Electric meter with built-in miniature wireless gateway

Abstract

The utility model is suitable for the technical field of electric power communication, and relates to an electric meter with a built-in miniature wireless gateway, which comprises an electric meter body, a built-in gateway circuit board arranged on the electric meter body, and a built-in gateway arranged on the built-in gateway circuit board; the built-in gateway comprises a USB module, a Wi-SUN wireless module, a clock module, a 4G module, a Wi-Fi module, a storage module and a power conversion module, the USB module, the Wi-SUN wireless module, the clock module, the Wi-Fi module and the storage module are respectively in communication connection with the 4G module, and the power conversion module is respectively in communication connection with the Wi-Fi module and the storage module. And the power supply conversion module provides a working power supply for the 4G module, the Wi-SUN wireless module, the Wi-Fi module and the storage module. The device is simple in structure, convenient to install, low in cost and convenient to maintain, and the problem that the installation position and wiring need to be considered is completely eradicated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model belongs to the technical field of electric power communication, and in particular relates to an electric meter with a built-in micro wireless gateway. Background Art

[0002] In the technical architecture of modern smart grids, communication gateways are key devices. Smart meters require a gateway to exchange data between local wireless and wired networks and the master station system. Serving as the network access center for multiple smart meter data, the communication gateway wirelessly communicates with the smart meters to collect, analyze, and store data, then transmits it to the system master station via the 4G network.

[0003] However, the traditional communication gateway is a device that is independent of the electricity meter, and its installation and use bring many problems. First, when installing a new communication gateway, it is necessary to specially plan a separate installation location and a supporting gateway box, which not only increases the project cost, but also brings troubles to construction and management; secondly, the traditional communication gateway needs to be equipped with separate power lines, and when the communication gateway is moved, the installation location and wiring issues need to be reconsidered, which further increases the cost and construction complexity. The patent with announcement number CN117176514B provides a low-cost, low-power 4G gateway, including a gateway box, the front end of the gateway box is connected to a front opening plate, one side of the upper end of the gateway box is connected to a manual on-off mechanism, one end of the upper side of the gateway box is fixedly connected to a micro-servo electric cylinder, one end of the micro-servo electric cylinder is connected to a pushing mechanism, one side of the pushing mechanism is connected to three mechanical on-off mechanisms, and the lower side of the gateway box is fixedly connected to the gateway core board. This patent improves the structure of the gateway box, but the gateway provided still needs to be installed in the gateway box, and has the same disadvantages as the existing technology.

[0004] Therefore, how to make the gateway without the need for a gateway box and separate wiring during the installation process, thereby reducing the gateway installation cost and installation complexity, is an urgent problem to be solved by personnel in this technical field. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an electric meter with a built-in micro wireless gateway to solve the problems of high installation cost and complex installation of the communication gateway in the existing technology.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] The utility model provides an electric meter with a built-in micro wireless gateway, comprising:

[0008] An electric meter body, wherein the electric meter body is provided with a built-in gateway circuit board, and the built-in gateway circuit board is provided with a built-in gateway;

[0009] The built-in gateway includes a USB module, a Wi-SUN wireless module, a clock module, a 4G module, a Wi-Fi module, a storage module and a power conversion module. The USB module, Wi-SUN wireless module, clock module, Wi-Fi module and storage module are respectively communicated with the 4G module, and the power conversion module is respectively communicated with the Wi-Fi module and storage module. The power conversion module provides working power for the 4G module, Wi-SUN wireless module, Wi-Fi module and storage module.

[0010] Furthermore, it also includes an electric meter cover, which is connected to the electric meter body through a buckle.

[0011] Furthermore, the meter upper cover includes an upper shell of the meter, and the upper shell of the meter is provided with a meter liquid crystal and a meter indicator light.

[0012] Furthermore, it also includes several connecting parts, and the built-in gateway circuit board is installed on the electric meter body through the connecting parts.

[0013] Furthermore, the number of the connecting pieces is 4.

