Intelligent water meter supporting dual-mode communication and data synchronization method thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of wireless communication, and in particular to a smart water meter supporting dual-mode communication and a data synchronization method thereof. The method comprises: obtaining communication jam values of a plurality of smart water meters, wherein the communication jam value is used to represent the communication jam degree between the corresponding smart water meter and the management platform; performing screening processing based on the communication jam values of each smart water meter to determine a first smart water meter and a second smart water meter; controlling the first smart water meter to transmit data to the management platform in a first communication mode; determining a first coordination water meter among the plurality of second smart water meters, and controlling the first coordination water meter to transmit data of all second smart water meters to the management platform, wherein the first coordination water meter is one of the plurality of second smart water meters, and the data of the second smart water meter is reported to the first coordination water meter in a second communication mode. The present application can improve the reliability of data synchronization.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wireless communication technology, specifically to a smart water meter supporting dual-mode communication and its data synchronization method. Background Technology

[0002] With the advancement of smart water management, traditional mechanical water meters are gradually transforming into smart water meters with remote data acquisition and transmission capabilities. Smart water meters can periodically upload users' water usage data to a management platform through their own communication modules, thereby enabling functions such as remote meter reading, water usage monitoring, and data statistical analysis.

[0003] Currently, multiple smart water meters in the same area transmit water usage data to a management platform via a cellular network according to a fixed data transmission cycle to achieve data transmission between the smart water meters and the management platform, thereby synchronizing the data from multiple smart water meters to the management platform. However, when multiple smart water meters transmit data via the cellular network, network congestion can occur. Under network congestion, data packet loss may occur. Therefore, this method of data synchronization has low reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the technical problem of low reliability in data synchronization using related technologies, the present invention aims to provide a smart water meter supporting dual-mode communication and its data synchronization method. The specific technical solution adopted is as follows:

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention proposes a data synchronization method for smart water meters that supports dual-mode communication, the method comprising:

[0006] Obtain communication congestion values ​​from multiple smart water meters, where the passage congestion value is used to characterize the degree of communication congestion between the corresponding smart water meter and the management platform;

[0007] Based on the communication blockage value of each of the smart water meters, a first smart water meter and a second smart water meter are determined, wherein the communication blockage value of the first smart water meter is less than the communication blockage value of the second smart water meter.

[0008] The first smart water meter is controlled to transmit data to the management platform using the first communication mode.

[0009] A first coordinating water meter is identified among multiple second smart water meters, and the first coordinating water meter is controlled to transmit the data of all second smart water meters to the management platform. The first coordinating water meter is one of the multiple second smart water meters, and the data of the second smart water meters is reported to the first coordinating water meter using a second communication mode. The communication rate of the first communication mode is higher than that of the second communication mode.

[0010] Furthermore, the step of identifying a first coordinating water meter among multiple second smart water meters and controlling the first coordinating water meter to transmit data from all second smart water meters to the management platform includes:

[0011] Obtain the comprehensive score of each of the second smart water meters, wherein the comprehensive score is used to characterize the communication capability of the second smart water meters;

[0012] Analyze the relative magnitudes of the comprehensive scores of each of the second smart water meters to determine the first coordinating water meter from among the multiple second smart water meters;

[0013] The first coordinating water meter is controlled to transmit the data of all second smart water meters to the management platform.

[0014] Furthermore, obtaining the comprehensive score of each of the second smart water meters includes:

[0015] The remaining power of the target second smart water meter is obtained, the first signal quality of data transmission using a first communication mode, the second signal quality of data transmission using a second communication mode, and the communication reliability value are obtained. The target second smart water meter is any one of a plurality of second smart water meters, and the communication reliability value is used to characterize the communication reliability of the target second smart water meter.

[0016] The comprehensive score of the target second smart water meter is calculated based on the remaining power, the first signal quality, the second signal quality, and the communication reliability value. The comprehensive score of the target second smart water meter is positively correlated with the remaining power, the first signal quality, the second signal quality, and the communication reliability value.

[0017] Furthermore, after analyzing the relative magnitudes of the comprehensive scores of the various second smart water meters to determine the first coordinating water meter from among the multiple second smart water meters, the method further includes:

[0018] The number of the second smart water meters, the number of the first coordinated water meters, and the communication probability are obtained. The communication probability represents the probability that each second smart water meter sends data to the first coordinated water meter at any time. The communication probability is proportional to the duration of each data transmission by the second smart water meter and inversely proportional to a preset communication duration.

[0019] The conflict probability is calculated based on the number of the second smart water meters, the number of the first coordinated water meters, and the communication probability. The conflict probability is directly proportional to the number of the second smart water meters and the communication probability, and inversely proportional to the number of the first coordinated water meters.

[0020] When the conflict probability is greater than or equal to the probability threshold, a second coordinating water meter is determined from the second smart water meter multiple times, wherein each time a second coordinating water meter is determined from the second smart water meter;

[0021] After each increase in the number of the second coordinated water meters, the conflict probability is updated to obtain the updated conflict probability, wherein the updated conflict probability is proportional to the number of the second smart water meters and the communication probability, and inversely proportional to the number of the first coordinated water meters and the number of the second coordinated water meters.

[0022] If the updated conflict probability is less than the probability threshold, the process of determining the second coordinated water meter from the second smart water meter ends.

[0023] Further, the step of repeatedly determining the second coordinating water meter from the second smart water meter when the conflict probability is greater than or equal to the probability threshold includes:

[0024] When the conflict probability is greater than or equal to the probability threshold, a reference score is obtained for each of the second smart water meters, wherein the reference score is used to characterize the communication capability of the second smart water meter and the degree of dispersion with the first coordinated water meter.

[0025] Analyze the relative magnitudes of the reference scores of multiple second smart water meters, and determine the second smart water meter with the highest reference score as the second coordinated water meter.

