Intelligent electric meter reading concentrator

Abstract

The invention provides an intelligent electric meter reading concentrator, and relates to the technical field of concentrators. The intelligent electric meter reading concentrator comprises a data acquisition module, a main control module, a data transmission module, a power supply module, a crash detection module, an anti-loss data storage module and a controllable restart module, the data acquisition module, the main control module and the data transmission module are electrically connected in sequence to form a data acquisition-processing-transmission link, the power supply module independently supplies power to each module, and the crash detection module is electrically connected with the main control module in a bidirectional manner to accurately monitor the crash state. The anti-loss data storage module is connected with the data acquisition module and the main control module to realize data dual backup, and the controllable restart module receives a crash detection signal and then restarts the core service module in sequence. The method can accurately judge the dead halt state, avoids data loss, balances fault repair and service continuity, improves operation stability, is suitable for multi-scene intelligent electric meter data acquisition, and guarantees meter reading service continuity and data integrity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of concentrator technology, specifically to a smart meter reading concentrator. Background Technology

[0002] The concentrator is the core equipment of the smart grid electricity consumption information collection system. It is mainly used in residential communities, industrial parks, commercial complexes, and other scenarios. It undertakes the functions of centralized collection, processing, temporary storage, and uploading of data from multiple smart meters, and is a key hub connecting terminal meters and remote meter reading management platforms. Its core application technologies cover data acquisition technology, data processing technology, data transmission technology, and power supply management technology. Through the collaboration of multiple technologies, it realizes the automated, accurate, and real-time collection of electricity consumption data, supporting core grid operation businesses such as electricity billing, electricity consumption monitoring, and load management.

[0003] In actual operation, existing smart meter reading concentrators are often subjected to continuous interference from complex environmental factors such as high temperature, humidity, and frequent fluctuations in grid voltage, making their core processing units prone to crashing. Once the core processing unit crashes, it will cause an interruption in the data acquisition, data processing, or data transmission process, preventing the remote meter reading management platform from obtaining meter data in a timely manner, resulting in data gaps. This will seriously affect the accuracy of electricity billing and the continuity of electricity consumption monitoring.

[0004] To address this, we have developed a new type of smart meter reading concentrator. Summary of the Invention

[0005] (a) Technical problems to be solved To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a smart meter reading concentrator, which solves the problem that the core processing unit of existing smart meter reading concentrators is prone to crashing in complex environments, leading to interruptions in data acquisition, processing, or transmission, and thus data gaps.

[0006] (II) Technical Solution To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a smart meter reading concentrator, comprising a data acquisition module, a main control module, a data transmission module, a power supply module, a crash detection module, an anti-loss data storage module, and a controllable restart module; The data acquisition module, main control module, and data transmission module are electrically connected in sequence to form a basic link of "data acquisition-processing-transmission"; The power module is electrically connected to the data acquisition module, main control module, data transmission module, crash detection module, anti-loss data storage module, and controllable restart module, respectively. The crash detection module is bidirectionally electrically connected to the main control module. The anti-loss data storage module is electrically connected to the data acquisition module and the main control module, respectively. The signal input terminal of the controllable restart module is electrically connected to the crash detection module, and the signal output terminal of the controllable restart module is electrically connected to the main control module, data acquisition module, and data transmission module, respectively.

[0007] Preferably, the data acquisition module includes an interface unit, a signal conditioning unit, and a buffer unit. The input terminal of the signal conditioning unit is electrically connected to the interface unit, the input terminal of the buffer unit is electrically connected to the signal conditioning unit, and the output terminal is electrically connected to the main control module.

[0008] Preferably, the crash detection module includes a watchdog unit, a status monitoring unit, and a signal output unit. The watchdog unit is electrically connected to the main control module, the input terminal of the status monitoring unit is electrically connected to the watchdog unit, the input terminal of the signal output unit is electrically connected to the status monitoring unit, and the output terminal is electrically connected to the anti-loss data storage module and the controllable restart module, respectively.

[0009] Preferably, the data storage module for preventing data loss includes a non-volatile storage unit and a data switching unit. The input terminal of the data switching unit is electrically connected to the buffer unit of the data acquisition module and the signal output unit of the crash detection module, respectively. The input terminal of the non-volatile storage unit is electrically connected to the data switching unit.

[0010] Preferably, the controllable restart module includes a restart trigger unit, a timing control unit, and a power supply control unit. The input terminal of the restart trigger unit is electrically connected to the signal output unit of the crash detection module. The input terminal of the timing control unit is electrically connected to the restart trigger unit. The input terminal of the power supply control unit is electrically connected to the timing control unit. The output terminal of the power supply control unit is electrically connected to the power supply terminals of the main control module, the data acquisition module, and the data transmission module, respectively.

