Remote communication system for metering terminal

Abstract

Disclosed is a remote communication system for a metering terminal, comprising: a main station and a plurality of metering terminals, in communication connection with the main station. Each metering terminal comprises a communication management module, and a remote communication module and a Bluetooth communication module respectively connected to the communication management module. The communication management module is used for receiving collected task data and sending the task data to the communication management module or the Bluetooth communication module. The remote communication module is used for uploading the task data to the main station after receiving the task data. The Bluetooth communication module is used for setting an initial secondary mode to a main mode after receiving the task data, establishing a communication connection with the other metering terminals in the secondary mode, and sending the task data to the connected metering terminal after successful connection, so that the connected metering terminal forwards the task data to the main station.

Description

A remote communication system for a metering terminal Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of remote communication, and more particularly to a remote communication system for a metering terminal. Background Technology

[0002] The metering terminal can perform functions such as collecting electricity information, data management, data transmission, and executing control commands issued by the master station. Maintaining communication with the master station is a crucial function of the metering terminal. In daily use, the remote communication module uploads the data collected by the metering terminal to the master station and simultaneously receives data actively sent by the master station. Therefore, when the remote communication module malfunctions, the only communication channel between the metering terminal and the master station is lost, and the metering terminal can no longer communicate normally with the master station.

[0003] Currently, when the remote communication module of a metering terminal malfunctions, due to the lack of necessary automated processing methods, the main method is for maintenance personnel to go to the site to inspect and maintain the metering terminal. When maintenance personnel find that the terminal has not uploaded data for a long time at the metering master station, they will go directly to the site to check the remote communication module. In this process, maintenance personnel need to connect to the metering terminal on site and locate the cause of the remote communication module failure from the terminal's communication log before they can finally repair the failure. This method has the following drawbacks: (1) When the remote communication module malfunctions, the business data of the metering terminal cannot be uploaded to the metering master station before the maintenance personnel repair the failure, which will result in the loss of some business data of the metering master station; (2) When the remote communication module malfunctions, maintenance personnel cannot discover the failure information in time and need to check the data reception status of the metering terminal to determine the failure of the remote communication module, which makes it impossible to discover and handle the failure in time; (3) When the remote communication module malfunctions, maintenance personnel cannot remotely analyze the failure information and need to go to the site to analyze the terminal's communication log to locate the failure, which is time-consuming and laborious. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a remote communication system for a metering terminal to solve the technical problem in the prior art where the metering terminal cannot communicate with the main station when the remote communication module malfunctions.

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, embodiments of the present invention provide a remote communication system for metering terminals, comprising: a main station and a plurality of metering terminals communicatively connected to the main station; each metering terminal includes a communication management module and a remote communication module and a Bluetooth communication module respectively connected to the communication management module;

[0006] The communication management module is used to receive the collected task data, obtain the working status of the remote communication module, and send the task data to the communication management module or the Bluetooth communication module according to the working status of the remote communication module.

[0007] The remote communication module is used to send the task data to the main station after receiving the task data;

[0008] The Bluetooth communication module is used to set the initial slave mode to master mode after receiving the task data, and establish a communication connection with other metering terminals in slave mode. After the connection is successful, the task data is sent to the connected metering terminal so that the connected metering terminal forwards the task data to the master station.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment, obtaining the operating status of the remote communication module specifically includes:

[0010] A detection signal is sent to the remote communication module, so that the remote communication module generates and sends out a response message based on the detection signal;

[0011] The system receives response messages sent by the remote communication module and determines the operating status of the remote communication module based on the response messages; wherein the operating status includes normal operating status and fault offline status.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment, the remote communication module is further used for:

[0013] After receiving the detection signal sent by the communication management module, the current presence status is read and sent to the communication management module so that the communication management module can analyze the presence status and initiate heartbeat detection to the other end of the remote communication module based on the analysis results.

[0014] Upon receiving the heartbeat detection signal, a response is sent to the remote communication module. This allows the communication management module to determine that the remote communication module is currently in normal working condition when it receives the response message from the remote communication module, and to determine that the remote communication module is currently in a fault offline state when it does not receive the response message from the remote communication module.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment, the step of analyzing the in-situ status and initiating heartbeat detection to the peer of the remote communication module based on the analysis results specifically includes:

[0016] If the current in-situ status is in the running state, a heartbeat detection is initiated to the peer of the remote communication module, so that the remote communication module generates a heartbeat message based on the heartbeat detection signal and sends the heartbeat message to the management communication module; the received heartbeat message is monitored, and the communication status between the remote communication module and the master station is obtained based on the monitored heartbeat message;

[0017] If the current in-place status is in a stopped state, the remote communication module will be directly judged as being in a faulty offline state.

[0018] As a preferred embodiment, determining that the remote communication module is currently in normal working condition upon receiving the response message from the remote communication module specifically includes:

[0019] Based on the communication status and the heartbeat message, an AT command set is generated;

[0020] According to the AT command set, test the response of the remote communication module. After the remote communication module responds, mark the remote communication module as being in normal working condition.

[0021] As a preferred embodiment, after the remote communication module responds, the method further includes:

[0022] Obtain the version information of the Bluetooth communication module, and determine whether the Bluetooth module is in a normal data transmission state based on the version information;

[0023] If the Bluetooth communication module is not in a normal data transmission state, then the Bluetooth communication module remains in slave mode;

[0024] If the Bluetooth communication module is in normal data transmission mode, then the Bluetooth communication module is set to slave mode and kept on until the Bluetooth communication module waits for the external Bluetooth communication module to reply with all data, and then the connection with the external Bluetooth communication module is disconnected.

[0025] As a preferred embodiment, the step of sending the task data to the communication management module or the Bluetooth communication module according to the working status of the remote communication module specifically includes:

[0026] When the remote communication module is in normal working condition, the task data is sent to the remote communication module;

[0027] When the remote communication module is offline due to a fault, the task data is sent to the Bluetooth communication module.

[0028] As a preferred embodiment, the remote communication module is further used for:

[0029] When a communication link is found to be closed or an abnormality occurs at the other end, the communication link is closed and a fault signal is sent to the communication management module; wherein, the fault signal is used to identify the current fault offline status of the remote communication module;

[0030] The step of determining the current working status of the remote communication module further includes:

[0031] When a fault identifier is received from the remote communication module, it is determined that the remote communication module is currently in a fault offline state.

[0032] As a preferred embodiment, the Bluetooth communication module has the following operating modes: host mode and slave mode;

[0033] When the remote communication module is in normal working condition, the Bluetooth communication module is set to slave mode.

[0034] When the remote communication module is in a faulty offline state, the Bluetooth communication module's working mode is set to host mode.

[0035] As a preferred embodiment, when the Bluetooth communication module is set to slave mode, the following is included:

[0036] Determine whether the Bluetooth communication module has a communication link with other metering terminals whose Bluetooth communication modules are in host mode;

[0037] If not, the Bluetooth communication module will be periodically activated according to a preset period.

[0038] If so, the Bluetooth communication module remains in the active state.

[0039] As a preferred embodiment, when the Bluetooth communication module is set to slave mode, it further includes:

[0040] When the Bluetooth communication module receives a request from another metering terminal that is in host mode and that metering terminal requests to establish a communication link, it obtains the identity information of the metering terminal corresponding to the request and verifies the identity information. After the verification is successful, the Bluetooth communication module remains in the start state and establishes a communication channel with the external Bluetooth communication module of the metering terminal corresponding to the request.

