A meter reading system and meter reading method based on dual-mode communication

Abstract

This invention discloses a meter reading system and method based on dual-mode communication, relating to the technical field of meter reading systems and methods. The system comprises: a dual-mode communication module with intelligent switching on demand for data, and NB-IoT with strong penetration and long-range coverage; a BLE module with high speed, low power consumption, and fast switching; a smart meter module with a high-precision metering chip for precise energy measurement, large-capacity storage of historical data, and a protective housing for adaptability to harsh environments; a data processing and storage module with a high-performance processor for data compression and processing, and an SSD with large-capacity storage and redundant backup; a user interaction module with a large LCD display for clear electricity usage information, convenient operation via buttons or touchscreen; and a remote management and monitoring module. This invention integrates innovative technologies such as dual-mode communication, high-precision metering, intelligent switching, and convenient interaction, as well as power line carrier backup and fault warning and diagnosis, to improve meter reading efficiency, accuracy, and reliability, contributing to the development of smart grids.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of meter reading methods and meter reading systems, and in particular to a meter reading system and a meter reading method based on dual-mode communication. Background Art

[0002] In today's era of rapid intelligent development, traditional meter reading methods can no longer meet the growing demand.

[0003] Technological advancements have led to the emergence of automatic meter reading systems, but existing systems still face numerous challenges. Some meter reading solutions rely solely on a single communication method, such as GPRS. In remote areas or locations with severe signal obstruction, such as basements or deep within residential areas surrounded by high-rise buildings, weak or even no signal can disrupt data transmission and prevent timely and accurate meter readings. Furthermore, GPRS communication consumes significant power, and for battery-powered meters, frequent battery replacement increases operational costs and workload.

[0004] While some smart meter reading systems have seen some improvements, they still have shortcomings in user interaction. Small display screens and limited information make it difficult for users to intuitively understand detailed electricity usage information, such as historical trends and power fluctuations. Operation is also inconvenient, with few buttons and limited functionality. Recharging electricity bills and querying historical data are cumbersome and offer a poor user experience.

[0005] Furthermore, the system's stability and reliability are insufficient. Meter accuracy is significantly affected by factors such as ambient temperature and electromagnetic interference, making data deviations prone. If the communication module or other key components fail, the lack of effective early warning and rapid diagnostic and repair mechanisms often requires lengthy troubleshooting, impacting meter reading continuity and significantly hindering power supply management. It also fails to meet the smart grid's requirements for refined and efficient energy management. Therefore, a novel meter reading method and system based on dual-mode communication is urgently needed to address these challenges. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention proposes a meter reading system and a meter reading method based on dual-mode communication to solve the problems mentioned in the above-mentioned prior art.

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a meter reading system based on dual-mode communication, comprising:

[0008] Dual-mode communication module: Integrates a narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) communication unit and a low-power Bluetooth (BLE) communication unit. The NB-IoT communication unit supports frequency bands B1, B3, and B8. The BLE communication unit complies with Bluetooth 5.0 and above standards. Within a cell, it pairs with the user's handheld terminal to transmit data, and has extremely low power consumption, with a standby current of less than 1μA.

[0009] Built-in switching mechanism, automatically switches communication mode according to preset rules and real-time signal strength and data transmission requirements. Suppose the NB-IoT signal strength in the current environment is S NB , BLE signal strength is S BLE , the data transmission volume is Q, when Q>100KB and S NB >-100dBm, NB-IoT mode is enabled first; when Q<10KB and S NB When the signal level is >-70dBm, it will automatically switch to BLE mode.

[0010] Smart meter module: uses a metering chip to provide a basis for billing and energy consumption analysis. Assume that the actual current is I real , the measured current is I measured , current measurement relative error Similarly, the calculation formula for the relative error of voltage, active power and reactive power can be obtained. The system has a built-in large-capacity memory and stores data in time series.

[0011] The meter housing is made of fireproof, waterproof and dustproof engineering plastics with a protection grade of IP67. It can withstand temperatures from -40°C to +85°C and humidity from 0% to 100%.

[0012] Data processing and storage module: equipped with a processor with a main frequency of not less than 1GHz and a running memory of not less than 512MB, used to receive and process the meter data from the dual-mode communication module, and use lossless Huffman coding or lossy wavelet transform algorithm to compress the meter reading data. Assume that the original data size is D original , the compressed data size is D compressed , compression ratio

[0013] A large-capacity solid-state drive (SSD) is connected as a storage medium for long-term storage of meter data, user information, system logs and other data. The data storage adopts a redundant backup mechanism.

[0014] User interaction module: equipped with a visual liquid crystal display LCD, with a screen diagonal size of not less than 3 inches and a resolution of 320×240 pixels;

[0015] Remote management and monitoring module: Built on a cloud server, it is interconnected with other modules of the meter reading system through the network. It has user management functions, can enter, edit, query and delete user information, and supports user group management;

[0016] Real-time monitoring of the meter reading system's operating status, including whether each module is operating normally, whether the communication link is unobstructed, and whether there are any abnormal fluctuations in meter data. If a fault or anomaly is detected, an alert will be sent to the management staff via SMS, email, or system pop-up window.

