JP7077566B2 - Wireless communication terminal and remote meter reading system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a wireless communication terminal and a remote meter reading system that distribute a communication load.

Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 7, the meter reading value is acquired from the management center to the master unit for the slave unit under the control of the master unit while the connection between the management center and the master unit is established. A remote meter reading system that issues a request to do so and collects meter reading values is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

The remote meter reading system utilizes multi-stage communication of wireless communication terminals, and has a relay function that transmits information requested for relay from subordinate terminals to higher-level terminals. In addition, wireless communication terminals are generally battery-powered, and in order to reduce battery consumption, reception is checked with surrounding terminals while waking up periodically.

However, since the degree of concentration of the higher-level terminals to be relayed when a report is generated from the subordinate terminal is unknown, a load may be applied when the higher-level terminals are concentrated on a specific higher-level terminal, which may affect the battery operation. In a place where the communication environment is poor, there is a problem that communication is retransmitted many times, and a large load is applied due to the relay operation.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-92109

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and the surrounding subordinate terminals check the communication message header of the other-addressed message, and the destination of the other-addressed message is the communication of the upper terminal corresponding to its own upper terminal management table. It is an object of the present invention to provide a wireless communication terminal and a remote meter reading system that distributes a communication load by storing a counter.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is grasped by the following aspects.
(1) The first aspect according to the present invention is a wireless communication terminal that performs multi-stage communication, and is a communication counting means that additionally stores its own communication counter and a communication message when communicating with the stored communication counter. The additional means added to the header part and the communication of the message transmitted by the other wireless communication terminal The wireless communication terminal of the transmission source in the message header part is checked, and the upper terminal management table owned by the other wireless communication terminal is checked. In the case of a wireless communication terminal registered in the above, the wireless communication terminal is characterized by comprising a storage means for acquiring a communication counter of a transmission source from a communication message header unit and storing the communication counter in the corresponding location.

(2) In the configuration described in (1) above, further, when making a relay request to a higher-level terminal during communication, the communication counters stored in the higher-level terminal management table are compared, and the least higher-level terminal is prioritized. It is provided with a selection means for carrying out a relay request.

(3) In the configuration described in (1) or (2) above, the communication counter is a means for clearing by battery replacement and a transmission source from the upper terminal management table when receiving information on removal from the upper terminal. A means for deleting the communication counter of the above.

(4) The second aspect according to the present invention is a remote meter reading system, wherein the management center, a master unit communicating with the management center, and any one of the above (1) to (3). It is composed of a wireless communication terminal, and is characterized by including a plurality of slave units that communicate with the master unit.

According to the present invention, the surrounding subordinate terminals check the communication message header of the message addressed to another party, and the destination of the message addressed to the other party saves the communication counter of the upper terminal corresponding to its own upper terminal management table, thereby carrying out the communication load. A wireless communication terminal and a remote meter reading system can be provided.

It is a block diagram of the wireless communication terminal which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure explaining the 1st viewpoint of the remote meter reading system which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure explaining the 2nd viewpoint of the remote meter reading system which concerns on this embodiment. It is a flow diagram explaining the transmission operation of a wireless communication terminal. It is a flow diagram explaining the reception operation of a wireless communication terminal. It is a flow diagram explaining the relay partner selection of a wireless communication terminal. It is a figure explaining the conventional remote meter reading system.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, but in each figure, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding portions. Further, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments as will be clear from the following description, and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the gist of the invention.

(Wireless communication terminal)
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a wireless communication terminal 2', wherein the wireless communication terminal 2'is a CPU (
Central Processing Unit) Control Unit 101, ROM (Read)
Only Memory) 102, RAM (Random Access Memory)
) 103, an operation unit 104, a display unit 105, a specific low power radio unit 106, an antenna 107, a meter I / F (interface) 108, and a power supply unit 109.

The CPU control unit 101 controls the entire wireless communication terminal 2'. ROM 102 is a CPU
A program for operating the control unit 101, for example, a self-communication counter addition process, a self-communication counter save process in a message header, a higher-level communication counter acquisition process and save process when receiving a message to another address, and a higher-level terminal communication counter during communication. It is equipped with programs related to higher-level terminal selection processing. The RAM 103 is a storage means that functions as a temporary storage area for the operation of the CPU control unit 101, and stores a self-communication counter and a higher-level terminal management table (upper-level terminal number, communication counter).

The operation unit 104 is provided with an operation means such as a key, and performs device status confirmation, installation operation, and communication test of the wireless communication terminal 2'. The display unit 105 is provided with display means such as an LED, and displays installation confirmation results, test results, and the like. The specific low power radio unit 106 and its antenna 107 are communication means for communicating with the master unit 3 or the management center 4. The meter I / F (interface) 108 is connected to a meter reading meter, which is a communication device that is a transmission side of a start request signal. The power supply unit 109 is composed of a battery or the like that serves as a drive power source for the wireless communication terminal 2'.

