JP2009290718A - Wireless data communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce power consumption of a mobile wireless terminal in a wireless data communication system. <P>SOLUTION: During a period of time in which data communication is not implemented, a mobile wireless transmitting/receiving circuit section that greatly occupies power consumption in a T-NCU 6 and that is a mobile wireless terminal of a terminal device 7, is controlled into power-down state. When carrying out center polling communication, a wired telephone line 10 that is another public line network, is utilized to bring the T-NCU 6 that is the mobile wireless terminal, into mobile wireless communication-enabled state and then, data communication is carried out from a center side apparatus 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a wireless data communication system capable of easily confirming information of terminal devices such as a gas meter, a water meter, and a sensor.

  In a wireless data communication system, a terminal network control device (hereinafter abbreviated as “T-NCU”) connected to a center side network control device via a communication line, and a wireless master device (hereinafter referred to as “T-NCU”). Abbreviated as “base unit”), a plurality of wireless slave units (hereinafter abbreviated as “slave units”) that communicate with the master unit via a wireless line, and gas, water, It is comprised with terminal devices, such as electricity meters and sensors.

In the above-mentioned wireless telemeter system, the interface with the T-NCU public line network is a general telephone line network control device, a mobile communication network PHS network, DOPA network, FOAM network control device, or Internet network control device. And has any one network control device. Alternatively, as described in Patent Document 1, when two T-NCUs of a terminal side device are provided and two public line communication networks are secured, and one public line network failure or T-NCU failure occurs Security is maintained.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-142277

  In the conventional wireless telemeter system, as shown in FIG. 6, wireless slave units 4a, 4b are connected to meter sensors 5a, 5b such as an electric meter, a gas meter, and a water meter at each door. 4b communicates with an external device. The terminal device 7 includes, as mobile wireless terminals, a wireless master device 3 that communicates with the wireless slave devices 4a and 4b via a specific low-power wireless device, and a T-NCU 6 that mainly controls the mobile communication network. . The terminal device 7 can communicate with the center side apparatus 1 connected via the mobile radio network 2 which is one of public line networks. With such a connection, the center side device 1 can process meter reading and information from the meter sensors 5a and 5b. When activation occurs from the meters / sensors 5a and 5b, first, the wireless master device 3 is activated from the wireless slave devices 4a and 4b, the wireless master device 3 activates the T-NCU 6, and the T-NCU 6 activates the mobile radio base. The station was started, the link to the center side device 1 was successful, and the terminal call communication was established.

  Further, in the case of center polling communication from the center side device 1 to the terminal device, an activation radio wave arrives from the mobile radio base station to the T-NCU 6, and this radio wave is received by the T-NCU 6 to identify the rear side. The center polling communication is established when the low-power wireless base unit 3, the wireless sub units 4a and 4b, and the meter sensors 5a and 5b are sequentially activated and the link with the center side device 1 is successful. Here, the center polling communication refers to communication in which the center side device 1 sequentially asks each terminal device whether there is a transmission request, and permits transmission to the center side device 1 for the terminal device having the transmission request. At this time, the terminal device cannot refuse the reception of transmission from the center side device 1, and can transmit when the order of inquiries from the center side device 1 comes around and is permitted to the center side device 1. . Center polling communication is used to establish a link with the terminal side device remotely by activation from the center side device when there is a setting change in various devices from the T-NCU 6 to the meter / sensor, or from the terminal side device. This is done when it is necessary to determine the data stop device from the center side device when periodic data increase is not successful. In addition, when meter reading is performed at a frequency of once a month, the meter reading may be executed by center polling communication instead of the activation setting on the terminal side.

  However, since the center side device 1 does not know when and when the T-NCU 6 has a start request via the mobile communication network 2, the T-NCU 6 on the mobile radio terminal side always or intermittently performs cell search. (Operation to search for a base station) needs to be performed. This cell search operation consumes a large amount of power and consumes power during standby other than during communication. Therefore, when the power source is constituted by a battery, there are problems that the battery capacity increases, the individual capacity of the T-NCU 6 increases, the cost increases, the battery replacement work becomes frequent, and the maintenance cost increases. Even when implemented with a commercial power supply, wasteful power is consumed during standbys other than communication.