[0017] Power line carrier auxiliary communication module: It has power line carrier communication PLC function, uses power line to transmit data, adapts to multiple power line standards, has a carrier frequency range of 10kHz-500kHz, and a transmission rate of 10kbps-100kbps. It serves as a backup communication method when dual-mode communication is blocked. It has a built-in adaptive modem that automatically adjusts the modulation mode according to the power line noise condition. Suppose the power line noise power is P noise , the signal power is P signal , signal-to-noise ratio At that time, the SNR was less than 10dB, and OFDM modulation with strong anti-interference properties was used;

[0018] Working in conjunction with the dual-mode communication module, when it detects that the dual-mode communication signal is weak or interrupted, it automatically starts the power line carrier communication and transmits the meter data via the power line to the concentrator or directly uploads it to the cloud server;

[0019] Intelligent early warning and fault diagnosis module: connects to the smart meter module and dual-mode communication module to collect operating parameters in real time, including meter voltage and current fluctuations, communication module signal strength and signal-to-noise ratio. Suppose the collected parameter samples are x1, x2, ..., x n , by clustering a large amount of historical data to build a fault prediction model, using the Euclidean distance formula Measure the similarity between samples, where d ij represents the Euclidean distance between sample i and sample j, n represents the dimension of the data, x ik represents the kth feature of the i-th sample, x jk Represents the value of the kth feature parameter of the jth sample;

[0020] Furthermore, in the dual-mode communication module, when switching between the NB-IoT communication unit and the BLE communication unit, a smooth transition technology is adopted to avoid data loss or interruption caused by switching by pre-storing some key data in the cache area. The cache area size is dynamically adjusted according to the data transmission rate and switching time. Assuming the data transmission rate is V and the switching time is t, the cache area size C = V×t×1.2, which is generally 1KB-10KB.

[0021] Furthermore, in the smart meter module, in order to reduce the power consumption of the meter, when there is no data transmission demand, the meter automatically enters a low-power sleep mode, wakes up automatically every hour, collects and stores the power data once, and then enters the sleep state again; assuming that the battery capacity of the meter is C battery , the sleep current is I sleep , the working current is I work , the storage time for one acquisition is t acpuire , within 24 hours, the average current By reducing I averageExtend the battery usage time.

[0022] Furthermore, in the data processing and storage module, when the processor processes the meter reading data, it adopts a data verification algorithm, including the cyclic redundancy check (CRC) algorithm, to perform integrity verification on the received data. Let the original data polynomial be M(x) and the generating polynomial be G(x). The check code R(x) is calculated through polynomial division M(x) = Q(x) × G(x) + R(x). The length of the check code is 16 bits or 32 bits. Once a data error is detected, a retransmission request is automatically sent to the smart meter module.

[0023] Furthermore, in the user interaction module, the display screen adopts a color - changeable backlight technology, presenting different - colored backlights according to different electricity - fee balances. Let the electricity - fee balance be B. When B ≥ 50 yuan, it is green; when 10 < B < 50 yuan, it is yellow; when B ≤ 10 yuan, it is red.

[0024] Furthermore, in the remote management and monitoring module, it has the function of data mining and analysis. Through clustering analysis and trend prediction operations on the user's historical electricity - consumption data, it provides decision - making support for the power company, including formulating a reasonable electricity - price adjustment plan and optimizing power distribution. The mining depth does not exceed 5 levels. Let the historical electricity - consumption data samples be y1, y2, …, y m , using the K - Means clustering algorithm to divide users into different groups, performing trend prediction according to the group characteristics, and using the mean - square error formula to evaluate the prediction accuracy, where is the predicted value.

[0025] Furthermore, an automatic meter - reading method based on dual - mode communication includes the following steps:

[0026] Meter - data acquisition step: The smart meter module automatically acquires electrical energy data at a preset time interval, immediately stores it in the internal memory after acquisition, and at the same time performs preliminary packaging on the data, adding a time stamp and meter - number identification information. The packaged data waits for transmission. Let the acquisition time be t i , the meter number is ID, and the format of the packaged data is {ID, t i , E active , E reactive , U, I, …}, where E active is the active electrical energy, E reactive is the reactive electrical energy, U is the voltage, and I is the current;

[0027] Communication mode selection steps: The dual-mode communication module monitors network signal strength and data transmission requirements in real time to determine the most suitable communication mode. If meter data needs to be uploaded in batches to the remote management and monitoring module and the signal is blocked in the environment, the NB-IoT mode is selected. If the user's handheld terminal is close to the meter and real-time data acquisition is required, the BLE mode is automatically switched.

[0028] Data transmission steps: According to the selected communication mode, the packaged meter data is transmitted. In the NB-IoT mode, the data is uploaded to the cloud server through the operator network and transmitted reliably using the protocol stack, including the CoAP protocol. The data transmission success rate is P su , the number of times it is sent is n f , the number of successes is n su , then P su =n f / n su ,In BLE mode, it establishes a pairing connection with the user's handheld terminal, ,adopts the GATT protocol to transmit data, and the transmission rate is dynamically adjusted,according to the requirements of the handheld terminal;

[0029] User interaction steps: Users can recharge electricity bills, query historical electricity consumption data, and set alarm thresholds through the buttons or touch screen of the user interaction module. When recharging electricity bills, the user interaction module sends the recharge request to the remote management and monitoring module through the dual-mode communication module. After the recharge is successful, the remote management and monitoring module promptly feeds back information to the user interaction module and updates the electricity bill balance on the display screen. Set the recharge amount to A and the original electricity bill balance to B. old , after recharging B new =B old +A balance, the display screen is updated in real time;

