JP2013258616A - Remote meter reading system and master unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a remote meter reading system and a master unit in which a burden for remote meter reading at a user side can be reduced.SOLUTION: A slave unit 1 includes a PLC communication part which transmits meter reading data to a master unit 2 using power line carrier communication. The master unit 2 includes: the PLC communication part 22 which receives the meter reading data from the slave unit 1 using the power line carrier communication; and a base station radio communication part 21 which transmits the meter reading data received from the slave unit 1 to a radio base station 3 of a communication carrier. A high-order management device 4 collects the meter reading data through the radio base station 3.

Description

  The present invention relates to a remote meter reading system and a master unit.

  In general, a supply medium such as electricity, gas, water, and heat is supplied from a supplier to consumers. The supply medium consumers use the meter meter to measure the amount of supply medium used, and the supplier confirms the meter reading results with the meter reader and charges the customer for the amount of supply medium used. doing.

  The meter reading work by the meter reader requires labor costs and there are problems such as erroneous reading of the meter reading value. To solve this kind of problem, the meter reading data is managed without going through the meter reader. Various remote meter reading systems have been proposed.

  As an example of a conventional remote meter reading system, a plurality of slave units that measure the amount of supply medium used by consumers, a master unit that acquires meter reading data for each slave unit, and meter reading data acquired by the master unit are collected. Some are equipped with a host management device.

  The host management device is managed by a supplier of the supply medium, and collects meter reading data from each of the master units provided for each fixed range in the supply area via a wide-area communication network such as the Internet (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2011-217148 A

In Patent Literature 1, a router, an optical fiber line, and the like provided in a consumer are included in a communication path between a parent device and a host management device. These routers, optical fiber lines, etc. need to be installed by customers, which was a burden for consumers in terms of cost, maintenance, etc.
This invention is made | formed in view of the said reason, The objective is to provide the remote meter-reading system which can reduce the burden in the consumer for remote meter-reading, and a main | base station.

  The remote meter reading system of the present invention acquires a plurality of first slave units that generate meter reading data of a supply medium supplied from a supplier at a consumer, and the meter reading data for each of the first slave units. A master unit, and a host management device that collects the meter reading data acquired by the master unit, the first slave unit includes a first communication unit that transmits the meter reading data to the master unit, The base unit includes a second communication unit that receives the meter reading data from the first handset, and a base station that transmits the meter reading data received from the first handset to a radio base station of a communication carrier A higher-order management device that collects the meter-reading data via the wireless base station.

  In this invention, the first communication unit is a first power line carrier communication unit that transmits the meter reading data using power line carrier communication, and the second communication unit is the meter reading using power line carrier communication. Preferably, the second power line carrier communication unit receives data.

  In this invention, the first communication unit is a first wireless communication unit that transmits the meter reading data using wireless communication, and the second communication unit receives the meter reading data using wireless communication. It is preferable that the second wireless communication unit.

  In this invention, the first communication unit is a first power line carrier communication unit that transmits the meter reading data using power line carrier communication, or a first wireless communication unit that transmits the meter reading data using wireless communication. The second communication unit includes a second power line carrier communication unit that receives the meter reading data using power line carrier communication, and a second wireless communication unit that receives the meter reading data using wireless communication. It is preferable to provide both.

  In this invention, it has the 2nd subunit | mobile_unit which performs radio | wireless communication between the said 1st subunit | mobile_unit, The said 2nd subunit | mobile_unit produces | generates the said meter-reading data, and the said meter-reading data produced | generated are said 1st It is preferable to transmit to the parent device via the child device.

  In this invention, between the 2nd subunit | mobile_unit which produces | generates the said meter-reading data, and performs wireless communication between the said 1st subunit | mobile_unit, and the said 2nd subunit | mobile_unit produces | generates the said meter-reading data The third slave unit transmits the generated meter-reading data to the second slave unit, and the second slave unit generates the generated slave unit. It is preferable that meter-reading data and the meter-reading data received from the third slave unit are transmitted to the master unit via the first slave unit.

  The base unit of the present invention is a base unit that communicates with both a plurality of slave units that generate meter-reading data of a supply medium supplied from a supply provider at a consumer and a wireless base station of a communication provider. A communication unit that receives the meter reading data from the slave unit and a base station radio communication unit that transmits the meter reading data received from the slave unit to the radio base station.

