Wireless transmission submeter for use in a water metering system

Abstract

A wireless transmission sub-meter based on star flash technology is used in a water metering system to solve the problems of limited number of supported connected devices, signal interference, data delay and high power consumption existing in current wireless meter reading through Bluetooth technology. It includes a control circuit, and the wireless transmission module in the control circuit is a star flash transmission module for wirelessly transmitting user water metering data in the sub-meter to the master meter in the water metering system. It can realize efficient communication, avoid data transmission conflict, improve meter reading success rate; low latency, real-time data interaction, accurate synchronization; low power consumption, prolong the service life of the device battery; more stable connection, reduce signal interruption, improve anti-interference ability, ensure connection stability and continuity; wider coverage, use low-frequency signal transmission with better penetration ability and wider coverage, longer transmission distance; faster data transmission speed, more data can be transmitted in the same time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a wireless transmission water meter, and more particularly to a wireless transmission sub-meter based on star flash technology for use in a water metering system. Background Technology

[0002] Bluetooth is a short-range wireless transmission technology. With the continuous development of IoT technology, wireless meter reading technology has emerged as a result of combining water meter reading services with IoT. Bluetooth, as a short-range wireless connection technology, is relatively commonly used in the water meter field for wireless meter reading. However, using Bluetooth for wireless meter reading still has the following problems: the number of devices that can be supported to connect simultaneously within the same system is limited; signal interference is prone to occur, affecting transmission quality; data transmission has latency, preventing real-time data synchronization; and high power consumption reduces battery life. Utility Model Content

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide a wireless transmission sub-meter based on star-flash technology for use in water metering systems, so as to solve the problems of limited number of supported connected devices, signal interference, data delay and high power consumption that exist in current wireless meter reading using Bluetooth technology.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0005] The present invention relates to a wireless transmission sub-meter used in a water metering system, comprising a control circuit, wherein the wireless transmission module in the control circuit is a star-flash transmission module for wirelessly transmitting user water metering data from the sub-meter to the main meter in the water metering system.

[0006] The aforementioned Star Flash transmission module includes a main control chip that executes the Star Flash transmission protocol, a program burning circuit, a debugging circuit for verifying the metering and valve control functions of the main control chip, and a power supply circuit for the main control chip.

[0007] The control circuit also includes: an angular displacement interface, a pulse signal interface, a valve control circuit, a reset button, and a magnetic interference detection circuit;

[0008] Pins 4 and 5 of the main control chip are used to connect to pins 1 and 3 of the angular displacement interface, respectively; pins 6, 7, and 8 of the main control chip are used to connect to pins 1, 3, and 5 of the pulse signal interface, respectively.

[0009] Pins 41, 42, and 43 of the main control chip are connected to the valve control circuit;

[0010] The reset button is connected to pin 12 of the main control chip;

[0011] Pins 3 and 9 of the main control chip are connected to the magnetic interference detection circuit.

[0012] Pins 12, 13, and 14 of the main control chip are respectively connected to pins 4, 3, and 2 of the program programming circuit used to program the Star Flash protocol;

[0013] Pins 12, 24, and 25 of the main control chip are connected to pins 4, 2, and 3 of the debugging circuit, respectively.

[0014] Pins 10 and 17 of the main control chip are connected to the main control chip's power supply circuit.

[0015] The main control chip used is the MYF-F20VB01 module.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the wireless transmission water meter of this utility model has the following advantages:

[0017] 1. It can connect to more devices, with more than 8 sub-meters, achieving efficient communication. It adopts a multi-link concurrent transmission method to avoid data transmission conflicts and improve the success rate of meter reading.

[0018] 2. Low latency reduces the confirmation steps for data transmission, making data sending and receiving faster, enabling real-time data interaction and precise synchronization, with communication latency down to the microsecond level.

[0019] 3. Low power consumption, extending the battery life of the device;

[0020] 4. More stable connection: Employing multi-channel coding and multi-path communication mechanisms reduces signal interruptions, improves anti-interference capabilities, and ensures connection stability and continuity;

[0021] 5. Wider coverage: It uses low-frequency signals with better penetration and wider coverage, resulting in a longer transmission distance;

[0022] 6. Faster data transmission speed, more than 6 times that of Bluetooth, allowing more data to be transmitted in the same amount of time. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a structural block diagram of the water metering system of this utility model.

[0024] Figure 2 This is the schematic diagram of the main control chip of this utility model.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the programming circuit, debugging circuit, and power supply circuit of this utility model.

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the reset button of this utility model.

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the angular displacement interface and pulse signal interface of this utility model.

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the valve control circuit of this utility model.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the magnetic interference detection circuit of this utility model.

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the battery voltage detection circuit of this utility model.

