Repeater and extended meter reading method for accessing MBUS (Meter Bus) of heat collector
By designing the MBUS interface of the repeater and using current characteristic identification technology, the problem of insufficient MBUS bus load capacity of the heat collector was solved, realizing centralized meter reading of heat meters in multiple buildings, reducing costs and improving compatibility and stability.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-10
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-07
AI Technical Summary
The existing heat meter readers have limited MBUS bus capacity, which leads to signal attenuation and distortion when collecting data from heat meters in multiple units or buildings, resulting in low meter reading success rate. In addition, the equipment and maintenance costs are high, and the communication formats of heat meters from different brands are inconsistent, requiring the modification of repeaters, which is also costly.
Design a repeater with an MBUS slave interface, an MBUS master interface, an independent power supply module, and a signal processing module. Through level replication and current characteristic recognition technology, it enables centralized meter reading of heat meters in multiple units/buildings, supports seamless compatibility with heat meters of different brands, and provides independent power supply for the downlink MBUS bus to avoid current overload.
It enables centralized meter reading of heat meters in multiple units/buildings, reducing equipment and maintenance costs, improving meter reading stability and compatibility, and eliminating the need to modify existing heat collection devices. It is suitable for centralized heat data collection scenarios in multiple units and buildings.
Smart Images
Figure CN121815117A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of heat data acquisition technology for residential building heating systems, and in particular to a repeater and its extended meter reading method for connecting to the MBUS bus of a heat collector. Background Technology
[0002] The statements in this section are merely background information related to the present invention and do not necessarily constitute prior art.
[0003] In residential building heating management, heat meters are key devices for measuring the heating load of each household. They are typically installed on the supply and return water pipes of each household in the hot water well to monitor parameters such as the temperature and flow rate of the hot water in the pipes in real time. To achieve centralized collection of heat data, a heat meter reader is usually configured for each unit building. It communicates with all heat meters in the unit building via an MBUS bus. The heat meter reader transmits the collected heat information to the control center via wired or wireless network, providing data support for heating billing and system control.
[0004] However, the MBUS bus capacity of a single heat meter reader is typically limited to no more than 200 heat meters, requiring a separate reader for each building unit. To achieve centralized data collection from heat meters in multiple buildings or units, directly connecting all heat meters to the same reader's MBUS bus would exceed its design power supply capacity, failing to provide stable power to remote meters. Furthermore, excessively long MBUS communication lines would cause voltage drops at remote locations and increased external electromagnetic interference, leading to signal attenuation and distortion, severely impacting meter reading success rates and even preventing the collection of data from some heat meters. Therefore, the current practice is to purchase multiple additional heat meter readers, but this incurs high equipment costs, additional wireless communication fees, installation and commissioning costs, and ultimately, high long-term operating costs.
[0005] To reduce costs, a solution has been proposed to add repeaters to the MBUS bus of the heat collection unit, allowing heat meters in different residential buildings to be connected to the same heat collection unit for centralized meter reading. However, the heat meters installed in the residential buildings may be from different brands, and different brands of heat meters use different communication data formats. Therefore, when the heat collection unit communicates with the heat meters, the repeaters, which act as signal relay devices, need to be modified and configured on-site, resulting in high modification costs. Summary of the Invention
[0006] To address the shortcomings of the existing technology, this invention provides a repeater and its extended meter reading method connected to the MBUS bus of a heat collector. By optimizing the repeater's structural design and communication compatibility mechanism, centralized meter reading of multiple units / buildings of heat meters can be achieved without modifying the existing heat collector. At the same time, it reduces equipment costs, improves meter reading stability and compatibility, and solves the problems of limited MBUS capacity of existing heat collectors, which makes it difficult to achieve centralized meter reading of multiple meters and high meter reading costs.
[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a repeater.
[0008] A repeater, comprising: The MBUS slave interface serves as the uplink MBUS interface, connecting to the uplink MBUS bus where the heat collector is located. The MBUS main interface, as a downlink MBUS interface, connects to the downlink MBUS bus where the new heat meter is located. An independent power supply module is used to power the repeater itself and the downlink MBUS bus connected to the MBUS main interface; The data storage module is used to pre-store the meter number, brand information, and corresponding communication current change characteristics and communication data format of the newly added heat meters connected to the repeater itself; The signal processing module is used to monitor the level changes of the uplink MBUS bus, copy the level signal to the downlink MBUS bus, monitor the current changes of the downlink MBUS bus and match the corresponding communication data format, and perform data parsing and forwarding.