[0041] As a preferred embodiment, after the Bluetooth communication module establishes a communication channel with the Bluetooth communication module in the metering terminal corresponding to the request, the method further includes:

[0042] The metering terminals that establish the communication channel identify each other, and the established communication channel is associated with and stored with the identity identifier of the external Bluetooth communication module;

[0043] When receiving service data sent by an external Bluetooth communication module, the service data is decrypted, and then the decrypted task data is sent to the communication management module, so that the communication management module sends the task data to the remote communication module, and the remote communication module forwards the service data to the main station.

[0044] As a preferred embodiment, establishing a communication connection with other metering terminals in slave mode, and sending the task data to the connected metering terminals after a successful connection, so that the connected metering terminals forward the task data to the master station, specifically includes:

[0045] The system continuously searches for external Bluetooth signals from other metering terminals. When an accessible external Bluetooth signal is found, a connection request is sent to the external Bluetooth communication module, and the identity identifier of the external Bluetooth communication module is obtained. Based on the identity identifier, it is determined whether the external Bluetooth communication module can be securely accessed.

[0046] When it is determined that the external Bluetooth communication module can be securely accessed, and the external Bluetooth communication module accepts the connection request, a communication connection is established with the external Bluetooth communication module, and a Bluetooth communication channel is established;

[0047] The business data is encrypted and sent to the external Bluetooth communication module through the established Bluetooth communication channel. After receiving the encrypted business data, the external Bluetooth communication module decrypts the business data and then forwards the decrypted task data to the main station through the corresponding external remote communication module.

[0048] As a preferred embodiment, encrypting the business data includes:

[0049] The business data is encrypted using a pre-set encryption chip;

[0050] The decryption of the business data includes:

[0051] The business data is decrypted using the encryption chip.

[0052] Each of the Bluetooth communication modules is equipped with an encryption chip.

[0053] As a preferred embodiment, encrypting the business data further includes:

[0054] The business data is encrypted using a preset encryption algorithm to generate a key; wherein the encryption algorithm includes either a symmetric encryption algorithm or an asymmetric encryption algorithm.

[0055] The decryption of the business data further includes:

[0056] The business data is decrypted using a preset decryption algorithm and the key.

[0057] As a preferred embodiment, when the Bluetooth communication module is in slave mode, the Bluetooth communication module is periodically started according to a preset startup cycle, and broadcasts Bluetooth access information for a preset broadcast duration during startup.

[0058] When the Bluetooth communication module is in host mode or receives an external Bluetooth connection request, the Bluetooth communication module remains in the active state.

[0059] As a preferred embodiment, when the Bluetooth communication module is in host mode and communicating with an external Bluetooth communication module for data transmission, if the remote communication module comes back online and is in operation, the following further applies:

[0060] The Bluetooth communication module interrupts data transmission with the external Bluetooth communication module and marks all currently sent task data.

[0061] Once the external Bluetooth communication module responds to the sent data, the communication link is disconnected.

[0062] The communication management module sends all corresponding task data to the remote communication module based on the marked task data, so that the remote communication module can send the marked task data to the main station.

[0063] Compared with the prior art, the embodiments of the present invention have the following beneficial effects:

[0064] The technical solution of this invention utilizes a communication management module, a remote communication module, and a Bluetooth communication module. The communication management module is connected to both the remote communication module and the Bluetooth communication module, and the remote communication module is connected to the main station. The communication management module receives task data collected by the metering terminal and determines the current working status of the remote communication module. The remote communication module, upon receiving the task data, uploads the task data to the main station. The Bluetooth communication module, upon receiving the task data, establishes a communication connection with other metering terminals and, upon successful connection, sends the task data to the connected metering terminal, enabling the connected metering terminal to forward the task data to the main station. This provides the metering terminal with automated communication fault handling capabilities, reduces the workload of maintenance personnel, and solves the problem that data from the metering terminal cannot be uploaded to the main station on time when the remote communication module malfunctions.

[0065] The present invention can obtain the communication status of the remote communication module through the communication management module. When the remote communication module of the metering terminal is in normal working condition, the communication management module sends the task data collected by the metering terminal to the remote communication module, and the remote communication module sends the task data to the master station. At this time, the metering terminal and the master station maintain normal communication.

[0066] When the remote communication module of the metering terminal is offline and disconnected from the main station, it can establish a Bluetooth communication connection with other nearby metering terminals via the Bluetooth communication module. This allows it to utilize the remote communication channels of other metering terminals to forward its own service data to the main station. This remote communication method solves the problem of metering terminals being unable to upload service data to the main station on time due to remote communication module failure, thus improving the communication capabilities of the metering terminals. Attached Figure Description

[0067] Figure 1: A structural diagram of a remote communication system for a metering terminal provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0068] Figure 2: A flowchart of the remote communication process between the metering terminal and the main station when the remote communication module fails;

[0069] Figure 3: A flowchart of the remote communication process between the metering terminal and the main station when the remote communication module is working normally;

[0070] Figure 4: A flowchart of remote communication for metering terminals.

[0071] The reference numerals in the accompanying drawings are as follows: Metering terminal 01, Communication management module 11, Remote communication module 12, Bluetooth communication module 13. Detailed Implementation

[0072] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0073] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0074] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0075] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a mutually exclusive, independent, or alternative embodiment. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0076] In the description of the embodiments in this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0077] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0078] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0079] Example 1

[0080] Please refer to Figure 1, which shows a remote communication system for a metering terminal provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The system includes a main station and a plurality of metering terminals 01 that are communicatively connected to the main station. Each metering terminal 01 includes a communication management module 11 and a remote communication module 12 and a Bluetooth communication module 13 that are respectively connected to the communication management module 11.

[0081] In this embodiment, the master station can receive business data uploaded by the metering terminals and actively send data to the metering terminals. There are several metering terminals, all of which communicate with the master station through wireless or wired communication. The metering terminals can be installed in the intelligent data acquisition and control terminal equipment of dedicated or public transformer areas. They adopt a modular hardware and software-based design to achieve flexible function expansion. At the same time, the metering terminals can realize functions such as collecting power information, data management, data transmission, and executing control commands issued by the master station.

[0082] The communication management module 11 is used to receive the collected task data, obtain the working status of the remote communication module, and send the task data to the communication management module or the Bluetooth communication module according to the working status of the remote communication module.

[0083] In this embodiment, the communication management module 11 can be used to receive task data uploaded by the application. The application is used to configure the collection tasks of the metering terminal and send the collected task data to the communication management module. It is also a computer program used to complete one or more functions, including database, message parsing, service processing, data analysis and processing, task reporting, alarm reporting, etc., thereby generating corresponding task data and sending it to the communication management module 11. The communication management module 11 then sends the corresponding task data to the corresponding master station through the corresponding communication module (including remote communication module and Bluetooth communication module).

[0084] The remote communication module 12 is used to send the task data to the main station after receiving the task data.