[0011] Preferably, the power module includes a power input unit, a power protection unit, and a power distribution unit. The power input unit is connected to an external power supply. The input terminal of the power protection unit is electrically connected to the power input unit. The input terminal of the power distribution unit is electrically connected to the power protection unit. The output terminal of the power distribution unit is electrically connected to a data acquisition module, a main control module, a data transmission module, a crash detection module, a data loss prevention data storage module, and a controllable restart module, respectively.

[0012] Preferably, the data transmission module includes a wired transmission unit, a wireless transmission unit, and a protocol processing unit. The input terminal of the protocol processing unit is electrically connected to the main control module, the input terminal of the wired transmission unit is electrically connected to the protocol processing unit, and the input terminal of the wireless transmission unit is electrically connected to the protocol processing unit.

[0013] (III) Beneficial Effects This invention provides a smart meter reading concentrator, which has the following beneficial effects: 1. This smart meter reading concentrator, through the bidirectional electrical connection between the crash detection module and the main control module, combined with the "heartbeat signal" monitoring of the watchdog unit and the secondary verification of the register value of the status monitoring unit, can accurately identify the true crash state of the main control module, avoid misjudgment caused by a single signal failure, and ensure the accuracy of the response from the source of fault detection.

[0014] 2. This smart meter reading concentrator generates a sequential restart sequence of "main control module - data acquisition module - data transmission module" through the timing control unit of the controllable restart module. In conjunction with the power supply control unit, it only controls the power supply to the core business modules, and keeps the power supply to the data storage module and power module uninterrupted throughout the process. This avoids long-term business interruption caused by the whole machine restart and prevents the stored data from being damaged due to power failure, thus achieving a balance between fault repair and business continuity. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is the overall task flow diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 A flowchart for the data acquisition and initial storage sub-process; Figure 3 This is a flowchart for system crash detection and fault handling. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0017] Examples, such as Figure 1 - Figure 3 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a smart meter reading concentrator, including a data acquisition module, a main control module, a data transmission module, a power supply module, a crash detection module, an anti-loss data storage module, and a controllable restart module.

[0018] Specifically, the data acquisition module, main control module, and data transmission module are electrically connected in sequence to form a basic "data acquisition-processing-transmission" link. The power supply module is electrically connected to the data acquisition module, main control module, data transmission module, crash detection module, anti-loss data storage module, and controllable restart module. The crash detection module is bidirectionally electrically connected to the main control module. The anti-loss data storage module is electrically connected to the data acquisition module and main control module. The signal input terminal of the controllable restart module is electrically connected to the crash detection module, and the signal output terminal of the controllable restart module is electrically connected to the main control module, data acquisition module, and data transmission module. In the "data acquisition-processing-transmission" chain, the data acquisition module first obtains electricity consumption data from the electricity meter. Because it is directly electrically connected to the main control module, the raw data can be directly transmitted to the main control module. The main control module parses and verifies the data (e.g., removing outliers and completing timestamps), and then, through its electrical connection with the data transmission module, transmits the processed structured data to the data transmission module. Finally, the data transmission module uploads the data to the remote meter reading platform. The power supply module is electrically connected to the six core modules via independent lines. Each module can obtain an independent and stable voltage from the power supply module. Even if a module experiences a brief power supply fluctuation, it will not affect the power supply stability of other modules, ensuring stability from the power supply design level. To avoid interruptions in overall meter reading services due to power failure of a partial module, the bidirectional electrical connection between the crash detection module and the main control module includes two functional lines: one line from the main control module periodically outputs a "heartbeat signal" (e.g., a high / low level pulse every 100ms) to the crash detection module, proving that the main control module is in normal operating condition; the other line from the crash detection module feeds back a "monitoring status signal" to the main control module (e.g., a low level during normal operation and a high level during abnormal operation). Simultaneously, the crash detection module can read the operating register value of the main control module through this line to further verify whether the main control module has truly crashed (rather than just a fault in the "heartbeat signal" line), thus achieving real-time monitoring of the main control module's operating status. Timely and accurate monitoring; the two signal input terminals of the anti-loss data storage module are directly electrically connected to the buffer unit of the data acquisition module and the main control module, respectively: on the one hand, it can receive unprocessed raw acquisition data in the buffer unit of the data acquisition module in real time, avoiding data loss due to buffer overflow caused by the main control module being busy; on the other hand, it can synchronously acquire the structured data processed by the main control module, ensuring dual backup of "raw data + processed data"; this dual connection design allows the anti-loss data storage module to fully cover the key nodes of data flow, and can store data in a timely manner regardless of whether the data is in the acquisition stage or the processing stage, preventing data gaps; the signal input terminal of the controllable restart module is only electrically connected to the crash detection module, ensuring that the system only restarts after a crash. The restart process is initiated only when the machine detection module determines a "true system crash" and outputs a trigger signal. Simultaneously, its signal output terminal is only electrically connected to the power supply terminals of the three core business modules: the main control module, the data acquisition module, and the data transmission module. It is not associated with the power supply lines of the anti-loss data storage module or the power supply module. During restart, only the power supply to the aforementioned three business modules is cut off (achieving module reset and restart), while the anti-loss data storage module remains powered throughout the process to prevent data damage or loss due to power outages. Non-faulty modules (such as the power supply module) also operate normally. This achieves accurate repair of faulty modules while ensuring data security and business continuity for non-faulty modules, avoiding the loss of meter reading data or prolonged business interruption caused by a "whole machine restart."

