Data collection method

• US 20040243352A1
• Filed: 02/26/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T&D Corporation
• Original Assignee: T&D Corporation
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Kanato, Morozumi, Akio, Segi, Chiaki
• Granted Patent: US 6,978,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/186
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication

Abstract

A data collection method of the present invention uses measuring terminals, each of measuring terminals can obtain measurement data from a sensor and wirelessly transmit the measurement data, and a collection terminal for receiving the measurement data from the measuring terminals, each measuring terminal having a memory that stores, as its own identification information, one of a limited number of sets of identification information whose order can be defined. The data collection method comprises: an inquiring step in which the collection terminal wirelessly transmits a message for inquiring about identification information; a first responding step in which each measuring terminal, on receiving the message, wirelessly transmits its own identification information when, after the message has ended, a turn for sending its own identification information is reached; a first identifying step in which the collection terminal stores the sets of identification information received in reply in the order of the sets of identification information; and a collecting step in which the collection terminal wirelessly communicates individually with the measuring terminals that have the stored sets of identification information and collects the measurement data from the measuring terminals. By the collection method, data can be automatically collected from the measuring terminals.

Claims

1. A data collection method that uses measuring terminals, each measuring terminal obtains measurement data from a sensor and wirelessly transmits the measurement data, and a collection terminal for receiving the measurement data from the measuring terminals,

the measuring terminal having a memory for storing one of a limited number of sets of identification information, whose order is definable, as own identification information,

the data collection method comprising:

an inquiring step in which the collection terminal wirelessly transmits a message for inquiring about identification information;

a first responding step in which the measuring terminal, on receiving the message, wirelessly transmits the own identification information when, after the message has ended, a turn for sending the own identification information is reached;

a first identifying step in which the collection terminal stores the identification information sets responded in the order of the sets of identification information; and

a collecting step in which the collection terminal wirelessly communicates individually with the measuring terminals with the sets of identification information stored and collects the measurement data from the measuring terminals.

2. A data collection method according to claim 1,

wherein the measuring terminals and the collection terminal each include a wireless apparatus with a communication range that is limited to around several meters.

3. A data collection method according to claim 1,

wherein each set of identification information includes first identification information for defining order and second identification information for identifying a group,

in the inquiring step, the message including the second identification information is transmitted, and

in the first responding step, the measuring terminals whose own identification information includes the second identification information included in the message reply to the message.

4. A data collection method according to claim 1,

wherein in the inquiring step, same message is transmitted a plurality of times together with a number of repetitions.

5. A data collection method according to claim 1,

wherein in the first responding step, the turn for transmitting the own identification information is counted using a normal time for transmitting one set of identification information, the normal time being a total of a time needed to transmit the one set of identification information plus spare time.

6. A data collection method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second responding step, before the first responding step, in which every measuring terminal wirelessly transmits the own identification information simultaneously following an end of the message; and

a second identifying step where, when a set of identification information is identified in the second responding step, the set of identification information is stored and the first identifying step is skipped.

7. A measuring terminal comprising:

means for obtaining measurement data from a sensor;

means for transmitting the measurement data via a wireless apparatus;

a memory for storing one of sets of identification information, whose order are definable, as own identification information; and

first responding means for transmitting the own identification information via the wireless apparatus when a message inquiring about identification information has been received via the wireless apparatus and a turn for transmitting the own identification information has been reached following an end of the message.

8. A measuring terminal according to claim 7,

wherein the wireless apparatus has a communication range that is limited to around several meters.

9. A measuring terminal according to claim 7, further comprising:

second responding means for transmitting the own identification information via the wireless apparatus a predetermined time after the end of the message and before the first responding means replies.

10. A measuring terminal according to claim 7, further comprising an optical communication means for receiving data for setting conditions for transmitting and receiving via the wireless apparatus.

11. A collection terminal, comprising:

means for receiving, via a wireless apparatus, measurement data from measuring terminals for obtaining the measurement data from sensors;

inquiring means for transmitting, via the wireless apparatus to the measuring terminals, a message that inquires about identification information; and

first identifying means that stores sets of identification information received via the wireless apparatus in an order of the sets of identification information after an end of the message,

wherein the means for receiving communicates with the measuring terminals individually with the sets of identification information stored via the wireless apparatus and collects the measurement data from the measuring terminals.

12. A collection terminal according to claim 11,

wherein the wireless apparatus has a communication range that is limited to around several meters.

13. A collection terminal according to claim 11,

wherein the inquiring means transmits same message a plurality of times together with a number of repetitions.

14. A collection terminal according to claim 11,

further comprising a second identifying means for receiving via the wireless apparatus, following the end of the message, the sets of identification information that are simultaneously transmitted from every measuring terminal and, when a set of identification information is identified, storing the set of identification information and skipping an operation of the first identifying means.

15. A data collection system including measuring terminals, each measuring terminal obtains measurement data from a sensor and wirelessly transmits the measurement data, and a collection terminal for receiving the measurement data from the measuring terminals,

the measuring terminal comprising:

means for wirelessly transmitting the measurement data;

a memory for storing one of sets of identification information, whose order is definable, as own identification information; and

first responding means for wirelessly transmitting the own identification information when a message inquiring about identification information has been wirelessly received and a turn for sending the own identification information of the measuring terminal has been reached following an end of the message, and

the collection terminal comprising;

means for receiving the measurement data from the measuring terminals wirelessly;

inquiring means for transmitting, wirelessly to the measuring terminals, the message that inquires about identification information; and

first identifying means for storing the sets of identification information wirelessly received in the order of the sets of identification information following the end of the message,

wherein the means for receiving communicates with the measuring terminals individually with the sets of identification information sets stored and collects the measurement data from the measuring terminals.

16. A program that controls a measuring terminal for obtaining measurement data from a sensor and transmitting the measurement data via a wireless apparatus,

wherein one of a limited number of sets of identification information, whose order is definable, is stored in a memory as own identification information,

the program comprising an instruction that executes a step of transmitting, when a message inquiring about identification information has been received via the wireless apparatus, the own identification information via the wireless apparatus when, after the message has ended, a turn for sending the own identification information is reached.

17. A program according to claim 16,

wherein the measuring terminal includes optical communication means and the program further comprises an instruction that executes a step of setting the own identification information using the optical communication means.

18. A program that controls a collection terminal for receiving measurement data via a wireless apparatus from measuring terminals for obtaining the measurement data from sensors,

the program comprising instructions for executing:

a step of transmitting, via the wireless apparatus to the measuring terminals, a message that inquires about identification information;

a step of storing, following an end of the message, sets of identification information received via the wireless apparatus in an order of the sets of identification information; and

a step of communicating via the wireless apparatus with the measuring terminals individually with the sets of identification information stored and collecting the measurement data from the measuring terminals.