[0030] Remote monitoring and management steps: The remote management and monitoring module receives the meter data from the dual-mode communication module in real time, unpacks, verifies and stores the data, and monitors the operating status of the meter reading system. If the meter data is abnormal, it notifies the relevant personnel to investigate and handle it; if a failure occurs in any part of the system, including the interruption of the dual-mode communication module signal, an alarm is immediately issued and the emergency plan is activated. Suppose the power consumption is E, and the power consumption at the previous moment is E prev , the time interval is △t, if k is the abnormal coefficient, which is set according to historical data and is judged as abnormal power consumption;

[0031] Power line carrier assisted communication steps: When the dual-mode communication module detects a signal interruption, it immediately triggers the power line carrier assisted communication module to start. The module first detects the power line noise and automatically selects the optimal modulation method based on the noise situation. It uses OFDM modulation with strong anti-interference. It then modulates the meter data waiting to be transmitted and transmits it via the power line. If the data is transmitted to the concentrator, the concentrator will upload the data to the cloud server via Ethernet communication. If conditions permit, the power line carrier assisted communication module can directly upload the data to the cloud server. During the transmission process, the bit error rate is continuously monitored. If the bit error rate exceeds 1%, the modulation method is automatically adjusted or error correction measures are taken.

[0032] Intelligent early warning and fault diagnosis steps: The intelligent early warning and fault diagnosis module collects the operating parameters of key system components in real time, uses machine learning algorithms to analyze historical data and real-time data, and predicts potential failures. When the predicted failure risk is higher than the set threshold, an early warning is immediately issued to the management personnel. The early warning information includes the components that may fail and the estimated failure time.

[0033] Furthermore, in the meter data collection step, when the electric energy data collected by the smart meter module suddenly changes, the data review program is immediately started, and data is collected three times in succession within the next 5 minutes for comparison and analysis. The three collected data are set as E1, E2, and E3, and the average value is like Among them E prev The power consumption before the mutation is still abnormal, and the abnormal data and related information are reported to the remote management and monitoring module through the dual-mode communication module.

[0034] Furthermore, in the communication mode selection step, if the dual-mode communication module encounters strong interference during the communication mode switching process, resulting in a switching failure, the switching will be automatically retried, with the number of retries not exceeding 3 times, and the interval between each retry is 1 second. interfere , when the switching fails, record the interference intensity value, if I interfere >50dBm. Before the next retry, the communication module will first perform a self-test by sending a test command to the built-in self-test chip and waiting for a feedback signal. If the self-test finds an abnormality, it will attempt automatic repair, including adjusting the transmit power and optimizing the channel parameters. If the switching is still unsuccessful, the fault information will be reported to the remote management and monitoring module to request manual intervention.

[0035] Furthermore, in the user interaction step, for elderly users or visually impaired users, the user interaction module supports voice interaction function, and users can query electricity bills and perform recharge operations through voice commands. Suppose the voice command is V in The system has a built-in speech recognition model, which is built using a deep learning algorithm and trained based on a large number of voice samples, that is, it can recognize the correct number of voice commands N. correctThe total number of voice commands meets The speech synthesis feedback is clear and natural, using text-to-speech TTS technology to generate corresponding voice responses based on user operation results.

[0036] Compared with the existing technology, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0037] First, the dual-mode communication module integrates NB-IoT and BLE technologies, intelligently switching based on signal strength and data volume to ensure stable and efficient communication. In remote areas or complex environments, NB-IoT ensures long-distance transmission; for close-range debugging and acquiring small amounts of data, BLE responds quickly, reduces power consumption, and improves the timeliness and flexibility of meter reading.

[0038] The smart meter module provides high-precision measurement with minimal error, paving the way for accurate electricity bill settlement. Its large-capacity storage allows for long-term data retention, facilitating traceability and analysis. Compression algorithms in the data processing and storage modules reduce transmission and storage burdens, improving overall efficiency. Redundant backups ensure data security.

[0039] The user interaction module features powerful visualization and convenient operation, presenting multiple information intuitively and making recharges and inquiries easy. The remote management and monitoring module provides real-time system control, accurately locating faults, providing rapid alerts, and ensuring efficient operation and maintenance. New power line carrier-assisted communication allows for seamless dual-mode communication when obstructions occur, enhancing adaptability. Intelligent early warning and fault diagnosis provide early warnings and rapid fault repair, significantly improving meter reading reliability and comprehensively supporting the development of smart grids. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] Figure 1 This is a schematic block diagram of a meter reading system based on dual-mode communication proposed by the present invention;

[0041] Figure 2 This is a schematic block diagram of a meter reading method based on dual-mode communication proposed by the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0043] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" and the like to indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0044] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the said features. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "multiple" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined. In addition, the terms "installed", "connected" and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be a connection between the two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances. The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0045] Reference Figure 1-2 : A meter reading system based on dual-mode communication, comprising:

[0046] Dual-mode communication module: Integrates a narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) communication unit and a low-power Bluetooth (BLE) communication unit, which can operate independently or work together. The NB-IoT communication unit supports mainstream frequency bands such as B1 / B3 / B8, with a maximum uplink rate of 62.5kbps and a downlink rate of 125kbps. It has excellent signal penetration and can penetrate complex environments such as multi-story buildings and basements. The signal coverage radius is at least 10 kilometers, ensuring stable network connection in remote areas or signal-blocked areas. The BLE communication unit complies with Bluetooth 5.0 and above standards, with transmit power flexibly adjustable between -20dBm and +10dBm, and a transmission rate of up to 2Mbps. It is suitable for close-range, high-speed data interaction. For example, in smart communities, it can quickly pair with user handheld terminals to transmit data. It also has extremely low power consumption, with a standby current of less than 1μA.