  As described above, in the present invention, the communication path with the host management device does not include a router on the customer side, an optical fiber line, etc., and this is a burden on the customer from the viewpoint of cost, maintenance, etc. Is reduced and the burden on the consumer for remote meter reading can be reduced.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the remote meter-reading system of Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the remote meter-reading system of Embodiment 2. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the remote meter-reading system of Embodiment 3.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a remote meter reading system according to the present embodiment. A slave unit 1A (first slave unit), a slave unit 1B (second slave unit), a slave unit 1C (first slave unit), a parent unit The machine 2A, the radio base station 3, and the upper management apparatus 4 are provided as main components. In addition, it demonstrates below using electricity as a supply medium supplied to a consumer from a supplier.

  1 A of subunit | mobile_units are comprised with the electric power meter 11, the meter interface part 12, the memory | storage part 13, the control part 14, and the PLC communication part 15 (a 1st communication part, a 1st power line carrier communication part).

  The subunit | mobile_unit 1B is comprised with the electric power meter 11, the meter interface part 12, the memory | storage part 13, the control part 14, and the radio | wireless communication part 16 (a 1st communication part, a 1st radio | wireless communication part).

  1 C of subunit | mobile_units are comprised with the electric power meter 11, the meter interface part 12, the memory | storage part 13, the control part 14, the PLC communication part 15 (a 1st communication part, a 1st power line carrier communication part), and the radio | wireless communication part 17. .

  The subunit | mobile_unit 1A, 1B, 1C is arrange | positioned for every consumer, and produces | generates the meter-reading data of the electric usage-amount in each consumer. The consumers are each dwelling unit, detached house, office, store, factory, etc. of the apartment house.

  The power meter 11 measures the amount of electricity used by each consumer. The control unit 14 generates meter reading data from the measurement result acquired from the power meter 11 via the meter interface unit 12 and stores it in the storage unit 13. .

  The PLC communication part 15 of the subunit | mobile_unit 1A, 1C is connected to the electric power trunk line W1, and performs the electric power line carrier communication via the electric power trunk line W1. The operation of the PLC communication unit 15 is controlled by the control unit 14. The power trunk line W1 is provided for each ridge of the apartment house, for each floor of the apartment house, or for a predetermined range of consumers, and serves as a power supply path to each consumer.

  The wireless communication unit 16 of the child device 1B and the wireless communication unit 17 of the child device 1C perform, for example, wireless communication in the 920 MHz band.

  Base unit 2A includes base station radio communication unit 21, PLC communication unit 22 (second communication unit, second power line carrier communication unit), and control unit 23, and acquires meter reading data for each slave unit 1. The master unit 2A is provided for each power trunk line W1, and is disposed, for example, in an electrical room of a housing complex or in the vicinity of a pole transformer.

  The PLC communication unit 22 is connected to the power trunk line W1 and performs power line carrier communication via the power trunk line W1. The base station radio communication unit 21 performs radio communication with the radio base station 3. The control unit 23 controls each operation of the base station radio communication unit 21 and the PLC communication unit 22.

  Here, the radio base station 3 is managed by a communication carrier, and the base station radio communication unit 21 can directly communicate with the radio base station. For communication between the base station radio communication unit 21 and the radio base station, for example, WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) radio communication technology is used.

  The upper management apparatus 4 is managed by an electric power company and is configured to be able to perform network communication with the wireless base station 3 via the wide area network NT1 and the like. The upper management apparatus 4 collects meter reading data acquired by the parent device 2A via the radio base station 3.

  The operation of this system will be described below.

  First, in the subunit | mobile_unit 1A, 1C, the control part 14 produces | generates meter-reading data from the measurement result acquired from the electric power meter 11 via the meter interface part 12, and stores it in the memory | storage part 13. FIG. Then, the PLC communication unit 15 transmits the meter reading data stored in the storage unit 13 to the parent device 2A. Transmission of meter-reading data by the PLC communication unit 15 may be any of a configuration performed by polling from the parent device 2A, a configuration performed spontaneously by the child device 1A, and a configuration performed when a request from the host management device 4 occurs.

