JP2649870B2 - Terminal network controller - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a terminal network control device, and more particularly to a terminal network control device for releasing a hold state of a line due to a communication failure or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an existing telephone line network is used,
It is possible to read measured values of a gas meter, a water meter, a power meter, and the like installed in the house without ringing the bell of the telephone in the house of the telephone user. This is a type of data communication system in a no-ringing communication service, and is provided as a telemeter system.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a data communication system to which a terminal network control device according to the prior art and one embodiment of the present invention is applied.

In the data communication system shown in FIG. 4, a center device 19 includes a host computer 1 and a center-side network control device (C-NCU) 2. The center-side network controller 2 is connected to the host computer 1 via a connection line 11 and to the center-side telephone exchange 3 via a telephone line 12. On the other hand, the terminal device 18 includes a terminal device such as a terminal network control device (T-NCU) 6, a meter 7, a sensor 8, and a home telephone 9. Terminal network controller 6
Is connected to the terminal-side telephone exchange 4 via the subscriber telephone line 14. Each terminal of the meter 7 or the home telephone 9 is connected to the terminal network control device 6 via the connection line 15. The center-side telephone exchange 3 and the terminal-side telephone exchange 4 are interconnected by an interoffice trunk line 13.

In the no-ringing communication method, the center-side network controller 2 calls up the no-ringing trunk 5 in response to a command from the host computer 1 and holds it. Next, after the no-ringing trunk 5 determines the polarity of the subscriber telephone line 14, a no-ringing call signal is given to the terminal network control device 6. Upon detecting the no-ringing call signal, terminal network control device 6 does not ring home telephone 9 but performs communication with, for example, meter 7 or sensor 8.

On the other hand, when the terminal network control device 6 detects that a predetermined time has come during terminal automatic transmission, the terminal network control device 6 automatically makes a call to the center side network control device 2. In this case, the meter reading information in the meter 7 or the sensor 8 is transmitted to the terminal network control device 6, the telephone line 1 or the like.
4, transmitted to the host computer 1 via the interoffice trunk line 13 and the telephone line 12 and the center-side network control device 2. The host computer 1 performs data processing such as charge calculation and printout based on the received information based on a predetermined program processing.

As described above, the center device 19 can collect desired data when necessary.

[0008]

When the conventional terminal network control device 6 receives a call request from the meter 7 or the sensor 8 and automatically transmits the terminal, the conventional terminal network control device 6 performs a normal transmission operation. Not used. That is, the normal telephone line 14 is used. Therefore, when communication with the center device 19 cannot be established due to a failure of the telephone line 14 or an internal failure in the meter 7 and the sensor 8, the terminal automatic transmission operation is repeated and continued. In such a case, the telephone network 14 is held for a long time by the terminal network controller 6, and the telephone network 14 is not supplied to other terminal network controllers. Is extremely reduced. Also, if communication by terminal automatic transmission becomes defective due to line error etc. during communication,
The count value of the telephone charges in the terminal-side telephone exchange 4 is constantly increasing, and the terminal network control device 6
There is a problem that a great deal of expense is imposed on a consumer who installs a telephone, in which a telephone charge far exceeding the actual communication time is charged.

[0009] Specifically, the conventional terminal network control device 6 determines whether a call condition in the meter 7 or the sensor 8 is satisfied.
When the meter reading of the gas meter is reported, or a gas exchange signal or a gas leak signal is transmitted from the gas meter side, the data is to be transmitted to the center device 19 side. At this time, if the meter 7 (such as a gas meter) breaks down and a gas leak signal is repeatedly transmitted from the meter 7 to the terminal network controller 6, the conventional terminal network controller 6 The terminal 19 automatically performs the terminal automatic transmission operation. Further, when the communication operation is interrupted during the communication for some reason, the terminal network control device 6 again performs the terminal automatic transmission operation to the center device 19 and repeats the phenomenon of the interruption during the communication. At this time, the terminal network control device 6 occupies the telephone line 14 with the center device 19 at a high rate, and even if another normal terminal network control device issues a terminal automatic transmission request, the center device 1 does not.
On the other hand, the 9 side is busy, and this request is rejected, and there is a problem in that the call waits until the busy state becomes free.

[0010] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to release a communication line from a line holding state in a state where a line is connected so as to exceed a normal communication period in a communication state via a terminal network control device. An object of the present invention is to provide a terminal network control device capable of effectively utilizing a communication line.