[0085] In this embodiment, the remote communication module 12 is a hardware module for remote communication with the master station. It is responsible for sending and receiving data with the master station. Under normal circumstances, the remote communication module is responsible for uploading the data collected by the metering terminal to the master station and receiving the data actively sent by the master station. When the remote communication module fails, the only communication channel between the metering terminal and the master station is disconnected. At this time, the metering terminal cannot communicate with the master station, resulting in communication interruption.

[0086] The Bluetooth communication module 13 is used to set the initial slave mode to master mode after receiving the task data, and establish a communication connection with the other metering terminals in slave mode. After the connection is successful, the task data is sent to the connected metering terminal so that the connected metering terminal forwards the task data to the master station.

[0087] In this embodiment, the Bluetooth communication module 13 is a hardware module for Bluetooth communication with the metering terminal, responsible for data transmission and reception between the two terminals. The Bluetooth communication module 13 can operate in slave mode or master mode.

[0088] Understandably, adding a Bluetooth communication module 13 to the metering terminal allows metering terminals with faulty remote communication modules to communicate with the main station through other metering terminals. This significantly improves the communication stability of the metering terminals, reduces manual maintenance costs, and expands the application scenarios of the metering terminals. Furthermore, one metering terminal can act as a medium for communication between multiple metering terminals and the main station simultaneously. Each metering terminal has a unique communication logical address within the network. The metering terminal acting as the medium records the logical address of the terminal requiring data forwarding and its corresponding Bluetooth channel. Upon receiving a message from the main station, it forwards it to the corresponding Bluetooth channel based on the logical address, ensuring no crosstalk when multiple metering terminals coexist.

[0089] For example, the application sends the collected task data to the communication management module. The communication management module determines whether the remote communication module is functioning normally based on factors such as the presence of the remote communication module, monitoring of module heartbeat messages, and communication status with the master station. Simultaneously, it checks the response of the remote communication module using AT command tests and verifies the normal data transmission of the Bluetooth communication module by obtaining its version information. This allows the module to ascertain the operating status of each communication module in the metering terminal and forward the task data to either the remote communication module or the Bluetooth communication module. The remote communication module then sends the data to the master station, or the Bluetooth communication module forwards the data to nearby metering terminals that have established Bluetooth communication channels. Finally, the master station receives the data from the metering terminal and confirms the received data.

[0090] In this embodiment, to address the problem of a faulty remote communication module during the operation of a metering terminal, preventing the upload of service data to the metering master station, a method for sharing remote communication channels between metering terminals is proposed. This method utilizes Bluetooth transmission. When the remote communication module fails, the faulty metering terminal can establish a Bluetooth communication channel with surrounding metering terminals, thereby borrowing their remote communication channels to communicate with the master station. This method enhances the communication fault tolerance mechanism of the metering terminals, ensuring that metering terminals with faulty remote communication modules can still upload data to the metering master station normally, and improving the metering terminal's ability to automatically handle communication faults.

[0091] Implementing the above embodiments has the following effects:

[0092] This invention addresses the problem of metering terminals failing to upload data to the master station on time due to a malfunction in the remote communication module. It proposes a method and system for metering terminals to share a remote communication channel. This shared remote communication channel system involves an application for acquiring task data, a communication management module, a remote communication module, and a Bluetooth communication module. Based on the Bluetooth communication module, this invention proposes a Bluetooth data transmission strategy. When the remote communication module of the metering terminal malfunctions and cannot maintain communication with the master station, the Bluetooth communication module of the metering terminal establishes a Bluetooth communication channel with the Bluetooth communication modules of surrounding metering terminals. This allows data from the faulty terminal to be transmitted to the surrounding terminals via the Bluetooth channel, ultimately using the remote communication channels of the surrounding terminals to upload the faulty terminal's data to the master station. Through the shared remote communication channel method proposed in this invention, the metering terminal possesses automated communication fault handling capabilities, reducing the workload of maintenance personnel and solving the problem of metering terminal data failing to upload to the master station on time when the remote communication module malfunctions.

[0093] Example 2

[0094] Please refer to Figures 2, 3 and 4. This embodiment provides a remote communication module in a metering terminal, wherein the remote communication module is used to send the task data to the main station after receiving the task data.

[0095] In this embodiment, the module in the metering terminal responsible for sending and receiving data with the master station is the only module in the metering terminal that can communicate with the master station.

[0096] As a preferred embodiment, the communication management module obtains the operating status of the remote communication module, specifically including:

[0097] A detection signal is sent to the remote communication module, so that the remote communication module generates and sends out a response message based on the detection signal; the response message sent out by the remote communication module is received, and the working status of the remote communication module is determined based on the response message; wherein, the working status includes normal working status and fault offline status.

[0098] In this embodiment, the communication management module sends corresponding detection signals to the remote communication module to ensure that the remote communication module is not in a fault state, that is, it can ensure the transmission of task data. The module also receives and parses the response messages generated by the remote communication module in response to the corresponding detection signals, thereby judging the working status of the remote communication module. Ultimately, the module can determine the status of the remote communication module, that is, whether the remote communication module is in a normal working state or in a faulty offline state.

[0099] In a preferred embodiment, the remote communication module is further configured to:

[0100] After receiving the detection signal sent by the communication management module, the current presence status is read and sent to the communication management module so that the communication management module can analyze the presence status and initiate heartbeat detection to the other end of the remote communication module based on the analysis results.

[0101] Upon receiving the heartbeat detection signal, a response is sent to the remote communication module. This allows the communication management module to determine that the remote communication module is currently in normal working condition when it receives the response message from the remote communication module, and to determine that the remote communication module is currently in a fault offline state when it does not receive the response message from the remote communication module.

[0102] In this embodiment, after receiving the detection signal sent by the communication management module, the remote communication module immediately reads its own current presence status and sends the corresponding presence status to the communication management module. This ensures that the remote communication module can remain in a present state for a long time during data transmission, avoiding data transmission interruption or failure due to sudden module offline. Simultaneously, after receiving the presence status of the remote communication module, the communication management module initiates a heartbeat detection to the peer of the remote communication module. Upon receiving the heartbeat detection signal, the remote communication module initiates a response. That is, after performing its own heartbeat detection, the remote communication module generates a corresponding response message and sends it to the communication management module. When the communication management module receives the response message from the remote communication module, it determines that the remote communication module is currently in a normal working state; otherwise, the remote communication module is currently in a fault offline state.

[0103] As a preferred embodiment, the step of analyzing the in-situ status and initiating heartbeat detection to the peer of the remote communication module based on the analysis results specifically includes:

[0104] If the current in-situ status is in the running state, a heartbeat detection is initiated to the peer of the remote communication module, so that the remote communication module generates a heartbeat message based on the heartbeat detection signal and sends the heartbeat message to the management communication module; the received heartbeat message is monitored, and the communication status between the remote communication module and the master station is obtained based on the monitored heartbeat message;

[0105] If the current in-place status is in a stopped state, the remote communication module will be directly judged as being in a faulty offline state.

[0106] In this embodiment, when the communication management module analyzes the on-premises status, it determines whether the current remote communication function module is in a running state. If so, the communication management module initiates a heartbeat detection to the peer of the remote communication module based on the analysis result. Then, the remote communication module generates a heartbeat message based on the heartbeat detection signal and sends the heartbeat message to the management communication module. The management communication module monitors the received heartbeat message and then parses the communication status between the remote communication module and the master station based on the monitored heartbeat message.