[0019] The data acquisition module includes an interface unit, a signal conditioning unit, and a buffer unit. The input of the signal conditioning unit is electrically connected to the interface unit, the input of the buffer unit is electrically connected to the signal conditioning unit, and the output is electrically connected to the main control module. The interface unit consists of a communication chip, terminals, and ESD protection diodes, enabling physical connection with the smart meter and preventing electrostatic interference. The signal conditioning unit includes an operational amplifier, an RC filter circuit, and a voltage follower, amplifying, filtering, and impedance matching the weak analog signal output by the meter to ensure signal stability. The buffer unit uses a FIFO memory to temporarily store the conditioned signal data, preventing data loss due to processing delays in the main control module. The system crash detection module includes a watchdog unit, a status monitoring unit, and a signal output unit. The watchdog unit is electrically connected to the main control module. The input terminal of the status monitoring unit is electrically connected to the watchdog unit. The input terminal of the signal output unit is electrically connected to the status monitoring unit, and the output terminals are electrically connected to the anti-loss data storage module and the controllable restart module, respectively. The watchdog unit uses a hardware watchdog chip and monitors its operating status by receiving periodic "feeding" signals sent by the main control module. The status monitoring unit consists of a voltage comparator and logic gate circuits, which verify and logically judge the abnormal signals output by the watchdog unit. The signal output unit includes an optocoupler and a transistor driver circuit, which converts the status monitoring results into isolated switching signals to trigger the anti-loss storage and restart mechanisms, respectively. The data loss prevention module includes a non-volatile storage unit and a data switching unit. The input of the data switching unit is electrically connected to the buffer unit of the data acquisition module and the signal output unit of the crash detection module, respectively. The input of the non-volatile storage unit is electrically connected to the data switching unit. The data switching unit consists of a multi-channel analog switch and a control logic circuit, which switches the data storage path according to the crash detection signal. The non-volatile storage unit uses a storage chip to store processed data when the main control module is running normally, and to urgently store the original data of the buffer unit in the event of a crash, thus achieving data retention after power failure. The controllable restart module includes a restart trigger unit, a timing control unit, and a power supply control unit. The input of the restart trigger unit is electrically connected to the signal output unit of the crash detection module. The input of the timing control unit is electrically connected to the restart trigger unit, and the input of the power supply control unit is electrically connected to the timing control unit. The output of the power supply control unit is electrically connected to the power supply terminals of the main control module, the data acquisition module, and the data transmission module, respectively. The restart trigger unit consists of a trigger and a relay, which converts the crash detection signal into a stable trigger pulse. The timing control unit contains a delay circuit composed of timers, which generates the sequential restart timing of the main control module, the acquisition module, and the transmission module. The power supply control unit uses a switching circuit to cut off and restore the power supply to the target module according to the timing signal, thereby achieving orderly restart. The power module includes a power input unit, a power protection unit, and a power distribution unit. The power input unit is connected to an external power supply. The input terminal of the power protection unit is electrically connected to the power input unit. The input terminal of the power distribution unit is electrically connected to the power protection unit. The output terminal of the power distribution unit is electrically connected to the data acquisition module, the main control module, the data transmission module, the crash detection module, the data loss prevention data storage module, and the controllable restart module, respectively. The power distribution unit uses a multi-channel LDO regulator to convert the voltage and provide the required operating voltage to each module, thereby achieving precise power distribution. The data transmission module includes a wired transmission unit, a wireless transmission unit, and a protocol processing unit. The input terminal of the protocol processing unit is electrically connected to the main control module, the input terminal of the wired transmission unit is electrically connected to the protocol processing unit, and the input terminal of the wireless transmission unit is electrically connected to the protocol processing unit. Working Principle: During normal operation, the power supply module's input unit connects to an external power source. After overcurrent, overvoltage, and reverse connection protection by the power protection unit, the power distribution unit distributes stable voltage to the six core modules—data acquisition module, main control module, data transmission module, etc.—through independent lines, ensuring independent and reliable power supply to each module. The data acquisition module's interface unit connects to the smart meter, transmitting the meter's output power signal to the signal conditioning unit. After amplification by an operational amplifier, filtering by an RC filter circuit, and impedance matching by a voltage follower, the signal is temporarily stored by the buffer unit before being transmitted to the main control module. The main control module parses the raw data, forming structured data, which is then transmitted to the data transmission module. The protocol processing unit encapsulates the data using TCP / IP or MQTT protocols, and then uploads it to the remote meter reading platform via either a wired or wireless transmission unit, or in parallel. Simultaneously, the anti-loss data storage module synchronously stores the raw data from the buffer unit and the processed data from the main control module through dual inputs, achieving dual backup. When the main control module crashes, the crash detection module first detects the "heartbeat signal" through the watchdog unit. If the system crashes, the status monitoring unit reads the main control module's running register value to verify the crash status. Upon confirmation, the signal output unit outputs a trigger signal. This signal, on one hand, causes the data switching unit of the anti-loss data storage module to switch paths, urgently storing the data not yet written to the cache unit to the storage chip to avoid data loss. On the other hand, it triggers the controllable restart module. The restart trigger unit converts the signal into a stable pulse, and the timing control unit generates a sequential restart sequence for the "main control module - data acquisition module - data transmission module". The power supply control unit sequentially cuts off and restores power to the target modules, while maintaining uninterrupted power supply to the anti-loss data storage module and the power module throughout the process. After the restart is complete, the main control module recovers data from the storage chip and quickly restarts the "data acquisition-processing-transmission" link to ensure continuous operation of the meter reading service.