[0011]

According to the present invention, a terminal network control device for connecting a communication line and a data terminal device to a center device through a communication line in response to a transmission request from the data terminal device. Including calling means for calling the center device. When an outgoing call is made, the center side device and the communication line are connected. Counting means for counting the number of times the transmission request in the state where the communication line is connected is the same as the transmission request of the previous call, and judging means for judging that the number of times counted by the counting means has reached a predetermined number, Call disabling means for disabling the calling by the calling means in response to the discrimination result of the discriminating means.

[0012]

The terminal network control device according to the present invention counts the number of times that a transmission request in the state where the communication line is connected is the same as the transmission request of the previous call, and when the number reaches a predetermined number. In order to invalidate the outgoing call, the terminal network controller with a bad communication state will disable its communication after the limited number of calls has been reached and communicate with other normal terminal network controllers. Release the line. Therefore, the efficiency of use of the communication line can be improved and the system can be normally operated.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

The configuration of the data communication system employing the terminal network control device according to the present embodiment is the same as that of FIG. 4 described above, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a schematic processing flow chart showing a communication operation at the time of terminal automatic transmission in a terminal network control apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a terminal network control device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 2, the terminal network control device 6 is connected to the subscriber telephone line 14 and originates a call to perform communication with another terminal device or non-ringing communication. The home telephone 9 is connected to the subscriber telephone line 14 via the terminal network control device 6. A meter 7 and a sensor 8 are connected to the terminal network control device 6, and information on the meter 7 and the sensor 8 is transmitted to another terminal such as a center device 19 via the terminal network control device 6 after the link of the telephone line 14 is established. Sent to the network controller.

The terminal network control device 6 includes the subscriber telephone line 1
4, a polarity inversion detection circuit 601, a rectifier circuit 60
2, including an off-hook control circuit 603 and a PB (abbreviation of push button signal) transmitting / receiving circuit 604. The polarity inversion detection circuit 601 detects the inversion of the DC bias of the subscriber telephone line 14. The rectifier circuit 602 transforms the voltage of the subscriber telephone line 14 to a predetermined voltage, and supplies an AC signal on the subscriber telephone line 14 to an off-hook control circuit 603 connected to the next stage. The PB transmission / reception circuit 604 includes:
It operates to transmit and receive a predetermined PB signal via the off-hook control circuit 603.

Further, the terminal network control device 6 includes a main control circuit 605, interface circuits 606 and 607 for connecting the main control circuit 605 with the meter 7 and the sensor 8, a reset circuit 608, a transmission circuit 609, and a power supply circuit 610. Primary and secondary off-hook detection circuit 61
1a and 611b, a connection switching circuit 612 and a modem 613.

The main control circuit 605 always receives power supply from a power supply circuit 610 that supplies power to each circuit of the terminal network control device 6. The reset circuit 608 resets the main control circuit 605 as necessary.

The transmitting circuit 609 transmits a clock signal,
This transmission signal is provided to main control circuit 605. The modem 613 modulates and demodulates signals to be transmitted and received between the telephone line 14 and the main control circuit 605.

Primary and secondary off-hook detection circuit 6
11a and 611b detect whether or not the home telephone 9 is used at the time of terminal automatic transmission. That is, it detects whether or not the home telephone 9 is in an off-hook state, and supplies the detection output to the main control circuit 605. Therefore, the main control circuit 6
In step 05, it is possible to determine whether or not the telephone line 14 is currently in a call state via the home telephone 9 based on the detection signals from the circuits 611a and 611b.

The connection switching circuit 612 performs a connection switching operation for connecting the home telephone 9 to the subscriber telephone line 14. Specifically, the connection switching circuit 612 normally operates to connect the home telephone 9 to the subscriber telephone line 14,
The data in the meter 7 or the sensor 8 is transmitted to the telephone line 14
When the home telephone 9 is in the on-hook state, the connection is disconnected from the subscriber telephone line 14.

Next, the terminal network control device 6 shown in FIG.
The operation at the time of terminal automatic transmission in will be described.

When a call request is issued from the meter 7 or the sensor 8 which is a data terminal device, the call request is:
It is provided to the main control circuit 605 via the interface circuit 606 or 607 of the terminal network control device 6. At this time, the main control circuit 605 operates to connect the telephone line 14 to the terminal network control device 6 in order to automatically send a terminal in response to the reception of the call request. That is, the main control circuit 6
05 detects that the home telephone 9 is in the off-hook state based on the detection signals from the off-hook detection circuits 611a and 611b, the terminal automatic transmission is not established, and the standby state is established until the home telephone 9 is in the on-hook state. The main control circuit 605 controls the connection switching circuit 612 to disconnect the telephone line 14 from the home telephone 9 if it is detected that the telephone is not in the off-hook state based on the detection signal. The connection is switched to the device 6 side.