  Therefore, in view of the above, the present invention realizes low power consumption of the terminal device and the T-NCU, and in particular, large power in the T-NCU in the terminal device in order to realize bidirectional communication by mobile radio. The power supply control of the transmission / reception circuit unit for cell search with the mobile radio base station occupying consumption is devised to save power as a system, and to reduce the battery capacity and volume of the terminal device itself The purpose is to realize cost reduction, long service life and efficient maintenance.

  In the communication system according to the present invention, a special small radio and two public line networks are provided as a communication path between the center side device and the meter / sensor, and data exchange between the center side device and the meter / sensor is mainly performed. Stops the mobile radio transmission / reception circuit unit in the T-NCU, which used most of the power consumption in the cell search operation with the mobile radio base station when communication is not being performed via the mobile radio network Set to a low power consumption state.

  At the time of center polling communication from the center side device, the other low power consumption type T-NCU is routed through a special wireless device via a wired network which is another public line network. A mobile radio transmission / reception circuit in the mobile radio control T-NCU is activated to perform a cell search with the mobile radio base station each time. When the cell search with the mobile radio base station is successful, a link is established with the center side device. Inform success through the wired network inside. Subsequent data communication is performed at high speed by controlling the mobile radio network. If communication between the wireless terminal network control device and the mobile radio base station is not established during communication due to a call origination factor from the center side device, the mobile radio is transmitted from the wired terminal network control device to the center side device. Can report network abnormalities.

  Also, when an activation factor from the meter / sensor occurs, the T-NCU that controls the mobile radio network is activated via the radio slave unit and the radio master unit, and the mobile radio transceiver circuit unit is activated for the first time. When the cell search is executed and the link with the mobile radio base station is successful, data communication to the center side apparatus is started.

  As described above, in order to realize power saving of the terminal side device, the circuit in the T-NCU for mobile radio network control is stopped while data communication is not performed. For the first time when data communication is performed, a circuit in the T-NCU for controlling the mobile radio network is operated to execute a cell search.

  According to the communication system of the present invention, in addition to communication via a mobile radio network used as data communication, another public line network is provided to enable use of the mobile radio network, and a center via this network is provided. By controlling the circuit unit that enables the mobile wireless network by polling communication, power saving as a system can be achieved, and the battery capacity and volume of the terminal device itself can be reduced, resulting in cost reduction and long life. Maintenance efficiency can be improved.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a wireless data communication system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a wireless telemeter system as an embodiment of a wireless data communication system according to the present invention. This radio telemeter system includes a center side device 1 and a terminal device 7 connected to the center side device 1 via a mobile radio network 2. The terminal device 7 is connected to the mobile radio network. By a specific low power radio (extra small radio) between the T-NCU 6 that controls radio communication control with the two base stations and the meter sensor 5n (5n is a general term for the meter sensors 5a, 5b, etc.) And a wireless master device 3 for performing communication. The terminal device 7 may be configured in a single box or a separate box.

  The wireless master device 3 connected to the T-NCU 6 can communicate with a plurality of wireless slave devices 4a and 4b by extra small radio, and the wireless slave devices 4a and 4b include meter sensors 5a, 5b are connected to each other. Further, the center side device 1 is connected to the terminal device 9 via a wired telephone line network 10 so as to be able to perform data communication as a public line network different from the wireless system via the mobile wireless network 2. The terminal device 9 includes a T-NCU 8 that controls communication with the wired telephone network 10 and a wireless slave device 4 that can communicate with the wireless master device 3 by extra-small radio. The terminal device 9 is also conceivable to be configured in a single box and in a separate box.