[0026] Further, when the conflict probability is greater than or equal to a probability threshold, obtaining a reference score for each of the second smart water meters includes:

[0027] If the conflict probability is greater than or equal to the probability threshold, the communication distance between the target second smart water meter and the first coordinated water meter is obtained.

[0028] A reference score for the target second smart water meter is calculated based on the communication distance between the target second smart water meter and the first coordinated water meter, and the comprehensive score of the target second smart water meter. The reference score of the target second smart water meter is proportional to the communication distance between the target second smart water meter and the first coordinated water meter and the comprehensive score of the target second smart water meter.

[0029] Furthermore, before determining the first coordinating water meter among the multiple second smart water meters and controlling the first coordinating water meter to transmit the data of all the second smart water meters to the management platform, the method further includes:

[0030] Based on the signal quality of each second smart water meter transmitting data using the second communication mode, the second smart water meters are screened to determine the third smart water meter and the fourth smart water meter. The signal quality of the third smart water meter transmitting data with the first coordinating water meter using the second communication mode is greater than or equal to the signal quality of the fourth smart water meter transmitting data with the first coordinating water meter using the second communication mode.

[0031] The third smart water meter is controlled to use the second communication mode to report data to the first coordinating water meter, and the fourth smart water meter is controlled to use the second communication mode to report data to the second coordinating water meter.

[0032] Further, the step of filtering the second smart water meters based on the signal quality of each second smart water meter transmitting data using the second communication mode to determine the third and fourth smart water meters includes:

[0033] For each of the second smart water meters, the third signal quality of the data transmission between the second smart water meter and the first coordinated water meter using the second communication mode is obtained, as well as the fourth signal quality of the data transmission between the second smart water meter and the second coordinated water meter using the second communication mode.

[0034] If the quality of the third signal is greater than or equal to the quality of the fourth signal, then the second smart water meter is determined to be the third smart water meter; if the quality of the third signal is less than the quality of the fourth signal, then the second smart water meter is determined to be the fourth smart water meter.

[0035] Furthermore, obtaining the communication congestion values ​​of multiple smart water meters includes:

[0036] The fifth signal quality, access success rate, and historical retransmission rate of data transmission between the target smart water meter and the management platform using the first communication mode are obtained, wherein the target smart water meter is any one of multiple smart water meters;

[0037] The communication congestion value between the target smart water meter and the management platform is calculated based on the fifth signal quality, the access success rate, and the historical retransmission rate.

[0038] The communication congestion value is proportional to the historical retransmission rate and inversely proportional to the fifth signal quality and the access success rate.

[0039] Secondly, the present invention proposes a smart water meter that supports dual-mode communication. The smart water meter includes: a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the method described in the first aspect.

[0040] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0041] This invention filters multiple smart water meters by analyzing their communication congestion values ​​with a management platform, identifying a first smart water meter and a second smart water meter. From the second smart water meter, a first coordinating water meter is determined. Based on this, the first smart water meter is controlled to send data to the management platform using a first communication method, and the second smart water meter is first controlled to report data to the first coordinating water meter using a second communication method. Then, the first coordinating water meter sends all received data to the management platform, thus synchronizing the data from multiple smart water meters to the management platform. This approach avoids data packet loss due to excessive network load when multiple smart water meters simultaneously transmit data to the management platform under conditions of high communication congestion (i.e., high network load), thereby improving the reliability of data synchronization. Furthermore, controlling the first smart water meter to transmit data to the management platform using the first communication method ensures that the first smart water meter uses a higher communication speed for data transmission, thus improving the efficiency of data synchronization. Attached Figure Description

[0042] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions and advantages in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0043] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a smart water meter system supporting dual-mode communication according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a data synchronization method for a smart water meter supporting dual-mode communication, provided in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a smart water meter supporting dual-mode communication, provided as an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0046] To further illustrate the technical means and effects adopted by the present invention to achieve its intended purpose, the following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments, details the specific implementation, structure, features, and effects of a smart water meter supporting dual-mode communication and its data synchronization method according to the present invention. In the following description, different "one embodiment" or "another embodiment" do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, specific features, structures, or characteristics in one or more embodiments can be combined in any suitable form.

[0047] Unless otherwise defined, 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.

[0048] Please see Figure 1 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of a smart water meter system supporting dual-mode communication according to an embodiment of the present invention. The smart water meter system 100 supporting dual-mode communication includes: a controller 101 and multiple smart water meters 102. The controller 101 establishes communication connections with each of the multiple smart water meters 102. All of the multiple smart water meters 102 are smart water meters supporting dual-mode communication.

[0049] Multiple smart water meters 102 are used to obtain the degree of communication congestion between themselves and the management platform and send it to the controller 101. The controller 101 is used to determine the first smart water meter and the second smart water meter based on the degree of communication congestion of the multiple smart water meters 102, and control the first smart water meter and the second smart water meter to synchronize data to the management platform.

[0050] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, details a specific scheme for a smart water meter supporting dual-mode communication and its data synchronization method provided by the present invention.

[0051] This invention proposes a data synchronization method for smart water meters that supports dual-mode communication. This method can be executed by the smart water meter system, specifically by the controller within the smart water meter system, such as by... Figure 1 The controller in the smart water meter system shown is executed. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 2 The diagram illustrates a flowchart of a data synchronization method for a smart water meter supporting dual-mode communication according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method includes:

[0052] Step S201: Obtain the communication congestion values ​​of multiple smart water meters.

[0053] The congestion value represents the degree of communication congestion between the smart water meter and the management platform. The smart water meter periodically acquires user water usage data (hereinafter referred to as "data") and sends it to the management platform via the network. The management platform can then access this data and monitor water usage status accordingly.

[0054] The management platform can be a water data management platform, which serves as the data receiver for all smart water meters and can be deployed on a server or in the cloud.