[0014] Furthermore, the built-in gateway communicates with the electricity meter via a UART interface.

[0015] Furthermore, the electric meter communicates with the external device through one or more communication methods of Wi-SUN, Zigbee, 4G, and Wi-Fi.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the electric meter with a built-in micro wireless gateway provided by the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0017] Existing technologies require planning a separate installation location and supporting gateway box when installing a new communication gateway, which not only increases project costs but also complicates construction and management. Furthermore, traditional communication gateways require separate wiring for power supply, and moving the communication gateway requires reconsidering the installation location and wiring, further increasing costs and construction complexity. The utility model incorporates a built-in gateway, eliminating the need for a dedicated installation location. Furthermore, the built-in gateway and meter share a power source, eliminating the need for separate wiring. The integrated gateway and meter structure significantly reduces equipment costs. The built-in gateway supports multiple communication methods, making it applicable to a wider range of scenarios. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the solution of the present invention, a brief introduction will be given below to the figures required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0019] Figure 1 An exploded diagram of an electric meter with a built-in micro wireless gateway provided by an embodiment of the utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 A structural block diagram of a built-in gateway of an electric meter with a built-in micro wireless gateway provided by an embodiment of the utility model;

[0021] Figure numerals: 10 - meter body; 20 - built-in gateway circuit board; 30 - meter cover; 301 - buckle; 302 - meter LCD; 303 - meter indicator light; 40 - connector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains; the terms used in this specification are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit this invention; for example, terms such as “length,” “width,” “up,” “down,” “left,” “right,” “front,” “back,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” “inside,” and “outside” indicate directions or positions based on those shown in the accompanying drawings, which are for ease of description only and are not to be construed as limiting this technical solution.

[0023] The terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the specification and claims of the present invention and the above-mentioned drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions; the terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of the present invention and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish different objects rather than to describe a specific order. In the specification and claims of the present invention and the above-mentioned drawings, when an element is referred to as being "fixed on" or "mounted on" or "disposed on" or "connected to" another element, it may be directly or indirectly located on the other element. For example, when an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it may be directly or indirectly connected to the other element.

[0024] Furthermore, references to "embodiments" herein mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0025] The utility model provides an electric meter with a built-in micro wireless gateway, which is applied to the data exchange process between the smart meter and the master station system. The electric meter with a built-in micro wireless gateway includes:

[0026] The electric meter body is provided with a built-in gateway circuit board, and the built-in gateway circuit board is provided with a built-in gateway; the built-in gateway includes a USB module, a Wi-SUN wireless module, a clock module, a 4G module, a Wi-Fi module, a storage module and a power conversion module. The USB module, Wi-SUN wireless module, clock module, Wi-Fi module, and storage module are respectively communicated with the 4G module, and the power conversion module is respectively communicated with the Wi-Fi module and storage module. The power conversion module provides working power for the 4G module, Wi-SUN wireless module, Wi-Fi module, and storage module.

[0027] The utility model has a simple structure and is easy to install, eliminates the need to consider installation position and wiring issues, has low cost and is easy to maintain.

[0028] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the solution of the present invention, the technical solution in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] The utility model provides an electric meter with a built-in micro wireless gateway, which is used in the data exchange process between the smart electric meter and the main station system. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In this embodiment, the electric meter with a built-in micro wireless gateway includes:

[0030] The meter body 10 is provided with a built-in gateway circuit board 20. The built-in gateway circuit board 20 serves as the core control device of the entire Wi-SUN network and is responsible for data communication and coordination management between various sub-devices in the local network. It interacts with the smart meter through wireless communication protocols (such as Wi-SUN, Zigbee, etc.) to realize data collection, processing and upload functions. The built-in gateway circuit board 20 is provided with a built-in gateway; the built-in gateway includes a USB module, a Wi-SUN wireless module, a clock module, a 4G module, a Wi-Fi module, a storage module and a power conversion module. The USB module, the Wi-SUN wireless module, the clock module, the Wi-Fi module, and the storage module are respectively communicated and connected with the 4G module. The power conversion module is respectively communicated and connected with the Wi-Fi module and the storage module. The power conversion module provides working power for the 4G module, the Wi-SUN wireless module, the Wi-Fi module, and the storage module. The USB module provides an access interface for external devices, such as configuration tools or data storage devices. The staff can configure and maintain the gateway, burn firmware, or import / export data through the USB interface. The Wi-SUN wireless The module is used to achieve wireless communication with the Wi-SUN network, supporting long-distance, low-power data transmission. The built-in gateway can use the Wi-SUN wireless module to provide Wi-SUN network access to nearby smart meters, water meters, gas meters, streetlights, and other energy devices. This allows them to communicate with other nearby smart devices, collect meter data, and achieve local Wi-SUN network coverage. The clock module provides precise time synchronization, ensuring time consistency between meters in the Wi-SUN network. It supports timestamp generation and synchronization to ensure data accuracy. The 4G module serves as a cellular network communication module and also serves as the main controller and processor for the built-in gateway, combining these two into one to reduce the size of the built-in gateway. It connects to a micro eSIM chip, a 4G network indicator, and a built-in 4G antenna, and connects to the meter via a UART serial port. The main controller microprocessor performs protocol parsing, message forwarding, and data storage. A built-in web server also collects meter data via the UART serial port and transmits data to the system master station via the cellular network, enabling data upload and download from meters in the Wi-SUN network. The Wi-Fi module provides 2.Workers can connect to the 4GHz wireless LAN via a laptop or mobile phone, accessing the built-in webpage. This webpage allows them to view the gateway's operating status, configure and query parameters, and perform firmware upgrades. The storage module is used for local data storage and features power-off protection, ensuring data security and reliability. It supports long-term data storage and rapid access, and can store large amounts of historical data. The power conversion module converts the external power provided by the meter into the required voltages for the various submodules of the built-in gateway, ensuring stable operation. It also features overvoltage and overcurrent protection to ensure system safety. The meter connects to the built-in gateway via a dual-row socket and flexible cable. The dual-row socket includes a UART and DC power interface. The meter provides 16V DC power to the built-in gateway, which is converted to 4.8V operating power via the power conversion module. The smart meter can also monitor power usage in real time. The meter communicates with the built-in gateway via UART, collecting and uploading energy data, and sending the data to the built-in gateway for further processing and transmission.

[0031] Specifically, in this embodiment, the built-in gateway is connected to the 2*5 double-row socket on the meter body 10 through a flexible cable. The double-row socket terminal includes a 16V DC power supply and a UART interface to provide working power guarantee for the built-in wireless gateway; the 4G module adopts the Quectel EG25 chip, adopts the 3GPP Rel.11LTE technology to support LTE Cat 4 wireless communication, is connected to the meter body 10 through the UART interface, and acts as a main control microprocessor to control the Wi-SUN wireless module, which can communicate with the system master station in two directions, receive commands from the system master station, and send corresponding data to the system master station; the storage module adopts an 8GB non-volatile memory EMMC embedded storage chip, which is connected to the 4G module through the SDIO interface. It can store various parameters and collected electricity meter data, and can ensure data integrity in the event of power failure. The compact 11.5*13mm package size is used for the built-in wireless gateway; the Wi-SUN wireless module adopts the IEEE802 The 15.4g standard Wi-SUN module connects to the main MCU microprocessor via a UART interface, supports FSK and GFSK modulation, and supports wireless network frequency bands from 902MHz to 928MHz, with a maximum communication rate of 300kbps. The built-in gateway communicates bidirectionally with the wireless modules in nearby electricity meters via the local wireless module to send and receive commands and collect data. The clock module connects to the 4G module via the I2C interface, providing a hardware clock for the 4G module with power-off retention and network time synchronization. The Wi-Fi module connects to the 4G module via the SDIO interface and provides support for the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi 6 protocol (802.11ax). In access point mode, it provides users with a wireless LAN. Users can log in to the 4G module's internal web server via Wi-Fi to configure parameters and diagnose faults for the built-in gateway. The power conversion module converts the 16V DC power provided by the meter into the voltage required by the aforementioned 4G module, storage module, Wi-SUN wireless module, clock module, and Wi-Fi module.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the electric meter upper cover 30 is further included. The electric meter upper cover 30 is connected to the electric meter body 10 via a buckle 301 .