[0047] Built-in intelligent switching mechanism, automatically switches communication mode according to preset rules and real-time signal strength, data transmission requirements and other conditions. Assume that the NB-IoT signal strength in the current environment is SNB , BLE signal strength is S BLE , the data transmission volume is Q, when Q>100KB and S NB >-100dBm, NB-IoT mode is enabled first; when Q<10KB and S NB When the voltage is >-70dBm, it automatically switches to BLE mode in less than 5 seconds, ensuring timely and efficient communication.

[0048] Smart meter module: uses high-precision metering chip, with current measurement accuracy of ±0.2%, voltage measurement accuracy of ±0.1%, active power measurement accuracy of ±0.5%, reactive power measurement accuracy of ±1%, and can accurately collect power data, providing a reliable basis for billing and energy consumption analysis. Assume that the actual current is I real , the measured current is I measured , current measurement relative error Similarly, the relative error calculation formula for voltage, active power, and reactive power measurements can be derived, ensuring high-precision data collection. The built-in large-capacity memory, with a storage capacity of no less than 1MB, can store at least one year of historical power data, stored in time series for easy subsequent query and tracing.

[0049] The meter casing is made of high-strength engineering plastic that is fireproof, waterproof, and dustproof, with a protection level of IP67. It can adapt to various harsh outdoor weather conditions and withstand temperatures from -40°C to +85°C and humidity from 0% to 100%, ensuring stable operation of internal electronic components and extending the service life of the meter.

[0050] Data processing and storage module: equipped with a high-performance processor with a main frequency of not less than 1GHz and a running memory of not less than 512MB, responsible for receiving and processing the meter data from the dual-mode communication module. Using data compression algorithms, such as lossless Huffman coding or lossy wavelet transform algorithms, the meter reading data is compressed. Assume that the original data size is D original , the compressed data size is D compressed , compression ratio The compression ratio can reach 50%-80%, reducing data transmission volume and storage space occupied, and improving the overall efficiency of the system.

[0051] A large-capacity solid-state drive (SSD) with a storage capacity of at least 100GB is connected as a storage medium for long-term storage of various data, including meter data, user information, and system logs. Data storage utilizes a redundant backup mechanism, with at least two copies stored in different physical locations, ensuring data security and integrity.

[0052] User interaction module: It is equipped with a visual liquid crystal display (LCD) with a screen diagonal size of not less than 3 inches and a resolution of 320×240 pixels. It can clearly display information such as electricity readings, real-time power, electricity bill balance, historical electricity consumption trends, etc. The display refresh rate is not less than 1Hz, allowing users to intuitively understand the electricity consumption situation.

[0053] It is equipped with a button or touch screen operation interface. The buttons have a backlight function for convenient night operation. The touch screen supports multi-touch and the operation response time does not exceed 0.5 seconds. Users can use the interface to recharge electricity bills, query historical data, set alarm thresholds, etc., realizing convenient human-computer interaction.

[0054] Remote management and monitoring module: Built on a cloud server, it is interconnected with other modules of the meter reading system through the network. It has user management functions and can enter, edit, query and delete massive amounts of user information. It supports user group management, making it easier for power companies to formulate differentiated strategies for different types of users.

[0055] Real-time monitoring of the operating status of the meter reading system, including whether each module is working normally, whether the communication link is unobstructed, and whether there are abnormal fluctuations in the meter data. Once a fault or abnormality is found, an alarm will be immediately sent to the management personnel via SMS, email or system pop-up window. The fault location accuracy is within ±1 meter, so that it can be quickly checked and repaired to ensure the stable and reliable operation of the meter reading system.

[0056] Power line carrier auxiliary communication module: It has power line carrier communication (PLC) function, can use power line to transmit data, adapt to a variety of power line standards, carrier frequency range is 10kHz-500kHz, transmission rate is between 10kbps-100kbps, and it serves as a backup communication method when dual-mode communication is blocked. It has a built-in adaptive modem that can automatically adjust the modulation mode according to the power line noise condition. Assuming the power line noise power is P noise , the signal power is P signal , signal-to-noise ratio At that time, the SNR was less than 10dB, and OFDM modulation with strong anti-interference ability was adopted to ensure reliable data transmission and the transmission bit error rate was controlled below 1%.

[0057] Working in conjunction with the dual-mode communication module, when it detects that the dual-mode communication signal is weak or interrupted, it automatically starts the power line carrier communication and transmits the meter data via the power line to the concentrator or directly uploads it to the cloud server. The switching process is seamless, ensuring the continuity of meter reading data transmission.