[0009] In a further technical solution, in the MBUS bus, the heat collector acts as the master to provide voltage to the bus, and transmits signals to the heat meter or as a repeater acting as a slave by changing the level of the bus voltage. The transmission logic is as follows: providing an idle level to MBUS represents data 1, and providing a level 12V lower than the idle level to MBUS represents data 0.
[0010] A further technical solution involves the heat meter acting as a constant current receiver in the MBUS bus. It transmits signals to the repeater or heat collector by changing the bus current. The transmission logic is as follows: when the idle current consumed by the heat meter in the MBUS bus is less than 1.5mA, it represents data 1; when the current consumed by the heat meter in the MBUS bus increases by 11~20mA compared to the idle current, it represents data 0.
[0011] A further technical solution involves determining the communication current variation characteristics as follows: The system acquires historical data on the transmission current changes between heat collectors and different heat meters, and extracts the communication current change characteristics of heat meters from different brands.
[0012] In a further technical solution, the signal processing module is used for: Real-time monitoring of heat data fed back by heat meters in the downlink MBUS bus in their data format; recording the current change amplitude and extracting current change characteristics based on the current change corresponding to the monitored downlink MBUS bus feedback data. Based on the meter number, brand information, and corresponding communication current change characteristics and communication data format of the newly added heat meters pre-stored in the repeater, the brand of the heat meter is determined and the corresponding communication data format is matched, and the heat data is parsed, obtained, and stored.
[0013] Secondly, the present invention provides an extended meter reading method for connecting a repeater to the MBUS bus of a heat collector meter reader.
[0014] An extended meter reading method for connecting a repeater to the MBUS bus of a heat collector, wherein the repeater's MBUS slave interface is connected to the uplink MBUS bus where the heat collector is located, and newly added heat meters are connected to the downlink MBUS bus corresponding to the repeater's MBUS master interface. The heat collector reads the new heat meters through the MBUS bus, including: The heat collection device sends a collection command carrying the target heat meter number according to the original data format; The repeater detects the level change corresponding to the acquisition command in the uplink MBUS bus, and copies the same level change in the downlink MBUS bus where the new heat meter is located for forwarding. In the downlink MBUS bus, heat meters whose data format matches the target meter number respond to the acquisition command and feed back heat data in the corresponding data format; The repeater monitors the current change corresponding to the feedback data in the downlink MBUS bus, identifies the current change characteristics, matches the corresponding communication data format to parse and obtain heat data and store it; The repeater forwards the heat data to the uplink MBUS bus and transmits it to the heat collector.
[0015] In a further technical solution, in the MBUS bus, the heat collector acts as the master to provide voltage to the bus, and transmits signals to the heat meter or as a repeater acting as a slave by changing the level of the bus voltage. The transmission logic is as follows: providing an idle level to MBUS represents data 1, and providing a level 12V lower than the idle level to MBUS represents data 0. The repeater monitors the voltage level of the uplink MBUS bus in real time. When a level change occurs, it determines that the heat collector has started sending a data acquisition command. The repeater then performs the same level change on the downlink MBUS bus to forward the data acquisition command without needing to perform data parsing.
[0016] A further technical solution involves the heat meter acting as a constant current receiver in the MBUS bus. It transmits signals to the repeater or heat collector by changing the bus current. The transmission logic is as follows: when the idle current consumed by the heat meter in the MBUS bus is less than 1.5mA, it represents data 1; when the current consumed by the heat meter in the MBUS bus increases by 11~20mA compared to the idle current, it represents data 0.
[0017] A further technical solution involves the repeater monitoring the current changes corresponding to the feedback data in the downlink MBUS bus, recording the current change amplitude, and extracting the current change characteristics. Based on the meter number, brand information, and corresponding communication current change characteristics and communication data format of the newly added heat meters pre-stored in the repeater, the brand of the heat meter is determined, and the corresponding communication data format is matched to parse and obtain the heat data and store it.
[0018] A further technical solution involves the following: In the downlink MBUS bus, a newly added heat meter that matches the data format of the acquisition command receives the acquisition command, reads the target heat meter number based on the acquisition command, and then makes a judgment based on the target heat meter number, including: If the target heat meter number is the same as the current heat meter number, the data acquisition command will be parsed according to the corresponding data format, and the heat data of the current heat meter will be responded to. Conversely, no response will be made.
