report documents for each of the devices, analyze readings in the form of graphs, an emergency event log, transfer data to third-party information systems and subscriber databases.

The claimed system allows for automatic data collection, obtaining operational readings at the user's request, storing measurement and calculation results in a specialized database on a server that meets the requirements of high security against unauthorized access.

When new meter models are introduced into resource accounting, a polling protocol is written individually for each model, which ensures the absence of failures in automatic polling and errors in the readings received.

In the resource accounting system, communication lines are monitored, and prompt troubleshooting associated with them, without the participation of the subscriber.

The proposed invention allows the system to continuously evolve and scale to the needs of end users. The technical advantage of the proposed solution is the constant expansion of the range of polled devices, the use of various communication channels, protocols for the exchange of the polled device individually developed for each meter, remote user access, from anywhere with Internet access, to the data received from heat, gas, electricity, water resources , in contrast to the closest analogue described above.

Claims (1)

A resource accounting system using smart meters, characterized in that it contains subscriber resource consumption meters, three converters, the first of which is made in the form of a GSM modem, the second is in the form of a LoRaWAN radio module, the third is in the form of a RS232/RS485 serial interface converter to Ethernet, each meter is connected to the corresponding converter depending on its type, a data collection system via a SIM card with Internet access is connected to the converter with a GSM modem version, a LoRaWAN base station is connected to the converter with a LoRaWAN radio module , a data acquisition system via an Ethernet line is connected to the converter of the RS232 / RS485 to Ethernet serial interface converter, each data acquisition system via radio channels, cellular channels, industrial network communication lines, Ethernet networks is connected to a cloud data processing and storage server, on a cloud server installed software with With the possibility of automatic simultaneous interrogation of metering devices and the possibility of storing and processing measurement information, a cloud platform is connected to the cloud server via a local network, which is remotely connected via the Internet to a software interface preinstalled on the subscriber's computing facilities.

Images