Gas Meter System Abnormality Cause Analysis via Center Device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional gas meter systems face limitations in accurately determining the cause of gas shut-offs due to increased complexity and functionality, leading to inadequate decision-making by maintenance workers.

Innovation Solution

A gas meter system that includes a flow rate measurement unit, vibration sensor, and pressure measurement unit to determine abnormalities, with a center device analyzing the cause of these abnormalities through transmitted data, enabling appropriate measures to be taken.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the gas meter has increased functionality and number of functions, then the meter can detect more types of abnormalities, but the determination of abnormality becomes complicated and workers cannot make appropriate determination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection capabilityVSAvoiddetermination complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a center device as an intermediary between the gas meter and maintenance workers. The center device receives abnormality determination results from the gas meter and performs detailed analysis to identify specific causes, thereby simplifying the decision-making process for workers while maintaining comprehensive detection capabilities through multiple sensors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If the automatic notification device displays only general reasons from stored lists, then the device structure remains simple, but the display contents are limited and cannot provide detailed abnormality causes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice structureVSAvoidabnormality information
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent adds a new dimension of analysis by introducing a center device that performs secondary analysis of abnormality data. This additional analytical layer transforms the information flow from simple one-to-one mapping to a multi-stage processing system, enabling detailed cause identification without complicating the gas meter's own structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Device complexity

If maintenance workers check the gas meter display or make phone calls to information centers, then the system structure remains simple, but the convenience and efficiency of dealing process is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem structureVSAvoiddealing convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The center device automatically performs analysis and identification of abnormality causes without requiring maintenance workers to manually check gas meter displays or contact information centers. The system provides self-service by delivering detailed diagnostic information directly to workers, improving convenience while maintaining relatively simple system structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3719454B1Gas meter system
Publication Date: 2022.04.13 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD
  • EP3719454B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3719454B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3719454B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

There are equipped: gas meter (10); and center device (20) including analyzer (23) to analyze a cause of a determination of abnormality. Center device (20) requests analysis-use data necessary to analyze the cause of the determination of abnormality from gas meter (10), through a communication by center communication unit (21), based on the abnormality type data received from gas meter (10). Gas meter (10) transmits the analysis-use data requested from center device (20) to center device (20) by meter communication unit (18), and analyzer (23) of center device (20) determines the cause of the determination of abnormality based on the received analysis-use data.