JP3595473B2 - Communications system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a communication system for automatic meter reading such as a gas meter.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in order to perform automatic meter reading with a gas meter or the like, a PHS terminal is attached to each gas meter or the like and connected to a center via a public base station to perform communication. A meter reading command is issued from the center, a PHS terminal is called to acquire meter data, and a gas valve opening / closing command is issued from the center to open / close the gas valve of the meter.
[0003]
This PHS terminal performs intermittent driving at intervals of several hours to one day in order to enable long-term driving only with a battery. As shown in FIG. 5, after the PHS terminal is powered on and driven for a certain time (t3) every t1 time, it enters a standby state. For example, t1 is about 6 hours, and t3 is about 1 minute. The center and the PHS terminal are synchronized, and the center calls the PHS terminal and performs communication when the PHS terminal is in a standby state.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, for example, when it is desired to quickly open the gas plug in a state where the gas plug is closed for convenience, it is necessary to wait until the timing at which the PHS terminal is intermittently driven and then remotely open the plug. Because the service could not be opened immediately, customer service deteriorated. Conversely, if the interval of the intermittent drive is shortened from the beginning, the battery life is shortened, which leads to an increase in cost.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to change the intermittent drive interval of a PHS terminal in accordance with a command from a center to improve customer service and at the same time maintain a PHS terminal maintenance cost. It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication system for achieving reduction.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above-described object, the present invention provides a communication system including a center and a terminal device connected to a meter, wherein communication is performed between the center and the terminal device. A communication system characterized by changing an intermittent drive time interval of the terminal device according to a command.
[0007]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration diagram of a communication system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The communication system 1 includes a center 3, a public base station 5, a plurality of PHS terminals 7-1 to 7-n, and meters 9-1 to 9-n respectively connected thereto. The meters 9-1 to 9-n have CPUs 11-1 to 11-n, respectively, and the CPUs 11-1 to 11-n open and close the stopper.
[0008]
Although FIG. 1 shows the communication system 1 of the meters 9-1 to 9-n which are gas meters, the present invention can also be applied to a communication system in which the meters 9-1 to 9-n are electric meters or water meters.
[0009]
The center 3 and the public base station 5 are connected by a public line. The communication between the public base station 5 and the PHS terminals 7-1 to 7-n is wireless. Meters 9-1 to 9-n are connected to the PHS terminals 7-1 to 7-n, respectively, and perform automatic meter reading and remote opening / closing control according to a command from the center 3.
[0010]
When the center 3 performs automatic meter reading, an automatic meter reading command is sent from the center 3 to the PHS terminals 7-1 to 7-n via the public base station 5, and the PHS terminals 7-1 to 7-n are connected to the respective meters. After acquiring the meter reading data of 9-1 to 9-n, the data is returned to the center 3 via the public base station 5.
[0011]
When the center 3 performs remote opening / closing control, a control command is sent from the center 3 to the PHS terminals 7-1 to 7-n via the public base station 5, and the PHS terminals 7-1 to 7-n are sent. Sends commands to the CPUs 11-1 to 11-n of the meters 9-1 to 9-n to perform opening / closing control.
[0012]
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. 2 and 3 show timings at which the PHS terminal performs intermittent driving (the horizontal axis indicates time), and FIG. 4 shows a flowchart for switching intervals of intermittent driving. However, in this description, as the PHS terminal and the meter, only the PHS terminal 7-1 and the meter 9-1 will be described.
[0013]
Normally, the PHS terminal 7-1 which is driven by a battery is turned on at regular time intervals t1 (for example, t1 is 6 hours) in order to extend the battery life (step 401), and is driven for a fixed time t3 (for example, t3 is 1). Minutes). In the meantime, it receives an automatic meter reading command and a remote opening / closing command from the center 3 and transmits a meter reading result.
[0014]
When the PHS terminal 7-1 is powered on and there is no plugging command from the center 3 (NO in step 402), after the operation time t3 has elapsed, the PHS terminal 7-1 is turned off again, and every t1 hour (Step 401).
[0015]
When the PHS terminal 7-1 is turned on and there is a capping command from the center 3 (YES in step 402), the PHS terminal 7-1 sends a command to the CPU 11-1 of the meter 9-1, The gas stopper is closed (step 403). Further, the intermittent driving time interval of the PHS terminal 7-1 is switched from time t1 to time t2. Time t2 is shorter than time t1, for example, 15 minutes. After the elapse of the operation time t3, the power of the PHS terminal 7-1 is turned off again, and the PHS terminal 7-1 is intermittently driven every t2 hours (step 404).
[0016]