  In the wireless data system configured as described above, the operation will be described below for a case where there is a calling factor from the terminal side and a case where there is a calling factor from the center side.

  First, there is a case where the meter sensor 5a notifies the center side device 1 of meter reading data as a case where there is a call origination factor from the terminal side. In this case, activation is started from the meter / sensor 5a to activate the wireless slave device 4a, and the wireless slave device 4a emits a radio wave toward the wireless master device 3 using a specific low power radio. The wireless master device 3 is activated by detecting and identifying this radio wave, and as a result, an extra-small wireless link is established between the wireless slave device 4 a and the wireless master device 3. The wireless master device 3 activates the T-NCU 6 in order to perform data communication with the center side device 1 using the mobile wireless network 2. The extra small radio link is different in frequency and method from the mobile radio described later, but when the base unit and the slave unit start periodically, sense the presence of radio waves (carriers), and there is a carrier Extends the reception mode, senses the ID to itself, etc., and when it recognizes its own ID, it exchanges a telegram with the partner terminal to establish a link with each other.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the T-NCU 6 includes a mobile radio transmission / reception circuit unit 61, a control unit 62, a power supply control unit 63, a radio base unit I / F unit 65, and a meter / sensor I / F unit 66. When the wireless master device 3 is activated from the wireless master device 3, the control device 62 detects the activation from the terminal. Thereafter, in order to communicate with the mobile radio network 2, the control unit 62 performs power control and supplies power from the power control unit 63 to the mobile radio transmission / reception circuit unit 61. The mobile radio base station cell search is performed in the active state. The T-NCU 6 receives power supply from the battery 64.

  Referring to the current pattern diagram of FIG. 8, the T-NCU 6 consumes only a current of several mA as a base current during standby, but b current of 100 mA or more when cell search is started. Consume. When the link is established with the mobile radio base station by the cell search, the T-NCU 6 can transmit a telegram to the center side device 1 and transmit the meter reading data of the meter / sensor 5a. That is, in normal T-NCU operation, periodic cell search is performed in the cell search period T1 in the period T1 in order to save power, and if the base station transmits radio waves in the period longer than the period T1, the T-NCU Detects this radio wave without omission, and if it contains the ID of the terminal side, etc., and matches its own ID, it is not until the telegram is exchanged between the base station and the T-NCU. Then, a link is established, and then a link is established between the center apparatus 1 and the T-NCU. If the link is established, data communication becomes possible end-to-end. After data communication, the communication device returns to the standby state and repeats the periodic cell search operation.

  As described above, in communication to the center side device 1 by a call from the terminal side, when the T-NCU 6 is in a standby state where data communication is not performed, the mobile radio transmission / reception circuit unit 61 is set in the sleep state or There is no problem even in a power saving state such as a power down state. However, in order to start data communication from the center side device 1 via the mobile radio network 2, the T-NCU 6 needs to constantly monitor radio waves from the mobile radio network 2. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the mobile radio transmission / reception circuit unit 61 is activated at a period of time T1, and a cell search is executed. In this state, the T-NCU 6 consumes an extra current ((b−a) current × T2 / T1) as an averaged current in addition to the a current in the standby state. This increase in current causes an increase in battery capacity, resulting in an increase in cost, a decrease in life, and maintenance costs for battery replacement.

  Therefore, in this communication system, in addition to the conventional communication system using only the mobile radio network 2 as shown in FIG. 6, as another public line network, for example, a wired line connected to the center side apparatus 1 shown in FIG. A terminal device 9 as a terminal-side facility comprising a telephone line network 10, a T-NCU 8 that is communicatively connected to the wired telephone line network 10, and a wireless slave unit 4 that can be communicatively connected to a terminal device 7 of the mobile radio network 2; Is provided. By providing such a line network, data communication via the mobile communication network 2 can be easily performed from the center side device 1 to the terminal side. FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the T-NCU 8 that controls the wired telephone network 10. The T-NCU 8 includes a telephone line network control circuit unit 81 that controls the wired telephone line network 10, a wireless slave unit I / F unit 85 that connects the wireless slave unit 4, a control unit 82, and a power supply control unit 83. I have. The T-NCU 8 is supplied with power from the battery 84.

