Attached automatic meter reading device

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of water meter metering application, in particular to an attached meter reading device. The device comprises a shell and an energy storage unit, and further comprises a microprocessor which is installed in the shell and used for data processing and control command sending, and a power supply circuit which is connected with the energy storage unit and used for supplying power. The non-magnetic metering circuit is connected with the microprocessor and is used for acquiring flow data of a target water meter; the NB-IoT module is used for wireless communication; the shell is provided with a locking assembly used for being connected with a target water meter. The device can be installed on a meter base of a traditional electromechanical water meter to achieve automatic reading and wireless uploading of data, and the effect of carrying out informatization upgrading on the traditional electromechanical water meter is achieved; and the device can replace manual meter reading, and has the advantages of high data reading efficiency and high accuracy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of water meter measurement application, in particular to an attached meter reading device. Background Art

[0002] Traditional electromechanical water meters use mechanical components like gears and a signal wheel to record water flow. A magnetic sensor (such as a reed switch) detects the rotation of the signal wheel, converting this information into an electrical signal for measurement and display. These meters are relatively intel-based and require regular manual on-site readings to track user water usage. This process involves carefully observing the position of the meter's pointers to determine current water usage.

[0003] The aforementioned manual meter reading process suffers from low reading efficiency and prone to errors, making it unsuitable for centralized meter reading in large quantities. Furthermore, the large number of traditional electromechanical water meters makes replacing them all prohibitively expensive, creating a significant need for an upgrade that allows wireless data upload without replacing the entire meter. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of the utility model is to provide an attached automatic meter reading device, which can be installed on the meter base of a traditional electromechanical water meter to realize automatic reading and wireless data upload, thereby achieving the effect of information upgrading of the traditional electromechanical water meter; and the device can replace manual meter reading, and has the advantages of high data reading efficiency and high accuracy.

[0005] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the technical solutions adopted by the present invention are as follows:

[0006] An attached automatic meter reading device comprises a housing and an energy storage unit, characterized in that it further comprises a microprocessor installed in the housing for data processing and control command transmission, and a power supply circuit connected to the energy storage unit for power supply; it further comprises a non-magnetic metering module connected to the microprocessor for obtaining flow data of a target water meter and an NB-IoT module for wireless communication; the housing is provided with a locking assembly for connecting to a target water meter.

[0007] Therefore, a locking assembly for connecting to the target water meter is provided on the housing. The locking assembly can be a buckle, a bolt or other fixing member for firmly fixing the housing on the target water meter.

[0008] The microprocessor is the core controller of the entire device, used for data processing and sending control commands; it has a built-in Bluetooth communication function, which can communicate with the staff's handheld terminal via Bluetooth to perform operations such as initializing the device or writing control commands.

[0009] Non-magnetic metering modules use existing non-contact measurement technologies, such as photoelectric sensors, Hall-effect sensors, or laser sensors, to detect the rotation of a signal wheel (or similar rotating component) on the target water meter. These sensors do not rely on magnetic signals, effectively avoiding interference from external magnetic fields and improving metering stability and accuracy.

[0010] In addition, due to the low degree of intelligent electronicization of traditional electromechanical water meters, external data acquisition devices can usually only collect data by detecting the rotation of the signal wheel. Therefore, it is more appropriate and accurate to use a non-magnetic metering module as the data acquisition unit of this device.

[0011] In the present invention, after the housing is fixed to the target water meter, the non-magnetic metering module is installed just above the counter signaling wheel of the target water meter to monitor the flow data of the target water meter in real time and upload it to the microprocessor.

[0012] The NB-IoT module supports the NB-IoT wireless communication protocol. In this utility model, the NB-IoT module is connected to a microprocessor, which sends the processed target water meter data to the NB-IoT module, which then sends it wirelessly to a remote data management center.

[0013] The device also includes a power supply circuit, which is built into the housing and is used to power the microprocessor, the non-magnetic metering module and the NB-IoT module. In summary, in the present invention, the automatic meter reading device can achieve the "attachment" function with the help of the locking component on the housing, automatically read the old-style target water meter through the non-magnetic metering module, and then realize the wireless transmission of data through the NB-IoT module, which realizes long-term manual meter reading operation and greatly improves the meter reading efficiency; and the accuracy of the data reading of the target water meter by the non-magnetic metering module is higher than that of manual meter reading, which can greatly reduce the data reading error; in addition, due to the low power consumption of the NB-IoT module, the autonomous long-term endurance of the device is guaranteed during operation, thereby meeting the upgrade requirements for the old-style target water meter. The cost of this upgrade method is low, it can be applied on a large scale, and has high practical value.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the non-magnetic metering module includes an omnipolar Hall switch circuit for obtaining the target water meter flow data and a non-magnetic metering interface circuit connected to the omnipolar Hall switch circuit; the non-magnetic metering interface circuit is also connected to a microprocessor for transmitting data and power supply.