[0055] The controller can control each smart water meter to obtain the fifth signal quality, access success rate, and historical retransmission rate when it transmits data with the management platform using the first communication mode, so as to obtain the degree of communication congestion between the smart water meter and the management platform, thereby obtaining multiple degrees of communication congestion.

[0056] Specifically, obtaining the communication congestion values ​​of multiple smart water meters includes:

[0057] The fifth signal quality, access success rate, and historical retransmission rate of data transmission between the target smart water meter and the management platform using the first communication mode are obtained, wherein the target smart water meter is any one of multiple smart water meters;

[0058] The communication congestion value between the target smart water meter and the management platform is calculated based on the fifth signal quality, the access success rate, and the historical retransmission rate.

[0059] The communication congestion value is proportional to the historical retransmission rate and inversely proportional to the fifth signal quality and the access success rate.

[0060] The process of obtaining the fifth signal quality, access success rate, and historical retransmission rate for data transmission between the target smart water meter and the management platform using the first communication mode is as follows:

[0061] The smart water meter provided in this embodiment also includes a communication module, which is used to establish a communication connection with a management platform to transmit data through a first communication mode. The controller can directly obtain the reference signal received power (RSRP) of the target smart water meter from its communication module and determine the RSRP as the fifth signal quality of the target smart water meter.

[0062] In this embodiment, after establishing a communication connection with the management platform using the first communication mode, each smart water meter sends a heartbeat packet to the management platform at fixed time intervals (e.g., 15 minutes). Upon receiving the heartbeat packet, the management platform responds to the smart water meter. Based on this, the controller can obtain the number of responses received from the management platform within a first preset time period, as well as the preset number of transmissions. Subsequently, the controller can obtain the ratio of the number of responses received from the management platform to the preset number of transmissions, and determine this ratio as the access success rate of the target smart water meter. The first preset time period and the preset number of transmissions are both pre-stored by the controller. Preferably, the first preset time period is 24 hours, and the preset number of transmissions is 96.

[0063] Each smart water meter can record the total number of times it has sent data to the management platform using the first communication mode since startup, as well as the number of times data has been retransmitted. The controller can obtain the total number of times the target smart water meter has sent data to the management platform using the first communication mode since startup, as well as the number of times data has been retransmitted, and determine the ratio of the number of retransmitted data to the total number of times as the historical retransmission rate of the target smart water meter.

[0064] For example, communication congestion value The fifth signal quality, access success rate, and historical retransmission rate can satisfy the following formula (1):

[0065] (1)

[0066] In formula (1), This represents the normalized quality of the fifth signal. To improve the success rate of access. This refers to the historical retransmission rate. The weights for the quality of the fifth signal after normalization. Weighting for access success rate. This represents the weighting of the historical retransmission rate. Among them, , and All of these are pre-stored by the controller. Preferably, , ,as well as As can be seen from formula (1), .

[0067] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the controller can control the target smart water meter to periodically wake up its own control unit, and the control unit of the target smart water meter can obtain the fifth signal quality, access success rate, and historical retransmission rate of data transmission between itself and the management platform using the first communication mode.

[0068] Specifically, each smart water meter includes a real-time clock (RTC) module. The controller can employ a low-power timed wake-up mechanism to periodically wake up the control unit of each smart water meter. This low-power timed wake-up mechanism means that the smart water meter remains in a low-power mode for an extended period, then wakes up from this mode at fixed intervals and enters a data acquisition mode to collect the smart water meter's status data. This status data includes: first signal quality, second signal quality, third signal quality, fourth signal quality, fifth signal quality, remaining battery power, communication reliability value, access success rate, historical retransmission rate, and data.

[0069] Step S202: Based on the communication congestion value of each of the smart water meters, perform a filtering process to determine the first smart water meter and the second smart water meter.

[0070] Specifically, the communication congestion value of the first smart water meter is less than the communication congestion value of the second smart water meter. In other words, the communication congestion value of any one of the first smart water meters is less than the smallest communication congestion value among the second smart water meters.

[0071] The controller provided in this embodiment of the invention pre-stores a degree threshold, preferably 0.7. After acquiring multiple communication congestion values, the controller can compare each communication congestion value with the degree threshold. Based on the comparison between the communication congestion value and the degree threshold, a first smart water meter and a second smart water meter are selected. Specifically, the controller can identify smart water meters with communication congestion values ​​less than or equal to the degree threshold as first smart water meters, and smart water meters with communication congestion values ​​greater than the degree threshold as second smart water meters.

[0072] Step S203: Control the first smart water meter to transmit data to the management platform using the first communication mode.

[0073] The first communication mode can be a wireless communication mode. Preferably, the first communication mode is a cellular network communication mode, for example, LTE Cat.1.

[0074] Specifically, for each smart water meter, the controller can control the smart water meter to encapsulate the acquired data, identifier, and timestamp to obtain a data packet. Subsequently, the controller can control the smart water meter to send the data packet to the management platform using a first communication mode. If the controller determines that the smart water meter receives confirmation information from the management platform within a second preset time period, it determines that the data transmission of the smart water meter is complete. If the controller determines that the smart water meter does not receive confirmation information from the management platform within the second preset time period, it controls the smart water meter to retransmit a first preset number of times. If no confirmation information is received from the management platform after the first preset number of retransmissions, the controller controls the smart water meter to enter a supplementary reporting process. The supplementary reporting process refers to sending the data packet to the management platform again after a reference time delay. The identifier is used to uniquely locate the smart water meter among multiple smart water meters. The second preset time period and the reference time period are both pre-stored by the controller; preferably, the second preset time period is set to 2 seconds, and the reference time period is set to 1 hour.

[0075] Step S204: Identify the first coordinating water meter among the multiple second smart water meters, and control the first coordinating water meter to transmit the data of all the second smart water meters to the management platform.