[0107] In a preferred embodiment, determining that the remote communication module is currently in normal working condition upon receiving the response message from the remote communication module specifically includes:

[0108] Based on the communication status and the heartbeat message, an AT command set is generated;

[0109] According to the AT command set, test the response of the remote communication module. After the remote communication module responds, mark the remote communication module as being in normal working condition.

[0110] In this embodiment, the communication management module generates a corresponding AT command set based on the received communication status of the remote communication module and its corresponding heartbeat message. An AT command set is a standard command set used to control and configure modems, mobile phones, and other communication devices. AT command error codes and message reports are crucial for debugging and ensuring proper device operation. For example, "OK" indicates successful command execution, while "ERROR" indicates command failure. Therefore, by testing the remote communication module's response using an AT command set, the current operating status of the remote communication module can be ultimately determined, preventing data transmission errors and improving data transmission accuracy.

[0111] As a preferred embodiment, after the remote communication module responds, the method further includes:

[0112] Obtain the version information of the Bluetooth communication module, and determine whether the Bluetooth module is in a normal data transmission state based on the version information;

[0113] If the Bluetooth communication module is not in a normal data transmission state, then the Bluetooth communication module remains in slave mode;

[0114] If the Bluetooth communication module is in normal data transmission mode, then the Bluetooth communication module is set to slave mode and kept on until the Bluetooth communication module waits for the external Bluetooth communication module to reply with all data, and then the connection with the external Bluetooth communication module is disconnected.

[0115] In this embodiment, after the remote communication module responds, it is also necessary to ensure that the Bluetooth communication module is in slave mode to ensure that in the event of a sudden failure of its own remote communication module or a communication failure of other metering terminals during data transmission, it can receive data from other metering terminals and send it to the master station.

[0116] In this embodiment, when the Bluetooth communication module is not in a normal data transmission state, it remains in slave mode, meaning it operates in slave mode and starts periodically. When the Bluetooth communication module is in a normal data transmission state, it is directly switched from master mode to slave mode, and it stops sending data to the external Bluetooth communication module. The module waits for the external Bluetooth communication module to respond to all data before disconnecting from it.

[0117] In a preferred embodiment, the step of sending the task data to the communication management module or the Bluetooth communication module according to the working status of the remote communication module specifically includes:

[0118] When the remote communication module is in normal working condition, the task data is sent to the remote communication module; when the remote communication module is in a faulty offline state, the task data is sent to the Bluetooth communication module.

[0119] In this embodiment, when the remote communication module is in normal working condition, the task data is sent to the remote communication module for transmission. When the remote communication module is offline, the task data is sent to the Bluetooth communication module, which then sends the corresponding task data to other metering terminals. These other metering terminals then upload the task data and send corresponding data transmission information back to the Bluetooth communication module to ensure the accuracy and security of data transmission.

[0120] In a preferred embodiment, the remote communication module is further configured to:

[0121] When a communication link is found to be closed or an abnormality occurs at the other end, the communication link is closed and a fault signal is sent to the communication management module; wherein, the fault signal is used to identify the current fault offline status of the remote communication module;

[0122] The step of determining the current working status of the remote communication module further includes:

[0123] When a fault identifier is received from the remote communication module, it is determined that the remote communication module is currently in a fault offline state.

[0124] In this embodiment, when the remote communication module detects that the communication link between the remote communication module and the master station is closed or an abnormality occurs, that is, when the communication link between the remote communication module and the master station is abnormal, it directly closes the corresponding communication link and sends a fault signal to the communication management module to indicate that the remote communication module is currently unable to communicate with the master station, that is, it is in a fault offline state.

[0125] Implementing the above embodiments has the following effects:

[0126] In this embodiment of the invention, when the remote communication module of the metering terminal malfunctions and cannot maintain communication with the main station, the metering terminal's Bluetooth communication module establishes a Bluetooth communication channel with the external Bluetooth communication modules of surrounding metering terminals. This allows data from the malfunctioning terminal to be transmitted to the surrounding terminals via the Bluetooth channel, and ultimately, the data from the malfunctioning terminal is uploaded to the main station using the remote communication channels of the surrounding terminals. Through the shared remote communication channel method proposed in this invention, the metering terminal possesses automated communication fault handling capabilities, reducing the workload of maintenance personnel and solving the problem of the metering terminal's data not being uploaded to the main station on time when the remote communication module malfunctions.

[0127] Example 3

[0128] Please refer to Figures 2, 3, and 4. This embodiment provides a Bluetooth communication module in a metering terminal. The Bluetooth communication module is used to set the initial slave mode to master mode after receiving the task data, and establish a communication connection with other metering terminals in slave mode. After the connection is successful, the task data is sent to the connected metering terminal so that the connected metering terminal forwards the task data to the master station.

[0129] In this embodiment, the Bluetooth communication module is a hardware module that communicates with the metering terminal via Bluetooth, and is responsible for data transmission and reception between the two terminals. The Bluetooth communication module can operate in either slave mode or master mode.

[0130] The Bluetooth communication module has two operating modes: a host mode and a slave mode. When the remote communication module is in normal working condition, the Bluetooth communication module is set to slave mode. When the remote communication module is offline due to a fault, the Bluetooth communication module is set to host mode.

[0131] In this embodiment, in order to ensure the robustness and reliability of the communication system and to ensure that the backup link can take over in time and maintain the continuity of communication when the main communication link fails, the working mode of the Bluetooth communication module is switched under different working conditions. This allows the Bluetooth communication module to be set to switch to slave mode or master mode when the remote communication module is in normal working state and offline state, respectively.

[0132] As a preferred embodiment, when the Bluetooth communication module is set to slave mode, the following is included:

[0133] Determine whether the Bluetooth communication module has a communication link with other metering terminals whose Bluetooth communication modules are in host mode; if not, the Bluetooth communication module will periodically start according to a preset period; if so, the Bluetooth communication module will remain in the started state.

[0134] As a preferred embodiment, when the Bluetooth communication module is set to slave mode, it further includes:

[0135] When the Bluetooth communication module receives a request from another metering terminal that is in host mode and that metering terminal requests to establish a communication link, it obtains the identity information of the metering terminal corresponding to the request and verifies the identity information. After the verification is successful, the Bluetooth communication module remains in the start state and establishes a communication channel with the external Bluetooth communication module of the metering terminal corresponding to the request.

[0136] As a preferred embodiment, after the Bluetooth communication module establishes a communication channel with the Bluetooth communication module in the metering terminal corresponding to the request, the method further includes:

[0137] Metering terminals that establish communication channels identify each other, and associate and store the established communication channels with the identity identifier of the external Bluetooth communication module; when receiving service data sent by the external Bluetooth communication module, the service data is decrypted, and then the decrypted task data is sent to the communication management module, so that the communication management module sends the task data to the remote communication module, and the remote communication module forwards the service data to the main station.

[0138] In a preferred embodiment, the step of establishing a communication connection with other metering terminals in slave mode, and sending the task data to the connected metering terminals after a successful connection, so that the connected metering terminals forward the task data to the master station, specifically includes:

[0139] The system continuously searches for external Bluetooth signals from other metering terminals. When an accessible external Bluetooth signal is found, a connection request is sent to the external Bluetooth communication module, and the identity identifier of the external Bluetooth communication module is obtained. Based on the identity identifier, it is determined whether the external Bluetooth communication module can be securely accessed.

