JP6046454B2 - Wireless telemeter system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a wireless telemeter system in which a wireless master device collects terminal information of meters and sensors from wireless slave devices by wireless communication and transmits the terminal information to a center.

  In a wireless telemeter system that transmits meter readings of meters such as gas and water to a center device by wireless communication, a wireless master unit (hereinafter referred to as a master unit) is connected to the center device via a communication line such as a telephone line, Wireless communication is performed with a plurality of wireless slave devices (hereinafter referred to as slave devices) to which terminal devices such as meters are connected.

  Further, as described in Patent Document 1, when the slave unit is installed at a location away from the master unit, a relay unit is installed. The repeater can wirelessly communicate with the parent device and the child device. Communication is performed between the parent device and the child device via a relay device.

  Information such as the meter reading value is transmitted from the slave unit to the master unit, or from the slave unit to the master unit via the relay unit, and further transmitted from the master unit to the center device. By using a repeater, the meter reading area is expanded and information can be collected from many slave units.

JP 2006-48459 A

  In the wireless telemeter system, the master unit collects information such as meter readings. As the number of handsets that can communicate increases, meter reading at a number of points can be performed. However, as the number of handsets increases, it takes time to collect information from the handsets. While the master unit is collecting information from the slave unit, the master unit continues to operate. During this time, even if the slave unit transmits to the master unit, the master unit cannot receive the transmission.

  For example, when a gas meter is connected to the slave unit, not only meter reading information of the meter but also emergency information such as a gas leak alarm by a sensor or emergency switch is generated as a factor of transmission from the slave unit. The emergency information needs to be transmitted to the center device through the master unit as soon as possible.

  When the master unit collects information for a plurality of slave units, it takes a long time to collect information from these slave units. Even if the slave unit transmits emergency information during this period, the master unit cannot receive it immediately and cannot promptly notify the center device of the emergency information.

  In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a wireless telemeter system capable of reliably transmitting transmitted information to a parent device when there is a transmission from a child device while information is being collected.

  A wireless telemeter system according to the present invention includes a wireless master device communicably connected to a center, a relay device having a wireless slave device that can wirelessly communicate with the wireless master device and under the control of a wireless slave device, and a wireless slave device And a terminal device connected to the terminal. The wireless master device periodically collects information from the wireless slave device, and during this information collection, the wireless master device checks whether there is a call from the wireless slave device subordinate to the relay device.

  During information collection, the wireless master device continues to operate and cannot receive calls from the wireless slave device. Therefore, the wireless master device performs confirmation communication with the relay device at a predetermined timing during information collection. That is, the wireless master device interrupts communication for information collection and confirms with a relay device different from the relay device that is communicating for information collection. By interrupting the information collection, the wireless master device and the relay device become communicable, and the wireless master device can confirm whether there is a call from the slave device through the relay device.

  The wireless master device preferentially confirms the relay device that has not yet collected all the information of the subordinate wireless slave devices. When a wireless master unit collects information about a wireless slave unit via a relay unit, if the transmission history from the wireless slave unit under the relay unit is in the relay unit, whether the transmission history exists at the same time as the information collection I can confirm. For this reason, the relay device that has collected the information has already been confirmed for the transmission from the slave device, and there is no need to check it preferentially.

  The wireless master unit includes a control unit that controls communication with the wireless slave unit through the relay unit. The control unit periodically collects information from the wireless slave unit. During the information collection, the control unit On the other hand, the presence / absence of a call from the wireless slave unit under the relay is confirmed.

  The relay device includes a control unit that controls communication with the wireless master device and the wireless slave device, and the control unit stores the terminal information acquired by the transmission from the wireless slave device when communication with the wireless master device is not possible, When there is confirmation from the wireless master device that there is a transmission from the wireless slave device, the terminal information from the wireless slave device is transmitted to the wireless master device. In addition, when the control unit collects information with respect to the subordinate slave unit, the control unit also transmits information held by the slave unit to the master unit.

  When the wireless master device is communicating with another relay device for information collection, the relay device cannot communicate with the wireless master device. If there is a call from the wireless slave unit during this time, the relay unit cannot transmit to the wireless master unit, and therefore receives and stores terminal information transmitted from the wireless slave unit. Therefore, the radio | wireless master machine should just confirm with a relay machine, and can confirm in a short time.

