JP3153592B2 - Automatic meter reading device and terminal network control device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic meter reading apparatus which collects, for example, electricity, gas, water and the like through a telephone line at a center device provided at the center.
The present invention relates to an automatic meter reading device and a terminal network control device capable of accurately performing a test for confirming the normality of installation work when a terminal meter for measuring usage is installed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an automatic meter reading device, for example, a terminal meter for measuring the usage of electricity, gas, water or the like is provided near a place where electricity, gas, water or the like is used, and the usage meter measured by the terminal meter is used. Although it is necessary to provide a terminal network controller near the telephone line in order to transmit a quantity of data to the center device via the telephone line, the terminal meter and the terminal network controller are generally separated from each other. They are often connected via a signal cable.

[0003] When a terminal meter is installed, installation work including wiring between the terminal meter and the terminal network controller is properly performed, and the terminal meter and the terminal network controller operate normally. A test call is made from the terminal meter after the installation work is completed in order to confirm whether or not this is the case. The test call is conventionally performed by operating a test switch provided in a call start unit of the terminal meter to manually start the call start unit.

Specifically, when a test switch of the terminal meter is operated, a test call is activated from the terminal meter to the terminal network control device, whereby the terminal network control device is connected to the telephone line with the center device. Connection, call the center device, and the response from the center device allows the communication between the center device and the terminal meter to be performed normally via the terminal network control device. Make sure that.

[0005] Here, if there is any abnormality in the installation work or wiring of the terminal meter and communication cannot be performed normally, there is no response from the center device to the terminal meter. And a communication error is displayed on the display unit of the terminal meter.

[0006]

In the above-mentioned conventional installation work test, it is known from the error display displayed on the terminal meter that there is some abnormality in the installation work or wiring, but this abnormality is detected by the terminal meter and the terminal network. Since it cannot be determined whether it is between the control device or the terminal network control device and the center device, there is a problem that it takes time to find and repair an abnormal part.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above,
An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic meter reading device and a terminal network control device that can quickly detect an abnormal portion due to a test call.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, an automatic meter reading device according to the present invention comprises a terminal device for measuring the amount of use, and a device for transmitting data of the amount of use measured by the terminal device to a telephone line. The terminal network controller connected between the terminal device and the telephone line and the use connected to the terminal network controller via the telephone line and measured by the terminal device via the terminal network controller and the telephone line An automatic meter reading device having a center device for collecting an amount of data, wherein the automatic meter reading device is provided in the terminal network control device and is directed from the terminal network control device to the terminal device in order to test the automatic meter reading device including the terminal device. a test switch for delivering a test call command Te, provided in the terminal device, receiving the test call command, the terminal test call starting unit for testing call from the terminal device, said end
Provided in the terminal network control device, receives a start signal by a test call from the terminal device, confirms normality with the terminal device, and activates the center device according to the start signal from the terminal device. The gist of the present invention is to have a confirmation means for receiving a call and a response from the center device and confirming normality with the center device. Further, the terminal network control of the present invention
The device measures the usage amount measured by the terminal device that measures the usage amount.
The terminal device and the telephone line to send data to the telephone line
And the terminal device via a telephone line
Connected to a center device that collects measured usage data
A network controller for a terminal, comprising:
To the terminal device to perform a normality test with the
A test switch for sending a test call command
A test call from the terminal device that has received the test call command
Receiving a start signal from the
Check and respond to the start signal from the terminal device.
Call the center device and receive the response from the center device
Confirmation means for confirming normality with the center device
The gist is to have.

[0009]

In the automatic meter reading device of the present invention, a test call command is sent from the terminal network control device to the terminal device by the test switch of the terminal network control device, and the terminal device receives the test call command. Then, in order to make a terminal test call, a start signal for the terminal test call is sent to the terminal network control device. The terminal network control device receives the start signal of the terminal test call from the terminal device, confirms the normality with the terminal device, calls the center device, receives the response from the center device, Check the normality with the center device. Also,
In the terminal network control device of the present invention, the test switch
When a test call command is sent to the terminal device, the confirmation means
Is a terminal test call from the terminal device that received the test call command.
Receives a call start signal and confirms normality with the terminal device.
And call the center device,
Received these responses and confirms normality with the center device
I do.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an automatic meter reading device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The automatic meter reading device shown in FIG. 1 includes, for example, a terminal meter 1 for measuring the usage of electricity, gas, water and the like, and the terminal meter 1 and a telephone line 4.
And a terminal network control device 2 connected to a center device (not shown) via a telephone line 4 and transmitting the usage data measured by the terminal meter 1 to the center device via the telephone line. Having.

The terminal meter 1 has a sensor unit 11 for detecting the use of electricity, gas, water, or the like, a counter unit 12 for counting the measurement value detected by the sensor unit 11, and measurement data counted by the counter unit 12. , A memory unit 13 for storing the same for each unit time or for each designated time zone, a timer unit 14 for measuring the date and time by dividing the original frequency of the crystal unit and the like, and a date and time counted by the timer unit 14. At the designated time, a call starting unit 15 for starting communication from the terminal meter 1 to the center device; an input / output circuit unit 17 for inputting / outputting data to / from the terminal network control device 2; At the designated time, the contents of the counter unit 12 are written to the memory unit 13, and the data stored in the memory unit 13 is input / output by a signal from the call starting unit 15. Through the road section 17 and a control unit 16 for performing a series of control such as to be sent to the terminal for network control apparatus 2.