The center 3 sends the capping command when, for example, the customer continues to pay non-payment, or when the customer wants to stop the gas plug for a while due to circumstances of the customer or other circumstances.
[0017]
When the power is supplied to the PHS terminal 7-1 in the state where the intermittent driving time interval is t2, there is no opening command from the center 3 (NO in step 405), and after the intermittent driving time interval becomes t2. If the fixed time t4 has not elapsed (NO in step 407), after the elapse of the operation time t3, the power of the PHS terminal 7-1 is turned off again, and the PHS terminal 7-1 is intermittently driven every t2 hours (step 404). Although the fixed time t4 will be described later, it is, for example, a period such as three days or seven days.
[0018]
When the power is supplied to the PHS terminal 7-1 in the state where the intermittent drive time interval is t2 and there is an opening command from the center 3 (YES in step 405), the PHS terminal 7-1 sets the meter 9 -1 to the CPU 11-1 to open the gas stopper (step 406). Further, the intermittent driving time interval of the PHS terminal 7-1 is returned from time t2 to time t1. After the elapse of the operation time t3, the PHS terminal 7-1 turns off the power again and enters a standby state for the time t1 (step 401).
[0019]
The center 3 sends the opening command when, for example, the customer pays the unpaid fee, or when the customer wants to open the gas tap which has been stopped for the convenience of the customer or other circumstances.
[0020]
When the power is supplied to the PHS terminal 7-1 in the state where the intermittent driving time interval is t2, there is no opening command from the center 3 (NO in step 405), and after the intermittent driving time interval becomes t2. When the fixed time t4 has elapsed (YES in step 407), the intermittent drive time interval of the PHS terminal 7-1 is automatically switched from time t2 to time t1. After the elapse of the operation time t3, the power of the PHS terminal 7-1 is turned off again, and the PHS terminal 7-1 is intermittently driven every t1 time (step 401).
[0021]
FIG. 2 is a timing chart in which the loop of step 401, step 402, step 403, (step 404, step 405, step 407) of FIG. 4 is performed twice, and the process returns to step 404, step 405, step 406, and step 401. This shows a case where a gas plug opening command is issued before the fixed time t4 has elapsed since the gas plug was closed (step 403).
[0022]
FIG. 3 shows that the loop of step 401, step 402, step 403, and (step 404, step 405, and step 407) of FIG. FIG. 9 is a timing chart for returning to FIG.
[0023]
If a very long time elapses from when the plug is closed to when it is opened, the battery of the PHS terminal 7-1 is consumed quickly because the intermittent drive time interval t2 is short. Therefore, the battery is prevented from being consumed by automatically returning the intermittent driving time interval to the original time interval t1 after the lapse of the fixed time t4. The fixed time interval t4 sets the most appropriate time, for example, 3 days, 7 days, 10 days, etc.
[0024]
Note that the center 3 calls the PHS terminal 7-1 in synchronization with the rise of the PHS terminal 7-1 as shown in FIG.
[0025]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the gas tap is closed, the intermittent drive interval of the PHS terminal 7-1 is shortened to the time t2, so that it is possible to quickly respond to opening again, and Does not impair serviceability. Also, since the intermittent drive interval of the PHS terminal 7-1 is normally set to a relatively long time of time t1, the battery life of the PHS terminal 7-1 can be extended and the maintenance cost can be reduced. Further, when a certain time t4 elapses without switching to the intermittent drive time interval t2 and without receiving the opening command, the intermittent drive time interval is automatically returned to t1, so that the power consumption of the PHS terminal 7-1 can be reduced. Can be.
[0026]
Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and for example, a mobile phone may be used instead of the PHS terminals 7-1 to 7-n. Further, the present invention can be applied to systems other than the automatic meter reading. The intermittent drive time interval to be switched can be set to an optimal time interval as appropriate.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a communication system that changes the interval of intermittent drive of a PHS terminal in accordance with a command from a center, thereby improving customer service and reducing PHS terminal maintenance cost. Can be.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a communication system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing intermittent drive timing of a PHS terminal. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing intermittent drive timing of a PHS terminal. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the switching of the intermittent driving time interval of the terminal. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the intermittent driving timing of the conventional PHS terminal.
1 Communication System 3 Center 5 Public Base Stations 7-1 to 7-n PHS Terminals 9-1 to 9-n Meters 11-1 to 11-n・ CPU

Claims (1)

A communication system comprising a center and a terminal device connected to a meter, wherein communication is performed between the center and the terminal device,
According to an instruction from the center, the meter is closed and the intermittent drive time interval of the terminal device is shortened at the same time. A communication system characterized by the above-mentioned.

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