WO2004097342A1

WO2004097342A1 - Device for detecting data on a supply meter

Info

Publication number: WO2004097342A1
Application number: PCT/EP2004/004315
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael SCHRÖTER
Original assignee: Schroeter Michael
Priority date: 2003-04-26
Filing date: 2004-04-23
Publication date: 2004-11-11
Also published as: DE102004019930A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for the detection and evaluation of data from a read position. Said device comprises an image reading device (9) in the form of a digital camera which is connected to a radio device comprising a computer for transferring digital image data to the computer. Said radio device is formed such that it can transmit data in both directions and comprises a receiver part which is associated with the image reading device which enables the evaluation data sent from the computer to be detected. The radio device is formed such that it comprises a plurality of channels in order to transmit data simultaneously.

Description

Device for data acquisition on a consumption meter

The invention relates to device for brushing and data evaluation.

This device is known on a Verforaucliszähler from WO Ö0 / 6SS43 (Sehr 9901).

The known device serves the purpose of reading incense counters for measuring consumption, which make a measurement variable visible in a visual field, in this case alphanumerically, in a person-saving and safe manner and to carry out the necessary evaluations.

It is provided that the device has an image reading device through which the image of the field of view in the form of digital data is wireless, i.e. : via radio, transmitted to a computer and evaluated there.

It is disadvantageous that errors of reading or transmission or evaluation not notice unless the evaluation is carried out parallel to the central computer also m ^"one carried by the Ableseperson computer. This in turn has ύen disadvantage that the Abieseperson with the computer Depending on the spatial situation of the consumption meter, the reading is charged. A corresponding problem arises in other situations for data acquisition and data evaluation. Even today, the determination of the identity of people still requires an evaluation by hand, by identifying and evaluating the appearance of the person and the identification characteristics and appearance characteristics (characteristic values) to be assigned to the person according to the personal impression of the examiner. Likewise, the identification of motor vehicles and other machines or motor vehicle reefs and the assignment of appropriate quality and size information, Her controller data, manufacturing data, etc., a considerable personal effort that is still to be done today. The object of the invention is to make the reading, on the one hand, ie the identification and the determination of it {characteristic value® secure, and on the other hand to enable an immediate evaluation, utilization and control © of the Älaleseergetelsses. I t especially thought of a mobile data acquisition, in which either the reading point is mobile or in which there are a large number of table reading points and the device for data collection mobile ¥ © n can be used from one to the other Äfeleses eϊl ©. Finally, it is also part of the object of this invention to keep the equipment expenditure required for this, carried by the beast person, as low as possible.

The solution results from claim 1.

The term data is to be understood in the broadest sense in this application: This means that alphanumeric characters, i.e. Numbers and letters are meant. However, this also includes symbols and other signs that are assigned a certain meaning by definition. In terms of content, such data can serve to identify the meter reading point (person, machine, consumption meter, etc.), e.g. B. in the form of alphanumeric strings, symbols, etc. In terms of content, the data also include the characteristic values. They are used to describe a property, a condition or other information that is significant for the meter reading position, such as e.g. B. the meter reading at a consumption meter, the manufacturer of a machine, the date of manufacture, the size of the motor vehicle tires, or other properties. These parameters can in turn have an alphanumeric form or the character of a symbol; however, it can also be external phenomena, such as. B. facial features or fingerprints of a person, the shape of a motor vehicle, the condition of the tread of a motor vehicle tire, etc.

The term “evaluation” is also understood in a broad sense in this invention. This means the calculation of numerical data, the determination of words from letter data, arithmetical and statistical evaluation of numerical values, the conversion of images into drawings and lines, the signaling of setpoint / actual value deviations, etc. Im In the simplest case, evaluation is only to be understood as the conversion of the digital image data transmitted by Funlc into the read data. A considerable advantage can already be seen in this, since this enables the person at the place who effects the reading of the reading point to check immediately that the data pending for evaluation can lead to a result that corresponds to reality; Because if the retransmission fails in the ύ®n read state, other types of evaluation are doomed to fail.

In the context of this application, the term image and image data is also understood in a very broad sense. Sequences of letters and words, sequences of numbers and numbers, characters, symbols are images in the sense of this application.

The invention according to claim 2 makes use of the fact that by using multi-channel radio devices that work in particular in high frequency ranges, for. B. on the basis of UMTS or GPRS technologies, simultaneous radio communication between the image reader or reader and the computer in both directions is possible. Modern mobile phones make it possible to connect via radio to a data network (internet), via which a certain one is more central Steep set up computer is always accessible.