[0019] The above one or more technical solutions have the following beneficial effects: 1. This invention proposes a repeater and its extended meter reading method for connecting to the MBUS bus of a heat collector. The repeater, through the collaborative design of dual MBUS interfaces, independent power supply module, data storage module and signal processing module, connects to the MBUS bus of the heat collector and adopts a communication mechanism of level replication and current characteristic recognition. Without modifying the existing heat collector, it can realize centralized meter reading of heat meters in multiple units / buildings. At the same time, it expands the load capacity of the heat collector, reduces equipment and maintenance costs, improves meter reading compatibility and stability, and solves the problems of limited MBUS load capacity of existing heat collectors, which makes it difficult to realize centralized meter reading of multiple meters and high meter reading costs. It is applicable to centralized heat data acquisition scenarios in multiple units and multiple buildings.
[0020] 2. In this invention, through the branch expansion design of the repeater, a single heat meter reader can support heat meters in multiple units and buildings, achieving centralized meter reading without the need for additional readers. Furthermore, this repeater does not require a wireless communication module, resulting in lower hardware design requirements and lower equipment procurement costs. It also eliminates the need for additional readers, saving on wireless communication fees and additional installation and debugging costs. The repeater incorporates an identification mechanism based on communication current variation characteristics, accurately matching the communication data formats of different brands of heat meters when expanding the number of meters read. This achieves multi-brand compatibility without modifying existing readers, meeting the upgrade and renovation needs of existing heating systems. Moreover, the repeater provides independent power to the downlink MBUS bus, avoiding bus current overload issues, shortening the length of a single MBUS line, reducing voltage drop and external interference, and effectively improving the meter reading success rate.
[0021] 3. The repeater proposed in this invention has no special restrictions on the installation location, does not rely on the wireless signal strength, and can be flexibly installed in convenient locations such as near hot water wells. The wiring connection is simple, does not damage the original building structure, has high construction efficiency, and is simple and convenient to install.
[0022] Advantages of additional aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description
[0023] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention.
[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the repeater structure proposed in the embodiments of the present invention; Figure 2 The original MBUS circuit diagram for existing heat collectors; Figure 3 This is a circuit diagram of the MBUS heat collection unit connected to the repeater in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the extended meter reading method for connecting a repeater to the MBUS bus of a heat collector, as proposed in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0025] It should be noted that the following detailed descriptions are exemplary and are intended only to describe specific embodiments and to provide further explanation of the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of exemplary embodiments of the invention. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.
[0026] Example 1 As the background section points out, a single heat collector can only support a limited number of heat meters. If too many heat meters are connected, the current on the MBUS bus increases, exceeding the power supply capacity of the collector. Furthermore, excessively long MBUS communication lines lead to increased voltage drop and interference at the remote end, deteriorating signal quality and compromising data acquisition success rate. Existing technologies suggest increasing the number of heat collectors that can handle them by adding repeaters at the remote end of the MBUS line, connecting newly connected heat meters to these repeaters for signal relay. However, heat meters installed in residential buildings may be from different brands, using different communication data formats (or protocols), and may differ in data arrangement and units. This can lead to the following problems: Normally, when a heat collector communicates with a heat meter, the communication format must be configured first, and then a corresponding command is sent to the MBUS bus. After receiving the command, the heat meter checks whether it conforms to the communication format and meter number. If the check passes, it responds; otherwise, it does not take any action. After adding a repeater, the heat collector still communicates in the above manner. However, when the heat collector communicates with the heat meter connected to the repeater, because the repeater cannot know the current heat meter's communication format, it cannot receive the heat collector's command correctly and may only receive a string of garbled characters. Consequently, the repeater cannot forward the correct command to the heat meter, and heat collection cannot be performed. Currently, the main approach is to modify the heat meter reader, specifically by establishing a new communication format between the heat meter reader and the repeater. This allows the repeater's uplink MBUS interface to operate on a fixed communication format, while the downlink MBUS interface is configured according to the heat meter's requirements. However, this method relies on software layer protocol parsing for communication between the repeater and other devices, which is quite complex. Alternatively, it may require pre-adjusting and modifying existing installed equipment to adapt it to the device format, resulting in high modification costs.