[0033] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the electric meter upper cover 30 includes an electric meter upper shell, on which an electric meter liquid crystal 302 and an electric meter indicator light 303 are provided.

[0034] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a plurality of connectors 40 are included. The built-in gateway circuit board 20 is mounted on the meter body 10 through the connectors, and is connected and communicated with the controller board of the meter body 10 through a flexible flat cable.

[0035] In this embodiment, the connecting members 40 are screws, and the number is 4; in other embodiments, the number of the connecting members 40 can be any number according to actual conditions.

[0036] The electric meter with a built-in micro wireless gateway described in the above embodiment is different from the existing technology. The existing technology requires a separate installation location and a matching gateway box to be specially planned when installing a new communication gateway, which not only increases project costs but also brings difficulties to construction and management. Secondly, the traditional communication gateway requires separate wiring for power supply. When the communication gateway is moved, the installation location and wiring issues must be reconsidered, which further increases costs and construction complexity. The utility model has a built-in gateway, which does not require a dedicated location for installation. In addition, the built-in gateway and the electric meter can share power, eliminating the need for separate wiring for power supply. The integrated structure of the gateway and the electric meter also greatly reduces equipment costs. The built-in gateway supports multiple communication methods and is applicable to a wider range of scenarios.

[0037] Obviously, the embodiments described above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention, rather than all embodiments. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are given in the accompanying drawings, but they do not limit the patent scope of the present invention. The present invention can be implemented in many different forms. On the contrary, the purpose of providing these embodiments is to make the understanding of the disclosure of the present invention more thorough and comprehensive. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, it is still possible for those skilled in the art to modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned specific embodiments, or to make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. Any equivalent structure made using the contents of the present invention specification and the accompanying drawings, directly or indirectly used in other related technical fields, is also within the scope of protection of the present invention patent.

Claims

1. An electric meter with a built-in micro wireless gateway, characterized in that: include: An electric meter body, wherein the electric meter body is provided with a built-in gateway circuit board, and the built-in gateway circuit board is provided with a built-in gateway; The built-in gateway includes a USB module, a Wi-SUN wireless module, a clock module, a 4G module, a Wi-Fi module, a storage module and a power conversion module. The USB module, Wi-SUN wireless module, clock module, Wi-Fi module and storage module are respectively communicated with the 4G module, and the power conversion module is respectively communicated with the Wi-Fi module and storage module. The power conversion module provides working power for the 4G module, Wi-SUN wireless module, Wi-Fi module and storage module.

2. The electric meter with a built-in micro wireless gateway according to claim 1, characterized in that: The utility model further comprises an upper cover of the electricity meter, which is connected to the electricity meter body through a buckle.

3. The electric meter with a built-in micro wireless gateway according to claim 2, characterized in that: The electric meter upper cover comprises an electric meter upper shell, and the electric meter upper shell is provided with an electric meter liquid crystal and an electric meter indicator light.

4. The electric meter with a built-in micro wireless gateway according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes several connecting parts, and the built-in gateway circuit board is installed on the electric meter body through the connecting parts.

5. The electric meter with a built-in micro wireless gateway according to claim 4, characterized in that: The number of the connecting pieces is 4.

6. The electric meter with a built-in micro wireless gateway according to claim 1, characterized in that: The built-in gateway communicates with the electricity meter via a UART interface.

7. The electric meter with a built-in micro wireless gateway according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electric meter communicates with the external device via one or more communication methods including Wi-SUN, Zigbee, 4G, and Wi-Fi.

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