[0140] When it is determined that the external Bluetooth communication module can be securely accessed, and the external Bluetooth communication module accepts the connection request, a communication connection is established with the external Bluetooth communication module, and a Bluetooth communication channel is established;

[0141] The business data is encrypted and sent to the external Bluetooth communication module through the established Bluetooth communication channel. After receiving the encrypted business data, the external Bluetooth communication module decrypts the business data and then forwards the decrypted task data to the main station through the corresponding external remote communication module.

[0142] In this embodiment, by continuously searching for external Bluetooth signals from other metering terminals, a connection request is sent to the external Bluetooth communication module when an accessible external Bluetooth signal is found. This ensures that the Bluetooth communication module can accurately access the corresponding external Bluetooth signal. At the same time, the identity identifier of the external Bluetooth communication module is obtained, and the system determines whether the external Bluetooth communication module can be securely accessed based on the identity identifier. This improves the reliability and security of Bluetooth communication and avoids security risks caused by the forgery of the identity of Bluetooth communication devices.

[0143] In this embodiment, when it is determined that the external Bluetooth communication module can be securely accessed, and the external Bluetooth communication module can communicate with the external Bluetooth communication module when a connection request is received, a Bluetooth communication channel is established between the Bluetooth communication modules in the two metering terminals to ensure Bluetooth communication interoperability between the metering terminals.

[0144] In this embodiment, after constructing the corresponding Bluetooth communication channel, the service data to be sent is encrypted, and then the encrypted service data is sent to the external Bluetooth communication module through the established Bluetooth communication channel. After receiving the encrypted service data, the external Bluetooth communication module decrypts the service data and then forwards the decrypted task data to the main station through the corresponding external remote communication module.

[0145] As a preferred embodiment, encrypting the business data includes:

[0146] The business data is encrypted using a pre-set encryption chip;

[0147] The decryption of the business data includes:

[0148] The encryption chip is used to decrypt the business data; each of the Bluetooth communication modules is equipped with an encryption chip.

[0149] As a preferred embodiment, encrypting the business data further includes:

[0150] The business data is encrypted using a preset encryption algorithm to generate a key; wherein the encryption algorithm includes either a symmetric encryption algorithm or an asymmetric encryption algorithm.

[0151] The decryption of the business data further includes:

[0152] The business data is decrypted using a preset decryption algorithm and the key.

[0153] In this embodiment, business data encryption can be achieved through encryption chips or encryption algorithms. Preferably, each metering terminal has an ESAM encryption chip, which is an embedded security module chip. ESAM chips typically have built-in hardware encryption and security algorithms, providing secure authentication, encryption, and decryption functions. They can also store digital certificates and keys, and provide protection for this confidential information. The metering terminal encrypts its messages via ESAM before sending them through Bluetooth. Similarly, messages returning via Bluetooth are decrypted by ESAM to extract the plaintext message.

[0154] As a preferred embodiment, when the Bluetooth communication module is in slave mode, the Bluetooth communication module is periodically started according to a preset startup cycle, and broadcasts Bluetooth access information according to a preset broadcast duration during startup.

[0155] When the Bluetooth communication module is in host mode or receives an external Bluetooth connection request, the Bluetooth communication module remains in the active state.

[0156] In this embodiment, when the Bluetooth communication module operates in slave mode, it indicates that the remote communication module of the metering terminal is in normal working condition. Therefore, the metering terminal can act as a relay for other metering terminals to transmit data to the master station. Thus, the Bluetooth communication module can periodically start according to a preset startup cycle, reducing the energy consumption of the device, and broadcasting Bluetooth access information for a preset broadcast duration upon startup. When the Bluetooth communication module operates in master mode, or receives an external Bluetooth connection request, the Bluetooth communication module remains continuously active to avoid sudden interruptions in data transmission.

[0157] As a preferred embodiment, when the Bluetooth communication module is in host mode and communicating with an external Bluetooth communication module for data transmission, if the remote communication module comes back online and is in operation, the following further applies:

[0158] The Bluetooth communication module interrupts data transmission with the external Bluetooth communication module and marks all currently sent task data; after the external Bluetooth communication module replies to the sent data, the communication link is disconnected; the communication management module sends all corresponding task data to the remote communication module according to the marked task data, so that the remote communication module can upload the marked task data to the main station.

[0159] In this embodiment, when the remote communication module comes back online and is operational, the Bluetooth communication module directly interrupts data transmission with the external Bluetooth communication module and marks all currently sent task data as to be retransmitted or resumed by the remote communication module. Simultaneously, the communication link is only disconnected after the external Bluetooth communication module responds to the sent data, to avoid discrepancies in the transmitted data that could lead to low accuracy and reliability in data transmission. Then, the communication management module sends all corresponding task data to the remote communication module based on the marked task data, enabling the remote communication module to retransmit the marked task data or resume its transmission to the main station.

[0160] Implementing the above embodiments has the following effects:

[0161] In this embodiment of the invention, when the remote communication module of the metering terminal malfunctions and cannot maintain communication with the main station, the metering terminal's Bluetooth communication module establishes a Bluetooth communication channel with the external Bluetooth communication modules of surrounding metering terminals. This allows data from the malfunctioning terminal to be transmitted to the surrounding terminals via the Bluetooth channel, and ultimately, the data from the malfunctioning terminal is uploaded to the main station using the remote communication channels of the surrounding terminals. Through the shared remote communication channel method proposed in this invention, the metering terminal possesses automated communication fault handling capabilities, reducing the workload of maintenance personnel and solving the problem of the metering terminal's data not being uploaded to the main station on time when the remote communication module malfunctions.

[0162] Example 4

[0163] Please refer to Figure 1, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of a remote communication system for a metering terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention, including: a communication management module, a remote communication module, and a Bluetooth communication module;

[0164] The communication management module is connected to the remote communication module and the Bluetooth communication module respectively, and the remote communication module is connected to the main station;

[0165] The communication management module is used to receive task data collected by the metering terminal and determine the current working status of the remote communication module. When the remote communication module is in normal working status, the task data is sent to the remote communication module; when the remote communication module is in fault offline status, the task data is sent to the Bluetooth communication module.

[0166] The remote communication module is used to send the task data to the main station after receiving the task data;

[0167] The Bluetooth communication module is used to establish a communication connection with other metering terminals after receiving the task data, and to send the task data to the connected metering terminal after the connection is successful, so that the connected metering terminal forwards the task data to the main station.

[0168] As a preferred embodiment, the remote communication system of the metering terminal further includes: an application module; the application module is connected to the communication management module; the application module is used to configure the data acquisition tasks of the metering terminal and send the task data acquired by the metering terminal to the communication management module.

[0169] As shown in Figure 1, this invention incorporates a communication management module, a remote communication module, and a Bluetooth communication module within the metering terminal to enable interaction between the metering terminal and the main station. The functions of each module are as follows:

[0170] Application: Configures the data acquisition tasks of the metering terminal and sends the task data collected by the metering terminal to the communication management module.

[0171] Communication Management Module: Responsible for managing the data transmission channels in the metering terminal, and can forward the application's business data to the remote communication module or Bluetooth communication module.