The computer takes over the evaluation of the transmitted digital data, which are recorded by the image reading device. In order to be able to dispense with any electronic capacity in or on the image reading device, means are proposed according to claims 3-5 for evaluating transmitted image data and reporting suitable evaluation variables to the reading point. In particular, it should be possible to provide characteristic values of identified objects at the reading point, so that it can then be checked at the reading point whether the stored and re-keyed characteristic values on the parts of the reading, ie in reality are also present, or the transferred characteristic values a backlash allow for the suitability and usability of the identified object (claim 3). This makes it possible, for example, for high quality bulk items such as providing information about suitability, manufacturing data, etc. at any time and from any location.

Likewise, it should be possible by suitable means to read identification signs and characteristic values at a dispensing point and then to make them visible and controllable by radio at the reading point whether the read characteristic values match the stored characteristic values. This is e.g. B. for identification wm motor vehicles of great advantage, in which the identification characters also contain information about the manufacturer, vehicle type, etc., so that an error signal can be made visible at the reading point when in the central computer in which the vehicle data is recorded and in each case an identification number are assigned, it is determined that the read-out characteristic values do not match the stored characteristic values (claim 4).

It should be possible to carry out a control of the reading and evaluation directly at the reading point. The configuration according to claim 5 serves this purpose.

It was pointed out that the device according to the invention is particularly suitable for data acquisition and data evaluation on consumption meters (claim 6).

Identification characters and characteristic values are thus transferred from image data into alphanumeric values only in the computer. The meter reading resulting from the reading and data evaluation can then be transmitted back to the receiving device of the biopower device and there acoustically or optically, eg. B. be made recognizable on the screen of a mobile phone.

It is already known that the consumption values are also determined in the computer from counter readings that were called up at different times by forming the difference.

According to claim 7, it is provided that these consumption values, at the time of the reading, are also transmitted back to the receiving device of the image reading device and made recognizable there. This enables the reader to carry out a plausibility check on site and if necessary, repeat the measurement or check the consumption meter or the consumption situation.

The reading person can also take over © ine Flausi ilitätskon roiie based on the situation and data found on site. In a further training, an automatic plausibility check is also provided. For this purpose, customer data which are relevant for consumption are also stored in the computer, e.g. B. Number of people in household, size of apartment. This makes it possible to make the reading person visible on site whether the determined consumption is within an expected range or whether the consumption meter is to be disrupted or significant changes in the customer situation can be expected (claim 8). The operator is preferably also relieved of the step of assigning the reading point to be operated to a particular customer. The corresponding advantage of claim 9 is that the feedback of the characteristic values assigned to the customer enables the operator to carry out a check at the same time as to whether the reported characteristic values still correspond to reality (claim 9).

The particular advantage of the invention is that the Abieseperson on site is provided with a control means and working means by the feedback of the evaluation data. This is facilitated in particular in the embodiment according to claim 10. Here the radio device has a screen (display) for displaying the retransmitted evaluations.

In order to be able to dispense with any computing capacity on site, it is also provided according to claim 9 that the customer is identified in the central computer. For this, the counter number, which is on the

Consumption counter is visible, also stored in the central computer and assigned to customer data such as name, address, number of people, account number, direct debit authorization. This © customer data is made recognizable to the person reading it. This also enables a quality check of the reading and, in particular, a plausibility check. In a further embodiment, the invention provides that the reading person can also actively intervene in the control and evaluation, in particular to confirm evaluations © to refuse © the gfls. Also to make corrections by hand. In this way, it is also and in particular possible to check and correct future data that are decisive for the consumption or the price of the consumption. For this purpose, the fun device according to claim 7 has a keyboard for manual input of data for transmission to the computer.

An embodiment of the invention is described below.

The drawing schematically shows the connection and networking of an image reading device with a central computer on the basis of the reading of a water meter 1 and the evaluation of the meter reading. The water meter 1 has a housing 4 which is closed at the top, ie to the visible side, by a sight glass 3 and covered by an annular seal S. The housing 4 is flooded with water, in the housing 4 there is the counter 2. This counter is connected to the measuring wheels of the water meter, not shown. The sight glass is designed as an optical lens and is designed in such a way that, on the one hand, the number shown on the display device (counter) is clearly visible as a counter reading, in particular enlarged, and that, on the other hand, optical distortions that occur because the counter is immersed in water, be compensated. The water meter 1 also has an identification mark (identification symbol), not shown here. This identification mark is the water meter and its location, e.g. B. assigned to a specific point of consumption and a specific customer. With the help of the identification marker, the meter reading can be assigned to the consumption point as one of the characteristic values, the consumption value can be determined and an invoice for a specific person can finally be written out. The recording of the characteristic value "counter reading" and the identification marking is carried out by an image reading device 9, which as Camera is trained. This camera can capture the entire field of view of the water meter 1 with a single setting. The camera is placed on the field of vision by means of a guide ⁽ S and aligned with the counter 2 and the identification mark. Guide 6 is a truncated cone jacket. The lower, open end face is adapted to the contours of the water meter 1 and to the ¥ meter counter The upper end face is adapted to the contours of the Kamer® or the lens attachment for the lens 7 and additionally has a passage for a light ring 10 with light sources 15, which ensures uniform, glare-free illumination of the field of view Light sources are referred to WO 00/68643.