[0076] The first coordinating water meter is one of a plurality of second smart water meters, and the data of the second smart water meter is reported to the first coordinating water meter using a second communication mode. The communication rate of the first communication mode is higher than that of the second communication mode.

[0077] The second communication mode can also be a wireless communication mode, such as long range radio (LoRa), wireless mesh network (Mesh), Bluetooth low energy (BLE), and near field communication (NFC).

[0078] In the presence of secondary smart water meters, if multiple secondary smart water meters are still controlled to transmit data to the management platform using the first communication mode, it will increase the network load, leading to insufficient access resources and an increase in terminal communication access failure rate and retransmission frequency. This situation may cause data packet loss, and frequent retransmissions by the smart water meters will increase power consumption, resulting in a shorter lifespan for the smart water meters.

[0079] Based on this, the present invention controls the first smart water meters to transmit data to the management platform using the first communication mode through a controller. That is, the first smart water meters with better communication quality are controlled to transmit data to the management platform using the first communication mode, ensuring the data transmission efficiency of the first smart water meters. Furthermore, this reduces the number of retransmissions by the first smart water meters, thereby increasing their service life. By controlling the second smart water meters to transmit data to the first coordinating water meter using the second communication mode, and controlling the first coordinating water meter to transmit data from all the second smart water meters to the management platform, data from multiple smart water meters can be synchronized to the management platform. In other words, some smart water meters use the second communication mode for data transmission, while others use the first communication mode, reducing network load and improving data transmission reliability. In this embodiment, the process of controlling the second smart water meters to report data to the first coordinating water meter using the second communication mode can be called a local data aggregation mode, which means aggregating local data to the first coordinating water meter.

[0080] The process of identifying a first coordinating water meter among multiple second smart water meters and controlling the first coordinating water meter to transmit data from all second smart water meters to the management platform includes:

[0081] Obtain the comprehensive score of each of the second smart water meters, wherein the comprehensive score is used to characterize the communication capability of the second smart water meters;

[0082] Analyze the relative magnitudes of the comprehensive scores of each of the second smart water meters to determine the first coordinating water meter from among the multiple second smart water meters;

[0083] The first coordinating water meter is controlled to transmit the data of all second smart water meters to the management platform.

[0084] The process of obtaining the comprehensive score of each of the second smart water meters includes:

[0085] The remaining power of the target second smart water meter is obtained, the first signal quality of data transmission using a first communication mode, the second signal quality of data transmission using a second communication mode, and a communication reliability value are obtained. The communication reliability value is used to characterize the communication reliability of the target second smart water meter.

[0086] The comprehensive score of the target second smart water meter is calculated based on the remaining power, the first signal quality, the second signal quality, and the communication reliability value. The comprehensive score of the target second smart water meter is positively correlated with the remaining power, the first signal quality, the second signal quality, and the communication reliability value. The target second smart water meter is any one of a plurality of second smart water meters.

[0087] In one example, the remaining power, the first signal quality, and the second signal quality can all be numerically represented. The remaining power of the target second smart water meter, the first signal quality for data transmission using the first communication mode, the second signal quality for data transmission using the second communication mode, and the communication reliability value are obtained, including:

[0088] The controller can directly obtain the RSRP of the target second smart water meter from its communication module and determine the RSRP as the first signal quality of the target second smart water meter. Furthermore, the controller can directly obtain the remaining power of the target second smart water meter, which can be the ratio of the current power to the rated power of the target second smart water meter.

[0089] The controller can control the second smart water meter to broadcast, sending broadcast packets that include the second smart water meter's identifier, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and signal strength. The identifier is used to uniquely locate the second smart water meter among multiple smart water meters. The target second smart water meter can receive broadcast packets from other second smart water meters using a second communication mode. After receiving the broadcast packets, the target second smart water meter parses them to obtain a second signal quality based on the SNR and signal strength. The second signal quality is positively correlated with both the SNR and signal strength.

[0090] Optionally, the target second smart water meter will acquire broadcast packets from other second smart water meters, thus obtaining multiple signal qualities. The controller can use the largest signal quality among the multiple signal qualities as the second signal quality for the target second smart water meter to transmit data using the second communication mode.

[0091] The controller can obtain the number of times the target second smart water meter successfully transmits data to the management platform using the first communication mode within a second preset number of times, and determine the communication reliability value based on the number of successful data transmissions and the second preset number of times. Specifically, the controller can obtain the ratio of the number of successful data transmissions to the second preset number of times, and determine this ratio as the communication reliability value of the target second smart water meter. The second preset number of times is pre-stored by the controller, and preferably, it is 20.

[0092] In this embodiment of the disclosure, if the controller determines that the number of times the target second smart water meter transmits data to the management platform in the first communication mode is less than the second preset number, the controller can determine that the communication reliability value of the target second smart water meter is 1.

[0093] In one example, the process of calculating a comprehensive score for the target second smart water meter based on the remaining power, the first signal quality, the second signal quality, and the communication reliability value includes:

[0094] The controller can normalize the first signal quality and the second signal quality to map them to [0, 1], and obtain a comprehensive score for the second smart water meter based on the normalized first signal quality, the normalized second signal quality, the remaining power, and the communication reliability value. It is understood that the remaining power and the communication reliability value both range from [0, 1], therefore no normalization is required. Thus, this embodiment normalizes the remaining power, the first signal quality, the second signal quality, and the communication reliability value to [0, 1] before obtaining the comprehensive score for the target second smart water meter, eliminating dimensional differences and thus ensuring the reliability of the obtained comprehensive score.

[0095] Specifically, since the typical range of RSRP is -140 dBm to -44 dBm, the normalized first signal quality... ,in, This represents the first signal quality.