[0015] The operating principle of an omnipolar Hall switch circuit is based on the Hall effect. When a thin metal or semiconductor sheet carrying current is placed perpendicularly in a magnetic field, a potential difference is generated across it. This potential difference is called the Hall potential. The magnitude of the Hall potential depends on the Hall coefficient, the current in the sheet, the magnetic induction strength of the applied magnetic field, and the thickness of the sheet. Omnipolar Hall switches utilize this principle to convert magnetic input signals into electrical output signals. In this device, the omnipolar Hall switch circuit directly detects the rotation data of the mechanical rotating element in the target water meter, converts it into an electrical signal, and transmits it to the microprocessor via a non-magnetic metering interface circuit. The non-magnetic metering interface circuit also provides the operating voltage for the omnipolar Hall switch circuit.

[0016] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the NB-IoT module includes an NB-IoT controller for connecting to a data management center, a serial port receiving circuit and a serial port sending circuit connected to the NB-IoT controller and the microprocessor; and also includes a patch SIM card circuit connected to the NB-IoT controller for communication and network access.

[0017] The NB-IoT controller uses the existing NB-IoT chip, which is used to wirelessly transmit the data collected and processed by the device to a remote data management center via the NB-IoT wireless communication protocol. The connection between the NB-IoT controller and the microprocessor is achieved through a serial port receiving circuit and a serial port transmitting circuit. The serial port receiving circuit is used by the microprocessor to receive data from the NB-IoT controller, such as request commands issued by the remote data management center. The serial port transmitting circuit is used by the microprocessor to send processed data to the NB-IoT controller, which then transmits it to the remote data management center. The SIM card circuit provides hardware support for the NB-IoT module to access the network. Once the device successfully accesses the network via the SIM card, the NB-IoT module can use the network to send and receive data.

[0018] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the NB-IoT module further includes an energy-saving switch circuit connected to the NB-IoT controller, and the energy-saving switch circuit is used to control the on and off state of the NB-IoT module.

[0019] The energy-saving switch circuit is connected to the NB-IoT controller and can change the connection status between the NB-IoT controller and the power supply according to preset commands. When the target water meter is in sleep mode, the energy-saving switch circuit can automatically cut off the connection between the NB-IoT controller and the power supply, causing the entire NB-IoT module to enter a low-power state, saving the power consumption of the entire device and improving the device's battery life.

[0020] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the power supply circuit includes a main power supply circuit and an NB-IoT power supply circuit; the main power supply circuit is connected to the energy storage unit to provide power to the entire device; the NB-IoT power supply circuit is connected to the energy storage unit to provide power to the NB-IoT module.

[0021] The NB-IoT power circuit not only provides power to the NB-IoT module, but also serves as a bypass and filtering function to improve the signal transmission and reception quality of the NB-IoT module.

[0022] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the microprocessor is a Bluetooth SOC; the device further comprises a Bluetooth antenna circuit, and the Bluetooth SOC is connected to the Bluetooth antenna circuit.

[0023] Bluetooth antenna circuits are used to transform guided waves propagating on transmission lines into electromagnetic waves propagating in an unbounded medium (usually free space), or vice versa.

[0024] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device further comprises a photoelectric transceiver module, which is connected to the microprocessor and is used to receive or send photoelectric signals for data transmission.

[0025] For some smart water meters that are equipped with photoelectric data transceivers, this device can perform reading operations by setting up a photoelectric transceiver module and physically aligning it with the above-mentioned photoelectric data transceiver. This allows the device to additionally have the ability to read smart water meters, expand the use scenarios of the device, and enhance its applicability.

[0026] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the energy storage unit is a detachable battery.

[0027] Setting the energy storage unit as a detachable battery can facilitate recharging operations during subsequent use.

[0028] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the energy storage unit is an integrated rechargeable battery.

[0029] For some target water meters with relatively humid working environments, the setting of an integrated rechargeable battery can enhance the waterproofness and airtightness of the entire device, and the rechargeable design can still ensure the cyclic charging for subsequent use.

[0030] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the locking assembly includes two positioning bosses, and the positioning bosses are used to engage with the target water meter to complete the fixation.

[0031] In summary, the present invention has the following beneficial effects.

[0032] 1. In this utility model, the automatic meter reading device can achieve an "attachment" function using a locking component on the housing. It uses a non-magnetic metering module to automatically read the old target water meter. The NB-IoT module then realizes wireless data transmission. This achieves long-term manual meter reading operation and greatly improves meter reading efficiency.

[0033] 2. The non-magnetic metering module has higher accuracy in reading target water meter data than manual meter reading, significantly reducing data reading errors.