The terminal network control device 2 is connected to the input / output circuit 17 of the terminal meter 1 via a signal cable, receives a signal from the terminal meter 1, and sends an instruction from the center device to the terminal meter 1. And an input / output circuit unit 21 for transmitting the signal from the input / output circuit unit 21 to a signal for the telephone line, and a signal from the telephone line 4 to the input / output circuit unit 2.
A modem unit 22 for demodulating the signal into a signal for one terminal, a dialer unit 23 for transmitting the telephone number of the center device when a call is made from the terminal meter 1 to the center device, and a telephone line 4 which is the same as the terminal network control device. An off-hook detecting unit 24 for detecting whether the connected telephone 3 is used, a switch unit 25 for switching the telephone line 4 to the telephone 3 side or the terminal meter 1 side, and a signal from the input / output circuit unit 21 Then, it is confirmed that the telephone 3 is not off-hook, the switch unit 25 is switched to the terminal meter 1 side, and the dialer unit 23
, A control unit 26 for controlling a series of telephone line connection operations with the center device, and mediation of communication between the terminal meter 1 and the center device. It comprises a test switch 27 for transmitting a call command, and a display unit 28 for displaying an error when a communication error occurs as a result of a test call from the terminal meter by the test switch 27.

The operation of the automatic meter reading device configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG.

[0015] When the installation work is completed, the terminal network control device is checked to determine whether the connection between the terminal meter and the terminal network control device and between the terminal network control device and the center device is normal. The user operates the test switch 27 provided at the second position. The operation of the test switch 27 is detected by the control unit 26 of the terminal network controller, and the terminal network controller sends a test call command from the input / output circuit unit 21 to the terminal meter 1 as shown in FIG. .

The terminal meter 1 receives a test call command from the terminal network control device 2 via the input / output circuit unit 17 and supplies it to the control unit 16. The control unit 16 starts a terminal calling operation in response to the test calling command from the terminal network control device, and the terminal meter 1 is activated with respect to the terminal network control device 2 as shown in FIG. multiply.

The terminal network controller 2 receives the start of the terminal call from the terminal meter 1, thereby confirming that the communication between the terminal meter and the terminal network controller is normal. A telephone call is made to the device, the center device is called, and a telephone line with the center device is connected as shown in FIG.

When the telephone line is connected to the terminal network control device 2, the center device returns a response signal to the terminal network control device as shown in FIG. Terminal network controller 2
Receives the response signal from the center device, confirms that the center device and the terminal network control device are also normal, and thereafter performs communication between the center device and the terminal meter 1 as usual. Let it start.

Here, if there is an abnormality in the construction or wiring between the terminal network control device and the terminal meter, the terminal meter 1 does not send the terminal call activation to the terminal network control device 2. Therefore, the terminal network control device 2 determines from this that there is an abnormality between the terminal meter and the display unit 28 displays an error display indicating that there is an abnormality between the terminal meter and the terminal network control device. Do.

Further, if the terminal meter and the terminal network control device are normal, and if there is an abnormality between the terminal network control device and the center device, the center device transmits the information to the terminal network control device. Since the response signal is not returned to the control device 2, the terminal network control device determines from this that there is an abnormality with the center device, and the display unit 28 displays the signal between the center device and the terminal network control device. Display an error indicating that there is an error.

In the above embodiment, the terminal meter 1
It is also conceivable that the call starting unit 15 of the above is provided in the terminal network control device, and the regular periodic call is started from the terminal network control device in the same manner as the test call. However, the terminal network control device has a different periodic call time for each terminal network control device,
With such a configuration, there is a possibility that compatibility between the terminal network control devices may be lost. However, it is considered that such a configuration is possible by providing a separate control device.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The test switch of the terminal network control device sends a test call command from the terminal network control device to the terminal device. When the terminal device receives the test call command, the terminal test is performed to perform a terminal test call. Sends a call start signal to the terminal network controller, the terminal network controller receives the terminal test call start signal from the terminal device, and confirms normality with the terminal device, Since the center device is called and a response from the center device is received and the normality between the center device and the center device is confirmed, whether there is an abnormality between the terminal meter and the terminal network control device or whether the center device and the terminal device are abnormal. It is possible to clearly and quickly determine whether there is an abnormality with the service network control device, and it is possible to quickly detect and deal with an abnormal location. Also, in normal inspection operations, terminal meters are generally sealed and difficult to operate, but the terminal network control device is installed near the telephone line and there is no seal. Outgoing calls are also easy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an automatic meter reading device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the operation of the automatic meter reading device of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 terminal meter 2 terminal network controller 3 telephone 4 telephone line 26 control unit 27 test switch 28 display unit

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A terminal device for measuring a usage amount, a terminal network control device connected between the terminal device and the telephone line for transmitting data of the usage amount measured by the terminal device to a telephone line, and a telephone An automatic meter reading device connected to the terminal network control device via a line, and having a center device for collecting data of usage measured by the terminal device via the terminal network control device and the telephone line, the terminal device comprising: A test switch for transmitting a test call command from the terminal network control device to the terminal device for testing the automatic meter reading device including the terminal device, the test switch being provided in the terminal device; Terminal test call start-up means for receiving the test call command and making a test call from a terminal device, and the terminal network control device
Is provided, and receives a start signal by a test call from the terminal device, confirms normality with the terminal device, calls the center device according to the start signal from the terminal device, and from the center device. An automatic meter reading device, comprising: a confirmation unit that receives a response from the center device and confirms normality with the center device. 2. The usage measured by a terminal device for measuring usage.
In order to send the dose data to the telephone line,
Terminal connected to a telephone line and via a telephone line
Used as a center device to collect usage data measured by equipment
A network controller for a connected terminal, wherein the terminal device and the
Terminal equipment to perform a normality test between
Test switch for sending a test call command to the device
And a test from the terminal device that has received the test call command.
Receiving the start signal from the test call,
Check the normality and respond to the start signal from the terminal device.
Call the center device and respond from the center device
To confirm the normality with the center device
Means for controlling a terminal network.