Gas Meter Wheel Revolution Counting via Oscillating Signal Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas meters face challenges in maintaining accurate revolution counting due to mechanical drifts, wear, temperature variations, radio interference, and power supply disturbances, which reduce counting precision and are costly to rectify.
Innovation Solution
A method that generates oscillating voltage signals to detect the presence or absence of a target on a wheel, compares signal amplitudes with thresholds, and analyzes differential pulses to identify and correct for disturbances, improving accuracy without adding hardware components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional target detection devices (magnetic relay or resonant circuit) are used to count wheel revolutions, then the counting function is achieved, but counting accuracy deteriorates due to mechanical drifts, wear, temperature variations, radio interference, and power supply disturbances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring the oscillating voltage signal characteristics and comparing them against expected patterns. The system detects disturbances by analyzing deviations in signal amplitude and frequency, then retroactively corrects the pulse count based on detected disturbance patterns, ensuring accurate revolution counting despite environmental disturbances
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical detection methods (magnetic relay or resonant circuit with metal target) with an electrical oscillation-based detection system. By using an oscillating voltage signal that interacts with a target on the wheel, the system eliminates mechanical contact and wear, thereby improving reliability and accuracy under various disturbances
2Measurement precision
If hardware components are added to improve detection accuracy and compensate for disturbances, then counting precision improves, but device complexity and implementation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing layer that analyzes the oscillating voltage signal characteristics without requiring additional physical detection hardware. By using signal processing algorithms to detect disturbance patterns and retroactively correct pulse counts, the system achieves improved accuracy while avoiding the complexity of additional hardware components
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the detection approach by monitoring parameters of the oscillating voltage signal (amplitude, frequency, phase) rather than using separate detection hardware. By analyzing changes in these electrical parameters to detect disturbances and correct counting errors, the system improves precision without increasing device complexity
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for counting revolutions of a wheel (6) to which a target (7) is attached, the counting method comprising the steps of: generating an oscillating signal representing the presence or the absence of the target (7); comparing an amplitude of the signal with a voltage threshold in order to obtain pulses (19); and detecting the presence of the target (7) or the absence of the target on the basis of the number of pulses obtained. The method also comprises a step of detecting a disruption which is implemented as feedback and which consists in acquiring differential pulse values each equal to a difference between two numbers of pulses obtained during two consecutive detection intervals, and in detecting a disruption upon identifying an erroneous sequence of consecutive differential pulses. A consumption meter and a computer program corresponding to the method and means for storing such a program are also claimed.