METHOD FOR OPERATING A COUNTER DEVICE FOR A FLUID, COUNTER DEVICE AND COUNTER SYSTEM

Abstract

A method operates a counter device for a fluid which can be connected via a connecting device to a meter point having at least one line through which the fluid flows. A control device is configured when connected via at least one operating parameter specific for the meter point and/or a meter point environment. When the counter device is taken into operation, the operating parameters are called up by a communication device on the counter device side communicating wirelessly by radio via a communication link with a passive communication device on the meter point side. The operating parameters are stored in a storage device of the passive communication device.

Claims

1. A method for operating a counter device for a fluid which can be connected via a connecting device to a meter point having at least one line through which the fluid flows, which comprises the steps of: providing the counter device with a control device, the control device being configured upon receiving at least one operating parameter specific for the meter point and/or a meter point environment; putting the counter device into an operational mode by obtaining operating parameters by means of a communication device on a counter device side communicating wirelessly by radio via a communication link with a passive communication device on a meter point side, the passive communication device having a storage device in which the operating parameters are stored; and using the operating parameters for configuring the control device.

2. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises: providing the passive communication device on the meter point side as an radio frequency identification transponder and/or a near field communication device and a communication range of the communication link is less than 20 cm; and integrating the passive communication device on the meter point side in a nameplate of the meter point.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication link uses at least one of alternating magnetic fields or a frequency in a range from 13 to 14 MHz.

4. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises selecting the operating parameters from the group consisting of identification information items of the meter point, a starting count, and communication data being used for establishing a communication link with a data collection device for consumption data of the counter device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein during installation of the meter point, mounting the passive communication device on the meter point side at the meter point, wherein the operating parameters are stored in the passive communication device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the counter device, during establishment of the communication link, transmits energy needed for operation of the passive communication device on the meter point side wirelessly to the passive communication device on the meter point side.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein in a case of a presence of an updating signal in the counter device, transmitting altered, updated operating parameters via the communication link to the passive communication device on the meter point side which stores the altered, updated operating parameters in the storage device.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein in a case of an exchange of the counter device an update of the operating parameters occurs in the passive communication device on the meter point side by an old counter device, initiated by a user, and, after installation of a new counter device, the new counter device, after the altered, updated operating parameters have been called up, is configured by the altered, updated operating parameters.

9. The method according to claim 2, wherein the communication link is less than 10 cm.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication link uses at least one of alternating magnetic fields or a frequency of 13.56 MHz.

11. A counter device, comprising: a communication device disposed on a counter device side for wireless communication by radio with a passive communication device on a meter point side; and a control device configured for activating said communication device on the counter device side for calling up operating parameters from the passive communication device on the meter point side and for configuration of the counter device according to the operating parameters called up.

12. A counter system, comprising: a passive communication device disposed on a meter point side and having a storage device for storing operating parameters; and a counter device having a counter communications device disposed on a counter device side for wireless communication by radio with said passive communication device on the meter point side, said counter device having a control device configured for activating said counter communication device on the counter device side for calling up the operating parameters from said passive communication device on the meter point side for configuring said counter device according to the operating parameters called up.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0024] FIG. 1 is an illustration showing a basic diagram of a meter point with an installed counter device;

[0025] FIG. 2 is an illustration showing a counter system according to the invention; and

[0026] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method for configuring a counter device to a meter point.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a basic diagram of a counter device 1 which has been installed at a meter point 2 by a corresponding mounting device 3. On the side of one of the fluid lines 4, a nameplate 5 is visibly provided which, apart from an optically readable description of the meter point 2, directed at the service personnel, also contains a communication device on the meter point side which communicates with a communication device on the counter device side when taken into operation for the completely automatic configuration of the counter device 1 installed.