[0058] Intelligent early warning and fault diagnosis module: connects key components such as smart meter module and dual-mode communication module to collect real-time operating parameters, such as meter voltage and current fluctuations, communication module signal strength and signal-to-noise ratio, etc. Suppose the collected parameter samples are x1, x2, ..., xn , by clustering a large amount of historical data to build a fault prediction model, using the Euclidean distance formula Measure the similarity between samples, where d ij represents the Euclidean distance between sample i and sample j, n represents the dimension of the data, x ik represents the kth feature of the i-th sample, x jk The value of the kth characteristic parameter of the jth sample is used to warn of potential failures in advance, with an early warning accuracy of no less than 90%.

[0059] When a system failure occurs, the fault source can be quickly located, accurately to the specific component or line, with the fault diagnosis time not exceeding 30 seconds. Detailed fault solutions can be provided, such as informing maintenance personnel to replace a certain chip or check a certain line section, to assist in rapid repairs, reduce operation and maintenance costs, and improve the reliability of the meter reading system.

[0060] In the present invention, in the dual-mode communication module, when switching between the NB-IoT communication unit and the BLE communication unit, a smooth transition technology is adopted to ensure the continuity of data transmission by pre-storing some key data in the cache area, thereby avoiding data loss or interruption caused by switching. The cache area size is dynamically adjusted according to the data transmission rate and switching time. Assuming the data transmission rate is V and the switching time is t, the cache area size C = V×t×1.2, which is generally 1KB-10KB.

[0061] In the present invention, in order to reduce the power consumption of the meter, the smart meter module automatically enters a low-power sleep mode when there is no data transmission demand. The sleep current is less than 10μA. It automatically wakes up at a certain time interval (such as 1 hour), collects and stores the power data once, and then enters the sleep state again to extend the battery life. Assume that the battery capacity of the meter is C battery , the sleep current is I sleep , the working current is I work , the storage time for one acquisition is t acpuire , within 24 hours, the average current By reducing I average To extend battery life.

[0062] In the present invention, in the data processing and storage module, the processor adopts a data verification algorithm, such as a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) algorithm, to perform integrity verification on the received data when processing meter reading data. The original data polynomial is assumed to be M(x), the generating polynomial is assumed to be G(x), and the check code R(x) is calculated by polynomial division M(x)=Q(x)×G(x)+R(x). The check code length is 16 bits or 32 bits. Once a data error is found, a retransmission request is automatically sent to the smart meter module to ensure that the data is accurate.

[0063] In the present invention, in the user interaction module, the display screen adopts a color-changing backlight technology, presenting different color backlights according to different electricity bill balances. Let the electricity bill balance be B. When B ≥ 50 yuan, it is green; when 10 < B < 50 yuan, it is yellow; when B ≤ 10 yuan, it is red, intuitively reminding the user of the electricity bill situation and facilitating the user to recharge in a timely manner.

[0064] In the present invention, in the remote management and monitoring module, it has a data mining and analysis function. By performing operations such as clustering analysis and trend prediction on the historical electricity consumption data of a large number of users, it provides decision-making support for the power company, such as formulating a reasonable electricity price adjustment plan, optimizing power distribution, etc. The depth of mining does not exceed 5 levels, and the accuracy rate of the analysis results is not less than 80%. Let the historical electricity consumption data samples be y1, y2,..., y m , and the users are divided into different groups using a clustering algorithm (such as K-Means), and trend prediction is performed according to the group characteristics. The mean square error formula is used to evaluate the prediction accuracy, where is the predicted value.

[0065] A meter reading method based on dual-mode communication is also disclosed in the present invention, including the following steps:

[0066] Meter data collection step: The smart meter module automatically collects electrical energy data at a preset time interval (such as 15 minutes), including parameters such as active electrical energy, reactive electrical energy, voltage, current, etc. The collection accuracy meets the requirements of the high-precision metering chip. After collection, it is immediately stored in the internal memory, and at the same time, the data is preliminarily packed, adding identification information such as time stamps and meter numbers. The packed data waits for transmission. Let the collection time be t i , the meter number is ID, and the data format after packing is {ID, t i , E active , E reactive , U, I,...}, where E active is the active electrical energy, E reactive is the reactive electrical energy, U is the voltage, and I is the current.

[0067] Communication mode selection step: The dual-mode communication module continuously monitors conditions such as network signal strength and data transmission requirements, and determines the most suitable communication mode at present. If it is necessary to batch upload meter data to the remote management and monitoring module and the signal is severely blocked in the current environment, the NB-IoT mode is preferentially selected; if the user's handheld terminal is close to the meter and it is necessary to immediately obtain a small amount of data, such as querying the current electricity bill balance, it automatically switches to the BLE mode to ensure smooth and efficient communication. The entire judgment and switching process does not exceed 5 seconds.

[0068] Data transmission steps: According to the selected communication mode, the packaged meter data is transmitted. In the NB-IoT mode, the data is uploaded to the cloud server through the operator network and transmitted reliably using the protocol stack. For example, if the CoAP protocol is used, the data transmission success rate is P. su , the number of times it is sent is n f , the number of successes is n su , then P su =n f / n su , ensuring the security and integrity of data transmission; in BLE mode, it establishes a pairing connection with the user's handheld terminal and uses the GATT protocol to transmit data. The transmission rate is dynamically adjusted according to the requirements of the handheld terminal, up to 2Mbps, ensuring that users can quickly obtain the required information.