[0031] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the storage circuit of this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0032] NearLink is an innovative industrial ecosystem for next-generation short-range wireless communication technology (SparkLink), supporting rapidly evolving new application scenarios such as smart cars, smart homes, smart terminals, and smart manufacturing, and meeting extreme performance requirements. NearLink boasts advantages such as lower power consumption, faster speed, lower latency, more stable connection, wider coverage, and larger network deployment. The following is a detailed description of NearLink's application in the water meter field:

[0033] This application provides a wireless transmission sub-meter for use in a water metering system. The sensor in the sub-meter wirelessly transmits the user's water usage data to the main meter via a star-flash transmission module, thereby solving various problems existing in the prior art that use Bluetooth technology for transmission.

[0034] I. Water Metering System

[0035] Reference Figure 1 The water metering system in this application adopts a distributed architecture of master meter + sub-meters, with several sub-meters. The master meter and sub-meters communicate with each other via satellite flash technology. Both the master and sub-meters are equipped with control circuits that integrate satellite flash transmission modules. The sub-meters are used to send the collected user water usage data to the master meter through the satellite flash transmission module. In this case, the master meter functions as a concentrator, receiving user water usage data sent by all sub-meters and uploading all received user water usage data to the data center platform via a cellular network.

[0036] The sub-meter periodically acquires user water usage data and periodically reports the data to the parent meter. Data transmission and reception between the sub-meter and the parent meter are achieved through a StarFlash transmission module. After receiving the water usage data sent by the sub-meter, the parent meter does not need to send an acknowledgment frame to confirm signal reception, reducing the cumbersome steps of signal return and making signal transmission and reception faster. Moreover, the sub-meter using the StarFlash transmission module can transmit more data in the same amount of time. Compared with the multiple signal transmission and verification processes required when using Bluetooth for signal transmission, this application can achieve lower power consumption, lower communication latency, extend device battery life, and realize real-time data interaction and accurate synchronization.

[0037] During operation, the main meter alternates between working mode and sleep mode. The working mode is activated periodically, during which the main meter continuously sends control signals to the sub-meters for scanning (data reception). In sleep mode, the main meter is inactive. The sub-meters periodically acquire user water usage data and periodically report the data to the main meter. The sub-meters can collect water usage data in real time and are compatible with low-power mode. The satellite transmission module in the sub-meters can be set to scan data every 8 seconds (data acquisition) and report data every 10 seconds, or the acquisition and reporting frequencies can be flexibly set as needed.

[0038] The StarScan transmission module uses low-frequency signals with better penetration and wider coverage, resulting in a longer transmission distance, typically 50-200 meters, and up to 700 meters in open spaces. Bluetooth, in contrast, has a transmission distance of 100-200 meters in open environments (long-range mode), and is usually limited to 5-20 meters in actual water meter installation scenarios such as underground wells or areas surrounded by metal pipes. In this application, the number of sub-meters within the same water metering system can reach more than eight, achieving efficient communication. The multi-link concurrent transmission method avoids data transmission conflicts, improving meter reading success rates. Furthermore, StarScan technology employs multi-channel coding and multi-path communication mechanisms, reducing signal interruptions, enhancing anti-interference capabilities, and ensuring a more stable connection.

[0039] This water metering system is best suited for use in environments such as water wells, indoor spaces, or stairwells. If the water meter deployment environment is complex (e.g., dense metal pipes, deep underground wells), StarShine's stability and networking capabilities are more advantageous compared to Bluetooth.

[0040] II. Control Circuit

[0041] The control circuit includes: a star flash transmission module, an angular displacement interface, a pulse signal interface, a reset button, a valve control circuit, a magnetic interference detection circuit, a battery voltage detection circuit, and a storage circuit.

[0042] The aforementioned StarScan transmission module includes a main control chip that executes the StarScan transmission protocol, a program burning circuit, a debugging circuit for verifying the metering and valve control functions of the main control chip, and a power supply circuit for the main control chip. Figure 2 The diagram shown is the schematic of the main control chip. The main control chip uses the MYF-F20VB01 module, which is an industrial-grade StarScan wireless communication module designed based on the Hisilicon BS20V100 platform. Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 -(a) Figure 3 -(b) Figure 3 -(c) are the schematic diagrams of the program burning circuit, the debugging circuit, and the main control chip power supply circuit, respectively. (Refer to...) Figure 2 and Figure 3 Pins 12, 13, and 14 of the main control chip are connected to pins 4, 3, and 2 of the programming circuit used to program the StarFlash protocol, respectively. Pins 12, 24, and 25 of the main control chip are connected to pins 4, 2, and 3 of the debugging circuit, respectively. Pins 10 and 17 of the main control chip are connected to the main control chip's power supply circuit. Pin 12 of the main control chip is also connected to a reset button, such as... Figure 4 The diagram shown is a schematic of the reset button. The system can be reset by the reset button, or the reset pin can be controlled by software configuration.