  When there is a wireless slave device that can directly communicate with the wireless master device, the wireless master device interrupts communication for information collection and checks whether there is a call from the wireless slave device. That is, the wireless master device waits for transmission from the wireless slave device for a certain period of time, thereby confirming the presence or absence of the transmission from the wireless slave device. If the wireless slave device transmits, the wireless master device receives the terminal information.

  According to the present invention, even when information is being collected, by confirming whether or not there is a transmission from the wireless slave unit between information collection, the wireless master unit can obtain terminal information transmitted from the wireless slave unit. You can get it. Thereby, when emergency information occurs, information can be transmitted promptly.

Overall configuration diagram of radio telemeter system of the present invention Block diagram showing the schematic configuration of the wireless master unit Block diagram showing schematic configuration of wireless slave unit and repeater The figure which shows the communication state in the radio telemeter system which is collecting information The figure which shows the sequence when confirming the existence of the transmission from the wireless cordless handset while collecting The figure which shows the sequence when confirming the presence or absence of the transmission to the wireless slave device under the wireless master device while collecting information

  The radio telemeter system of this embodiment is shown in FIG. In this system, a center apparatus composed of a host computer 1 and a center network control apparatus (center NCU) 2 and a terminal side are communicably connected via a communication line 3. The terminal side includes a wireless master device (hereinafter referred to as a master device) 4, a wireless slave device (hereinafter referred to as a slave device) 5 that performs wireless communication with the master device 4, and a relay device that performs wireless communication with the master device 4. 6 is composed. The repeater 6 has a slave 5 capable of wireless communication under its control. A terminal device 7 such as a meter or a sensor is connected to the relay device 6 and each slave device 5. A public telephone line network or a mobile telephone network is used as the communication line 3 between the center apparatus and the terminal side.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the base unit 4 includes a nonvolatile memory 10 for storing information necessary for communication such as identification information, a CPU 11, a wireless unit 12 for performing wireless communication, an antenna 13, a ROM 14, a RAM 15, and a power source. Battery 16, display unit 17, switch 18 for various settings and input, button 19, and communication unit 20 for communicating with the center device. A control unit 21 configured by the CPU 11, the ROM 14, and the RAM 15 controls communication with the center device and the slave unit 5. In this system, the parent device 4 communicates directly with the center device without going through the terminal network control device. However, the parent device 4 is connected to the terminal network control device, and the terminal network control device communicates with the center device. You may do it.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the child device 5 includes a nonvolatile memory 10, a CPU 11, a wireless unit 12, an antenna 13, a ROM 14, a RAM 15, a battery 16, a display unit 17, a switch 18, and a button 19, similar to the parent device 4. Further, a meter interface 22 is provided. A control unit 23 composed of the CPU 11, ROM 14, and RAM 15 controls communication with the parent device 4. The relay device 6 has the same configuration as the child device 5, and the control unit 24 controls communication with the parent device 4 and the subordinate child devices 5. Wireless communication between the master unit 4 and the slave unit 5 under control, between the master unit 4 and the relay unit 6 and between the relay unit 6 and the slave unit 5 under control is a communication system using specific low power radio.

  In this system, information collection for periodically collecting terminal information such as meter reading is performed for all the slave units 5. The base unit 4 collects information at a predetermined time. The parent device 4 collects information from the child devices 5 subordinate to one relay device 6. When the information collection is completed, the base unit 4 ends the communication with the relay unit 6. Then, the base unit 4 establishes communication with other relay units 6 and collects information from the slave units 5 under its control.

  In addition, there is a case where information collection for acquiring terminal information such as meter reading is performed irregularly at the request of the center device. At that time, the parent device 4 acquires terminal information from all the child devices 5 or designates the child device 5 to acquire terminal information from one or a plurality of child devices 5.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the master unit 4 maintains communication with the relay unit 6 during information collection. Therefore, the other relay device 6 and the child device 5 cannot communicate with the parent device 4. When terminal information such as emergency information is transmitted from the slave unit 5, the master unit 4 can receive the terminal information even during information collection so that the relay unit 6 or the slave unit 5 under the relay unit 6 can receive it. Establish communication with and acquire terminal information.

  While collecting information, the base unit 4 confirms whether there is a call from the slave unit 5 subordinate to the relay unit 6. That is, the base unit 4 interrupts communication for information collection and confirms with a relay unit 6 different from the relay unit 6 that is communicating for information collection. At this time, the parent device 4 preferentially checks the relay device 6 that has the child devices 5 that have not yet collected information. Confirmation is performed after the relay device 6 that has not yet collected information on the relay device 6 that has the child device 5 that has already collected information.

