Adjustable water meter reading automatic camera system

Abstract

The utility model discloses an adjustable water meter reading automatic camera shooting system which comprises a camera which is installed on a three-dimensional sliding table so that the position of the camera can be adjusted through the three-dimensional sliding table. The periphery of the camera is covered by a black box; the three-dimensional sliding table comprises a pipe direction sliding table module and a vertical direction sliding table module; the pipe direction sliding table module comprises a pipe direction linear guide rail and a pipe direction sliding table installed on the pipe direction linear guide rail. The pipe direction sliding table is driven by a pipe direction motor to drive a pipe direction ball screw to slide on the pipe direction linear guide rail. The vertical sliding table module comprises a vertical linear guide rail and a vertical sliding table mounted on the vertical linear guide rail, and the vertical sliding table is driven to slide on the vertical linear guide rail by driving a vertical ball screw through a vertical motor; the vertical linear guide rail is installed in the pipe direction sliding table.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the fields of metrology technology and data acquisition, and particularly relates to an adjustable automatic camera system for water meter reading. Background Art

[0002] A water meter is an instrument used to continuously measure, record, and display the volume of water flowing through a measurement sensor under measurement conditions, and is an important instrument for measuring the consumption of water resources. The water meters used for trade settlement between water supply companies and water users are included in the national mandatory verification metrological instrument catalog. Its metrological accuracy is a key indicator to measure the quality. It is necessary for legal metrological verification institutions to carry out verification work to ensure its metrological accuracy and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of both water supply and water use parties.

[0003] At present, the domestic water meter verification device has not achieved full automation. The verification is mainly carried out manually or semi-automatically. The reading of the water meter under verification and the recording of verification data mainly rely on the manual operation of the verification personnel. The automatic acquisition and image recognition of the reading of the water meter under verification have not been achieved. The workload of technical personnel is large, the work efficiency is low, and at the same time, misjudgment or omission is likely to occur, making it difficult to ensure the accuracy of verification.

[0004] The water meters verified by legal metrological technical institutions come from various water meter manufacturers across the country. The outer shapes of water meters of the same caliber are different, and even water meters of the same manufacturer and the same specification are slightly different. Therefore, the installation positions (pipe direction, radial direction) of the water meters under verification in the test pipe section of the verification device are not fixed, and the heights of the installed water meters are also different. Before verification, it is necessary to move the corresponding automatic camera acquisition system and its bracket to ensure alignment with the dial of the water meter under verification. This undoubtedly poses a major problem for image acquisition. If the bracket design is unreasonable and the adjustment is difficult, fast and accurate adjustment cannot be achieved, which will greatly reduce the water meter verification efficiency. Content of the Utility Model

[0005] The purpose of the utility model is to overcome the above-mentioned deficiencies of the prior art and provide an adjustable automatic camera system for water meter reading to facilitate the adjustment of the camera.

[0006] To achieve the above purpose, the technical solution of the utility model is as follows:

[0007] An adjustable automatic camera system for water meter reading, including a camera, wherein the camera is installed on a three-dimensional sliding table to adjust the position of the camera through the three-dimensional sliding table;

[0008] The camera is surrounded by a black box; the three-dimensional sliding table includes a tube-direction sliding table module and a vertical-direction sliding table module; the tube-direction sliding table module includes a tube-direction linear guide rail and a tube-direction sliding table installed on the tube-direction linear guide rail, and the tube-direction sliding table is driven by a tube-direction motor to drive a tube-direction ball screw to drive it to slide on the tube-direction linear guide rail; the vertical-direction sliding table module includes a vertical linear guide rail and a vertical sliding table installed on the vertical linear guide rail, and the vertical sliding table is driven by a vertical motor to drive a vertical ball screw to drive it to slide on the vertical linear guide rail; the vertical linear guide rail is installed in the tube-direction sliding table; a vertical bracket is installed in the vertical sliding table, and a cross arm is installed in the vertical bracket, and the camera and the black box are installed under the cross arm.

[0009] Further, the black box is a hexahedron with the upper and lower sides empty; a supplementary light source is installed on one side inside the black box, and a refraction glass plate is installed above the supplementary light source inside the black box.

[0010] Further, the adjustable water meter reading automatic camera system is characterized in that it further includes a host computer, and the host computer is signal-connected to the camera.

[0011] Further, the host computer is also signal-connected to the tube-direction motor and the vertical motor.

