JPH08293928A - Reporting system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] This is to automatically transmit information etc. to a centralized monitoring center using a telephone line. PB is used for test communication during construction.
By outputting the signal for a certain period of time, the centralized monitoring center measures the level, and the transmission level of the notification device is set to the optimum value based on the result. An off-hook detection unit 6 for detecting an off-hook of a telephone 10, an incoming call detection unit 9 for detecting a call of the telephone 10, and a line switching unit for switching communication between the telephone 10 side and the notification device 1 side. 5, a data transmission / reception unit 3 that performs data communication with a centralized monitoring center 11 equipped with a level meter through a telephone line 14, a level adjustment unit 4 that adjusts a signal level during data communication, and a signal from an external device 13 is controlled. External interface section 8 for input to section 2
And a control unit 2 for controlling them and a power supply unit 7 serving as a power source for these, and when the notification device 1 sends a test notification to the centralized monitoring center 11, sends a PB signal after data transmission. And

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a telephone line,
This line is used for communication, electricity, gas,
The present invention relates to a notification system capable of automatically transmitting meter reading information and sensor information of a water meter or the like to a centralized monitoring center and calling a terminal device from the centralized monitoring center to load data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to rationally manage the amount of electricity, gas, etc. used in a general household or company at the centralized monitoring center side, various information is transmitted by a reporting device having a communication function. By using this telephone, the telephone line is used for not only meter values in each home but also information on gas leaks and other emergency calls such as nurse calls for bedridden elderly and disabled.

Conventionally, in order to measure the line loss and the signal level of this type of reporting device, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 55-118256.
This requires an expensive and complicated instrument such as an oscilloscope as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 62-168447.

Further, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 4-208745 discloses a technique of receiving a test command signal from the center device, transmitting the test signal to the center device, and simply measuring the level on the side of the center device. There is.

According to the above-mentioned technique, by using the bidirectional communication function, the transmission level of the notification device can be measured by a simple measuring instrument when the center device side wants to know.

[0006]

However, the situation in which the transmission level or line loss of a reporting device using a telephone line is measured is when the transmission data of the reporting device does not arrive at the central monitoring center or when the device fails. Limited to

Therefore, in the above-mentioned technique of calling the notification device from the centralized monitoring center to make a test report, there is a problem that the state of the notification device is completely unknown.

Next, an example of the above problems will be described.

First, when the reporting device is constructed, it is often installed by a construction person in charge of each company. However, since the construction is done according to the manual that describes the details of the construction, we often do not know the details of the notification device and telephone line.

Therefore, when the installation work is carried out in a place where the telephone line has a trouble or a remote place such as a remote place, smooth installation may not be performed.

The reason is that after the installation, a test communication for confirming the communication state between the reporting device and the centralized monitoring center is performed, but if the state of the telephone line is not good, that is, if the loss level of the line is large, it is normal. Data may not be received and the report may end with an error. In such a case, the installer will be asked "Why can't I report?"
However, if you want to investigate it, you must first contact the central monitoring center to measure the level and then inform them of the results.

As described above, the measurement is very time-consuming, and therefore the builder may judge that the notification device is out of order without performing the measurement.

When it is determined that the reporting device is out of order, another reporting device may be installed again for confirmation, which may take additional time.

In addition, if the notification device has a transmission level switching function, the level is switched by the person in charge of installation work, and if the notification device does not have the level switching function, it cannot be installed.

As means for judging the communication state for performing such level switching, a test report is made every time the level is switched, and the report result is displayed on the report device,
Alternatively, the central monitoring center was informed of the incoming call status.

Therefore, since the state of the line is unknown,
All the level settings depended on the feeling and skill of the person in charge of the installation work.

Further, when the test report during construction was in contact with the central monitoring center in the last minute, it is assumed that the report may suddenly not be delivered depending on the line condition after construction.

[0018]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an off-hook detecting section for detecting an off-hook of a telephone, an incoming call detecting section for detecting a call of the telephone, and the telephone side. A line switching unit for switching communication between the communication device and the reporting device, a transmission / reception unit for performing data communication with a centralized monitoring center equipped with a level meter through a telephone line, and a level adjusting unit for adjusting the signal level during data communication, Centralized monitoring with an external interface unit that inputs signals from external equipment to the control unit, a control unit that controls them, a notification device that is composed of a power supply unit that serves as the power supply for these, and a level meter that measures the signal level The system is systematized in the center, and the PB signal from the notification device is measured at the centralized monitoring center, and the transmission level of the notification device is changed to the optimum value.