  The terminal information acquisition process during information collection will be described with reference to FIG. The control unit 21 of the parent device 4 establishes communication with the relay device 6 and transmits a collection request signal to the relay device 6. When receiving the collection request signal, the control unit 24 of the relay device 6 transmits the collection request signal to the subordinate slave units 5. The control unit 23 of the slave unit 5 acquires terminal information such as a meter reading value from the terminal device 7 and transmits it to the relay unit 6. The control unit 24 of the relay device 6 transmits the terminal information received from the child device 5 to the parent device 4. The control unit 21 of the parent device 4 stores the received terminal information in a storage unit such as a memory. Then, the control unit 21 transmits the collected terminal information to the center device.

  On the other hand, in the handset 5, when the terminal device 7 detects an abnormality or an event to be notified, the control unit 23 of the handset 5 transmits urgent terminal information to the center device. For example, the subunit | mobile_unit 5 repeats the transmission for 10 seconds 10 times. The control unit 24 of the relay device 6 transmits the terminal information to the parent device 4 when receiving the terminal information from the subordinate child devices 5. When receiving the terminal information from the child device 5, the parent device 4 transmits the terminal information to the center device.

  However, when information is being collected, the base unit 4 is in communication with another relay unit 6 and cannot receive terminal information from the relay unit 6. When detecting a communication error with the base unit 4, the control unit 24 of the relay unit 6 stores the terminal information in the memory and holds the transmission information related to the transmission from the handset 5. The transmission information includes transmission history such as identification information of the child device 5 that has transmitted and the transmission date and time.

  During such information collection, the control unit 21 of the parent device 4 confirms whether or not there is a transmission from the child device 5 at a predetermined timing. That is, when a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of information collection, the control unit 21 of the parent device 4 checks whether or not there is a transmission from the child device 5.

  The timing for confirming the presence or absence of transmission may be performed when information collection from the handset 5 is completed for a predetermined number. When the information collection is started, the control unit 21 of the parent device 4 counts the number of child devices 5 that have received the terminal information. When the number of slave units 5 from which information has been collected reaches a predetermined number, the control unit 21 of the master unit 4 interrupts the information collection and confirms whether or not another relay unit 6 has made a call from the slave unit 5.

  Alternatively, confirmation may be performed after completion of collection in one relay device 6. When the information collection from one relay device 6 is completed, the control unit 21 of the parent device 4 interrupts the information collection and confirms the presence / absence of transmission from the slave device 5 in the other relay device 6.

In addition, the elapsed time of information collection may be counted, and confirmation may be performed when a specified time has elapsed. When the specified time is reached during the collection of information from the slave unit 5, the control unit 21 confirms whether or not there is a transmission after the collection of information from the slave unit 5 currently being collected is completed.
The control unit 21 of the parent device 4 transmits an interruption signal to the relay device 6 that is collecting information. When receiving the interruption signal, the control unit 24 of the relay device 6 interrupts information collection and stops communication with the parent device 4. Then, the control unit 21 of the parent device 4 transmits a confirmation request signal to the relay device 6 that is different from the relay device 6 that is collecting information and has a high priority.

  The control unit 24 of the relay device 6 that has received the confirmation request signal transmits the transmission information to the parent device 4. When there is a call, the control unit 24 adds the stored terminal information to the call information and transmits it to the parent device 4.

  The control unit 21 of the base unit 4 recognizes the presence / absence of transmission from the slave unit 5 based on the transmission information from the relay unit 6. When there is a call from the slave unit 5, the control unit 21 transmits the terminal information received from the relay unit 6 to the center device. The center device takes measures according to the terminal information.

  After transmitting the terminal information to the center device or confirming that there is no transmission from the slave unit 5, the master unit 4 ends the confirmation of the presence / absence of transmission to the relay unit 6 and relays the next priority order. The machine 6 is checked for transmission. Confirmation is sequentially performed on the plurality of relay units 6.

  When the parent device 4 finishes confirming whether or not there is a transmission to other relay devices 6 other than the relay device 6 that is collecting information, it resumes the suspended information collection. The control unit 21 of the base unit 4 transmits a restart signal to the relay unit 6 that has been collecting information. The control unit 24 of the relay device 6 collects terminal information from the child device 5 and transmits the terminal information to the parent device 4.

