Flow Rate Measurement Device for Gas Appliance Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas meter technologies face challenges in accurately identifying appliances due to variations in flow rate caused by manual operation or ignition states, leading to erroneous determinations and difficulty in recognizing characteristics, especially in appliances with similar characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A flow rate measurement device that includes a flow rate measurement unit, multiple calculation units for differential calculations at different intervals, a classification table for differential conversions, and an appliance characteristic extraction unit to generate and compare code sequences, allowing for precise identification of appliances by extracting stable characteristics and absorbing variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If flow rate differential is calculated at regular time intervals to identify appliances, then calculation is simplified and memory requirements are reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to variations in manual operation or ignition states causing erroneous determination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the flow rate measurement into multiple time intervals (first time interval and second time interval) with different differential calculation methods. During the first time interval (initial flow rate change), differentials are calculated at longer intervals, while during the second time interval (stable flow rate), differentials are calculated at shorter intervals. This segmentation allows the system to adapt to different operational phases, reducing erroneous determination during transient states while maintaining precision during stable operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts the differential calculation interval based on the flow rate stability. When the flow rate is changing rapidly (first time interval), the system uses a longer calculation interval to smooth out variations caused by manual operation or ignition. When the flow rate becomes stable (second time interval), the system switches to a shorter calculation interval for more precise appliance identification. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between simplification and precision.
2Measurement precision
If flow rate differential is calculated at shorter time intervals to improve measurement precision, then appliance identification precision improves, but calculation complexity and memory requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the measurement process into two distinct phases with different calculation intervals. During the first time interval when flow rate is unstable, the system uses a longer differential calculation interval, reducing the number of calculations and memory requirements. During the second time interval when flow rate stabilizes, the system uses a shorter interval for precise identification. This segmentation avoids the need for continuously high-frequency calculations, reducing overall complexity while maintaining precision when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the time interval parameter dynamically based on flow rate stability. Instead of using a fixed short interval that increases complexity, the system extends the interval during transient states and reduces it during stable states. This parameter change allows the system to achieve necessary precision only when the flow rate is stable, avoiding unnecessary computational complexity during unstable periods.
3Ease of operation
If differential calculation uses fixed time intervals to simplify processing, then ease of operation improves, but reliability deteriorates due to erroneous determination during variations in flow rate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic adjustment of the differential calculation interval based on flow rate stability detection. The system automatically switches between first time interval (longer) and second time interval (shorter) modes based on whether the flow rate is stable or varying. This dynamic approach maintains processing simplicity through automated control while improving reliability by adapting to different operational conditions, avoiding erroneous determination during transient states.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from flow rate stability detection to control the differential calculation interval. When the flow rate shows significant variation, the system feedback-adjusts to use a longer calculation interval, reducing erroneous determination. When the flow rate stabilizes, the system feedback-adjusts to use a shorter interval for precise identification. This feedback mechanism maintains ease of operation through automated control while ensuring reliable appliance identification.
Data Source
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Figure 3(a)~3(d)
AI summary
A problem of the present invention is to provide a flow rate measurement device which is capable of simplifying calculation, reducing the amount of memory necessary for calculation, absorbing variations resulting from manual operation or ignition state when the appliances are used alone or in combination, and improving appliance identification precision of appliances having similar characteristics with a configuration which extracts characteristics of appliances. The flow rate measurement device identifies the appliances with high precision by extracting characteristics of gas appliances (13, 14 and 15) from code sequences into which a differential conversion unit (112) converts, at regular time intervals, differentials by a first calculation unit (108) which calculates differentials at regular time intervals in the flow rates measured by a flow rate measurement unit (104) and by a second calculation unit (230) which calculates differentials at time intervals different from the first calculation unit (108).