JP4853489B2 - Automatic wireless meter reading system and program thereof - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic wireless meter-reading system that performs meter-reading of usage such as gas, water, and electricity, and a program therefor.

  Conventionally, an automatic meter reading system that collects data recorded in meters for measuring usage of gas, water, electricity, etc. in homes, offices, factories, etc., through a communication line such as a telephone to a center that is a remote metering meter device In this automatic meter reading system, for example, a telephone line and a meter installed in each consumer are connected by a communication line, and communication is performed between the center and the meter via the telephone line. .

  By the way, in the case of such an automatic meter reading system, it is necessary to connect a telephone line and a meter with a communication line, so that labor and cost for routing and wiring the communication line inside and outside the customer are required. In particular, when the telephone line and the meter are separated from each other, this wiring work is a considerable burden, and in the case of an existing house, the wiring is sometimes impossible.

  Therefore, a wireless master unit is connected to each customer's telephone line via a terminal network controller (hereinafter referred to as “T-NCU”), and a wireless slave unit is connected to the meter. An automatic wireless meter-reading system that eliminates the need for indoor and outdoor wiring has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  As shown in FIG. 4, the center 1 which is a distance measuring meter device drives the wireless master unit 5 via the T-NCU 4 installed in the consumer 3 via the public telephone line 2, and this wireless parent device A radio signal is sent from the device 5 to the wireless slave device 6. When the wireless slave device 6 receives a signal from the wireless master device 5, the wireless slave device 6 takes out the weighing information stored in the automatic meter-reading meter 7 and transmits this information to the wireless master device 5 wirelessly. The wireless master device 5 sends the information received from the wireless slave device 6 to the center 1 via the T-NCU 4 and the public telephone line 2.

As a result, it is not necessary to wire the automatic meter-reading meter 7 in the building, so that the construction is simplified and the appearance of the building is not impaired. In particular, when an automatic meter reading system is applied later in an existing apartment house or tenant building, it is not necessary to perform wiring work for each meter, which makes it easy to realize the automatic meter reading system. is there.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-85938

  However, in the conventional configuration, only the center 1 and the automatic meter-reading meter 7 can communicate. However, if an infrared transmission unit is built in the wireless slave unit 6, it is possible to remotely control the infrared operating device. However, it is difficult to incorporate the infrared data of all the infrared operating devices in the wireless slave unit 6 because the infrared operating devices have different infrared data uniformly.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and can automatically control all infrared operation devices in addition to an automatic meter-reading meter and can enhance the added value of the automatic meter-reading system. And to provide the program.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned conventional problems, the automatic wireless meter reading system and the program thereof according to the present invention can remotely control all infrared operating devices in addition to the meter for automatic meter reading, and increase the added value of the automatic meter reading system. be able to. Is.

  According to the above-mentioned invention, it is possible to send arbitrary infrared data from the remote meter reading device and remotely control all infrared operating devices in addition to the meter for automatic meter reading, and the added value of the automatic meter reading system can be increased.

  The automatic wireless meter reading system and the program thereof according to the present invention can remotely control all infrared operation devices in addition to the meter for automatic meter reading, and can increase the added value of the automatic meter reading system.