[0096] For example, the overall score The remaining power, the normalized first signal quality, the normalized second signal quality, and the communication reliability value can satisfy the following formula (2):

[0097] (2)

[0098] In formula (2), This represents the first signal quality after normalization. This represents the normalized quality of the second signal. Remaining battery power This is a reliable value for communication. The weights for the first signal quality after normalization; The weight of the remaining battery power; The weights for the normalized second signal quality; and, The weights are the communication reliability values. , , and All of these are pre-stored by the controller, and Preferred, , , ,as well as, Understandably, .

[0099] A higher overall score indicates better remaining battery power, first signal quality, second signal quality, and communication reliability for the target second smart water meter. After obtaining the overall scores of each second smart water meter, the controller can compare multiple scores and determine the second smart water meter with the highest overall score as the first coordinating water meter.

[0100] When there are multiple second smart water meters, they need to report data to the first coordinating water meter using a second communication mode. In this case, multiple second smart water meters may send data to the first coordinating water meter at similar times or simultaneously, leading to communication conflicts or data queuing. Communication conflicts refer to the phenomenon where multiple second smart water meters simultaneously transmit data on the same wireless channel, causing signal interference and preventing correct reception. Data queuing refers to the limited processing capacity of the first coordinating water meter, forcing the second smart water meters to wait for sequential transmission, resulting in increased latency.

[0101] Based on this, after analyzing the relative magnitudes of the comprehensive scores of each of the second smart water meters and determining the first coordinating water meter from among the multiple second smart water meters, the method further includes:

[0102] The number of the second smart water meters, the number of the first coordinated water meters, and the communication probability are obtained. The communication probability represents the probability that each second smart water meter sends data to the first coordinated water meter at any time. The communication probability is proportional to the duration of each data transmission by the second smart water meter and inversely proportional to a preset communication duration.

[0103] The conflict probability is calculated based on the number of the second smart water meters, the number of the first coordinated water meters, and the communication probability. The conflict probability is directly proportional to the number of the second smart water meters and the communication probability, and inversely proportional to the number of the first coordinated water meters.

[0104] When the conflict probability is greater than or equal to the probability threshold, a second coordinating water meter is determined from the second smart water meter multiple times, wherein each time a second coordinating water meter is determined from the second smart water meter;

[0105] After each increase in the number of the second coordinated water meters, the conflict probability is updated to obtain the updated conflict probability, wherein the updated conflict probability is proportional to the number of the second smart water meters and the communication probability, and inversely proportional to the number of the first coordinated water meters and the number of the second coordinated water meters.

[0106] If the updated conflict probability is less than the probability threshold, the process of determining the second coordinated water meter from the second smart water meter ends.

[0107] For example, communication probability It can be represented as , The duration for each data transmission by the second smart water form. This is the preset communication duration. Among them, and All are pre-stored by the controller, and are preferred. It is 30 milliseconds. It takes 1 second.

[0108] In one example, the controller can calculate the conflict probability according to the following formula (3), for example, the conflict probability The number of second smart water meters, the communication probability, and the number of first coordinated water meters can satisfy the following formula (3):

[0109] (3)

[0110] In formula (3), The number of second smart water meters to be evenly allocated to the first coordinated water meter. The sum is the ratio of the first sum to the number of the first coordinated water meters, where the first sum is the number of the second smart water meters. Let be the communication probability. As can be seen from formula (3), .

[0111] Wherein, determining the second coordinating water meter multiple times from the second smart water meter when the conflict probability is greater than or equal to the probability threshold includes:

[0112] When the conflict probability is greater than or equal to the probability threshold, a reference score is obtained for each of the second smart water meters, wherein the reference score is used to characterize the communication capability of the second smart water meter and the degree of dispersion with the first coordinated water meter.

[0113] Analyze the relative magnitudes of the reference scores of multiple second smart water meters, and determine the second smart water meter with the highest reference score as the second coordinated water meter.

[0114] When the probability of a conflict is greater than or equal to a probability threshold, by determining a second coordinating water meter, the second smart water meter can report data to the first coordinating water meter using a second communication mode, and also report data to the second coordinating water meter using a second communication mode. This reduces communication conflicts when multiple second smart water meters use the second communication mode for data transmission, improves the reliability of data transmission using the second communication mode, and thus enhances the reliability of data synchronization. The probability threshold can be pre-stored by the controller; preferably, it is 0.2.

[0115] Specifically, when the conflict probability is greater than or equal to a probability threshold, for each of the second smart water meters, a reference score is obtained, including:

[0116] If the conflict probability is greater than or equal to the probability threshold, the communication distance between the target second smart water meter and the first coordinated water meter is obtained.

[0117] A reference score for the target second smart water meter is calculated based on the communication distance between the target second smart water meter and the first coordinated water meter, and the comprehensive score of the target second smart water meter. The reference score of the target second smart water meter is proportional to the communication distance between the target second smart water meter and the first coordinated water meter and the comprehensive score of the target second smart water meter.

[0118] For example, the reference score of the i-th second smart water meter (i.e., the target second smart water meter) The communication distance and the overall score can satisfy the following formula (4):

[0119] (4)

[0120] In formula (4), This is the overall score for the i-th second smart water meter. Let be the communication distance between the i-th second smart water meter and the first coordinated water meter. The weight of the overall score for the i-th second smart water meter. Let be the weight of the communication distance between the i-th second smart water meter and the first coordinated water meter. and All are pre-stored by the controller, and are preferred. , .

[0121] Optionally, the controller can acquire the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the target second smart water meter and the first coordinated water meter. Subsequently, the controller can perform linear normalization on the RSSI and use the normalized RSSI to characterize the communication distance between the target second smart water meter and the first coordinated water meter.

[0122] After obtaining the reference scores of each second smart water meter, the controller can compare the reference scores of multiple second smart water meters and determine the second smart water meter with the highest reference score as the second coordinated water meter.