  In the master unit 2A, the PLC communication unit 22 receives meter reading data from the slave devices 1A and 1C of each customer, thereby acquiring meter reading data from one or more subordinate slave devices 1A and 1C. Then, the base station wireless communication unit 21 directly transmits the acquired meter reading data to the wireless base station 3. The meter reading data transmitted by the base station radio communication unit 21 is added with information of the upper management device 4 which is the final destination, and the meter reading data transferred by the radio base station 3 to the network is finally managed by the upper management. Device 4 is reached.

  As described above, the base unit 2A directly transmits the acquired meter reading data to the radio base station 3. Therefore, the communication path between the master unit 2A and the upper management device 4 does not include a router on the customer side, an optical fiber line, etc., and the burden on the customer is reduced from the viewpoint of cost, maintenance, etc. The That is, it is possible to reduce the burden on the customer for remote meter reading.

  Furthermore, in the subunit | mobile_unit 1B, the control part 14 produces | generates meter-reading data from the measurement result acquired from the electric power meter 11 via the meter interface part 12, and stores it in the memory | storage part 13. FIG. And the wireless communication part 16 transmits the meter-reading data stored in the memory | storage part 13 to 1 C of subunit | mobile_units. The transmission of the meter reading data by the wireless communication unit 16 may be either a configuration performed by polling from the slave unit 1C or a configuration performed spontaneously by the slave unit 1B.

  Accordingly, the slave unit 1C can acquire the meter reading data of the slave unit 1B, and can transmit the acquired meter reading data of the slave unit 1B to the master unit 2A by power line carrier communication. In this way, the master unit 2A can acquire not only meter reading data of the slave units 1A and 1C but also meter reading data of the slave unit 1B that does not have the power line carrier communication function. Then, the base station wireless communication unit 21 directly transmits the acquired meter reading data to the wireless base station 3.

  Further, the communication between the slave units 1A and 1C and the master unit 2A may constitute a multi-hop communication system in which any of the slave units 1A and 1C relays data.

  Further, the communication between the child device 1B and the child device 1C may constitute a multi-hop communication system in which any child device 1B relays data.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the remote meter reading system of this embodiment. Base unit 2B includes a wireless communication unit 24 (second communication unit, second wireless communication unit). And the meter-reading data are transmitted / received by radio | wireless communication (for example, 920 MHz band communication) between the radio | wireless communication part 16 of the subunit | mobile_unit 1B, and the radio | wireless communication part 24 of the main | base station 2B. In this embodiment, handset 1B corresponds to the first handset of the present invention, handset 1C corresponds to the second handset of the present invention, and handset 1A corresponds to the third handset of the present invention. It corresponds to a child machine. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the structure similar to Embodiment 1, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  First, in the subunit | mobile_unit 1B, the control part 14 produces | generates meter-reading data from the measurement result acquired from the electric power meter 11 via the meter interface part 12, and stores it in the memory | storage part 13. FIG. And the wireless communication part 16 transmits the meter-reading data stored in the memory | storage part 13 to the main | base station 2B. The transmission of meter-reading data by the wireless communication unit 16 may be any of a configuration performed by polling from the parent device 2B, a configuration performed spontaneously by the child device 1B, and a configuration performed when a request from the host management device 4 occurs.

  In the master unit 2B, the wireless communication unit 24 acquires meter-reading data from one or a plurality of subordinate slave units 1B by receiving meter-reading data from the slave unit 1B of each customer. Then, the base station wireless communication unit 21 directly transmits the acquired meter reading data to the wireless base station 3. The meter reading data transmitted by the base station radio communication unit 21 is added with information of the upper management device 4 which is the final destination, and the meter reading data transferred by the radio base station 3 to the network is finally managed by the upper management. Device 4 is reached.

  As described above, the master unit 2B directly transmits the acquired meter reading data to the radio base station 3. Therefore, the communication path between the master unit 2B and the upper management device 4 does not include a router on the customer side, an optical fiber line, etc., and the burden on the customer is reduced in terms of cost and maintenance. The That is, it is possible to reduce the burden on the customer for remote meter reading.