  With reference to FIG. 7, the center polling communication from the center side apparatus 1 is demonstrated. First, there is “mobile radio network activation” from the center side device 1 to the wired telephone line network 10, and the T-NCU 8, the wireless slave unit 4, the wireless master unit 3 using the specific low power radio, T -Start up with NCU6. As described above, the T-NCU 6 activates the mobile radio transmission / reception circuit unit 61 shown in FIG. 2 and performs cell search for the mobile radio base station. The mobile radio base station makes a cell search response to the T-NCU 6 that is a mobile terminal, and the link of the mobile radio network 2 is established. Next, the center side device 1 is informed of the establishment of the link of the mobile radio network 2 via the T-NCU 6, the radio master unit 3, the radio slave unit 4, the T-NCU 8, and the wired telephone network 10 through the reverse path. Close. After the link is established, as in the conventional wireless data communication, the center side device 1 issues a “meter value request” of the meter / sensor 5n, and the T-NCU 6 and the wireless master device 3 via the mobile wireless network 2 The wireless slave unit 4n and the meter / sensor 5n are activated.

  With the system configuration shown in FIG. 1, regarding the establishment of the link of the mobile radio network 2 from the center side device 1, the mobile radio transceiver circuit unit 61 is periodically activated in the T-NCU 6 to perform cell search and perform mobile search. This is not achieved by constantly monitoring radio waves from the wireless network 2 but is confirmed via the wired telephone network 10. Therefore, the T-NCU 6 provided in the terminal device 7 for mobile radio can put the mobile radio transmission / reception circuit unit 61 occupying a large amount of power in the circuit into a power-down state in a standby state other than during data communication. it can. When communication between the terminal device 7 for mobile radio and the mobile radio base station is not established at the time of communication from the center side device 1 due to a call origination factor, the wired side terminal device 9 is connected to the center side device. 1 can be notified of abnormalities in the mobile radio network.

  FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of wireless data communication according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, in the T-NCU 11 provided in the terminal device 12, the wired network control unit 67 and the wireless master unit I / F unit 65 are configured in the same device as shown in the block diagram of FIG. be able to. With this configuration, the number of boxes can be reduced as much as one wireless slave unit, and the cost can be reduced.

  FIG. 9 shows still another embodiment of wireless data communication according to the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a wired system T-NCU 8 'shown in FIG. Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, when the meter sensor 5n is to be read by center polling communication, in the communication system according to the present invention, the T-NCU 6 provided in the terminal device 7 for mobile radio is provided. A wired T-NCU 8 ′ can be connected to the meter / sensor I / F unit 66. As shown in FIG. 10, the wired T-NCU 8 ′ includes a telephone line network control circuit unit 81 for controlling the wired telephone line network 10, a meter sensor I / F unit 86 for connecting meter sensors, and a control unit. 82, and the meter sensor I / F unit 86 has an open drain type output function.

  According to this configuration, the center side can be used by using the wired telephone line network 10 as described in FIGS. 1 and 7 without performing center polling communication using the “mobile radio start” command. By simply sending an output on / off command from the device 1 to the meter / sensor I / F unit 86 of the T-NCU 8 ′ via the wired telephone network 10, the meter / sensor I / F unit 66 is turned on / off. The T-NCU 6 of the set mobile radio network can be activated. If the T-NCU 6 can be activated, an on / off activation message from the meter / sensor can be transmitted from the T-NCU 6 to the center side device 1. This on / off activation message is the timing when the link of the mobile radio network 2 is established, and meter reading of the meter sensor 5n can be performed. Therefore, by using the conventional wired T-NCU 8 ', the system can be easily constructed with the T-NCU (having a mobile radio network controller) 6 of the present invention.