[0020] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A smart meter reading concentrator, characterized in that: It includes a data acquisition module, a main control module, a data transmission module, a power supply module, a crash detection module, a data storage module to prevent data loss, and a controllable restart module; The data acquisition module, main control module, and data transmission module are electrically connected in sequence. The power supply module is electrically connected to the data acquisition module, main control module, data transmission module, crash detection module, anti-loss data storage module, and controllable restart module. The crash detection module is bidirectionally electrically connected to the main control module. The anti-loss data storage module is electrically connected to the data acquisition module and the main control module. The signal input terminal of the controllable restart module is electrically connected to the crash detection module, and the signal output terminal of the controllable restart module is electrically connected to the main control module, data acquisition module, and data transmission module.

2. The smart meter reading concentrator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The data acquisition module includes an interface unit, a signal conditioning unit, and a buffer unit. The input terminal of the signal conditioning unit is electrically connected to the interface unit, the input terminal of the buffer unit is electrically connected to the signal conditioning unit, and the output terminal is electrically connected to the main control module.

3. The smart meter reading concentrator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The crash detection module includes a watchdog unit, a status monitoring unit, and a signal output unit. The watchdog unit is electrically connected to the main control module. The input terminal of the status monitoring unit is electrically connected to the watchdog unit. The input terminal of the signal output unit is electrically connected to the status monitoring unit, and the output terminal is electrically connected to the anti-loss data storage module and the controllable restart module, respectively.

4. A smart meter reading concentrator according to claim 3, characterized in that, The data storage module for preventing data loss includes a non-volatile storage unit and a data switching unit. The input terminal of the data switching unit is electrically connected to the buffer unit of the data acquisition module and the signal output unit of the crash detection module, respectively. The input terminal of the non-volatile storage unit is electrically connected to the data switching unit.

5. A smart meter reading concentrator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The controllable restart module includes a restart trigger unit, a timing control unit, and a power supply control unit. The input terminal of the restart trigger unit is electrically connected to the signal output unit of the crash detection module. The input terminal of the timing control unit is electrically connected to the restart trigger unit. The input terminal of the power supply control unit is electrically connected to the timing control unit. The output terminal of the power supply control unit is electrically connected to the power supply terminals of the main control module, the data acquisition module, and the data transmission module, respectively.

6. A smart meter reading concentrator according to claim 5, characterized in that, The power module includes a power input unit, a power protection unit, and a power distribution unit. The power input unit is connected to an external power supply. The input terminal of the power protection unit is electrically connected to the power input unit. The input terminal of the power distribution unit is electrically connected to the power protection unit. The output terminal of the power distribution unit is electrically connected to the data acquisition module, the main control module, the data transmission module, the crash detection module, the data loss prevention data storage module, and the controllable restart module, respectively.

7. A smart meter reading concentrator according to claim 6, characterized in that, The data transmission module includes a wired transmission unit, a wireless transmission unit, and a protocol processing unit. The input terminal of the protocol processing unit is electrically connected to the main control module, the input terminal of the wired transmission unit is electrically connected to the protocol processing unit, and the input terminal of the wireless transmission unit is electrically connected to the protocol processing unit.

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