[0034] 3. Due to the low power consumption of the NB-IoT module, it can ensure the long-term autonomy of the device during operation, thus meeting the upgrade requirements for old target water meters. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] Figure 1 This is a structural block diagram of the attached automatic meter reading device in Example 1;

[0036] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the Bluetooth SOC and auxiliary circuit in Example 1;

[0037] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the omnipolar Hall switch circuit in Example 1;

[0038] Figure 4 This is a circuit diagram of the NB-IoT controller in Example 1;

[0039] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit of the patch SIM card in Example 1;

[0040] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the serial port receiving circuit in Example 1;

[0041] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the serial port sending circuit in Example 1;

[0042] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the external crystal oscillator circuit in Example 1;

[0043] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the energy-saving switch circuit in Example 1;

[0044] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the main power supply circuit in Example 1;

[0045] Figure 11 This is a structural block diagram of the attached automatic meter reading device in Example 2;

[0046] Figure 12 This is a structural diagram of the bottom of the housing and the locking assembly of the attached automatic meter reading device.

[0047] In the figure: 1. Positioning boss. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] The present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0049] The following is an explanation and description of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. However, the following embodiments are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not exhaustive. Based on the embodiments in the implementation manner, other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0050] Throughout this specification, the claims, and the accompanying drawings, the terms "first," "second," and so forth are used to distinguish between different items, not to describe a particular order. Furthermore, the term "comprises" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus comprising a series of steps or elements is not limited to the listed steps or elements but may optionally include steps or elements not listed, or may include other steps or elements inherent to the process, method, product, or apparatus.

[0051] Example 1

[0052] In this embodiment, the target electricity meter is a traditional electromechanical water meter that does not have an optoelectronic data transceiver.

[0053] In this embodiment, Figure 1 As shown, a locking assembly for connecting to a target water meter is provided on the housing of the attached automatic meter reading device. The locking assembly may be a buckle, a bolt or other fixing member for firmly fixing the housing to the target water meter.

[0054] The microprocessor is the core controller of the entire device, which is used for data processing and sending control commands. In this embodiment, the microprocessor is a Bluetooth SOC, which can be preferably a Bluetooth SOC of model GR5331. It has Bluetooth function. Figure 2 As shown, pins 1-4 of the Bluetooth SoC are connected to the Bluetooth antenna circuit, which primarily consists of inductors L10, L11, L12, and L13, as well as capacitor C17. The Bluetooth antenna circuit ensures the Bluetooth SoC's signal strength. Through Bluetooth communication, the device can communicate with a worker's handheld terminal, enabling operations such as initialization and writing control commands to the Bluetooth SoC.

[0055] like Figure 2 and Figure 8As shown, pins 47 (XOUT) and 48 (XIN) of the Bluetooth SoC are connected to an external crystal oscillator (Y1). The crystal oscillator has a frequency of 32 MHz and is used to provide a clock signal for the Bluetooth SoC. Pins 29 and 30 of the Bluetooth SoC are connected to the RTC crystal oscillator circuit.

[0056] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, pin 40 Magenet_1 and pin 41 Magenet_2 of the Bluetooth SOC are connected to the omnipolar Hall switch circuits U6 and U7 respectively. The omnipolar Hall switch circuit directly detects the rotation data of the mechanical rotating element in the target water meter, converts it into an electrical signal, and transmits it to the microprocessor through the non-magnetic metering interface circuit; in addition, the non-magnetic metering interface circuit also serves to provide an operating voltage for the omnipolar Hall switch circuit.

[0057] like Figure 2 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 5 、 Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, Figure 4 For NB-IoT controller, Figure 5 The NB-IoT controller's SIM card circuitry is connected to the SIM card. Pins 10, 11, 12, and 13 of the NB-IoT controller are the four SIM card function control pins: ground, data transmission, reset, and clock. The data transmission pin is connected to pin 3 of the SIM card circuitry, the reset pin is connected to pin 7, and the clock pin is connected to pin 6. When the NB-IoT module needs to access the network, it first authenticates and registers using the user identification information on the SIM card. Once the device successfully accesses the network using the SIM card, the NB-IoT module can use the network to send and receive data. The SIM card circuitry acts as a bridge in this process, ensuring stable data transmission.

[0058] Figure 6 For the serial port receiving circuit, Figure 7 The serial port sending circuit is used by the microprocessor to send data from the NB-IoT controller. Such data may be request commands issued by a remote data management center, etc. The serial port sending circuit is used by the microprocessor to send processed data to the NB-IoT controller, which is then sent to the remote data management center by the NB-IoT controller.

