Flow rate measuring device, and gas supply system employing it, method for specifying gas appliance

Abstract

A flow rate measuring device has a flow rate measurement unit, an appliance registering unit, a calculating unit, a determining unit, a first appliance identifying unit, and a second appliance identifying unit. The appliance registering unit stores at least first gas flow rate variation profiles on activation of respective gas appliances coupled to a flow channel, and second gas flow rate variation profiles based on the control specific to the respective gas appliances. The first appliance identifying unit identifies which gas appliance is activated based on the first gas flow rate variation profiles on activation. When a determining unit detects a stop of any of gas appliances, the second appliance identifying unit identifies a gas appliance in continuous use by using the second gas flow rate variation profiles based on the control specific to the respective gas appliances.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of PCT / JP2007 / 073752, filed on Dec. 10, 2007, which claims priority to Japanese Application No. JP2006-332988, filed on Dec. 11, 2006. The entire contents of these applications are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a flow rate measuring device that is installed at the inlet of a gas supply pipe in each household and is applied to a gas meter for measuring the gas flow rate. Specifically, the present invention relates to a technique for applying such a gas meter and identifying (specifying) a gas appliance in use in order to provide a new billing scheme and service, such as a fee by gas appliance, responsive to a used appliance type and its using method.[0004]2. Background Art[0005]A gas meter having a built-in gas flow rate measuring device is generally attached to the inlet of a gas supply line in each household. A billing sche...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]The present invention provides a flow rate measuring device allowing the determining accuracy of the flow rate to be maximized even when one of a plurality of gas appliances stops during operation of them and the determination of the stopping gas appliance is difficult. The flow rate measuring device of the present invention has a flow rate measurement unit, an appliance registering unit, a calculating unit, a determining unit, a first appliance identifying unit, and a second appliance identifying unit. The flow rate measurement unit measures the gas flow rate flowing in a flow channel. The appliance registering unit stores at least first gas flow rate variation profiles on activation of a first gas appliance and a second gas appliance, respectively, which are connected to the flow channel, and second gas flow rate variation profiles based on the control specific to each of the first gas appliance and the second gas appliance. The calculating unit determines a differential value of the flow rate value data output from the flow rate measurement unit. The determining unit compares the differential value determined by the calculating unit with a preset variation determination value, and determines that the states of the first gas appliance and the second gas appliance vary when the differential value is larger than the variation determination value. The first appliance identifying unit compares the gas flow rate variation profile measured by the flow rate measurement unit with the first gas flow rate variation profiles on activation stored in the appliance registering unit, thereby identifying the activated first gas appliance and second gas appliance. The calculating unit determines the differential value based on the variation of the gas flow rate measured by the flow rate measurement unit, and the determining unit detects a stop of one of the first gas appliance and second gas appliance based on the calculated differential value. Then, the second appliance identifying unit compares a gas flow rate variation profile after the stop detection with the second gas flow rate variation profiles based on the control stored in the appliance registering unit. Thus, a gas appliance in use is identified, and a gas appliance having stopped is identified, of gas appliances determined to be activated by the first appliance identifying unit.

[0014]Even when one gas appliance stops during operation of a plurality of gas appliances and it is difficult to identify the one gas appliance only based on the gas flow rate variation at the stop, the flow rate measuring device of the present invention can identify the one gas appliance. The flow rate measuring device can accurately identify a gas appliance, so that a new billing menu prepared by a gas utility or the like can be used. The gas appliance identifying function can be updated without changing the specification of the gas meter, so that future maintenance of the appliance function can be also facilitated.

Problems solved by technology

However, this method falls into ambiguity in identifying an appliance.

Therefore, it is difficult to perform fee setting, such as billing for a specific appliance, that is easier to understand and convenient for customers.

However, when a plurality of gas appliances are operated, it is difficult in some situations to identify which gas appliance has stopped.

When the operating flow rates of two gas appliances are the same by chance, however, the possibility of incorrectly determining the stop increases.