[0028] The corresponding counter system 6 or communication system, respectively, is shown more accurately in FIG. 2. The nameplate 5 which, for example, can be configured as a plastic sign, visibly contains a passive communication device 7 on the meter point side which is configured as an RFID device 8 (RFID transponder). The communication device 7 contains a memory or storage device 9 in which operating parameters for configuration of the counter device 1 are stored. The operating parameters contain presently communication data for establishing a transmitter connection to a data collection device to which one transmitting device, not shown in greater detail here, of the counter device 1 is intended to convey consumption data wirelessly, an identification information item of the meter point 2 which is to be allocated to the consumption data to be transmitted to the data collection device, and a starting count.

[0029] The counter device 1 has as control device 10 presently a microcontroller 11 which is also configured as an arithmetic unit for evaluating sensor data of a transmitter, not shown in greater detail here, particularly a volume transmitter. Besides that, a communication device 12 on the counter device side is provided, in this case an RFID reader 13, which can also be designed to be integral with the microcontroller 11.

[0030] As mentioned, other components of the counter device 1 are not shown in greater detail for the sake of clarity. The control device 10 is then configured to activate the communication device 12 at least on taking the counter device 1 into operation for cyclically sending out an enquiry signal to communication devices 7 on the meter point side so that presently, the communication device 7 on the meter point side actually present, which receives its energy through the enquiry signal as known in principle in RFID systems in order to transmit the operating parameters from the storage device 9 to the communication device 12 on the counter device side. Received there, the operating parameters, in turn, are utilized fully automatically for providing for the configuration of the counter device 1 to the meter point 2 by the control device 10.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of an illustrative embodiment of the method according to the invention. In this context, the counter device 1 is taken into operation in a step S1 after installation of the counter device 1 at the meter point 2, by which means a configuration signal is produced which triggers the fully automatic configuration. Correspondingly, it is begun in a step S2 cyclically to send out an enquiry signal to the communication device 7 on the meter point side by means of the communication device 12 on the meter point side. In a step S3 it is checked whether operating parameters have been received in response. If this is not so, the cyclic sending out of the enquiry signal is continued, particularly until a predetermined number of attempts of contacting the communication device 7 has failed whereupon an error signal can be output which points to a necessary manual configuration.

[0032] If, however, operating parameters have been obtained in response in step S3, the completely automatic configuration of the counter device 1 occurs in a step S4 with utilization of the operating parameters by the control device 10.

[0033] In the further course, it is checked in step S5 whether an indicatory updating signal is present in the counter device 1 which indicates an impending exchange of the counter device 1 and/or a change of the configuration which is associated with updated operating parameters is present in the counter device 1. If this is so, the control device 10 activates the communication device 12 in a step S6 for sending out an updating signal which is received by the communication device 7 on the meter point side in a step S7. The energy transmitted is utilized for updating the values of the operating parameters similarly in the storage device 9 in step S7 in that the newly received values of the updating signal are entered.

[0034] In a reconfiguration of the counter device 1 now following or after installation of a new counter device 1 and taking it into operation, the updated operating parameters are then utilized in the storage device 9 for configuration.

[0035] Finally, it should also be noted that for communication between the communication devices 7 and 12 as known in principle in RFID systems, alternating magnetic fields are used at a frequency of 13.56 MHz. Furthermore, it should be pointed out that alternatively to the RFID technology described here, other NFC technologies can also be used in which the communication range, as provided here, is less than 20 cm, preferably less than 10 cm.

[0036] Furthermore, it should also be pointed out that the nameplate 5 can be attached already by a supplier during installation of the meter point 2 itself, the operating parameters already being stored or being stored then.

[0037] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention: [0038] 1 Counter device [0039] 2 Meter point [0040] 3 Mounting means [0041] 4 Fluid line [0042] 5 Nameplate [0043] 6 Counter system [0044] 7 Communication device on the meter point side [0045] 8 RFID device [0046] 9 Storage device [0047] 10 Control device [0048] 11 Microcontroller [0049] 12 Communication device on the counter device side [0050] 13 RFID reader [0051] S1-S7 Step