[0012] Further, the camera is connected to the host computer via a router using a Cat6 shielded twisted pair cable.

[0013] Further, the camera includes a lens, a CCD, and a DSP. The object to be photographed is focused on the CCD through the lens. The CCD is composed of photodiodes. The photodiodes convert light into charge. The accumulated charge is shifted out point by point, filtered, amplified, and then processed by the DSP to form a video signal output.

[0014] Further, the supplementary light source is a strobeless LED matrix.

[0015] Further, the inner side of the black box is black above the refraction glass plate and white below the refraction glass plate.

[0016] Further, heat dissipation holes are provided on the side surface of the black box body where the supplementary light source is installed.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0018] The adjustable water meter reading automatic camera system provided by the present invention can flexibly adjust the position of the camera through the three-dimensional sliding table, ensuring that the camera quickly reaches the sampling position during the water meter calibration, so as to take high-quality dial photos or videos; before and after the calibration starts and ends, the camera system quickly returns to its position, and the camera is far away from the water meter to be inspected, facilitating the installation and disassembly operations of the water meter. Description of the Drawings

[0019] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the composition of the adjustable water meter reading automatic camera system provided by the embodiment of the present utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 is Figure 1 side view of

[0021] Figure 3 bottom view of the black box;

[0022] In the figure: 1, camera; 2, three-dimensional sliding table; 21, pipe-direction sliding table module; 211, pipe-direction linear guide rail; 212, pipe-direction sliding table; 213, pipe-direction motor; 22, vertical-direction sliding table module; 221, vertical linear guide rail; 222, vertical sliding table; 223, vertical motor; 23, vertical bracket; 24, cross arm; 3, black box; 31, heat dissipation holes; 32, supplementary light source; 33, refraction glass Specific implementation manners

[0023] Embodiment:

[0024] The technical solution of the present utility model will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0025] Refer to Figure 1-2As shown in the figure, the adjustable automatic camera system for water meter reading provided in this embodiment mainly includes a camera 1, which is installed on a three-dimensional sliding table 2 to adjust the position of the camera through the three-dimensional sliding table 2; the camera 1 is covered by a black box 3 all around; the three-dimensional sliding table 2 includes a pipe-direction sliding table module 21 and a vertical-direction sliding table module 22. The pipe-direction sliding table module includes a pipe-direction linear guide 211 and a pipe-direction sliding table 212 installed on the pipe-direction linear guide 211. The pipe-direction sliding table 212 is driven by a pipe-direction motor 213 to drive a pipe-direction ball screw to drive it to slide on the pipe-direction linear guide 211; the vertical-direction sliding table module 22 includes a vertical linear guide 221 and a vertical sliding table 222 installed on the vertical linear guide 221. The vertical sliding table 222 is driven by a vertical motor 223 to drive a vertical ball screw to drive it to slide on the vertical linear guide 221, and the vertical linear guide 221 is installed in the pipe-direction sliding table 212; a vertical support 23 is installed in the vertical sliding table 222, and a cross arm 24 is installed in the vertical support 23. The camera 1 and the black box 3 are installed under the cross arm 24. The camera 1 can slide radially on the cross arm 24 and is fixed by screws. That is to say, the camera 1 is automatically adjusted in the pipe direction and the vertical direction by motors, and radially by manual sliding. Generally speaking, the longitudinal center line of the water meter to be inspected coincides with the center line of the measuring pipe section of the calibration device. Therefore, there is no need to adjust the radial position of the camera, and only need to keep the longitudinal center line of the camera coincide with the center line of the measuring pipe section. Only when the shape of the water meter to be inspected is asymmetric left and right and the center line of the dial is not on the center line of the measuring pipe section, it is necessary to adjust the radial position of the camera so that the camera lens is directly above the dial of the water meter to be inspected. In this way, the position of the camera can be flexibly adjusted through the three-dimensional sliding table to ensure that the camera quickly reaches the sampling position during water meter calibration, so as to facilitate taking high-quality dial photos or videos of the water meter.