[0069] User interaction steps: Users can use the buttons or touch screen of the user interaction module to perform interactive activities such as recharging electricity bills, querying historical electricity consumption data, and setting alarm thresholds. When recharging electricity bills, the user interaction module sends the recharge request to the remote management and monitoring module through the dual-mode communication module. After the recharge is successful, the remote management and monitoring module promptly feeds back information to the user interaction module and updates the electricity bill balance on the display screen. The response time of the entire interactive process does not exceed 10 seconds, realizing convenient human-computer interaction. Suppose the recharge amount is A and the original electricity bill balance is B old , after recharging B new =B old +A balance, the display screen is updated in real time.

[0070] Remote monitoring and management steps: The remote management and monitoring module receives the meter data from the dual-mode communication module in real time, unpacks, verifies and stores the data, and monitors the operating status of the meter reading system. If the meter data is abnormal, such as a sudden and significant increase in electricity consumption, the cause can be found through data analysis. It may be that the user has added a high-power appliance or the meter is faulty, and the relevant personnel will be notified in time to investigate and handle the problem; if a part of the system fails, such as the dual-mode communication module signal is interrupted, an alarm will be issued immediately, and the emergency plan will be activated to ensure the normal operation of the meter reading system. Suppose the electricity consumption is E, and the electricity consumption at the previous moment is E prev , the time interval is △t, if k is the abnormal coefficient, which can be set according to historical data, and it is judged as abnormal power consumption.

[0071] Power line carrier-assisted communication steps: When the dual-mode communication module detects a weak or interrupted signal, it immediately triggers the power line carrier-assisted communication module to start. This module first detects power line noise and automatically selects the optimal modulation method based on the noise situation, using OFDM modulation with strong interference resistance. It then modulates the meter data waiting for transmission and transmits it via the power line. If transmitted to the concentrator, the concentrator then uploads the data to the cloud server via other reliable communication methods (such as Ethernet). If conditions permit, the power line carrier-assisted communication module can directly upload the data to the cloud server to ensure that the meter reading data is not lost. The bit error rate is continuously monitored during transmission. If the bit error rate exceeds 1%, the modulation method is automatically adjusted or error correction measures are taken.

[0072] Intelligent Early Warning and Fault Diagnosis Steps: The intelligent early warning and fault diagnosis module collects operating parameters of key system components in real time, updating data samples every five minutes. It uses machine learning algorithms to analyze historical and real-time data to predict potential failures. If the predicted failure risk exceeds a set threshold, an alert is immediately issued to management, including the component that may fail and the estimated time of failure. If a system failure occurs, the module quickly locates the source of the problem within 30 seconds and provides a detailed solution, such as instructing maintenance personnel to replace the faulty component or repair the wiring. After the maintenance personnel follow the solution, the module monitors the system again to ensure that the meter reading system has resumed normal operation.

[0073] In the present invention, in the meter data collection step, when the electric energy data collected by the smart meter module changes suddenly (such as the power consumption increases by more than 50% within 1 hour), the data review program is immediately started, and the data is collected three times in the next 5 minutes for comparison and analysis. The three collected data are set as E1, E2, and E3, and the average value is like Among them E prev The power consumption before the mutation is still abnormal, and the abnormal data and related information are reported to the remote management and monitoring module through the dual-mode communication module to timely check potential problems.

[0074] In the present invention, in the communication mode selection step, if the dual-mode communication module encounters strong interference during the communication mode switching process, resulting in a switching failure, the switching will be automatically retried, with the number of retries not exceeding 3 times, and the interval between each retry is 1 second. interfere , when the switching fails, record the interference intensity value, if I interfere>50dBm. Before the next retry, the communication module will be self-checked by sending a test command to the built-in self-check chip and waiting for the feedback signal. If the self-check finds an abnormality, it will try to automatically repair it, such as adjusting the transmission power and optimizing the channel parameters. The repair time shall not exceed 2 seconds. If the switching is still unsuccessful, the fault information will be reported to the remote management and monitoring module to request manual intervention to ensure that the meter reading work is not affected by long-term interruptions.

[0075] In the present invention, in the user interaction step, for elderly users or visually impaired users, the user interaction module supports voice interaction function, and users can perform operations such as electricity fee inquiry and recharge through voice commands. Suppose the voice command is V in The system has a built-in speech recognition model, which is built using a deep learning algorithm and trained based on a large number of voice samples. The recognition accuracy is not less than 90%, that is, the number of correct voice commands N is recognized. correct The total number of voice commands meets The voice synthesis feedback is clear and natural. It uses text-to-speech (TTS) technology to generate corresponding voice replies based on the user's operation results, such as "Your electricity bill balance is XX yuan" and "Recharge successful, the current balance is XX yuan". The voice playback volume can be adjusted between 30dB-80dB to facilitate use by special user groups.