  When the terminal device 7 connected to the subordinate slave unit 5 detects an abnormality or an event to be notified in the relay unit 6 that is collecting information, the control unit 23 of the slave unit 5 transmits emergency terminal information. When receiving the terminal information transmitted from the child device 5, the control unit 24 of the relay device 6 transmits the terminal information to the parent device 4. The control unit 21 of the parent device 4 transmits the terminal information transmitted from the child device 5 to the center device.

  For the slave unit 5 under the master unit 4, the master unit 4 interrupts the information collection and confirms the transmission from the slave unit 5. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the control unit 21 of the parent device 4 transmits an interruption signal to the relay device 6 that is collecting information in order to confirm whether or not there is a call from the subordinate child device 5. The control unit 24 of the relay device 6 interrupts information collection and stops communication with the parent device 4.

  The control unit 21 of the parent device 4 waits for a call from the child device 5 for a certain time. When the handset 5 transmits, the transmission is repeated a plurality of times. The fixed time is set to a retry time (usually several minutes) at which this transmission is repeated. When the slave unit 5 transmits, the master unit 4 receives the terminal information from the slave unit 5, and the control unit 21 transmits the terminal information to the center device. When a certain time has elapsed, the control unit 21 of the parent device 4 resumes information collection.

  While the base unit 4 is collecting information, the base unit 4 cannot immediately detect that a call has been sent from the handset 5, but forcibly sends the call from the handset 5 to the relay unit 6 while collecting information. By confirming the presence or absence, terminal information from the handset 5 to which the terminal device 7 is connected can be acquired without delay.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, Of course, many corrections and changes can be added to the said embodiment within the scope of the present invention. Other wireless communication methods such as wireless LAN and Bluetooth (registered trademark) may be used for wireless communication between the parent device and the child device, the parent device and the relay device, and the relay device and the child device.

  A secondary master unit that can communicate with the master unit may be provided. The secondary master unit is capable of wireless communication with the repeater. While the master unit is collecting information, the secondary master unit receives terminal information transmitted from the slave unit via the repeater. The parent device interrupts the information collection and confirms whether the sub-parent device has terminal information from the child device. When there is terminal information, the secondary master transmits to the master.

4 wireless master device 5 wireless slave device 6 relay device 7 terminal device 21 control unit 23 control unit 24 control unit

Claims (5)

A wireless master device communicably connected to the center, a relay device having a wireless slave device capable of wireless communication with the wireless master device, and a terminal device connected to the wireless slave device. The wireless master unit collects information from the wireless slave unit, and when the information is collected from the wireless slave unit, the wireless master unit collects information from the relay unit that is collecting information. Send a stop signal to interrupt the communication, send a confirmation request signal to a relay device different from the relay device that is communicating, and collect information to the relay device that was collecting information after confirming the presence of transmission A radio telemeter system, characterized by transmitting a resumption signal for . When a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of information collection or when the collection of information from the wireless slave units has been completed for a predetermined number of times, the wireless master device interrupts communication for information collection and performs communication for information collection. 2. The wireless telemeter system according to claim 1, wherein confirmation is made with a relay device different from the intermediate relay device. The radio telemeter system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the radio master unit preferentially confirms a repeater that has not yet collected information of subordinate radio slave units. A wireless master unit of a wireless telemeter system that is wirelessly communicable with a relay device having a wireless slave device under its control and is communicably connected to the center, and communicates with the wireless slave device through the relay device. The control unit periodically collects information from the wireless slave unit, and when the information is collected from the wireless slave unit during the information collection, the control unit relays the information being collected. Transmitting a stop signal that interrupts communication for information collection to the machine, sending a confirmation request signal to a relay machine different from the relay machine that is communicating, and collecting information after confirming the presence or absence of transmission A wireless master device that transmits a restart signal for collecting information to the relay device. 5. A repeater of a wireless telemeter system that is wirelessly communicable with the wireless master device according to claim 4 and that has a wireless slave device under control of the wireless master device, and controls communication with the wireless master device and the wireless slave device When the communication with the wireless master unit is not possible, the control unit stores the terminal information acquired by the transmission from the wireless slave unit, and when there is confirmation of the presence or absence of the transmission from the wireless slave unit, A relay device that transmits terminal information from a wireless slave device to the wireless master device.

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