[0172] Remote communication module: This is the module in the metering terminal responsible for sending and receiving data with the main station. It is the only module in the metering terminal that can communicate with the main station.

[0173] Bluetooth Communication Module: This module in the metering terminal is responsible for sending and receiving data with other metering terminals. When the remote communication module fails, it can establish a Bluetooth communication channel with surrounding metering terminals, thereby using the remote communication channels of these surrounding terminals to communicate with the master station. The Bluetooth communication module can operate in slave mode. In slave mode, after receiving encrypted data from other terminals, the Bluetooth communication module decrypts the data and forwards it to the communication management module. Alternatively, it can operate in master mode. In master mode, after receiving data from the communication management module, the Bluetooth communication module encrypts the data and forwards it to surrounding metering terminals that have established a Bluetooth communication channel.

[0174] Main station: Receives and responds to task data uploaded by metering terminals.

[0175] As a preferred embodiment, determining the current working status of the remote communication module includes: initiating a heartbeat detection to the peer of the remote communication module; when a response is received from the remote communication module, it is determined that the remote communication module is currently in a normal working state; if no response is received from the remote communication module, it is determined that the remote communication module is currently in a fault offline state.

[0176] As a preferred embodiment, the remote communication module is further configured to close the socket connection and send a fault signal to the communication management module when it detects that the socket connection of the peer is closed or a link abnormality occurs; wherein, the fault signal is used to identify the current fault offline state of the remote communication module; the determination of the current working state of the remote communication module further includes: when receiving the fault identifier sent by the remote communication module, determining that the remote communication module is currently in a fault offline state.

[0177] When the metering terminal interacts with the master station, the application first sends the task data collected by the metering terminal to the communication management module. The communication management module determines the current working status of the remote communication module and the Bluetooth communication module, and then decides whether to forward the data to the remote communication module or the Bluetooth communication module based on their current working status. When the remote communication module is in normal working status, the task data is forwarded to the remote communication module; when the remote communication module is offline and the Bluetooth communication module is online, the task data is sent to the Bluetooth communication module. Then, the remote communication module sends the data to the master station, or the Bluetooth communication module forwards the data to nearby metering terminals that have established Bluetooth communication channels. Finally, the master station receives the data sent by the metering terminal and replies with confirmation.

[0178] The communication management module can determine the current working status of the remote communication module and the Bluetooth communication module in the following three ways:

[0179] 1. If the remote communication module detects that the socket connection of its peer is closed or that a link abnormality has occurred, it closes the socket connection and returns a signal indicating its offline fault status to the communication management module; when the communication management module receives the signal, it determines that the remote communication module is currently in an offline fault state.

[0180] 2. The communication management module initiates a heartbeat detection to the peer of the remote communication module. When it receives a response from the remote communication module, it determines that the remote communication module is currently in normal working condition; if it does not receive a response from the remote communication module, it determines that the remote communication module is currently in a fault offline state.

[0181] 3. The communication management module queries the Bluetooth communication module for its connection status. The Bluetooth communication module returns offline or online information. When the offline information is received from the Bluetooth communication module, it is determined that the Bluetooth communication module is currently offline. When the online information is received from the Bluetooth communication module, it is determined that the Bluetooth communication module is currently online.

[0182] As a preferred embodiment, the Bluetooth communication module has the following operating modes: host mode and slave mode; when the remote communication module is in normal working condition, the Bluetooth communication module operates in slave mode; when the remote communication module is in a fault offline state, the Bluetooth communication module operates in host mode.

[0183] As a preferred embodiment, when the Bluetooth communication module operates in host mode, the process of establishing a communication connection with other metering terminals and sending the task data to the connected metering terminals after a successful connection, so that the connected metering terminals forward the task data to the master station, includes: continuously searching for external Bluetooth signals of other metering terminals; when an accessible external Bluetooth signal is found, sending a connection request to the external Bluetooth and obtaining the identity identifier of the external Bluetooth; determining whether the external Bluetooth can be securely accessed based on the identity identifier; when it is determined that the external Bluetooth can be securely accessed and the external Bluetooth accepts the connection request, establishing a communication connection and a Bluetooth communication channel with the external Bluetooth; encrypting the service data and sending the encrypted service data to the external Bluetooth through the established Bluetooth communication channel, so that the external Bluetooth, after receiving the encrypted service data, decrypts the service data and then forwards the decrypted task data to the master station through the corresponding external remote communication module.

[0184] As a preferred embodiment, encrypting the business data includes: decrypting the business data using a preset chip; decrypting the business data includes: decrypting the business data using the chip.

[0185] As a preferred embodiment, encrypting the business data further includes: encrypting the business data using a preset encryption algorithm and generating a key; wherein the encryption algorithm includes: a symmetric encryption algorithm or an asymmetric encryption algorithm; and decrypting the business data further includes: decrypting the business data using a preset decryption algorithm and the key.

[0186] Please refer to Figure 2, which is a flowchart of the remote communication process between the metering terminal and the master station when the remote communication module fails. When the remote communication module fails and cannot connect to the master station for a long time, the application sends data to the communication management module, and then the communication management module forwards the data to the Bluetooth communication module. At this time, the Bluetooth communication module works in host mode.

[0187] The basic principle is as follows: when the remote communication module fails and cannot connect to the main station for a long time, the communication management module will mark the remote communication module as offline; after the remote communication module goes offline, the Bluetooth communication module will work in host mode and remain on until the remote communication module comes back online.

[0188] The Bluetooth communication module works as follows in host mode:

[0189] After the communication management module marks the remote communication module as offline, the Bluetooth communication module operates in host mode and remains active until the remote communication module reconnects. The Bluetooth communication module continuously searches for nearby Bluetooth signals. When a usable Bluetooth signal is found, it attempts to connect. When attempting to establish a connection, the Bluetooth communication module needs to verify the identity of the external Bluetooth signal to confirm its secure access. Simultaneously, the external Bluetooth also needs to verify the identity of the Bluetooth communication module to confirm its access information. After establishing a Bluetooth communication channel with the external Bluetooth, the Bluetooth communication module encrypts the business data to be uploaded to the master station and then sends it to the external Bluetooth. When the remote communication module reconnects, the Bluetooth communication module stops sending data to the external Bluetooth and waits for all data responses from the external Bluetooth before disconnecting from it.

[0190] After receiving the encrypted service data, the external Bluetooth device decrypts the data and then forwards the decrypted task data to the main station through the corresponding external remote communication module.

[0191] When encrypting business data using the Bluetooth communication module, there are two encryption methods: Hardware encryption: An encryption chip is configured in the metering terminal. When the metering terminal needs to transmit sensitive data, this encryption chip is used for encryption; when the metering terminal receives encrypted data, it can also use the encryption chip for decryption. Software encryption: An encryption algorithm is designed in the metering terminal, such as commonly used symmetric and asymmetric encryption / decryption algorithms. The public and private keys of the encryption algorithm can be configured by the master station or the terminal itself.