[0027] To address the aforementioned issues, this embodiment proposes a repeater, which serves as the core device for achieving MBUS bus expansion and compatible meter reading, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes the following functional modules: The MBUS slave interface serves as the uplink MBUS interface, connecting to the uplink MBUS bus where the heat collector is located. The MBUS main interface, as a downlink MBUS interface, connects to the downlink MBUS bus where the new heat meter is located. An independent power supply module is used to power the repeater itself and the downlink MBUS bus connected to the MBUS main interface; The data storage module is used to pre-store the meter number, brand information, and corresponding communication current change characteristics and communication data format of the newly added heat meters connected to the repeater itself; The signal processing module is used to monitor the level changes of the uplink MBUS bus, copy the level signal to the downlink MBUS bus, monitor the current changes of the downlink MBUS bus and match the corresponding communication data format, and perform data parsing and forwarding.
[0028] Specifically, a repeater is added at the far end of the MBUS line, connecting the new heat meter to the repeater. This repeater has one MBUS slave interface and one MBUS master interface. The MBUS slave interface serves as the connection interface between the repeater and the upstream MBUS bus, directly connecting to the MBUS bus where the heat meter reader is located, acting as a slave device on this bus. This design places extremely low power requirements on the heat meter reader, equivalent to a regular heat meter, and will not exceed the reader's power supply capacity, ensuring the power stability of the original MBUS line. The MBUS master interface serves as the connection interface between the repeater and the downstream MBUS bus, connecting to the branch line where the new heat meter is located, acting as the master on this branch line, providing a stable operating power supply to the new heat meter and solving the problem of insufficient power supply to the remote heat meter. Furthermore, since the new heat meter is located on the repeater's MBUS line and communicates directly with the repeater, the communication line length is controllable, eliminating problems of excessive voltage drop and excessive interference.
[0029] Furthermore, the independent power supply module in the repeater can provide independent power for the repeater's own operation and the downlink MBUS bus connected to the MBUS main interface. It adopts a wide voltage input design to adapt to the power supply requirements of different scenarios and ensure the stable operation of the repeater and the newly added heat meter.
[0030] As one implementation method, the original MBUS circuit diagram of the heat collector is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, a repeater is added at the far end of the MBUS line, and the newly added heat meter is connected to the repeater, as follows. Figure 3As shown, the installation process is as follows: For the sake of wireless signal quality, the heat collection device is usually installed on the top floor of the residential building. The MBUS line mounted on it runs from the top floor to the first floor through the hot water well and connects to the heat meters on each floor. When connecting to the heat meters of another unit or another building, the MBUS line also needs to run underground to the other unit or another building and connect to the repeater. There are no special requirements for the installation location of the repeater. The MBUS line mounted on it runs from the underground to the top floor through the hot water well and connects to the heat meters on each floor.
[0031] In the MBUS bus, the heat meter reader acts as the master, providing voltage to the bus. It transmits signals to the heat meter or, acting as a slave, a repeater by changing the bus voltage level. The transmission logic is as follows: providing an idle level to MBUS represents data 1, and providing a level 12V lower than the idle level represents data 0. Simultaneously, the heat meter acts as a constant current receiver in the MBUS bus, transmitting signals to the repeater or heat meter reader by changing the bus current. The transmission logic is as follows: when the heat meter's idle current consumption in the MBUS bus is less than 1.5mA, it represents data 1; when the heat meter's current consumption in the MBUS bus increases by 11-20mA compared to the idle current, it represents data 0. Based on these design differences, and following the MBUS bus transmission specifications, the signal processing module of the repeater is designed to achieve a centralized meter reading process with lower modification costs.
[0032] Specifically, a data storage module is set up in the repeater. This module pre-stores key information, including the meter number and brand information of all newly added heat meters connected to the repeater, as well as the communication current change characteristics and communication data format corresponding to each brand of heat meter, providing accurate matching basis for subsequent data analysis. Preferably, the communication current change characteristics are determined by: acquiring historical meter reading transmission current change data between the heat collection device and different heat meters, and extracting the communication current change characteristics of different brands of heat meters to ensure the accuracy of feature identification.