As described above, when the connection of the telephone line 14 is switched to the terminal network control device 6, the main control circuit 605 sets the P
By controlling the B transmission / reception circuit 604, a predetermined PB signal is transmitted to the telephone line 14 to call the other party, and the connection of the telephone line 14 is established. Thereafter, the operation of transmitting the transmission request data in the meter 7 or the sensor 8 to the telephone line 14 is performed.

Normally, the call by the home telephone 9 is prioritized, but if the mode is set such that the terminal automatic transmission is prioritized, the home telephone 9 is set to the off-hook state at the time of the call request. Even if there is, the main control circuit 605 operates so as to forcibly switch the connection of the telephone line 14 and establish the terminal automatic transmission.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the internal functional configuration of the main control circuit 605 of the terminal network control device 6 shown in FIG.

The main control circuit 605 has a CPU (abbreviated central processing unit) 702 and has functions similar to a simple microcomputer. The CPU 702 receives a transmission signal from the transmission circuit 609, and inputs a transmission signal from the transmission circuit 609 to a timer counter 701 which measures the time in response to the transmission signal.
Input / output interface 7 for connecting to PU 702
05, a data memory 703, a program memory 704, and a nonvolatile data memory 706 are connected.

The program memory 704 stores the CP
The program executed and controlled by the U 702 is a memory for storing the program in advance, and the processing flow shown in FIG.
Stored in

The data memory 703 is a memory for temporarily storing rewritable data and intermediate data generated when a program stored in the program memory 704 is executed. Each storage area is prepared in advance in the data memory 703 to store a month count value MC and a reset count value SC described later. The month count value MC is an upper limit value of the number of automatic terminal transmissions per month which is set in the terminal network control device 6 in advance. For example, if the expected call request by the meter 7 is N1 times / month and the call request by the sensor 8 is N0 times / month, the total is (N0 + N1) times / month.
In consideration of some margin a, the number of months is set to MC = (a + N0 + N1) times / month.

Further, the reset count value SC is a kind of flag for instructing whether or not to permit automatic transmission of a terminal, and has a binary state of 0 or 1. Normally, the reset count value SC is set to 0. When the reset count value SC is 0, execution of the terminal automatic transmission is permitted, but when it is 1, execution of the terminal automatic transmission is not permitted.

The nonvolatile data memory 706 is provided either inside or outside the main control circuit 605. The contents stored in the non-volatile data memory 706 are compensated even if the power supply to the main control circuit 605 is cut off, so that the data contents stored therein can be confirmed independently. Therefore, even if the CPU 702 runs away for some reason and is reset by the reset circuit 608 in order to recover this runaway state, the memory contents are compensated, and there is an advantage that data analysis can be performed after the reset. This nonvolatile data memory 7
06 stores call condition data D1, call count data D2, and call time data D3. The number-of-calls data D2 is stored by predicting the number of times that a call request event corresponding to the call condition data D1 occurs per month. In other words, the contents of the calling condition data D1 are the name of the call destination business entity, the device number such as a sensor or a meter, and the contents of the message (metering data, running out of battery, minute leakage, etc.). Calling frequency data D2 that is expected in advance is set for each of them. For example, it is sufficient for the terminal to automatically transmit the water meter once by reading meter data once every two months, and the management of the remaining amount of propane gas or the like is performed once or twice a month.
Times, the data D2 is determined comprehensively.
May be set to 10 times per month.
The calling time data D3 is the terminal automatic calling time based on the corresponding calling condition data D1.
Is the data set by reading the data of the timer counter 701.

The CPU 702 has a program memory 704
The timer counter 701 and the memories 703 and 706 are accessed to read and write desired data while executing a program stored in the memory.

Next, the operation of the terminal network control device 6 at the time of terminal automatic transmission will be described with reference to the processing flow shown in FIG.

The terminal automatic transmission in the terminal network controller 6 is mainly performed when the CPU 702 responds to a predetermined time measured by the timer counter 701 or when the CPU 702 responds to a call request from the meter 7 or the sensor 8. Separated. Although the terminal network control device 6 is normally in a standby state, the CPU 702 refers to the time measurement data of the timer counter 701 and confirms that the predetermined time has been reached, and accordingly, the step S1 shown in FIG. The execution of the subsequent processing (abbreviated as S1 in the figure) is started.