[0043] like Figure 3 As shown in (c), the main control chip power supply circuit includes a ferrite bead L1, a TVS diode D1, a 38th capacitor C38, a 35th capacitor C35, and a 36th capacitor C36. (Refer to...) Figure 2 and Figure 3 One end of the ferrite bead L1 is connected to the output terminal of the regulated power supply U3. The other end of the ferrite bead L1 is connected to the negative terminal of TVS diode D1, the positive terminal of capacitor C38 (38th capacitor), one end of capacitor C35 (35th capacitor), one end of capacitor C36 (36th capacitor), and pins 10 and 17 of the main control chip. The positive terminal of TVS diode D1, the negative terminal of capacitor C38 (38th capacitor), the other end of capacitor C35 (35th capacitor), and the other end of capacitor C36 (36th capacitor) are grounded. The input terminal of the regulated power supply U3 is connected to the battery.

[0044] Among them, the ferrite bead L1 filters out high-frequency noise from the power supply; the TVS diode D1 clamps the operating voltage at 5V, ensuring that surge voltage is clamped as soon as it enters the back-end circuit, thus protecting the back-end circuit; the thirty-eighth capacitor C38 is a ceramic capacitor used to improve the instantaneous high current carrying capacity of the power supply; the thirty-fifth capacitor C35 and the thirty-sixth capacitor C36 are bypass capacitors used to filter out high-frequency interference.

[0045] like Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5 -(a) is the angular displacement interface, refer to... Figure 2 and Figure 5Pins 4 and 5 of the main control chip are used to connect to pins 1 and 3 of the angular displacement interface, respectively. The angular displacement sensor is located between each digit wheel in the counter. Each digit wheel has ten numbers 0-9. The digit wheel rotates 360° in one revolution. The center angle between two adjacent numbers is 36°. The angular displacement sensor obtains the corresponding angular displacement signal by sensing the rotation angle of the digit wheel along the X and Y axes. The main control chip obtains the above angular displacement signal through its pins 4 and 5 and calculates the integer part (in cubic meters) of the user's water consumption.

[0046] Figure 5 -(b) is the pulse signal interface, refer to... Figure 2 and Figure 5 Pins 6, 7, and 8 of the main control chip are connected to pins 1, 3, and 5 of the pulse signal interface, respectively. The water meter has three Hall effect sensors to detect the rotation of the magnet corresponding to each liter (three decimal places). These three sensors are positioned at a 120° angle. As the magnet rotates one revolution, the three Hall effect sensors sequentially emit low-level signals. The number of revolutions is determined by the sequential pulse signals emitted by the Hall effect sensors, thus indicating the water consumption per liter. The main control chip receives the pulse signals output by the three Hall effect sensors through pins 6, 7, and 8 and calculates the user's water consumption in liters. Furthermore, by using three Hall effect sensors, it can also determine whether the magnet rotates clockwise or counterclockwise; the meter only starts counting revolutions when the magnet rotates clockwise, resulting in more accurate measurement.

[0047] The valve control circuit includes a valve power control section and a valve drive section, such as... Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6 -(a) Figure 6 -(b) are the valve drive section and the valve power control section, respectively;

[0048] like Figure 6 As shown in (b), the valve power supply control section includes a first transistor Q6 (NPN silicon transistor), a twenty-third resistor, a twenty-fourth resistor, a first field-effect transistor Q2, a thirty-ninth resistor, and a fortieth resistor. (Refer to...) Figure 2 and Figure 6 The base of the first transistor Q6 is connected to pin 43 of the main control chip. The collector of the first transistor Q6 is connected to one end of the twenty-fourth resistor. The emitter of the first transistor Q6 is grounded. The other end of the twenty-fourth resistor is connected to the gate of the first field-effect transistor Q2 and one end of the twenty-third resistor. The source of the first field-effect transistor Q2 and the other end of the twenty-third resistor are connected to the power supply. The drain of the first field-effect transistor Q2 is connected to one end of the thirty-ninth and fortieth resistors. The other end of the thirty-ninth resistor is connected to pin 39 of the main control chip. The other end of the fortieth resistor is connected to pin 40 of the main control chip.

[0049] like Figure 6 As shown in (a), the valve drive section includes a bidirectional motor drive chip U7, referencing... Figure 2 and Figure 6 Pin 1 of the bidirectional motor driver chip U7 is connected to pin 43 of the main control chip, pin 2 of the bidirectional motor driver chip U7 is connected to pin 42 of the main control chip, pin 3 of the bidirectional motor driver chip U7 is connected to pin 41 of the main control chip, pin 4 of the bidirectional motor driver chip U7 is connected to the drain of the first field-effect transistor Q2, pins 5 and 8 of the bidirectional motor driver chip U7 are used to connect to the DC motor, and pins 6 and 7 of the bidirectional motor driver chip U7 are grounded.