[0026] In a specific embodiment, as Figure 3 shown, the black box 3 is a hexahedron with the upper and lower sides empty to facilitate the installation of the camera 1 and covering the water meter to be inspected to prevent external light interference; the outside of the black box 3 is black. A supplementary light source 32 is installed on one side inside the black box 3, and a refraction glass 33 is installed above the supplementary light source 32 inside the black box 3. The supplementary light source 32 projects at a low angle to supplement light for the camera shooting. The light source shines on the refraction glass plate 33 installed obliquely inside the black box, so that the light evenly illuminates the water meter to be measured below without shadows, and the real-time shooting range maintains the best lighting environment, so that the camera can efficiently take high-quality photos or videos of the water meter dial.

[0027] As an optimization of the adjustable water meter reading automatic camera system in this embodiment, the system further includes a host computer. The camera 1 is connected to the host computer via a router using a Cat6 shielded twisted pair cable. In this way, the water meter reading captured by the camera in high definition and real time is transmitted to the host computer through optoelectronic signals, and the water meter indication error is calculated. By comparing with the standard value, it can be determined whether the water meter is qualified, and the reading is displayed on the main screen of the host computer to achieve real-time monitoring. In addition, the host computer is also signal-connected to the pipe direction motor 213 and the vertical motor 223 to control the operation of the pipe direction motor 213 and the vertical motor 223. After the host computer gives a verification instruction, the vertical motor drives the vertical slide to slide, and the pipe direction motor drives the pipe direction slide to slide, so that the camera is finally located within a height range of 5-20 cm directly above the dial of the water meter to be inspected; the radial movement depends on manually loosening the nut, manually moving the camera, and tightening the nut after reaching the position.

[0028] In a specific embodiment, the camera mainly consists of a lens, an image sensor (CCD, Charge-coupled Device), a DSP (Digital Signal Processing), etc. The object to be photographed is focused on the CCD through the lens, and the CCD is composed of photodiodes, which convert light into charge. Under the control of the relevant circuit, the accumulated charge is shifted out point by point, filtered, amplified, and then processed by the DSP to form a video signal (

[0029] Composite Video Broadcast Signal, CVBS) for output. The output utilizes a closed-circuit television system, that is, using the optoelectronic principle, the scene image is focused on the photosensitive chip through the lens, and then the camera converts the light energy into an electrical signal, which is transmitted to the monitor via a cable, and the electrical energy is restored to light energy and presented on the screen.

[0030] In a specific embodiment, the supplementary light source is a strobeless LED matrix, and heat dissipation holes 31 are provided on the side of the black box 1 where the supplementary light source is installed. The inner side of the black box is black above the refraction glass plate and white below the refraction glass plate to effectively supplement the light for the camera shooting.

[0031] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention, and the purpose is to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to understand the content of the present invention and implement it accordingly, and it should not be used to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Any equivalent changes or modifications made according to the essence of the content of the present invention should be covered within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An adjustable water meter reading automatic camera system, characterized in that: The camera is mounted on a three-dimensional slide to adjust the position of the camera through the three-dimensional slide; The camera is covered with a black box on all sides; the three-dimensional slide includes a tube slide module and a vertical slide module; the tube slide module includes a tube linear guide and a tube slide installed on the tube linear guide, and the tube slide is driven to slide on the tube linear guide by a tube motor driving a tube ball screw; the vertical slide module includes a vertical linear guide and a vertical slide installed on the vertical linear guide, and the vertical slide is driven to slide on the vertical linear guide by a vertical motor driving a vertical ball screw; the vertical linear guide is installed in the tube slide; a vertical bracket is installed in the vertical slide, a cross arm is installed in the vertical bracket, and the camera and the black box are installed under the cross arm.

2. The adjustable water meter reading automatic camera system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The black box is a hexahedron, with upper and lower surfaces being empty; a supplementary light source is installed on a side surface inside the black box, and a refractive glass plate is installed inside the black box and above the supplementary light source.

3. The adjustable water meter reading automatic camera system as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes a host computer, which is connected to the camera signal.

4. The adjustable water meter reading automatic camera system as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that: The host computer is also connected to the tube motor and the vertical motor signals.

5. The adjustable water meter reading automatic camera system as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that: The camera is connected to the host computer via a router using a Cat6 shielded twisted pair cable.

6. The adjustable water meter reading automatic camera system as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: The supplementary light source is a non-stroboscopic LED matrix.

7. The adjustable water meter reading automatic camera system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner side of the black box is black above the refractive glass plate and white below the refractive glass plate.

8. The adjustable water meter reading automatic camera system according to claim 1, characterized in that: A heat dissipation hole is arranged on the side of the black box where the supplementary light source is installed.

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