The CPU 702 executes the processes of steps S1 to S17, so that the communication between the terminal network control device 6 and the center device 19 can be performed normally even if the terminal automatic transmission operation is repeated a predetermined number of times. If not terminated, the communication operation is suppressed by the subsequent terminal automatic transmission operation. More specifically, in the determination process of step S1, whether or not the execution of the terminal automatic transmission operation in the terminal network control device 6 is permitted is determined based on the value of the reset count value SC stored in the data memory 703. I do. At this time, if it is determined that the execution of the terminal automatic transmission operation is permitted, the transmission request data according to the call request is temporarily stored in the nonvolatile data memory 706 in response to the call request, and the stored data is stored. The terminal automatic transmission operation is repeatedly executed according to the data, and returns to the standby state again. In other words, the number of repetitions of the terminal automatic calling operation is limited in accordance with the data by the call request, so that the telephone network 14 is prevented from being held more than necessary by the terminal network control device 6. ing.
The details will be described below.

First, it is assumed that terminal network control device 6 is in a state in which the terminal can automatically perform a call even if home telephone 9 is in an off-hook state.

The CPU 702 reads the time measurement data of the timer counter 701 and, when confirming that the predetermined time has been reached, executes the processing of step S1 accordingly and reads the reset count value SC stored in the data memory 703. , (SC = 1). That is, it is determined whether or not the execution of the terminal automatic transmission operation is permitted in the terminal network control device 6, and the process branches to one of step S2 and step S4 based on the determination result. At this time, if (SC = 1) and the terminal automatic transmission operation is not permitted, step S2 is performed accordingly.
Is performed. In the process of step S2,
The CPU 702 reads the clock data of the timer counter 701, and determines whether or not the month has changed anew from this month to the next month. At this time, if the month has changed, the CPU 7 determines in step S3.
02 clears the reset count value SC stored in the data memory 703. As a result, (value = 0) is set as the reset counter value SC and the reset counter value SC is initialized. After that, the process returns to step S1 again. On the other hand, if it is determined in the step S2 that the month has not changed, the process returns to the step S1 again, and the loop processing of the step S1 and the step S2 is repeatedly executed until the month changes. The control device 6 is in a standby state in which the terminal automatic transmission is suppressed.

As described above, the CPU 702 confirms that the terminal has not been set to permit execution of the terminal automatic transmission operation this month, and continues the standby state until the month changes, that is, until the next month. Alternatively, a terminal automatic transmission operation accompanying a call request in the sensor 8 is suppressed. On the other hand, when it is confirmed that the terminal automatic transmission operation is in the execution permission state, the following processes after step S4 are immediately executed.

The CPU 702 repeatedly executes the process of step S4 to confirm whether or not a call request is given from the meter 7 or the sensor 8 via the input / output interface 705. When the call request is confirmed, the next step S5
In the processing of (1), it is confirmed whether or not the content of the call request is, for example, the call condition “A”. That is, the name of the business entity of the transmission destination that automatically sends the terminal, the device number of the meter 7 or the sensor 8, and the contents of the message (such as meter reading data, running out of battery, minute leakage, etc.) corresponding to the calling request are determined under the predetermined calling conditions. A "
At this time, if the call condition is not the predetermined call condition “A”, the process proceeds to step S6, and then another call condition, for example, a periodic call based on the time count data of the timer counter 701. Perform the operation.

In step S4, if the content of the call request is a predetermined call condition "A", the call condition is stored in the non-volatile data memory 70 in step S7.
6 is determined. If not stored, the number of calls D2 and the calling time D3 corresponding to the calling condition D1 are stored in the non-volatile data memory 706 in the process of step S8 in order to limit the number of times the terminal automatically makes a call due to the calling request. I do. Thereafter, the operation shifts to a terminal automatic transmission operation based on the call request.

First, in the determination processing of step S9,
The CPU 702 determines whether or not the number of calls D2 is equal to 0, that is, whether or not the terminal automatic calling operation has been repeated a predetermined number of times. At this time, if it is determined that (the number of calls D2 = 0), the terminal automatic transmission operation for the predetermined number of times has already been repeatedly executed, and the processing of step S12 and thereafter, which will be described later, is executed.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing in step S9 that the number of calls (D2 = 0) is satisfied, the processing in the next steps S10 and S11 is executed.
One terminal automatic transmission operation is executed, and the number of calls D2 is accordingly updated to (D2 = D2-1). After the terminal automatic transmission operation in step S11, the following processing in steps S16 and S17 is executed. Here, if the communication with the center device 19 is normally terminated by the terminal automatic transmission operation in the step S11, the communication with the center device 19 by the current call request is terminated, so that the next call request generated The number of calls D2 is reset to the initial value in preparation for the non-volatile data memory 706.
Store in After that, the process returns to step S1 again.