[0059] Figure 9It is an energy-saving switching circuit. Its NB Power end is connected to pin 24 of the Bluetooth SOC. It can change the connection status between the NB-IoT controller and the power supply according to preset commands. Specifically, the Bluetooth SOC can control the power supply of the NB-IoT module by sending different high and low levels to the NB Power end. When necessary, the NB-IoT module can enter a low-power state, saving the power consumption of the entire device and improving the battery life of the device.

[0060] Figure 10 The main power circuit is connected to the energy storage unit (i.e., the battery terminal) to provide operating voltage for the Bluetooth SoC. The energy storage unit can be configured as a removable battery, allowing for convenient recharging during subsequent use. Alternatively, for water meters operating in humid environments, the energy storage unit can be configured as an integrated rechargeable battery to enhance the waterproof and airtightness of the entire device. The rechargeable design still ensures subsequent recharging.

[0061] Example 2

[0062] like Figure 11 As shown, the difference from Example 1 is that, in this embodiment, the target meter is a smart meter equipped with a photoelectric data transceiver. When its wireless transceiver module fails, the device can be installed and fixed on the target smart meter, so that the photoelectric transceiver module of the device is physically aligned with the photoelectric data transceiver of the target smart meter and data is collected through photoelectric information. The NB-IoT module of the device then sends the data to a remote data management center to restore the data upload capability of the target smart meter.

[0063] The above description is merely a description of the preferred embodiments disclosed in this application and the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of protection provided by this disclosure is not limited to technical solutions formed by a specific combination of the aforementioned technical features, but also encompasses other technical solutions formed by any combination of the aforementioned technical features or their equivalents without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For example, a technical solution formed by replacing the aforementioned features with (but not limited to) technical features with similar functions disclosed in this disclosure.

[0064] like Figure 12As shown, the locking assembly includes two positioning bosses 1, which are used to engage with the target water meter to complete the fixation. Specifically, the target water meter is provided with a notch for engaging the positioning bosses. When the two positioning bosses 1 are respectively engaged with the notches, the positioning is first completed, so that the non-magnetic metering module or the optoelectronic transceiver module can be aligned with the target water meter. In addition, the above-mentioned fixing method can also limit the relative horizontal displacement between the device and the target water meter, so that stable attachment can be achieved while ensuring the quick installation of the square mark. The two positioning bosses 1 in this embodiment adopt a right-angle structure design, which can achieve locking and positioning in two directions in the plane.

[0065] In addition, although several specific implementation details are included in the above discussion, these should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of this disclosure. Certain features described in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, the various features described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments individually or in any suitable sub-combination.

Claims

1. An attached automatic meter reading device, comprising a housing and an energy storage unit, characterized in that: It also includes a microprocessor installed in the shell for data processing and control command sending, and a power supply circuit connected to the energy storage unit for power supply; it also includes a non-magnetic metering circuit connected to the microprocessor for obtaining target water meter flow data and an NB-IoT module for wireless communication; the shell is provided with a locking component for connecting to the target water meter.

2. The attachment-type automatic meter reading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The non-magnetic metering circuit includes an omnipolar Hall switch circuit for obtaining target water meter flow data and a non-magnetic metering interface circuit connected to the omnipolar Hall switch circuit; the non-magnetic metering interface circuit is also connected to a microprocessor for data transmission and power supply.

3. The attachment-type automatic meter reading device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The NB-IoT module includes an NB-IoT controller for connecting to a data management center, a serial port receiving circuit and a serial port transmitting circuit connected to the NB-IoT controller and the microprocessor; and also includes a patch SIM card circuit connected to the NB-IoT controller for communication and network access.

4. The attachment-type automatic meter reading device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The NB-IoT module also includes an energy-saving switch circuit connected to the NB-IoT controller, and the energy-saving switch circuit is used to control the on and off state of the NB-IoT module.

5. The attachment-type automatic meter reading device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The power supply circuit includes a main power supply circuit and an NB-IoT power supply circuit; the main power supply circuit is connected to the energy storage unit to provide power to the entire device; the NB-IoT power supply circuit is connected to the energy storage unit to provide power to the NB-IoT module.

6. The attachment-type automatic meter reading device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The microprocessor is a Bluetooth SOC; the device further comprises a Bluetooth antenna circuit, and the Bluetooth SOC is connected to the Bluetooth antenna circuit.

7. The attached automatic meter reading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The device further comprises a photoelectric transceiver module, which is connected to the microprocessor and is used for receiving or sending photoelectric signals for data transmission.

8. The attached automatic meter reading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The energy storage unit is a detachable battery.

9. The attachment-type automatic meter reading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The energy storage unit is an integrated rechargeable battery.

10. The attached automatic meter reading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The locking assembly comprises two positioning bosses (1), and the positioning bosses (1) are used to engage with the target water meter to complete the fixation.

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