[0123] In this embodiment of the disclosure, if a second coordinated water meter already exists, the process by which the controller continues to obtain the second coordinated water meter from the second smart water meter during the subsequent determination of the second coordinated water meter can be illustrated as follows: (Example: If a second coordinated water meter already exists.)

[0124] The controller acquires the first communication distance between the target second smart water meter and the first coordinated water meter, and the second communication distance between the target second smart water meter and the already determined second coordinated water meter. The controller then compares the first and second communication distances, and determines the smaller of the two distances as the target communication distance. Subsequently, the controller can obtain a target reference score based on the comprehensive score of the target second smart water meter and the target communication distance, and then determine the second smart water meter with the highest target reference score as the second coordinated water meter. The target reference score is proportional to both the target communication distance and the comprehensive score.

[0125] It can be determined that the target reference score for the i-th second smart water meter (i.e., the target second smart water meter) is... The communication distance to the target and the overall score can satisfy the following formula (5):

[0126] (5)

[0127] In formula (5), This is the overall score for the i-th second smart water meter. Let be the target communication distance for the i-th second smart water meter, and , Represents the normalization function. This represents the target communication distance for the i-th second smart water meter. The weight of the overall score for the i-th second smart water meter. Let be the weight of the communication distance between the i-th second smart water meter and the target. Wherein, and All are pre-stored by the controller, and are preferred. , .

[0128] For example, the updated conflict probability The following formula (6) can be satisfied:

[0129] (6)

[0130] In formula (6), The number of second smart water meters to be evenly allocated to the first and second coordinated water meters. The second sum is the ratio of the second sum to the third sum. The second sum is determined by summing the number of second smart water meters, the number of first coordinated water meters, and the number of second coordinated water meters. Specifically, the second sum is the sum of the number of smart water meters whose communication congestion level exceeds a threshold. The third sum is the sum of the number of first coordinated water meters and the number of second coordinated water meters. Let be the communication probability. As can be seen from formula (6), .

[0131] Wherein, if the updated conflict probability is less than the probability threshold, the process of determining the second coordinated water meter from the second smart water meter ends as follows:

[0132] After obtaining the updated conflict probability, the controller continues to compare the updated conflict probability with the probability threshold. If the controller determines that the updated conflict probability is greater than or equal to the probability threshold, the controller can continue to use the above method to determine a new second coordinated water meter from the second smart water meter until the updated conflict probability is less than the probability threshold, at which point the determination of the second coordinated water meter from the second smart water meter ends.

[0133] In this embodiment of the disclosure, before determining the first coordinating water meter among the plurality of second smart water meters and controlling the first coordinating water meter to transmit the data of all second smart water meters to the management platform, the method further includes:

[0134] Based on the signal quality of each second smart water meter transmitting data using the second communication mode, the second smart water meters are screened to determine the third smart water meter and the fourth smart water meter. The signal quality of the third smart water meter transmitting data with the first coordinating water meter using the second communication mode is greater than or equal to the signal quality of the fourth smart water meter transmitting data with the first coordinating water meter using the second communication mode.

[0135] The third smart water meter is controlled to use the second communication mode to report data to the first coordinating water meter, and the fourth smart water meter is controlled to use the second communication mode to report data to the second coordinating water meter.

[0136] The process of filtering the second smart water meters based on the signal quality of each second smart water meter transmitting data using the second communication mode to determine the third and fourth smart water meters includes:

[0137] For each of the second smart water meters, the third signal quality of the data transmission between the second smart water meter and the first coordinated water meter using the second communication mode is obtained, as well as the fourth signal quality of the data transmission between the second smart water meter and the second coordinated water meter using the second communication mode.

[0138] If the quality of the third signal is greater than or equal to the quality of the fourth signal, then the second smart water meter is determined to be the third smart water meter; if the quality of the third signal is less than the quality of the fourth signal, then the second smart water meter is determined to be the fourth smart water meter.

[0139] Understandably, the controller can control the first coordinated water meter to broadcast, sending a broadcast packet including the identifier of the first coordinated water meter, its signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and signal strength. This identifier is used to uniquely locate the first coordinated water meter among multiple smart water meters. Each second smart water meter can receive the broadcast packet from the first coordinated water meter using a second communication mode. After receiving the broadcast packet, the second smart water meter parses it to obtain a third signal quality based on the SNR and signal strength. The third signal quality is positively correlated with both the SNR and signal strength.

[0140] The implementation method of obtaining the fourth signal quality of data transmission between each second smart water meter and the second coordinated water meter using the second communication mode in this embodiment is similar to the implementation method of obtaining the third signal quality of data transmission between the second smart water meter and the first coordinated water meter using the second communication mode, and will not be described again here.

[0141] For each second smart water meter, the controller can compare the quality of its acquired third signal with the quality of its acquired fourth signal. If the quality of the third signal is greater than or equal to the quality of the fourth signal, the controller can identify the second smart water meter as the third smart water meter. If the controller determines that the quality of the third signal is less than the quality of the fourth signal, the controller can identify the second smart water meter as the fourth smart water meter. In this way, the controller can control the second smart water meters to transmit data with a better signal, thereby improving the efficiency of local data aggregation and thus improving the efficiency of data synchronization. Local data aggregation refers to the second smart water meter transmitting data to the first coordinating water meter, or the second smart water meter transmitting data to the second coordinating water meter.

[0142] Optionally, in this embodiment of the disclosure, after the controller determines that the second smart water meter is the third smart water meter (fourth smart water meter), it controls the third smart water meter (fourth smart water meter) to immediately establish a connection with the first coordinating water meter (second coordinating water meter). After the connection is established, the first coordinating water meter (second coordinating water meter) can obtain the total number of currently connected third smart water meters (fourth smart water meters) and send the total number to the controller.