[0192] As a preferred embodiment, when the Bluetooth communication module operates in slave mode, the Bluetooth communication module is further configured to: upon receiving a connection request from an external Bluetooth device, obtain the identity identifier of the external Bluetooth device and verify its identity based on the identity identifier; when the external Bluetooth device's identity verification is successful, establish a communication connection with the external Bluetooth device and set up a Bluetooth communication channel through the connection request; associate and store the established Bluetooth communication channel with the identity identifier of the external Bluetooth device; and when receiving service data sent by the external Bluetooth device, decrypt the service data and then send the decrypted task data to the communication management module, so that the communication management module can send the task data to the remote communication module, and the remote communication module can forward the service data to the master station.

[0193] Please refer to Figure 3, which is a flowchart of the remote communication process between the metering terminal and the master station when the remote communication module is working normally. When the remote communication module of the metering terminal is working normally, the application sends data to the communication management module, then the communication management module forwards the data to the remote communication module, and finally the remote communication module sends the data to the master station. At this time, the Bluetooth communication module is working in slave mode.

[0194] The basic principle is as follows: the remote communication module receives the data sent by the communication management module and then directly uploads the data to the master station; the Bluetooth communication module works in slave mode, and when the Bluetooth communication module has no external connection, the Bluetooth communication module starts periodically; when the Bluetooth communication module has an external connection, the Bluetooth communication module remains running.

[0195] The Bluetooth communication module operates as follows in slave mode: When the remote communication module is working normally, the Bluetooth communication module operates in slave mode and starts periodically. When the Bluetooth communication module detects an external connection attempt, it needs to verify the identity of the external connection first. After successful authentication, the Bluetooth inside the metering terminal and the external Bluetooth successfully establish a communication channel. At this time, the Bluetooth communication module remains running until the external communication channel is disconnected. After the Bluetooth communication channel between the terminals is successfully established, the metering terminals need to identify each other and save the identity ID of the linked terminals to prevent transmission link chaos and data failure to reach the destination terminal during data transmission and reception. When the Bluetooth communication module transmits data, it needs to encrypt the data. After receiving the encrypted data transmitted by the external Bluetooth, the Bluetooth communication module inside the metering terminal decrypts the encrypted data and sends it to the communication management module. Finally, the communication management module sends the decrypted data to the remote communication module, which then uploads it to the master station. When the Bluetooth communication module receives the disconnection information from the external Bluetooth and the external Bluetooth receives the disconnection confirmation from the Bluetooth communication module, the Bluetooth communication channel is disconnected, and both parties clear the historical data of the Bluetooth communication channel.

[0196] As a preferred embodiment, when the Bluetooth communication module operates in slave mode, the Bluetooth communication module periodically starts up according to a preset startup cycle and broadcasts Bluetooth access information for a preset broadcast duration during startup; when the Bluetooth communication module operates in master mode, or receives an external Bluetooth connection request, the Bluetooth communication module remains in the startup state.

[0197] It is important to note that when the Bluetooth communication module operates in host mode or receives an external Bluetooth connection request, the Bluetooth communication module remains continuously active. However, when the Bluetooth communication module operates in slave mode, it broadcasts Bluetooth access information. To reduce power consumption, the Bluetooth communication module periodically starts up according to a preset startup cycle, broadcasting Bluetooth access information for a preset broadcast duration each time it starts up. In a specific embodiment, the Bluetooth communication module can be set to start every 15 seconds, broadcasting a Bluetooth access signal for 5 seconds each time it starts up. The startup cycle and broadcast duration can be set according to specific requirements.

[0198] The following is a specific interaction example to further illustrate the interaction process of the remote communication system of the present invention:

[0199] Please refer to Figure 4, which is a flowchart of remote communication between metering terminals. Scenario: There are two metering terminals in the transformer area, namely metering terminal 1 and metering terminal 2.

[0200] The metering terminal 1 is equipped with an application program 1, a communication management module 1, a remote communication module 1, and a Bluetooth communication module 1.

[0201] The metering terminal 2 is equipped with an application program 2, a communication management module 2, a remote communication module 2, and a Bluetooth communication module 2.

[0202] When the remote communication module 1 of metering terminal 1 is operating normally and maintaining a connection with the main station, and the remote communication module 2 of metering terminal 2 malfunctions and loses communication with the main station:

[0203] Bluetooth communication module 1 operates in slave mode, and Bluetooth communication module 2 operates in master mode;

[0204] Bluetooth communication module 2 searches for surrounding Bluetooth signals and attempts to connect to Bluetooth communication module 1;

[0205] Bluetooth communication module 1 and Bluetooth communication module 2 verify each other's identities. If the identity verification is successful, the two parties establish a formal Bluetooth communication channel and begin sending and receiving data; otherwise, the two parties disconnect the temporary communication channel.

[0206] The communication management module 2 receives the data sent by the application 2, and then forwards the data to the Bluetooth communication module 2;

[0207] After receiving the data from the communication management module 2, the Bluetooth communication module 2 encrypts the data and sends it to the Bluetooth communication module 1.

[0208] After receiving data from Bluetooth communication module 2, Bluetooth communication module 1 decrypts the data and sends it to communication management module 1, which in turn sends it to the master station via remote communication module 1.

[0209] The master station sends the data that needs to be sent to metering terminal 2 to metering terminal 1. After receiving the data from metering terminal 2, remote communication module 1 forwards the data to communication management module 1. Communication management module 1 sends the data to Bluetooth communication module 1. Finally, Bluetooth communication module 1 encrypts the data and sends it to Bluetooth communication module 2.

[0210] After receiving the data returned by Bluetooth communication module 1, Bluetooth communication module 2 decrypts the data and sends it to communication management module 2, which then forwards it to application 2.

[0211] Therefore, the present invention provides a remote communication system for a metering terminal. The communication management module can obtain the communication status of the remote communication module. When the remote communication module of the metering terminal is in normal working condition, the communication management module sends the task data collected by the metering terminal to the remote communication module, and the remote communication module sends the task data to the master station. At this time, the metering terminal and the master station maintain normal communication.

[0212] When the remote communication module of the metering terminal is offline and disconnected from the main station, it can establish a Bluetooth communication connection with other nearby metering terminals via the Bluetooth communication module. This allows it to utilize the remote communication channels of other metering terminals to forward its service data to the main station. Through this remote communication method, the metering terminal gains automated fault handling capabilities, reducing the workload of maintenance personnel and solving the problem of data not being uploaded to the main station on time when the remote communication module fails.

[0213] The specific embodiments described above further illustrate the purpose, technical solution, and beneficial effects of the present invention. It should be understood that the above descriptions are merely specific embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. In particular, it should be noted that any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention for those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A remote communication system for a metering terminal, characterized in that, include: A main station and several metering terminals that are communicatively connected to the main station; each metering terminal includes a communication management module and a remote communication module and a Bluetooth communication module that are respectively connected to the communication management module; The communication management module is used to receive the collected task data, obtain the working status of the remote communication module, and send the task data to the communication management module or the Bluetooth communication module according to the working status of the remote communication module. The remote communication module is used to send the task data to the main station after receiving the task data; The Bluetooth communication module is used to set the initial slave mode to master mode after receiving the task data, and establish a communication connection with other metering terminals in slave mode. After the connection is successful, the task data is sent to the connected metering terminal so that the connected metering terminal forwards the task data to the master station.