A first invention is a device for automatic meter reading by receiving a radio base unit connected to a T-NCU installed via a communication line connected to a remote meter reading device and a radio signal transmitted from the radio base unit . An automatic wireless meter reading system configured to acquire meter reading information from a meter, and register infrared data for instructing remote control of infrared operation equipment in addition to meter meter reading information acquisition instructions Infrared data registration storage unit and infrared condition data setting for storing infrared condition data in which infrared data transmission conditions can be arbitrarily set according to the infrared operating device that is a remote control target when transmitting infrared data to the infrared operating device A remote measuring needle device having a storage unit, and transmitting infrared data and infrared condition data from the remote measuring needle device to the wireless slave unit, and information from the wireless slave unit. A wireless master device having a master wireless transmitter / receiver and a slave wireless transmitter / receiver for transmitting / receiving information to / from the wireless master device, and previously registering received infrared data and infrared condition data A wireless slave unit having an infrared transmitter for transmitting to an infrared operating device, and an infrared operating device having an infrared receiver for controlling the operation of the device when receiving infrared data, and remotely controlling by the infrared data Remote control of infrared operating devices other than automatic metering meter from remote metering device by operating infrared operating device and setting communication condition between infrared operating device and wireless slave unit remotely controlled by infrared condition data It is characterized by doing so.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 shows an automatic wireless meter reading system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  As shown in the figure, the automatic wireless meter reading system according to the present embodiment includes a remote measuring needle device 1 which is a center in which arbitrary infrared data 12 is registered, a remote measuring needle device 1 and a line 2 from a line 2 via a T-NCU 4. An infrared operating device 11 having an infrared light receiving unit 9 and an infrared ray unit having a wireless base unit 5 having a base unit wireless transmission / reception unit 14 and a slave unit wireless transmission / reception unit 8 communicating wirelessly with the wireless base unit 5. And the wireless slave unit 6 with the built-in infrared transmission unit 10 communicating with each other. Then, arbitrary infrared data 12 is sent from the distance measuring needle device 1 to operate the infrared operating device 11 via the wireless master device 5 and the wireless slave device 6.

  The infrared operating device 11 is not particularly limited, such as an automatic meter-reading meter, illumination, and air conditioner, and refers to all devices having the infrared light receiving unit 9.

  In the above configuration, when remote control of the infrared operating device 11 from the remote metering meter device 1 which is the center, the infrared operating device 11 is connected to the wireless master device 5 from the remote metering device 1 via the line 2 and the T-NCU 4. Infrared data 12 for operation is transmitted. The infrared data 12 is, for example, an infrared code determined for each manufacturer and each device such as an illumination and an air conditioner, and is registered in advance in the distance measuring needle device 1. Here, the wireless master device 5 may be connected to a PHS, mobile phone, or DOPA terminal, and connected to the remote metering meter device 1 via a PHS line, mobile phone, or DOPA network. Infrared data 12 for operating the infrared operating device 11 is transmitted from the wireless master device 5 to the wireless slave device 6, and the infrared light receiving unit 9 of the infrared operating device 11 is transmitted by the infrared transmitter 10 incorporated in the wireless slave device 6. Infrared data 12 is transmitted toward. This operation enables remote control of any infrared operation device 11 from the distance measuring needle device 1.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, arbitrary infrared data 12 can be sent from the remote meter reading device 1 to remotely control all the infrared operation devices 11 in addition to the meter for automatic meter reading, and the added value of the automatic meter reading system. Can be increased.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 2 shows an automatic meter reading system according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The same elements as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

In the automatic wireless meter reading system according to the present embodiment, the wireless slave unit 6 is provided with a test SW unit 13 for determining whether or not communication with the infrared operating device 11 is possible. When the wireless slave unit 6 is installed by operating the test SW unit 13, the infrared data 12 is transmitted to the wireless slave unit 6.
The start signal can be easily output only by the above. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

  In the above configuration, the remote control of the infrared operating device 11 from the distance measuring needle device 1 is the same as that shown in the first embodiment, but by pressing the test SW unit 13, the previously transmitted infrared data 12 is transmitted by infrared transmission. When the wireless slave unit 6 is installed, it is easily verified whether the infrared operation device 11 operates according to the positional relationship between the infrared light receiving unit 9 of the infrared operation device 11 and the infrared transmission unit 10 of the wireless slave unit 6. can do.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, arbitrary infrared data 12 can be sent from the remote meter reading device 1 to remotely control all the infrared operation devices 11 in addition to the meter for automatic meter reading, and the added value of the automatic meter reading system. In addition, it is possible to easily determine whether communication is possible at the installation position of the infrared operating device 11 and the wireless slave device 6 at the time of installation, and the installation work can be easily performed.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 3 shows an automatic meter reading system according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. The same elements as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  In the automatic wireless meter reading system according to the present embodiment, the remote measuring meter device 1 stores infrared condition data 15 such as the number of retransmissions of the infrared data 12 and the retransmission interval. As a result, by sending the stored infrared condition data 15 to the wireless slave unit 6, the infrared data 12 can be easily retransmitted and retransmitted in accordance with the infrared operating device 11.