On the other hand, in the process of step S9,
If the communication with the center device 19 by the call request is not terminated normally even if the terminal automatic transmission operation is repeatedly executed for the number of times of call D2, the following operation is performed to limit the number of repeated terminal automatic transmission operations. And thereafter. In the process of step S12, the CPU 702
Updates the predetermined month count MC to (MC = MC-1) as described above, and furthermore,
In the process of No. 13, the number of months count MC (MC =
0) is determined. At this time, if it is determined that (MC = 0) is established, the terminal automatic originating operation according to the current call request is repeatedly performed for the number of calls D2 and further for the number of months count value MC. Since the normal communication with the center device 19 has not been completed, the process proceeds to step S14. In step S14, the aforementioned step S
In the same manner as in the processing of step 17, the number of calls D2 is reset and stored, and in step S15, a reset count is set in order to completely suppress (invalidate) the subsequent terminal automatic transmission operation in the terminal network controller 6 of this month. To the value SC (SC = SC
+1) is set and stored. After that, the processes after step S16 are executed in the same manner as described above.

As described above, the terminal automatic transmission operation in accordance with the satisfaction of the predetermined condition is first repeatedly executed for a predetermined number of calls D2 until normal communication with the center device 19 can be completed. If normal communication still does not end,
The terminal automatic transmission operation is repeatedly executed by a predetermined number of months MC. Even so, in order to prevent the telephone line 14 from being held by the terminal network control device 6 for a longer period of time if normal communication is not completed, the terminal automatic transmission operation in the terminal network control device 6 will be described hereinafter. And the telephone line 14 is opened to another terminal network control device. Therefore, the use efficiency of the telephone line 14 is improved, and an abnormal increase in telephone charges due to the long-term holding state can be suppressed.

The terminal network control device 6, which does not end the normal communication even if the terminal automatic transmission is repeated a number of times as described above, requires some data analysis since some abnormality has occurred. At this time, if the normal communication cannot be terminated due to, for example, the CPU 702 being in a runaway state, even if the power supply from the power supply circuit 610 is temporarily interrupted, and then the supply is restarted and reset processing is performed, the immediately preceding terminal automatic Since the data at the time of transmission is stored in the non-volatile data memory 706, the cause of the abnormality can be easily investigated by analyzing the data stored here.

According to the terminal network control device of the present invention,
The counting means counts the number of times the terminal has made an automatic call by the calling means while the line is connected, and the determining means determines that the counting number by the counting means has reached a predetermined number. The call disabling means operates to invalidate (suppress) the terminal automatic transmission (calling) of the terminal network control device according to the determination result. For a long period of time.

Therefore, the power supply of the terminal network controller is
For example, in the case of a battery, the terminal automatic transmission operation is limited by the upper limit of the predetermined number of times, so that consumption of the battery is suppressed. Further, it is possible to suppress an increase in the line usage fee due to the long-term hold state of the line. Further, there is an effect that the line use efficiency of the communication line is improved and the operation rate in the communication operation of the terminal network control device is increased.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic processing flowchart showing a communication operation at the time of terminal automatic transmission in a terminal network control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a terminal network control device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a main control circuit of the terminal network control device shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a data communication system to which the terminal network control device according to the related art and one embodiment of the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 6 Terminal network control device 7 Meter 8 Sensor 14 Telephone line 605 Main control circuit 701 Timer counter 702 CPU 703 Data memory 704 Program memory 706 Non-volatile data memory MC Monthly count value SC Reset count value D1 Calling condition data D2 Calling Number data D3 Outgoing call time data In each figure, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A terminal network control device for connecting a communication line and a data terminal device to a center device, wherein the terminal device controls the center device via the communication line in response to a transmission request from the data terminal device. A caller for making a call, when the call is made, a communication line between a center device and the data terminal device is connected, and the transmission request in a state where the communication line is connected is transmitted. Counting means for counting the number of times equal to the transmission request of the previous call; determining means for determining that the number of times counted by the counting means has reached a predetermined number; and responding to the determination result of the determining means. And a call invalidation means for invalidating the call by the call means.