2. The remote communication system for a metering terminal as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The process of obtaining the operating status of the remote communication module specifically includes: A detection signal is sent to the remote communication module, so that the remote communication module generates and sends out a response message based on the detection signal; The system receives response messages sent by the remote communication module and determines the operating status of the remote communication module based on the response messages; wherein the operating status includes normal operating status and fault offline status.

3. The remote communication system for a metering terminal as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The remote communication module is also used for: After receiving the detection signal sent by the communication management module, the current presence status is read and sent to the communication management module so that the communication management module can analyze the presence status and initiate heartbeat detection to the other end of the remote communication module based on the analysis results. Upon receiving the heartbeat detection signal, a response is sent to the remote communication module. This allows the communication management module to determine that the remote communication module is currently in normal working condition when it receives the response message from the remote communication module, and to determine that the remote communication module is currently in a fault offline state when it does not receive the response message from the remote communication module.

4. A remote communication system for a metering terminal as described in any one of claims 3, characterized in that, The process of analyzing the in-situ status and initiating heartbeat detection to the peer of the remote communication module based on the analysis results specifically includes: If the current in-situ status is in the running state, a heartbeat detection is initiated to the peer of the remote communication module, so that the remote communication module generates a heartbeat message based on the heartbeat detection signal and sends the heartbeat message to the management communication module; the received heartbeat message is monitored, and the communication status between the remote communication module and the master station is obtained based on the monitored heartbeat message; If the current in-place status is in a stopped state, the remote communication module will be directly judged as being in a faulty offline state.

5. A remote communication system for a metering terminal as described in any one of claims 4, characterized in that, Upon receiving the response message from the remote communication module, determining that the remote communication module is currently in normal working condition specifically includes: Based on the communication status and the heartbeat message, an AT command set is generated; According to the AT command set, test the response of the remote communication module. After the remote communication module responds, mark the remote communication module as being in normal working condition.

6. The remote communication system for a metering terminal as described in claim 5, characterized in that, After the remote communication module responds, the following is also included: Obtain the version information of the Bluetooth communication module, and determine whether the Bluetooth module is in a normal data transmission state based on the version information; If the Bluetooth communication module is not in a normal data transmission state, then the Bluetooth communication module remains in slave mode; If the Bluetooth communication module is in normal data transmission mode, then the Bluetooth communication module is set to slave mode and kept on until the Bluetooth communication module waits for the external Bluetooth communication module to reply with all data, and then the connection with the external Bluetooth communication module is disconnected.

7. A remote communication system for a metering terminal as described in any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The step of sending the task data to the communication management module or the Bluetooth communication module according to the working status of the remote communication module specifically includes: When the remote communication module is in normal working condition, the task data is sent to the remote communication module; When the remote communication module is offline due to a fault, the task data is sent to the Bluetooth communication module.

8. A remote communication system for a metering terminal as described in any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The remote communication module is also used for: When a communication link is found to be closed or an abnormality occurs at the other end, the communication link is closed and a fault signal is sent to the communication management module; wherein, the fault signal is used to identify the current fault offline status of the remote communication module; The step of determining the current working status of the remote communication module further includes: When a fault identifier is received from the remote communication module, it is determined that the remote communication module is currently in a fault offline state.

9. The remote communication system for a metering terminal as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The Bluetooth communication module has the following operating modes: host mode and slave mode. When the remote communication module is in normal working condition, the Bluetooth communication module is set to slave mode. When the remote communication module is in a faulty offline state, the Bluetooth communication module's working mode is set to host mode.

10. The remote communication system for a metering terminal as described in claim 9, characterized in that, When the Bluetooth communication module is set to slave mode, it includes: Determine whether the Bluetooth communication module has a communication link with other metering terminals whose Bluetooth communication modules are in host mode; If not, the Bluetooth communication module will be periodically activated according to a preset period. If so, the Bluetooth communication module remains in the active state.

11. The remote communication system for a metering terminal as described in claim 10, characterized in that, When the Bluetooth communication module is set to slave mode, it also includes: When the Bluetooth communication module receives a request from another metering terminal that is in host mode and that metering terminal requests to establish a communication link, it obtains the identity information of the metering terminal corresponding to the request and verifies the identity information. After the verification is successful, the Bluetooth communication module remains in the start state and establishes a communication channel with the external Bluetooth communication module of the metering terminal corresponding to the request.

12. The remote communication system for a metering terminal as described in claim 10, characterized in that, After the Bluetooth communication module establishes a communication channel with the Bluetooth communication module in the metering terminal corresponding to the request, the method further includes: The metering terminals that establish the communication channel identify each other, and the established communication channel is associated with and stored with the identity identifier of the external Bluetooth communication module; When receiving service data sent by an external Bluetooth communication module, the service data is decrypted, and then the decrypted task data is sent to the communication management module, so that the communication management module sends the task data to the remote communication module, and the remote communication module forwards the service data to the main station.

13. The remote communication system for a metering terminal as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The process of establishing a communication connection with other metering terminals in slave mode, and sending the task data to the connected metering terminals after a successful connection, so that the connected metering terminals forward the task data to the master station, specifically includes: The system continuously searches for external Bluetooth signals from other metering terminals. When an accessible external Bluetooth signal is found, a connection request is sent to the external Bluetooth communication module, and the identity identifier of the external Bluetooth communication module is obtained. Based on the identity identifier, it is determined whether the external Bluetooth communication module can be securely accessed. When it is determined that the external Bluetooth communication module can be securely accessed, and the external Bluetooth communication module accepts the connection request, a communication connection is established with the external Bluetooth communication module, and a Bluetooth communication channel is established; The business data is encrypted and sent to the external Bluetooth communication module through the established Bluetooth communication channel. After receiving the encrypted business data, the external Bluetooth communication module decrypts the business data and then forwards the decrypted task data to the main station through the corresponding external remote communication module.

14. The remote communication system for a metering terminal as described in claim 13, characterized in that, The encryption of the business data includes: The business data is encrypted using a pre-set encryption chip; The decryption of the business data includes: The business data is decrypted using the encryption chip. Each of the Bluetooth communication modules is equipped with an encryption chip.

15. A remote communication system for a metering terminal as described in any one of claims 13 or 14, characterized in that, The encryption of the business data further includes: The business data is encrypted using a preset encryption algorithm to generate a key; wherein the encryption algorithm includes either a symmetric encryption algorithm or an asymmetric encryption algorithm. The decryption of the business data further includes: The business data is decrypted using a preset decryption algorithm and the key.

16. A remote communication system for a metering terminal as described in any one of claims 9, characterized in that, When the Bluetooth communication module is in slave mode, it periodically starts up according to a preset startup cycle and broadcasts Bluetooth access information for a preset broadcast duration during startup. When the Bluetooth communication module is in host mode or receives an external Bluetooth connection request, the Bluetooth communication module remains in the active state.

17. A remote communication system for a metering terminal as described in any one of claims 9, characterized in that, When the Bluetooth communication module is in host mode and communicating with an external Bluetooth communication module for data transmission, if the remote communication module comes back online and is in operation, the following additional steps are included: The Bluetooth communication module interrupts data transmission with the external Bluetooth communication module and marks all currently sent task data. Once the external Bluetooth communication module responds to the sent data, the communication link is disconnected. The communication management module sends all corresponding task data to the remote communication module based on the marked task data, so that the remote communication module can send the marked task data to the main station.

Images