[0076] The above are only preferred specific embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with this technical field, within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention, who makes equivalent replacements or changes based on the technical solutions and inventive concepts of the present invention, should be covered by the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A meter reading system based on dual-mode communication, characterized in that: Including: Dual-mode communication module: Integrates a narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) communication unit and a low-power Bluetooth (BLE) communication unit. The NB-IoT communication unit supports frequency bands B1, B3, and B8. The BLE communication unit complies with the Bluetooth 5.0 and above standards. In the community, it pairs with the user's handheld terminal to transmit data, and has extremely low power consumption, with a standby current less than 1 μA; Built-in switching mechanism, automatically switches communication mode according to preset rules and real-time signal strength and data transmission requirements. Suppose the NB-IoT signal strength in the current environment is S NB , BLE signal strength is S BLE , the data transmission volume is Q, when Q>100KB and S NB >-100dBm, NB-IoT mode is enabled first; when Q<10KB and S NB When the signal level is >-70dBm, it will automatically switch to BLE mode. Smart meter module: uses a metering chip to provide a basis for billing and energy consumption analysis. Assume that the actual current is I real , the measured current is I measured , current measurement relative error Similarly, the calculation formula for the relative error of voltage, active power and reactive power can be obtained. The system has a built-in large-capacity memory and stores data in time series. The meter housing is made of fireproof, waterproof, and dustproof engineering plastic, with a protection level of IP67, a temperature tolerance range of -40°C to +85°C, and a humidity range of 0% - 100%; Data processing and storage module: equipped with a processor with a main frequency of not less than 1GHz and a running memory of not less than 512MB, used to receive and process the meter data from the dual-mode communication module, and use lossless Huffman coding or lossy wavelet transform algorithm to compress the meter reading data. Assume that the original data size is , the compressed data size is , compression ratio ; Connected with a large-capacity solid-state drive (SSD) as the storage medium, used for long-term storage of various types of data such as meter data, user information, and system logs. The data storage adopts a redundant backup mechanism; User interaction module: Equipped with a visual liquid crystal display (LCD), the screen diagonal size is not less than 3 inches, and the resolution is 320×240 pixels; Remote management and monitoring module: Built on a cloud server, interconnected with other modules of the meter reading system through the network, with user management functions, capable of performing operations such as inputting, editing, querying, and deleting user information, and supporting user group management; Real-time monitoring of the operation status of the meter reading system, including whether each module is working properly, whether the communication link is unobstructed, and whether there are abnormal fluctuations in meter data. When a fault or abnormality is found, an alarm is sent to the management personnel via text message, email, or system pop-up window; Power line carrier auxiliary communication module: It has power line carrier communication PLC function, uses power line to transmit data, adapts to multiple power line standards, has a carrier frequency range of 10kHz-500kHz, and a transmission rate of 10kbps-100kbps. It serves as a backup communication method when dual-mode communication is blocked. It has a built-in adaptive modem that automatically adjusts the modulation mode according to the power line noise condition. The power line noise power is set to , the signal power is , signal-to-noise ratio ,then , using OFDM modulation with strong anti-interference ability; Works in coordination with the dual-mode communication module. When detecting that the dual-mode communication signal is weak or interrupted, it automatically activates the power line carrier communication, and transmits the meter data through the power line to the concentrator or directly uploads it to the cloud server; Intelligent early warning and fault diagnosis module: connects to the smart meter module and dual-mode communication module to collect operating parameters in real time, including meter voltage and current fluctuations, communication module signal strength and signal-to-noise ratio. The collected parameter samples are set as , by clustering a large amount of historical data to build a fault prediction model, using the Euclidean distance formula Measure the similarity between samples, where d ij represents the Euclidean distance between sample i and sample j, n represents the dimension of the data, x ik represents the kth feature of the i-th sample, x jk Represents the value of the kth feature parameter of the jth sample; In the data processing and storage module, when processing meter reading data, the processor uses a data verification algorithm, including a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) algorithm, to perform integrity verification on the received data. Let the original data polynomial be M(x), the generating polynomial be G(x), and the check code R(x) be obtained by polynomial division. It is calculated that the check code length is 16 bits or 32 bits. Once a data error is found, a retransmission request is automatically sent to the smart meter module.

2. The meter reading system based on dual-mode communication according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the dual-mode communication module, when switching between the NB-IoT communication unit and the BLE communication unit, a smooth transition technology is used to pre-store some key data in the cache to avoid data loss or interruption caused by switching. The cache size is dynamically adjusted according to the data transmission rate and switching time. Assume that the data transmission rate is V, the switching time is t, and the cache size is , generally 1KB-10KB.

3. The meter reading system based on dual-mode communication according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the smart meter module, in order to reduce the power consumption of the meter, when there is no data transmission demand, the meter automatically enters the low-power sleep mode, automatically wakes up every hour, collects and stores the energy data, and then enters the sleep state again; suppose the battery capacity of the meter is C battery , the sleep current is I sleep , the working current is I work , the storage time for one acquisition is t acpuire , within 24 hours, the average current By reducing I average Extend battery life.

4. The meter reading system based on dual-mode communication according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the user interaction module, the display screen adopts a color-changing backlight technology, presenting different color backlights according to different electricity bill balances. Let the electricity bill balance be B. When B≥50 yuan, it is green. When 10<B<50 yuan, it is yellow. When B≤10 yuan, it is red.

5. The meter reading system based on dual-mode communication according to claim 1, characterized in that: The remote management and monitoring module has data mining and analysis functions. It provides decision support for power companies by clustering and predicting the historical electricity consumption data of users, including formulating reasonable electricity price adjustment plans and optimizing power distribution. The mining depth does not exceed 5 levels. Suppose the historical electricity consumption data sample is ,The K-Means clustering algorithm is used to divide users into different groups, and trend prediction is performed based on the group characteristics. Evaluate the prediction accuracy for Predicted value.