A plurality of wireless communication terminals 2 are provided to perform multi-stage communication with each other, and the CPU of the CPU control unit 101 has (1) a communication counting means for additionally storing its own communication counter and (2) storing. Check the additional means for adding the communication counter to the communication message header part during communication, and (3) the wireless communication terminal of the transmission source in the communication message header part of the message transmitted by another wireless communication terminal. If the wireless communication terminal of the above is a wireless communication terminal registered in the upper terminal management table owned by the user, the wireless communication terminal is provided with a storage means for acquiring the communication counter of the transmission source from the communication message header part and storing it in the corresponding location. ..

Further, the CPU of the CPU control unit 101 compares the communication counters stored in the upper terminal management table when requesting relay to the upper terminal at the time of (4) communication, and gives priority to the least higher terminal for relay. Provide a means of choice to carry out the request. The CPU of the CPU control unit 101 further deletes the transmission counter from the host terminal management table when (5) the communication counter clears the battery by replacing the battery and receives information about removal from the host terminal. Means and.

(Remote meter reading system)
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the remote meter reading system 1 communicates with a plurality of slave units 2 corresponding to meter reading meters (not shown), a master unit 3 that communicates with the plurality of slave units 2, and a master unit 3. It is equipped with a management center 4. The handset 2 is composed of the above-mentioned wireless communication terminal 2', and a plurality of handset 2 (A to
E) is performing multi-stage communication. Here, the slave unit 2 (C, D, E) is the second stage, and the slave unit 2 (A).
, B) constitute the first stage. The communication route is slave unit 2 (C, D or E) ⇔ slave unit 2 (A or B) ⇔ master unit 3 ⇔ management center 4.

Note that FIG. 2 shows an example in which five slave units 2 (A to E) are provided as the slave units 2, but of course, the set quantity is not limited. Further, the number of layers of multiple stages is not limited to two stages, and may be three or more stages. The meter reading meter may be of any type, for example, propane gas, city gas, water, electricity, etc., and the remote meter reading system 1 may cover a certain area, or may be one set. It may cover a house.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which the remote meter reading system 1 shares a communication counter on a communication message header and stores it in a higher-level terminal management table. The slave unit 2 (E) has a communication counter inside, and stores the communication counter additively each time communication is performed. Then, when a communication event occurs, the saved communication counter is added to the communication message header, and the handset 2 (slave unit 2) which is a higher-level terminal (
Send to B). Similarly, the slave unit 2 (B) received from the slave unit 2 (E) adds its own communication counter to the communication message header and transmits the transmission to the master unit 3 at the time of transmission including relay communication. In FIG. 2,
The case where the communication counter from the slave unit 2 (E) to the slave unit 2 (B) is 70 times and the communication counter from the slave unit 2 (B) to the master unit 3 is 150 times is illustrated. The master unit 3 transmits the telegram to the management center 4.

At this time, the handset 2 (D) is checking the communication telegram header addressed to other surrounding communication.
If the slave unit 2 (B) is registered in the higher-level terminal management table as its own higher-level terminal, the communication counters of these higher-level terminals are acquired and saved. Table 1 shows an example of the upper terminal management table of the slave unit 2 (D), and here, the slave unit 2 (B) has the same communication counter of 150 times.

Subsequently, FIG. 3 shows an embodiment in which the communication partner (relay partner) is determined from the communication counter stored in the upper terminal management table in the remote meter reading system 1. When a communication event occurs, the slave unit 2 (D), which is a subordinate terminal, refers to the upper terminal management table, compares the stored communication counters, selects the least upper terminal, and makes a relay request. Table 2 shows an example of the upper terminal management table of the handset 2 (D), in which the communication counter of the handset 2 (A) is 20 times and the communication counter of the handset 2 (B) is 150 times. The slave unit 2 (D) selects the slave unit 2 (A) having the smallest communication counter as a higher-level terminal for requesting relay.

In FIG. 3, for example, the communication counter may be cleared when the battery of the slave unit 2 (B), which is a higher-level terminal, is replaced and the remaining battery level is maintained to a sufficient level. Further, the slave unit 2 (D), which is a subordinate terminal that receives the information that the terminal is removed when the slave unit 2 (B) is removed, deletes the slave unit 2 (B) from the upper terminal management table. You may try to do it.

As described above, the remote meter reading system 1 can reduce the concentration of the communication load on the specific higher-level terminal when the communication of the subordinate terminal is generated. In addition, since the communication generated in the remote meter reading system 1 is checked, even if a communication load such as a retry occurs in a place where the management center 4 does not know, it is possible to independently perform communication while avoiding the centralized load terminal. It will be possible.