[0143] At this time, the broadcast packet sent by the first coordinating water meter may also include the total number of connected third smart water meters, and the broadcast packet sent by the second coordinating water meter may also include the total number of connected fourth smart water meters. The controller can identify the second smart water meter as a third smart water meter if the third signal quality is greater than the fourth signal quality. If the third signal quality is less than the fourth signal quality, the controller can identify the second smart water meter as a fourth smart water meter. Alternatively, if the third signal quality is equal to the fourth signal quality, the controller can compare the total number of third smart water meters connected to the first coordinating water meter with the total number of fourth smart water meters connected to the second coordinating water meter. If the total number of third smart water meters connected to the first coordinating water meter is less than or equal to the total number of fourth smart water meters connected to the second coordinating water meter, the controller can identify the second smart water meter as a third smart water meter. If the total number of third smart water meters connected to the first coordinating water meter is greater than the total number of fourth smart water meters connected to the second coordinating water meter, the controller can identify the second smart water meter as a fourth smart water meter.

[0144] It is understood that, in the presence of a second coordinating water meter, controlling the first coordinating water meter to transmit all received data to the management platform, in order to synchronize the data of the multiple smart water meters to the management platform, includes:

[0145] The system controls the first coordinating water meter to transmit all received data from the second smart water meters to the management platform, and also controls the second coordinating water meter to transmit all received data from the second smart water meters to the management platform.

[0146] The implementation of controlling the first coordinating water meter to transmit the data received from all the second smart water meters to the management platform, and controlling the second coordinating water meter to transmit the data received from all the second smart water meters to the management platform, are similar to the implementation of controlling the first smart water meter to transmit the data to the management platform using the first communication mode, and will not be described again here.

[0147] In summary, this invention filters multiple smart water meters by analyzing their communication congestion values ​​with the management platform, resulting in a first smart water meter and a second smart water meter. From the second smart water meter, a first coordinating water meter is then identified. Based on this, the first smart water meter is controlled to send data to the management platform using a first communication method, and the second smart water meter is first controlled to report data to the first coordinating water meter using a second communication method. Then, the first coordinating water meter sends all received data to the management platform, thus synchronizing the data from multiple smart water meters to the management platform. This approach avoids data packet loss due to excessive network load when multiple smart water meters simultaneously transmit data to the management platform under conditions of high communication congestion (i.e., high network load), thereby improving the reliability of data synchronization. Furthermore, controlling the first smart water meter to transmit data to the management platform using the first communication method ensures that the first smart water meter uses a higher communication rate for data transmission, thus improving the efficiency of data synchronization.

[0148] This invention also proposes a smart water meter that supports dual-mode communication; please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 3 The smart water meter that supports dual-mode communication may include a processor 301, a memory 302, and a program 3021 stored in the memory 302 and running on the processor 301.

[0149] When program 3021 is executed by processor 301, it can achieve the following: Figure 1 Any steps in the corresponding method embodiments and the achievement of the same beneficial effects will not be repeated here.

[0150] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps of the methods described in the above embodiments can be implemented by hardware related to program instructions, and the program can be stored in a readable medium.

[0151] This invention also provides a readable storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, can perform the above-described functions. Figure 1 Any step in the corresponding method embodiment can achieve the same technical effect, and will not be repeated here to avoid repetition.

[0152] The computer-readable storage medium of this invention can be any combination of one or more computer-readable media. The computer-readable medium can be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium. For example, a computer-readable storage medium can be an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media (a non-exhaustive list) include: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage device, magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination thereof. In this document, a computer-readable storage medium can be any tangible medium that contains or stores a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0153] Computer-readable signal media may include data signals propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, carrying computer-readable program code. Such propagated data signals may take various forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. Computer-readable signal media may also be any computer-readable medium other than computer-readable storage media, capable of sending, propagating, or transmitting programs for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0154] The program code contained on the storage medium can be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to wireless, wire, optical fiber, RF, etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0155] Computer program code for performing the operations of this invention can be written in one or more programming languages ​​or a combination thereof, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Smalltalk, and C++, as well as conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as "C" or similar programming languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or terminal. In cases involving remote computers, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer via any type of network—including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN)—or can be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0156] This invention also provides a computer program product that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the aforementioned steps to achieve a data synchronization method for a smart water meter supporting dual-mode communication provided in the above embodiments.

[0157] It should be noted that the order of the above embodiments of the present invention is merely for descriptive purposes and does not represent the superiority or inferiority of the embodiments. The processes depicted in the accompanying drawings do not necessarily require a specific or sequential order to achieve the desired result. In some embodiments, multitasking and parallel processing are also possible or may be advantageous.

[0158] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments.

Claims

1. A data synchronization method for a smart water meter supporting dual-mode communication, characterized in that, The method includes: Obtain communication congestion values ​​from multiple smart water meters, where the passage congestion value is used to characterize the degree of communication congestion between the corresponding smart water meter and the management platform; Based on the communication blockage value of each of the smart water meters, a first smart water meter and a second smart water meter are determined, wherein the communication blockage value of the first smart water meter is less than the communication blockage value of the second smart water meter. The first smart water meter is controlled to transmit data to the management platform using the first communication mode. A first coordinating water meter is identified among multiple second smart water meters, and the first coordinating water meter is controlled to transmit the data of all second smart water meters to the management platform. The first coordinating water meter is one of the multiple second smart water meters, and the data of the second smart water meters is reported to the first coordinating water meter using a second communication mode. The communication rate of the first communication mode is higher than that of the second communication mode.