As I said, the image reader is a digital camera or a laser scanner. In any case, the image recorded via the optics (lens 7) is converted into electronic data in suitable light-sensitive electronics 8. These electronic data are transmitted to a computer (server 12) via a radio 11. This server 12 is permanently connected to a computer 14 via a data network 13. The radio has a screen (display) 12 and a keyboard 18 and is designed as a mobile phone

The radio 11 is in the high frequency range, for. B. connected to the server 12 using the UMTS method, so that there is a multichannel connection that can be used for the outward and return traffic. In the outbound traffic, the digital data recorded by the image reading device are primarily transmitted to the server 12 and then forwarded to the computer 14 via the data network 13.

The aim of the invention is to keep the outlay in terms of apparatus for data acquisition on the consumption meter as small as possible and, if possible, to carry out the recording device only as a radio 11, ie to shift the outlay in terms of apparatus for data processing as far as possible to the computer 14, but nevertheless the correctness of the data acquisition and to guarantee data evaluation and to enable further work with the evaluation data on site A specific electronic “intelligence” for carrying out certain evaluations can be assigned to the recording device 11. This can refer to ®mor several of the evaluations described below.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, all evaluations take place in the computer 14. The digital data of characteristic values and identification signs transmitted by the radio 11 are initially not readable on site by the person reading them. They are therefore transmitted to the computer 14 by radio via the server 12. All occurring alphanumeric characters are stored in the computer 22 in a memory 22 as digital image data. This image data is compared in a comparing device 21 with the digital image data of the respectively shown image. It is determined here that the input image data match the soft stored digital image data of all alphanumeric characters. The computer capacity can then be used to determine which alphanumeric characters the transmitted image data are assigned to. As a result, the alphanumeric value of the counter reading is output in the computer by module 22 and at the same time transmitted back to the server 12 via the data line and from there back to the radio 11 via a radio channel and made visible in the display 19. The operator on site can therefore check and determine the accuracy of the reading and evaluation on site. Furthermore, the determined meter reading is forwarded by the module 23 to the memory element 24 of the computer and assigned to the date of departure and stored there. Other characteristic values, in particular the meter readings from previous readings, are also stored in the memory element 24 of the computer.

The current meter reading determined in module 23 and the meter reading of the previous reading from storage element 24 are also fed to a comparison element 25. The consumption values are determined as the difference between the meter readings. This consumption value is also transmitted via data line 13 to server 12 and via radio channel to the recording device s

11 transferred and made visible in the display 19. It is also saved as a further characteristic value of the Äellesesteite.

The computer also contains ®m memory element 27 _» in which DL® tariffs are stored and another memory element 2S in which as others

Characteristic values of all customer data are stored. By submitting the

Identification mark on the

The storage element of the customer data, the affected customer is determined and the tariff applicable to it is retrieved from the storage element 27. As a result, the consumption price can be determined in the module 26 and together with the

Customer data from this module in turn transmitted back via data line 13 and server 12 and made visible in the display 19.

It is now provided that the operator can enter an acknowledgment via the keyboard 18 and then transmit it wirelessly to the server 12 and module 29 of the computer 14. Instead of the confirmation, the meter reading and / or consumption value and / or can also be corrected

Consumption price. The reader can also use the

Keyboard also address the customer data module 28 and correct or supplement the customer data based on the on-site surveys.