Hereinafter, the flow of the processing procedure will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. The processing procedure described below can be applied to any of the slave units 2 (A to E), but in consideration of ease of understanding, a specific slave unit 2 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 4, the slave unit 2 (E) adds a communication counter at the time of communication and adds it to the communication message header. That is, when the transmission operation is started during self-communication (S100), the handset 2 (E)
) Executes the self-communication counter addition program mounted on the ROM 102 (S101).
). Then, the program for adding the self-communication counter to the communication message header is executed to transmit the message to the higher-level terminal (S102), and the transmission operation is terminated (S103). The communication telegram is as shown in Table 3, and the source ID is its own handset 2 (E).

When this transmission operation is executed in the slave unit 2 (B) which is the upper terminal of the first stage, the self-communication counter is added to the self-communication counter managed by the slave unit 2 (B). Then, it is set in the message to the master unit 3 which is the upper terminal.

As shown in FIG. 5, the second-stage slave unit 2 (D) around the slave unit 2 (E) browses the message addressed to another, acquires the communication counter of the higher-level terminal, and stores it in the higher-level terminal management table. That is, when the handset 2 (D) starts the reception operation (S200), the handset 2 (D) determines whether or not the received telegram is a telegram addressed to another (S201). If it is not a telegram addressed to another, the self-addressed reception operation is executed as a self-addressed telegram (S202). When the received message is a message addressed to another, it is determined whether or not the sender to the other is a terminal registered in the upper terminal management table of the handset 2 (D) (S203).

If the sender to another destination is not a terminal registered in the upper terminal management table, the reception operation is terminated (S205). If the terminal is registered in the higher-level terminal management table, the handset 2 (D) corresponds to the corresponding higher-level terminal number and is a higher-level communication counter acquired from a message that is a destination for another destination. Is saved in the upper terminal management table (S204), and the reception operation is terminated (S205). The communication telegram is as shown in Table 4, and the source ID is a registered upper terminal.

When there are a plurality of higher-level terminals registered in the higher-level terminal management table, the slave unit 2 (D) executes the step of S200 described above for each of the higher-level terminals. Therefore, when transmitting to the higher-level terminal, the handset 2 (D) determines a communication partner from the communication counter of the higher-level terminal stored in the higher-level terminal management table, as shown in FIG. That is, the slave unit 2 (D) is a relay partner (communication partner).
When the selection of the upper terminal is started (S300), the number of the upper terminal having the smallest communication counter among the upper terminals registered in the upper terminal management table is acquired (S301).
Then, the acquired upper terminal number is selected as the relay destination at the time of transmission (S302), and the selection of the relay partner is completed (S303).

When the upper terminal management table of the slave unit 2 (D) is as shown in Table 5, for example, it seems that four slave units 2 in the first stage (A, B, A', B'in FIG. 3) are arranged. In this case), when a communication event occurs, the slave unit 2 (B) having the smallest communication counter is selected from the upper terminal management table.

This embodiment can be modified in various ways. For example, when the power supply unit 109 of the handset 2 is a solar power supply or the like and it is necessary to be aware of the maximum amount of electricity stored for one day, the communication counter can be used. You may set an upper limit of the amount of communication within one day. This makes it possible to prevent the amount of electricity stored in the self-terminal and surrounding higher-level terminals from being used up.

Although the embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments, but includes those with various modifications, which are claimed by those skilled in the art. It is clear from the description of the range.

1 ... Remote meter reading system,
2 ... Slave unit 2'... Wireless communication terminal 3 ... Master unit 4 ... Management center 101 ... CPU control unit 102 ... ROM
103 ... RAM
104 ... Operation unit 105 ... Display unit 106 ... Specified low power wireless unit 107 ... Antenna 108 ... Meter I / F (interface)
109 ... Power supply unit

Claims (3)

It is a wireless communication terminal that communicates in multiple stages.
A communication counting means that additionally stores its own communication counter,
An additional means for adding the saved communication counter to the communication message header part during communication,
It is a wireless communication terminal registered in the upper terminal management table owned by the other wireless communication terminal by checking the wireless communication terminal of the transmission source in the communication message header part of the message transmitted by the other wireless communication terminal. In the case of a wireless communication terminal, the wireless communication terminal is provided with a storage means for acquiring a communication counter of a transmission source from a communication message header unit and storing the communication counter in the corresponding location. moreover,
It is characterized by having a selection means for comparing the communication counters stored in the upper terminal management table when making a relay request to the upper terminal at the time of communication and giving priority to the least higher terminal to execute the relay request. The wireless communication terminal according to claim 1. moreover,
The communication counter can be cleared by replacing the battery,
The wireless communication terminal according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the wireless communication terminal comprises a means for deleting a communication counter of a transmission source from a higher-level terminal management table when information regarding removal is received from the higher-level terminal.

Images