  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.

1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a wireless data communication system of the present invention. The block diagram which shows schematic structure of T-NCU which has the mobile radio network control part of this invention. The block diagram which shows schematic structure of T-NCU which has the wired telephone line network control part of this invention. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a wireless data communication system of the present invention. The block diagram which shows schematic structure of T-NCU which mounts the network control part of the mobile radio | wireless network and wired telephone line network of this invention together. The conventional wireless data communication system figure. The transmission route figure of the message | telegram of this invention. The current pattern of T-NCU of this invention and the current pattern at the time of cell search at the time of mobile radio | wireless transmission / reception circuit operation | movement. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a wireless data communication system of the present invention. The block diagram which shows schematic structure of T-NCU which has the conventional wired telephone network control part and meter sensor I / F part.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Center side apparatus 2 Mobile radio | wireless network 3 Radio | wireless main | base station 4, 4a, 4b Radio | wireless subunit | mobile_unit 5a, 5b, 5c Meter sensor 6 T-NCU (a mobile network control circuit part is included)
61 Mobile Radio Transmission / Reception Circuit Unit 62 T-NCU Control Unit 63 Power Supply Control Unit 64 Battery 65 Wireless Base Unit Interface Unit 66 Meter / Sensor I / F Unit 67 Wired Network Control Unit 7 T-NCU 6 and Wireless Base Unit 3 are Integrated Terminal equipment 8 T-NCU (including wired telephone network control circuit)
8 'Conventional T-NCU (with meter / sensor I / F)
81 Telephone line network control circuit unit 82 T-NCU control unit 83 Power supply control unit 84 Battery 85 Wireless slave unit interface unit 86 Meter sensor I / F unit 9 Terminal device 10 in which T-NCU 8 and wireless slave unit 4 are integrated Wired Telephone network 11 T-NCU in which mobile radio controller and wired telephone network controller are integrated
12 A terminal device in which a T-NCU integrated with a mobile radio control unit and a wired telephone network control unit and a radio base unit are integrated

Claims (8)

  In a wireless data communication system comprising a terminal-side local wireless system having a network control function for two public line networks and a center-side device that performs data communication with the terminal-side local wireless system, one of the terminal-side local wireless systems A wireless data communication system, wherein the public line network is a wired line network such as a general telephone line.   2. The wireless data communication system according to claim 1, wherein the other public line network of the terminal-side local wireless system is a mobile wireless network.   The wireless terminal network control device connected to the mobile radio network, when not communicating with the center side device, sets the mobile radio transmission / reception circuit unit that performs transmission / reception to / from the mobile radio base station to a state where power supply is stopped or omitted. 3. The wireless data communication system according to claim 2, wherein the wireless data communication system is controlled to a power down mode state that is electric power.   The wireless terminal network control device activates the power supply of the mobile radio transceiver circuit unit in response to a call factor from the terminal device in the terminal-side local wireless system to the center-side device. 4. The wireless data communication system according to claim 3, wherein control is performed so that communication with the mobile radio base station is possible.   5. The wireless data communication system according to claim 4, wherein the wireless terminal network control device has an interface unit for connecting a meter and a sensor.   The center side device is a wired terminal that is first connected to the wired line network via the wired line network in response to occurrence of a call origination factor via the mobile radio network from the center side device. Start the network control device, then start the wireless terminal network control device from the wired terminal network control device to establish communication with the mobile radio base station, the center side device and the terminal 6. The wireless data communication system according to claim 2, wherein communication with the local wireless system on the side enables center polling communication and terminal call communication via the two public line networks. .   7. The wireless data communication system according to claim 6, wherein the wireless terminal network control device and the wired terminal network control device are configured in one box.   If communication between the wireless terminal network control device and the mobile radio base station is not established during communication due to a call origination factor from the center side device, the wired terminal network control device to the center side device 8. The wireless data communication system according to claim 6, wherein an abnormality of the mobile radio network is reported.