6. A method for a meter reading system based on dual-mode communication according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: Including the following steps: Meter data collection steps: The smart meter module automatically collects energy data at preset time intervals, stores it in the internal memory immediately after collection, and preliminarily packages the data, adds timestamps and meter number identification information, and the packaged data is ready for transmission. Let the collection time be t i , the meter number is ID, and the format of the packaged data is ,in is the active energy, is reactive energy, U is voltage, and I is current; Communication mode selection step: The dual-mode communication module continuously monitors the network signal strength and data transmission requirement conditions, and judges the most suitable communication mode at present. If it is necessary to batch upload the meter data to the remote management and monitoring module and the signal in the current environment is blocked, the NB-IoT mode is selected. If the user's handheld terminal is close to the meter and instant data acquisition is required, it automatically switches to the BLE mode; Data transmission steps: According to the selected communication mode, the packaged meter data is transmitted. In the NB-IoT mode, the data is uploaded to the cloud server through the operator network and transmitted reliably using the protocol stack, including the CoAP protocol. The data transmission success rate is P su , the number of times it is sent is n f , the number of successes is n su , then P su =n f / n su ,In BLE mode, it establishes a pairing connection with the user's handheld terminal, uses the GATT protocol to transmit data, and the transmission rate is dynamically adjusted according to the requirements of the handheld terminal; User interaction steps: Users can recharge electricity bills, query historical electricity consumption data, and set alarm thresholds through the buttons or touch screen of the user interaction module. When recharging electricity bills, the user interaction module sends the recharge request to the remote management and monitoring module through the dual-mode communication module. After the recharge is successful, the remote management and monitoring module promptly feeds back information to the user interaction module and updates the electricity bill balance on the display screen. Set the recharge amount to A and the original electricity bill balance to B. old , after recharging B new =B old +A balance, the display screen is updated in real time; Remote monitoring and management steps: The remote management and monitoring module receives the meter data from the dual-mode communication module in real time, unpacks, verifies and stores the data, and monitors the operating status of the meter reading system. If the meter data is abnormal, it notifies the relevant personnel to investigate and handle it; if a failure occurs in any part of the system, including the interruption of the dual-mode communication module signal, an alarm is immediately issued and the emergency plan is activated. Suppose the power consumption is E, and the power consumption at the previous moment is E prev , the time interval is △t, if ,k is the abnormal coefficient, which is set according to historical data, and it is determined that the power consumption is abnormal; Power line carrier auxiliary communication step: When the dual-mode communication module detects a signal interruption, it immediately triggers the start of the power line carrier auxiliary communication module. This module first detects the power line noise, automatically selects the optimal modulation method according to the noise situation, adopts the OFDM modulation with strong anti-interference ability, and then modulates the meter data waiting to be transmitted and transmits it through the power line. If it is transmitted to the concentrator, the concentrator then uploads the data to the cloud server through the Ethernet communication method. If conditions permit, the power line carrier auxiliary communication module can directly upload the data to the cloud server. During the transmission process, it continuously monitors the bit error rate. If the bit error rate exceeds 1%, it automatically adjusts the modulation method or takes error correction measures; Intelligent early warning and fault diagnosis steps: The intelligent early warning and fault diagnosis module collects the operating parameters of key system components in real time, uses machine learning algorithms to analyze historical data and real-time data, and predicts potential failures. When the predicted failure risk is higher than the set threshold, an early warning is immediately issued to the management personnel. The early warning information includes the components that may fail and the estimated failure time.

7. The meter reading method based on dual-mode communication according to claim 6, characterized in that: In the meter data collection step, when the electric energy data collected by the smart meter module suddenly changes, the data review program is immediately started. In the next 5 minutes, data is collected three times continuously for comparison and analysis. The three collected data are set as E1, E2, and E3, and the average value is ,like ,in The power consumption before the mutation is still abnormal, and the abnormal data and related information are reported to the remote management and monitoring module through the dual-mode communication module.

8. The meter reading method based on dual-mode communication according to claim 7, characterized in that: In the communication mode selection step, if the dual-mode communication module encounters strong interference during the communication mode switching process, resulting in a switching failure, the module will automatically retry the switching. The number of retries shall not exceed 3, with an interval of 1 second between each retry. Assume that the interference intensity is , when the switching fails, record the interference intensity value, if Before the next retry, the communication module will first perform a self-test by sending a test command to the built-in self-test chip and waiting for the feedback signal. If the self-test finds an abnormality, it will try to automatically repair it, including adjusting the transmission power and optimizing the channel parameters. If the switch is still unsuccessful, the fault information will be reported to the remote management and monitoring module to request manual intervention.

9. The meter reading method based on dual-mode communication according to claim 7, characterized in that: In the user interaction step, for elderly users or users with visual impairments, the user interaction module supports voice interaction function, and users can query electricity bills and recharge through voice commands. Suppose the voice command is V in The system has a built-in speech recognition model, which is built using a deep learning algorithm and trained based on a large number of voice samples, that is, the number of correct voice commands recognized The total number of voice commands meets The speech synthesis feedback is clear and natural, and it uses text-to-speech TTS technology to generate corresponding voice replies based on the user's operation results.

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