[0019]

With the above-described structure, the transmission level between the notification device and the centralized monitoring center can be measured at the time of the test notification from the notification device, and the notification device can be set to be suitable for the line state.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

First, 6 is an off-hook detector for detecting the off-hook of the telephone 10.

Reference numeral 9 is an incoming call detection unit for detecting the call of the telephone 10.

A line switching unit 5 switches communication between the telephone 10 side and the notification device 1 side. 3 is telephone line 1
4 is a transmission / reception unit that performs data communication with the centralized monitoring center 11.

Reference numeral 4 is a level adjusting unit for adjusting the signal level during data communication with the centralized monitoring center.

Reference numeral 8 denotes an external interface section for inputting a signal from the external device 13 to the control section 2.

Reference numeral 2 is a control section for controlling these, and 7 is a power supply section which serves as a power supply for these.

Reference numeral 14 is a level meter provided in the centralized monitoring center 11 for measuring the transmission level.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.

As an example, a case where the reporting device 1 for measuring gas is installed in each home will be described below.

First, after installing the notification device 1 on the gas meter and the telephone line 14 of NTT, the notification device 1 is operated by the operator.
Performs test communication from the centralized monitoring center 11 to confirm the line status and data communication.

Upon receiving this test communication signal, the centralized monitoring center 11 immediately enters a state of waiting for the level measurement of the PB signal by the level meter 12.

Then, the notification device 1 determines that the test signal is normally received, and then transmits the PB signal for a certain period of time.

As a result, the centralized monitoring center 11 measures the level, transmits the measurement result to the communication device 1, and ends the test communication.

At this time, the transmission level of the reporting device 1 is set in advance for each level so that the central monitoring center 1
It is also possible to automatically set the level adjustment unit 4 of the reporting device 1 from 1 according to the measurement result.

Since the builder operates the reporting device 1 when making a test report, the central monitoring center 1
It is also possible to have the builder himself set the transmission level by displaying the level measurement result from No. 1 on the setting device or the like of the notification device 1.

The test communication mentioned here means the communication device 1
The contents of the confirmation of the data exchange between the central monitoring center 11 and the central monitoring center 11, and the contents of the notification may be any as long as the central monitoring center 11 does not cause any trouble.

[0037]

According to the present invention, the data transmission level can be confirmed by making a test notification once after the notification device is installed.

Therefore, it is possible to significantly improve the workability of the construction by considering the work of exchanging the notification device or switching the setting due to the poor data transmission.

Further, since it is possible to accurately measure the transmission level, it becomes clear at a glance how much loss is present or whether the loss is reporting in the limit area.
Eliminates mistakes in reporting during actual operation due to other noise.

Further, even when carrying out a business trip to analyze the notification device, it is not necessary to bring a measuring instrument which becomes a very baggage, and the measurement can be performed on the spot, which is also useful for analysis of a failure. become.

Therefore, due to the above effects, it is possible to provide a useful reporting system in which the evaluation of the reliability of the reporting device can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a notification system showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 reporting device 2 control unit 3 data transmitting / receiving unit 4 level adjusting unit 5 line switching unit 6 off-hook detecting unit 7 power supply unit 8 external interface unit 9 incoming call detecting unit 10 telephone 11 centralized monitoring center 12 level meter 13 external equipment

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kuniaki Ito 3-3 Shinjuyo, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba 1

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An off-hook detector (6) for detecting an off-hook of a telephone (10), an incoming call detector (9) for detecting a call of the telephone (10), a telephone (10) side and a reporting device. A line switching unit (5) for switching communication with the (1) side, a data transmitting / receiving unit (3) for performing data communication with a centralized monitoring center (11) equipped with a level meter through a telephone line (14), and data. A level adjusting unit (4) for adjusting a signal level during communication, an external interface unit (8) for inputting a signal from an external device (13) to the control unit (2), and a control unit (2) for controlling these And a power supply section (7) serving as a power source for these, and when the notification device (1) sends a test notification to the centralized monitoring center (11), it sends a PB signal after data transmission. Reporting system. 2. When the notification from the notification device (1) is a test notification, a PB signal after data transmission at the centralized monitoring center (11) is measured by a level meter (12). The notification system according to claim 1. 3. The notification device (1) when the signal level from the notification device (1) is less than a specified value as a result of measurement.
2. The reporting system according to claim 1, wherein the level adjusting unit (4) of the above is raised.