  Furthermore, the slave unit 1C can perform power line carrier communication via the power trunk line W2 with the slave unit 1A having the power line carrier communication function, and the slave unit 1C can acquire meter reading data of the slave unit 1A. Further, the slave unit 1C can wirelessly communicate with the slave unit 1B having a wireless communication function, and can transmit the meter reading data of the own unit and the acquired meter reading data of the slave unit 1A to any one of the slave units 1B. The slave unit 1B that has received the meter reading data of the slave units 1A and 1C transfers the meter reading data to the master unit 2B by wireless communication. In this way, the master unit 2B can acquire not only meter reading data of the slave unit 1B but also meter reading data of the slave unit 1A that does not have a wireless communication function. Then, the base station wireless communication unit 21 directly transmits the acquired meter reading data to the wireless base station 3.

  Further, the communication between the child device 1B and the parent device 2B may constitute a multi-hop communication system in which any child device 1B relays data.

  Furthermore, the communication between the child device 1A and the child device 1C may constitute a multi-hop communication system in which any child device 1A relays data.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the remote meter reading system of the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the slave units 1A and 1B correspond to the first slave unit of the present invention. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the structure similar to Embodiment 1, 2, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In this system, a slave unit 1A that transmits meter reading data to the upper level by power line carrier communication and a slave unit 1B that transmits meter reading data to the upper level by wireless communication are mixed.

  In this case, the parent device 2C includes both the PLC communication unit 22 and the wireless communication unit 24, and can acquire meter reading data from both the child device 1A and the child device 1B.

  Further, the communication between the child device 1A and the parent device 2C may constitute a multi-hop communication system in which any child device 1A relays data.

  Furthermore, the communication between the child device 1B and the parent device 2C may constitute a multi-hop communication system in which any child device 1B relays data.

  Moreover, even if the supply medium supplied to a consumer in each above-mentioned embodiment is gas, water, heat, etc. other than electricity, the same effect as the above can be acquired.

1 (1A, 1B,...) Slave unit 2 (2A, 2B,...) Base unit 21 Wireless communication unit 22 PLC communication unit 3 Wireless base station 4 Host management device

Claims (7)

A plurality of first slave units that generate meter reading data of a supply medium supplied from a supplier at a consumer, a master unit that acquires the meter reading data for each first slave unit, and the master unit A host management device that collects the acquired meter reading data;
The first slave unit includes a first communication unit that transmits the meter reading data to the master unit,
The base unit includes a second communication unit that receives the meter reading data from the first handset, and a base station that transmits the meter reading data received from the first handset to a radio base station of a communication carrier A wireless communication unit,
The high-order management device collects the meter-reading data via the wireless base station.   The first communication unit is a first power line carrier communication unit that transmits the meter reading data using power line carrier communication, and the second communication unit receives the meter reading data using a power line carrier communication. The remote meter reading system according to claim 1, wherein the remote meter reading system is a second power line carrier communication unit.   The first communication unit is a first wireless communication unit that transmits the meter reading data using wireless communication, and the second communication unit is a second wireless device that receives the meter reading data using wireless communication. The remote meter reading system according to claim 1, wherein the remote meter reading system is a wireless communication unit. The first communication unit is a first power line carrier communication unit that transmits the meter reading data using power line carrier communication, or a first wireless communication unit that transmits the meter reading data using wireless communication,
The second communication unit includes both a second power line carrier communication unit that receives the meter reading data using power line carrier communication and a second wireless communication unit that receives the meter reading data using wireless communication. The remote meter reading system according to claim 1, further comprising: A second handset that performs wireless communication with the first handset;
The said 2nd subunit | mobile_unit produces | generates the said meter-reading data, and transmits the produced | generated meter-reading data to the said main | base station via the said 1st subunit | mobile_unit. Remote meter reading system. A power line carrier communication between the second slave unit that generates the meter-reading data and performs wireless communication with the first slave unit and the second slave unit that generates the meter-reading data. A third handset that performs
The third handset transmits the generated meter reading data to the second handset,
The second slave unit transmits the generated meter-reading data and the meter-reading data received from the third slave unit to the master unit via the first slave unit. Item 5. A remote meter reading system according to any one of Items 1 to 4. A master unit that communicates with both a plurality of slave units that generate meter reading data of a supply medium supplied from a supplier at a consumer and a wireless base station of a communication provider,
A master unit comprising: a communication unit that receives the meter reading data from the slave unit; and a base station radio communication unit that transmits the meter reading data received from the slave unit to the radio base station.

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