[0033] Furthermore, the signal processing module, as the core functional module of the repeater, integrates several key functions, including: (1) monitoring the level change of the uplink MBUS bus and copying the level change completely to the downlink MBUS bus to realize the unparsed forwarding of the acquisition command; (2) monitoring the current change of the downlink MBUS bus, recording the current change amplitude and extracting features, that is: monitoring the heat data fed back by the heat meter in the downlink MBUS bus in its data format in real time, recording the current change amplitude and extracting the current change features according to the current change corresponding to the monitored downlink MBUS bus feedback data; (3) matching the brand and communication data format corresponding to the current change features based on the pre-stored information of the data storage module, and completing the data parsing, that is: judging the brand of the heat meter and matching the corresponding communication data format based on the meter number, brand information and corresponding communication current change features and communication data format of the newly added heat meter pre-stored in the repeater, parsing and obtaining the heat data and storing it; (4) forwarding the parsed heat data to the uplink MBUS bus to realize data return.
[0034] Example 2 Traditional repeater or data collection unit communication relies on software-layer protocol parsing. The data collection unit first defines the target device's communication protocol (e.g., data frame format, checksum, baud rate), encapsulates commands according to the protocol, and sends them out. The repeater receives the commands and parses the device address, communication format identifier, and other fields in the commands using software. It then converts the format based on the parsing result and forwards it to the downstream device. After the downstream device sends back data, the repeater parses the protocol format of the feedback data again, converts it to a format compatible with the data collection unit, and sends it back. Considering the complexity of traditional communication methods and the need to pre-agree on a unified protocol or adapt device formats individually, this embodiment proposes an extended meter reading method that connects the repeater to the MBUS bus of a heat collection unit. This method is based on the physical layer characteristics of the MBUS bus, where level changes represent master commands and current changes represent slave feedback. The entire process does not require the repeater software to parse protocol fields, achieving seamless compatibility with multiple brands of equipment without requiring modification or replacement of the data collection unit.
[0035] The extended meter reading method for connecting a repeater to the MBUS bus of a heat collector proposed in this embodiment connects the repeater proposed in Embodiment 1 to the MBUS bus of the heat collector to perform extended meter reading for newly added heat meters connected to the repeater.
[0036] Specifically, the repeater's MBUS port is connected to the uplink MBUS bus of the heat meter reader, and the newly added heat meter is connected to the downlink MBUS bus corresponding to the repeater's MBUS main interface. The heat meter reader remains in its original installation location (e.g., the top floor of a residential building) and requires no adjustment. Simultaneously, the repeater is powered by an independent power supply module, which provides a stable power supply to the downlink MBUS bus, ensuring the normal operation of the newly added heat meter. The repeater's data storage module pre-stores the meter number, brand information, and communication current variation characteristics and communication data format corresponding to each brand of the new heat meter.
[0037] like Figure 4 As shown, the heat collection unit reads the newly added heat meters via the MBUS bus. The process includes: Step S1: The heat collector sends a collection command carrying the target heat meter number according to the original data format.
[0038] Specifically, the heat collector starts reading the meter according to a preset cycle, and sends a collection command carrying the target heat meter number to the MBUS bus in the original fixed data format. This process follows the existing MBUS communication logic completely, and the heat collector does not need to be modified in any hardware or firmware.
[0039] Step S2: The repeater detects the level change corresponding to the acquisition command in the uplink MBUS bus, and copies the same level change in the downlink MBUS bus where the new heat meter is located for forwarding.
[0040] Specifically, in the MBUS bus, the heat collector acts as the master, providing voltage to the bus. It transmits signals to heat meters or, acting as a slave, repeater by changing the bus voltage level. The transmission logic is as follows: providing an idle level to MBUS represents data 1, and providing a level 12V lower than the idle level represents data 0. Based on this, the repeater's signal processing module monitors the voltage level changes of the upstream MBUS bus in real time. When it detects a level change corresponding to a data acquisition command, it determines that the heat collector has started sending the command. The repeater immediately replicates the same level change in the downstream MBUS bus and forwards the command to the newly added heat meter. During this process, the repeater does not need to parse the command content; it only copies the level signal, ensuring the integrity and efficiency of command transmission.
[0041] Step S3: The heat meter whose data format matches the target meter number in the downlink MBUS bus responds to the acquisition command and feeds back heat data in the corresponding data format.