[0050] The main control chip sends an enable signal to turn on the first transistor Q6 and the first field-effect transistor Q2 in sequence, providing power to the bidirectional motor drive chip. At the same time, the main control chip controls the level of the signal input to pins 2 and 3 of the bidirectional motor drive chip U7, driving the DC motor to rotate forward or in reverse, thereby driving the valve to open or close.

[0051] like Figure 7 As shown, the magnetic interference detection circuit includes a Hall chip U5, as referenced. Figure 2 and Figure 7 The main control chip's pins 3 and 9 are connected to the Hall chip U5's pins 3 and 2 respectively, and the Hall chip U5's pin 1 is grounded.

[0052] When a user brings a magnet close to the angular displacement sensor, it will cause the angular displacement sensor to malfunction. Therefore, this application adds a Hall chip next to the angular displacement sensor. When the angular displacement sensor is performing calculations, the Hall chip is turned on at the same time. When a magnet is close to the Hall chip, it will cause the output voltage of the Hall chip to change, thereby detecting whether there is an interfering magnetic field near the angular displacement sensor, so as to protect the angular displacement sensor from working normally.

[0053] The Hall chip refreshes the data from the angular displacement sensor every ten minutes in the background. When the output voltage of the Hall chip changes, and the metering data of the angular displacement sensor remains unchanged after the refresh, it is considered that there may be water theft. At this time, the water meter will send an alarm signal and report to the platform, prompting staff to check on site.

[0054] like Figure 8 As shown, the battery voltage detection circuit includes the second transistor Q8 (NPN silicon transistor), the thirty-third resistor, the thirty-second resistor, the second field-effect transistor Q3, the twenty-fifth resistor, and the twenty-sixth resistor, as shown in the reference diagram. Figure 2 and Figure 8The base of the second transistor Q8 is connected to pin 35 of the main control chip. The collector of the second transistor Q8 is connected to one end of the thirty-third resistor. The emitter of the second transistor Q8 is grounded. The other end of the thirty-third resistor is connected to the gate of the second field-effect transistor Q3 and one end of the thirty-second resistor. The source of the second field-effect transistor Q3 and the other end of the thirty-second resistor are connected to the battery. The drain of the second field-effect transistor Q3 is connected to one end of the twenty-fifth resistor. The other end of the twenty-fifth resistor is connected to pin 36 of the main control chip and one end of the twenty-sixth resistor. The other end of the twenty-sixth resistor is grounded.

[0055] The main control chip performs timed detection of the battery voltage. Specifically, the battery detection control signal is input to the base of the second transistor Q8. The second transistor Q8 and the second field-effect transistor Q3 are turned on in sequence. Finally, the battery detection signal is input to pin 36 of the main control chip. Based on the voltage division principle of the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth resistors, the battery voltage can be calculated.

[0056] In addition, this application also has a power failure protection function, such as Figure 2 and Figure 9 As shown, the main control chip stores the read data in the storage circuit through pins 19, 20, and 21 to ensure that the data is not lost due to unexpected circumstances.

Claims

1. A wireless transmission sub-meter used in a water metering system, comprising a control circuit, characterized in that: The wireless transmission module in the control circuit is a star-flash transmission module used to wirelessly transmit the user's water metering data from the sub-meter to the main meter in the water metering system. The aforementioned Star Flash transmission module includes a main control chip that executes the Star Flash transmission protocol, a program burning circuit, a debugging circuit for verifying the metering and valve control functions of the main control chip, and a power supply circuit for the main control chip. The control circuit also includes: an angular displacement interface, a pulse signal interface, a valve control circuit, a reset button, and a magnetic interference detection circuit; Pins 4 and 5 of the main control chip are used to connect to pins 1 and 3 of the angular displacement interface, respectively; pins 6, 7, and 8 of the main control chip are used to connect to pins 1, 3, and 5 of the pulse signal interface, respectively. Pins 41, 42, and 43 of the main control chip are connected to the valve control circuit; The reset button is connected to pin 12 of the main control chip; Pins 3 and 9 of the main control chip are connected to the magnetic interference detection circuit.

2. The wireless transmission sub-meter used in a water metering system according to claim 1, characterized in that: Pins 12, 13, and 14 of the main control chip are respectively connected to pins 4, 3, and 2 of the program programming circuit used to program the Star Flash protocol. Pins 12, 24, and 25 of the main control chip are connected to pins 4, 2, and 3 of the debugging circuit, respectively. Pins 10 and 17 of the main control chip are connected to the main control chip's power supply circuit.

3. The wireless transmission sub-meter used in a water metering system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The main control chip used is the MYF-F20VB01 module.

Images