  In the above configuration, remote control of the infrared operation device 11 from the remote measurement needle device 1 is the same as that shown in the first embodiment, but the remote measurement needle device 1 operates the infrared operation device 11 with respect to the wireless master device 5. Infrared data 12 and infrared condition data 15 are transmitted. Here, the infrared condition data 15 can be set as to how many times the infrared data 12 is retransmitted from the infrared transmission unit 10 built in the wireless slave unit 6 and what the retransmission interval time is. For example, it is possible to send arbitrary data such that the number of retransmissions is 2 and the interval is 50 ms.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, arbitrary infrared data 12 can be sent from the remote meter reading device 1 to remotely control all the infrared operation devices 11 in addition to the meter for automatic meter reading, and the added value of the automatic meter reading system. In addition, it is possible to arbitrarily set the infrared data 12 and the infrared transmission conditions that match each infrared operating device 11, so that a more reliable system can be configured.

  In addition, each unit of the wireless master device 5 and the wireless slave device 6 described in each of the first to third embodiments includes electricity / information provided with a CPU (or microcomputer), RAM, ROM, storage / recording device, I / O, and the like. You may implement with the form of the program which makes hard resources, such as an apparatus, a computer, a server cooperate. In the form of a program, new functions can be distributed / updated and installed easily by recording them on a recording medium such as magnetic media or optical media or distributing them using a communication line such as the Internet.

  As described above, the automatic meter reading system and its program according to the present invention can remotely control all infrared operating devices in addition to the automatic meter reading meter, and can increase the added value of the automatic meter reading system. Since it can be applied to any wireless communication system, it can be applied to uses other than automatic wireless meter reading.

Block diagram of the automatic meter reading system in Embodiment 1 of the present invention Block diagram of an automatic meter reading system in Embodiment 2 of the present invention Block diagram of an automatic meter reading system in Embodiment 3 of the present invention Block diagram of a conventional automatic meter reading system

Explanation of symbols

1 Remote Metering Device 5 Wireless Master Unit 6 Wireless Slave Unit 8 Slave Unit Radio Transmitting / Receiving Unit 9 Infrared Receiving Unit 10 Infrared Transmitting Unit 11 Infrared Operating Device 12 Infrared Data 13 Test SW Unit 14 Master Unit Wireless Transmitting / Receiving Unit 15 Infrared Condition Data

Claims (1)

A wireless master unit connected to a T-NCU installed via a communication line connected to the remote meter reading device, and a wireless signal transmitted from the wireless master unit to receive meter reading information from the meter for automatic meter reading An automatic wireless meter reading system composed of a wireless slave device,
In addition to the meter reading information acquisition instruction of the meter, an infrared data registration storage unit for registering infrared data for instructing remote control of the infrared operation device, and the infrared operation device that is a remote control target when transmitting infrared data to the infrared operation device A remote measuring needle device having an infrared condition data setting storage unit for storing infrared condition data capable of arbitrarily setting infrared data transmission conditions according to
In addition to transmitting infrared data and infrared condition data from the remote measurement meter device to a wireless slave unit, a wireless master unit having a master unit wireless transceiver for receiving information from the wireless slave unit,
A slave wireless transmitter / receiver for transmitting / receiving information to / from the wireless master device and an infrared transmitter for transmitting the received infrared data and infrared condition data to a pre-registered infrared operating device A wireless handset,
An infrared operating device having an infrared light receiving unit that controls the operation of the device when receiving infrared data;
By operating the infrared operating device remotely controlled by the infrared data and setting the communication conditions between the infrared operating device remotely controlled by the infrared condition data and the wireless slave unit, the remote metering device other than the meter for automatic meter reading An automatic wireless meter reading system characterized by remotely controlling an infrared operating device.

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