[0042] Specifically, after a new heat meter in the downlink MBUS bus receives a data acquisition command, it first checks whether its own data format matches the command format. If they do not match, it does not respond. If they match, the heat meter receives and parses the acquisition command, reads the heat meter number in the command, and compares it with its own number. If the heat meter number in the command is the same as or consistent with its own heat meter number, it feeds back the corresponding heat data by changing the MBUS bus current. Otherwise, it does not respond.
[0043] Step S4: The repeater monitors the current change corresponding to the feedback data in the downlink MBUS bus, identifies the current change characteristics, matches the corresponding communication data format to parse and obtain heat data and store it.
[0044] Specifically, in the MBUS bus, the heat meter acts as a constant current receiver, transmitting signals to the repeater or heat collector by changing the bus current. The transmission logic is as follows: when the idle current consumed by the heat meter in the MBUS bus is less than 1.5mA, it represents data 1; when the current consumed by the heat meter in the MBUS bus increases by 11~20mA compared to the idle current, it represents data 0. Based on this, the repeater's signal processing module monitors the current changes corresponding to the feedback data in the downlink MBUS bus in real time, records the current change amplitude, extracts the communication current change characteristics, and then matches the extracted current change characteristics with the characteristics of each brand of heat meter based on the meter number, brand information, and corresponding communication current change characteristics and communication data format of the newly added heat meter pre-stored in the repeater. This determines the corresponding brand and communication data format, parses the feedback data according to the format, obtains standard heat information (such as cumulative heat, instantaneous flow, etc.), and stores it.
[0045] Step S5: The repeater forwards the heat data to the uplink MBUS bus and transmits it to the heat collector.
[0046] Specifically, the repeater forwards the parsed standard heat information to the uplink MBUS bus via the MBUS interface. The heat collector receives and stores the data, completing one meter reading process.
[0047] Through the above methods, a single heat collector can successfully support more heat meters, effectively reducing equipment costs and achieving seamless compatibility with multiple brands of heat meters, significantly improving the management efficiency and economy of the heating system.
[0048] The method proposed in this embodiment only copies the waveform of level changes during uplink command transmission, without parsing the command content or adding any new protocol adaptation logic. Furthermore, the forwarding delay is close to the physical signal transmission delay (microseconds), far lower than the millisecond delay of traditional software parsing. This enables more efficient communication transmission, ensures accurate matching, and avoids misjudgments caused by parsing conflicts. During downlink command transmission, the communication data format can be determined at the initial stage of communication based on the current amplitude change characteristics monitored by the hardware. Brand matching can be initially performed without waiting for the complete data frame transmission, avoiding the time-consuming process of traditional parsing methods that require caching current change information and then parsing each brand of heat meter data one by one to determine the communication data format. This achieves more efficient communication transmission. Moreover, after confirming the communication data format, subsequent data reception is performed through hardware interfaces such as the repeater's serial port, resulting in higher accuracy and a significantly reduced error rate.
[0049] The steps involved in the above embodiment two correspond to those in embodiment one. For specific implementation details, please refer to the relevant description section of embodiment one.
[0050] Those skilled in the art will understand that the modules or steps of the present invention described above can be implemented using general-purpose computer devices. Optionally, they can be implemented using computer-executable program code, thereby allowing them to be stored in a storage device for execution by a computer device, or they can be fabricated as separate integrated circuit modules, or multiple modules or steps can be fabricated as a single integrated circuit module. The present invention is not limited to any particular combination of hardware and software.
[0051] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Although the specific implementation of the present invention has been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that, based on the technical solution of the present invention, various modifications or variations that can be made by those skilled in the art without creative effort are still within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A repeater, characterized in that, include: The MBUS slave interface serves as the uplink MBUS interface, connecting to the uplink MBUS bus where the heat collector is located. The MBUS main interface, as a downlink MBUS interface, connects to the downlink MBUS bus where the new heat meter is located. An independent power supply module is used to power the repeater itself and the downlink MBUS bus connected to the MBUS main interface; The data storage module is used to pre-store the meter number, brand information, and corresponding communication current change characteristics and communication data format of the newly added heat meters connected to the repeater itself; The signal processing module is used to monitor the level changes of the uplink MBUS bus, copy the level signal to the downlink MBUS bus, monitor the current changes of the downlink MBUS bus and match the corresponding communication data format, and perform data parsing and forwarding.