By output module 30 of the computer is now z. B. the output of a

Invoice 31 or a debit order to the responsible bank of the

Customers possible based on a direct debit authorization from the customer.

reference numeral

Water meter 1

Counter 2

Sight glass 3

Housing 4

Ring seal 5

Optics lens 7

Recording electronics 8

Image reader 9

Light ring 10

Radio recorder 11

Computer (server 12)

Data network 13

Calculator 14

Light sources 15

Keyboard 18

Screen 19

Comparison device 21

Number module module 22

Meter reading module module 23

Counter reading memory storage element 24

Comparative element 25

Price module 26

Storage element tariff storage 27

Storage element customer data storage 28

Module, confirmation module 29

Output module 30

Invoice 31

Claims

Device for data acquisition and data evaluation of data, which are shown in the field of view of an information point, with an image reading device (9) in the form of a digital camera, which can be positioned above the field of view to capture the image and which can be electronically © devices for converting the optical image into digital image data has an electronic memory and computer for evaluating the digital image data and converting the digital image data into evaluation data, the memory and computer being set up remotely from the image reader and with radio devices through which the image reading device with the computer for transmitting the digital image data to the computer, characterized in that the radio device is designed for data transmission in both directions and a transmitting part assigned to the computer for transmitting the evaluation data and a receiving element assigned to the image reader t il has, by means of which the evaluation data sent by the computer can be recorded.

Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the radio device for the simultaneous data transmission is multi-channel

Device according to claim 1, characterized in that each reading part is identified by a visible identification cell, that the identification cell is acquired by the image reading device and can be transmitted as image data via radio to the computer and that the evaluation means of the computer contain for evaluating the read data

❖ A memory for storing the digital image data of all occurring identification characters,

❖ A memory for storing the characteristic values, which are assigned to the individual reading points, each identified by an identification symbol,

Means for comparing the digital image data of the identification characters read by the image reading device in accordance with the stored digital image data of all occurring identification characters

❖ means for selecting the stored identification sign, the image data of which essentially corresponds to the image data of the read identification sign,

wherein the characteristic values of the reading point determined by the selection of the identification symbol can be read out from the memory for storing the characteristic values and can be transmitted by the transmitting part of the radio device in the form of electronic signal sequences to the receiving part as evaluation data.

Device according to claim 1, characterized in that each reading point is identified by a visible identification symbol and contains visible characteristic values,

that the identification mark and the characteristic values by the Image readers can be detected and transmitted to the computer as radio data, and ύ $> contain the evaluation means of the computer for evaluating the read data

A memory for storing the digital image data of all occurring identification characters,

❖ Means for comparing the digital image data read in from the image reading device of identification characters read in accordance with the stored digital image data of all occurring identification characters

❖ means for selecting the stored identification identifier whose image data essentially correspond to the image data of the identification identifier read in,

❖ Means for comparing the digital image data read in by the image reading device with the characteristic values stored in the memory, which are assigned to the selected stored identification character, and for generating a positive or negative signal if they match

wherein as evaluation data the positive or negative signals can be transmitted by the transmitting part of the radio device in the form of an electronic signal sequence to the receiving part as evaluation data.

❖ Device according to claim 1, characterized in that »the evaluation means of the computer for evaluating read-in data contain a memory for storing the digital image data all occurring images,

Φ - Rides! for comparing the digital image data of an inserted image transmitted by the image reading device in accordance with the stored digital image data and

*%> Means for selecting and outputting the image data of the stored image, the image data of which essentially corresponds to the image data of the imported image,

wherein the image data of the stored image determined by the selection can be transmitted by the transmitting part of the radio device in the form of an electronic signal sequence to the receiving part as evaluation data.,.

Device according to claim 1, characterized in that

The reading point is the field of view of a consumption meter for measuring a measured variable or meter reading, preferably in the form of alphanumeric characters.

Device according to claim 6, characterized in that

the calculator over

❖ Means for storing the identification data of a reading point (customer data) as well as the meter reading read in at a first reading point and via

<& via means for comparing the stored counter reading with a counter reading currently being evaluated at a second reading time and # ^> has means for calculating the consumption value between the first and the second reading time, the consumption value being able to be transmitted as evaluation data by the transmitting part of the radio device in the form of an electronic signal sequence to the receiving part.

Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the computer

❖ via means for storing consumption-relevant customer data,

❖ by means which form a previous consumption figure from the stored customer data and the meter readings and / or consumption values of the past and a current consumption figure from the stored customer data and the current meter readings and / or current consumption values

❖ as well as means for comparing the previous and the current consumption figure, the deviation of the previous from the current consumption figure being signaled by the transmitting part of the radio device in the form of an electronic signal sequence to the receiving part as evaluation data.

Device according to claim 6

Characteristics: the reading point has a label for identification of the reading point and the image reading device is equipped with means for recording. Transfer and reading of the signal sequence representing the identification data of the reading point to the electronic computer and memory fitted.

Device according to one of claims 1-9, characterized in that the radio device has a screen (display) for displaying the retransmitted evaluations.

Device according to one of claims 1-10, characterized in that the radio device via a keyboard for manual input of data for

Has transmission to the computer.