2. The data synchronization method for a smart water meter supporting dual-mode communication according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of identifying a first coordinating water meter among multiple second smart water meters and controlling the first coordinating water meter to transmit data from all second smart water meters to the management platform includes: Obtain the comprehensive score of each of the second smart water meters, wherein the comprehensive score is used to characterize the communication capability of the second smart water meters; Analyze the relative magnitudes of the comprehensive scores of each of the second smart water meters to determine the first coordinating water meter from among the multiple second smart water meters; The first coordinating water meter is controlled to transmit the data of all second smart water meters to the management platform.

3. The data synchronization method for a smart water meter supporting dual-mode communication according to claim 2, characterized in that, The process of obtaining the comprehensive score for each of the second smart water meters includes: The remaining power of the target second smart water meter is obtained, the first signal quality of data transmission using a first communication mode, the second signal quality of data transmission using a second communication mode, and the communication reliability value are obtained. The target second smart water meter is any one of a plurality of second smart water meters, and the communication reliability value is used to characterize the communication reliability of the target second smart water meter. The comprehensive score of the target second smart water meter is calculated based on the remaining power, the first signal quality, the second signal quality, and the communication reliability value. The comprehensive score of the target second smart water meter is positively correlated with the remaining power, the first signal quality, the second signal quality, and the communication reliability value.

4. The data synchronization method for a smart water meter supporting dual-mode communication according to claim 2, characterized in that, After analyzing the relative magnitudes of the comprehensive scores of the various second smart water meters and determining the first coordinating water meter from among the multiple second smart water meters, the method further includes: The number of the second smart water meters, the number of the first coordinated water meters, and the communication probability are obtained. The communication probability represents the probability that each second smart water meter sends data to the first coordinated water meter at any time. The communication probability is proportional to the duration of each data transmission by the second smart water meter and inversely proportional to a preset communication duration. The conflict probability is calculated based on the number of the second smart water meters, the number of the first coordinated water meters, and the communication probability. The conflict probability is directly proportional to the number of the second smart water meters and the communication probability, and inversely proportional to the number of the first coordinated water meters. When the conflict probability is greater than or equal to the probability threshold, a second coordinating water meter is determined from the second smart water meter multiple times, wherein each time a second coordinating water meter is determined from the second smart water meter; After each increase in the number of the second coordinated water meters, the conflict probability is updated to obtain the updated conflict probability, wherein the updated conflict probability is proportional to the number of the second smart water meters and the communication probability, and inversely proportional to the number of the first coordinated water meters and the number of the second coordinated water meters. If the updated conflict probability is less than the probability threshold, the process of determining the second coordinated water meter from the second smart water meter ends.

5. The data synchronization method for a smart water meter supporting dual-mode communication according to claim 4, characterized in that, The step of repeatedly determining the second coordinating water meter from the second smart water meter when the conflict probability is greater than or equal to the probability threshold includes: When the conflict probability is greater than or equal to the probability threshold, a reference score is obtained for each of the second smart water meters, wherein the reference score is used to characterize the communication capability of the second smart water meter and the degree of dispersion with the first coordinated water meter. Analyze the relative magnitudes of the reference scores of multiple second smart water meters, and determine the second smart water meter with the highest reference score as the second coordinated water meter.

6. The data synchronization method for a smart water meter supporting dual-mode communication according to claim 5, characterized in that, When the conflict probability is greater than or equal to a probability threshold, for each of the second smart water meters, a reference score is obtained for each second smart water meter, including: If the conflict probability is greater than or equal to the probability threshold, the communication distance between the target second smart water meter and the first coordinated water meter is obtained. A reference score for the target second smart water meter is calculated based on the communication distance between the target second smart water meter and the first coordinated water meter, and the comprehensive score of the target second smart water meter. The reference score of the target second smart water meter is proportional to the communication distance between the target second smart water meter and the first coordinated water meter and the comprehensive score of the target second smart water meter.

7. The data synchronization method for a smart water meter supporting dual-mode communication according to claim 6, characterized in that, Before determining the first coordinating water meter among multiple second smart water meters and controlling the first coordinating water meter to transmit data from all second smart water meters to the management platform, the method further includes: Based on the signal quality of each second smart water meter transmitting data using the second communication mode, the second smart water meters are screened to determine the third smart water meter and the fourth smart water meter. The signal quality of the third smart water meter transmitting data with the first coordinating water meter using the second communication mode is greater than or equal to the signal quality of the fourth smart water meter transmitting data with the first coordinating water meter using the second communication mode. The third smart water meter is controlled to use the second communication mode to report data to the first coordinating water meter, and the fourth smart water meter is controlled to use the second communication mode to report data to the second coordinating water meter.

8. The data synchronization method for a smart water meter supporting dual-mode communication according to claim 7, characterized in that, The step of filtering the second smart water meters based on the signal quality of each second smart water meter transmitting data using the second communication mode, and determining the third and fourth smart water meters, includes: For each of the second smart water meters, the third signal quality of the data transmission between the second smart water meter and the first coordinated water meter using the second communication mode is obtained, as well as the fourth signal quality of the data transmission between the second smart water meter and the second coordinated water meter using the second communication mode. If the quality of the third signal is greater than or equal to the quality of the fourth signal, then the second smart water meter is determined to be the third smart water meter; if the quality of the third signal is less than the quality of the fourth signal, then the second smart water meter is determined to be the fourth smart water meter.

9. The data synchronization method for a smart water meter supporting dual-mode communication according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The process of obtaining communication congestion values ​​from multiple smart water meters includes: The fifth signal quality, access success rate, and historical retransmission rate of data transmission between the target smart water meter and the management platform using the first communication mode are obtained, wherein the target smart water meter is any one of multiple smart water meters. The communication congestion value between the target smart water meter and the management platform is calculated based on the fifth signal quality, the access success rate, and the historical retransmission rate. The communication congestion value is proportional to the historical retransmission rate and inversely proportional to the fifth signal quality and the access success rate.

10. A smart water meter supporting dual-mode communication, characterized in that, The smart water meter includes: a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the method as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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