2. The repeater as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In the MBUS bus, the heat collector acts as the master to provide voltage to the bus and transmits signals to the heat meter or as a repeater acting as a slave by changing the level of the bus voltage. The transmission logic is as follows: providing an idle level to MBUS represents data 1, and providing a level 12V lower than the idle level to MBUS represents data 0.
3. The repeater as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In the MBUS bus, the heat meter acts as a constant current receiver, transmitting signals to the repeater or heat collector by changing the bus current. The transmission logic is as follows: when the idle current consumed by the heat meter in the MBUS bus is less than 1.5mA, it represents data 1; when the current consumed by the heat meter in the MBUS bus increases by 11~20mA compared to the idle current, it represents data 0.
4. The repeater as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The method for determining the communication current variation characteristics is as follows: The system acquires historical data on the transmission current changes between heat collectors and different heat meters, and extracts the communication current change characteristics of heat meters from different brands.
5. The repeater as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The signal processing module is used for: Real-time monitoring of heat data fed back by heat meters in the downlink MBUS bus in their data format; recording the current change amplitude and extracting current change characteristics based on the current change corresponding to the monitored downlink MBUS bus feedback data. Based on the meter number, brand information, and corresponding communication current change characteristics and communication data format of the newly added heat meters pre-stored in the repeater, the brand of the heat meter is determined and the corresponding communication data format is matched, and the heat data is parsed, obtained, and stored.
6. An extended meter reading method for connecting a repeater to the MBUS bus of a heat collector as described in any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The repeater's MBUS slave interface connects to the uplink MBUS bus where the heat collector is located, and connects the newly added heat meter to the downlink MBUS bus corresponding to the repeater's MBUS master interface. The heat collector then reads the new heat meter data via the MBUS bus, including: The heat collection device sends a collection command carrying the target heat meter number according to the original data format; The repeater detects the level change corresponding to the acquisition command in the uplink MBUS bus, and copies the same level change in the downlink MBUS bus where the new heat meter is located for forwarding; In the downlink MBUS bus, heat meters whose data format matches the target meter number respond to the acquisition command and feed back heat data in the corresponding data format; The repeater monitors the current change corresponding to the feedback data in the downlink MBUS bus, identifies the current change characteristics, matches the corresponding communication data format to parse and obtain heat data and store it; The repeater forwards the heat data to the uplink MBUS bus and transmits it to the heat collector.
7. The extended meter reading method for connecting a repeater to the MBUS bus of a heat collector as described in claim 6, characterized in that, include: In the MBUS bus, the heat collector acts as the master to provide voltage to the bus and transmits signals to the heat meter or as a repeater acting as a slave by changing the level of the bus voltage. The transmission logic is as follows: providing an idle level to MBUS represents data 1, and providing a level 12V lower than the idle level to MBUS represents data 0. The repeater monitors the voltage level of the uplink MBUS bus in real time. When a level change occurs, it determines that the heat collector has started sending a data acquisition command. The repeater then performs the same level change on the downlink MBUS bus to forward the data acquisition command without needing to perform data parsing.
8. The extended meter reading method for connecting a repeater to the MBUS bus of a heat collector as described in claim 6, characterized in that, In the MBUS bus, the heat meter acts as a constant current receiver, transmitting signals to the repeater or heat collector by changing the bus current. The transmission logic is as follows: when the idle current consumed by the heat meter in the MBUS bus is less than 1.5mA, it represents data 1; when the current consumed by the heat meter in the MBUS bus increases by 11~20mA compared to the idle current, it represents data 0.
9. The extended meter reading method for connecting a repeater to the MBUS bus of a heat collector as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The repeater monitors the current change corresponding to the feedback data in the downlink MBUS bus, records the current change amplitude, and extracts the current change characteristics. Based on the meter number, brand information, and corresponding communication current change characteristics and communication data format of the newly added heat meters pre-stored in the repeater, the brand of the heat meter is determined, the corresponding communication data format is matched, the heat data is parsed and obtained, and stored.
10. The extended meter reading method for connecting a repeater to the MBUS bus of a heat collector as described in claim 6, characterized in that, In the downlink MBUS bus, a newly added heat meter that matches the data format of the acquisition command receives the acquisition command, reads the target heat meter number according to the acquisition command, and then makes a judgment based on the target heat meter number, including: If the target heat meter number is the same as the current heat meter number, the data acquisition command will be parsed according to the corresponding data format, and the heat data of the current heat meter will be responded to. Conversely, no response will be made.