REMOTE DATA READING AND TRANSMISSION TECHNIQUE

• US 3,806,875 A
• Filed: 10/26/1971
• Issued: 04/23/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philippe Georget
• Original Assignee: Philippe Georget
• Inventors: Georget, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US05/192,447
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 340/38R,15R,151R
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G06M 1/272 using photoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/7955 using phototransistors

Abstract

An illustrative embodiment of the invention described includes a meter having interrogation and reading means for remote transmission of the data optically displayed by tracks of its counting unit. The meter is connected in a chain of meters wherein the end of the reading of data from one meter triggers interrogation of the next one. Data optically displayed by the meter are converted into electrical signals by means of fiber optic transmission bundles which illuminate the data displaying tracks and pick up reflected light and transmit it to a photoelectric detector. Switch means are provided for scanning the various data displaying tracks of the meter to produce sequential output electrical signals representative of the data.

Claims

1. A meter system adapted for remote data reading, comprising:

a casing;

metering means for measuring a time varying quantity;

means in said casing to be driven by said metering means for totalizing such quantity with time, comprising a series of substantially coaxial interconnnected counting wheels, each one of these wheels having an outer surface with zones of different reflection characteristics along at least one peripheral track on said wheel which represent data corresponding to alphanumerical indicia, these indicia being visible through said casing on a portion of said outer surface for visually displaying meter indications;

at least one reading unit having a light input end and a light output end and comprising at least one elementary reading unit for a respective such track on each of said wheels which includes a stationary reading head having adjacent light emitting and light receiving ends closely mounted opposite the respective track at a distance from the respective wheel surface of about one millimeter for preventing any light other than issued from said emitting end from striking a zone of such track facing said reading head, and optical guide means for transmitting light from the imput end of said reading unit via said emitting end to the respective track and for transmitting a luminous flux of such light, if any, reflected by the respective track from said receiving end to the output end of said reading unit;

means for supplying light to the input end of said reading unit;

detector means having output means, for converting an optical signal at the output end of said reading unit into an electrical signal;

said guide means being arranged in relation to said light supplying means and detector means for permitting one common optical signal for all said elementary reading heads to pass at one of the input and output ends of said reading unit, and a distinct optical signal for any one of said elementary reading units to pass at the other of said input and output ends; and

scanning means associated with said reading unit and responsive to a scan control signal for producing at said output means an ordered sequence of electrical signals respectively representative of the optical signals transmitted by each said elementary reading unit to said output end, such sequence corresponding to a predetermined number of full scans of said elementary reading units, whereby meter indications displayed by zones on said tracks and read by said respective reading heads can be sequentially transmitted to a remote location according to thE count of said counting wheels.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said scanning means includes means for switching such distinct optical signals at said other end of said reading unit, whereby optical signals respectively representative of data displayed by said tracks are sequentially transmitted to said detector in a predetermined order, and further, including a plurality of further guide means for transmitting light between respective first and second ends thereof, said first ends arranged for permitting one common optical signal to pass thereat and each one of said second ends mounted adjacent the guide means of a respective one of said elementary reading units at said other end of said reading unit for permitting a reference light signal to pass along with any such distinct signal at said switch means, to produce such electrical signals at said output means having two levels with respect to a reference level, one of said levels corresponding to simultaneous detection of said reference signal and of light at said output end reflected by a more reflective zone on one such track and the other level corresponding to simultaneous detection of said reference signal and of any light at said output end reflected by a less reflective zone on one such track.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said detector means further includes means for producing a reference electrical signal representative of said reference signal and said output means includes means for summing up said reference electrical signal and said electrically converted optical signal to produce said two levels electrical signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said scanning means includes a shutter movable at said other end of said reading unit and having an opening therein sized for passing one such distinct optical signal at a time, and motor means for moving said shutter to sequentially scan said guide means at said other end of said reading unit with said opening, whereby optical signals respectively representative of data displayed by said tracks are sequentially transmitted to said detector means in accordance with the scanning order of said guide means.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further including means for producing an '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'end of reading'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' signal, comprising auxiliary photodetector means and auxiliary optical guide means for transmitting light to said auxiliary photodetector means via an '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'end of reading'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position reached by said shutter opening after a full scan of said guide means at said other end of said reading unit.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said motor means is operatively arranged for reciprocating said shutter between a rest position and a maximum offset position to scan said guide means at said other end of said reading unit at least twice during a reading cycle, said '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'end of reading'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position being adjacent to said rest position, and said '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'end of reading'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' signal producing means further includes divider means coupled to the output of said auxiliary photodetector means for generating the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'end of reading'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' signal only upon return of said shutter toward said rest position at the end of the reading cycle.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said scanning means includes pulse responsive means for controlling said ordered sequence of signals at said output means and further comprising means for generating an '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'end of reading signal'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' upon reception of a predetermined number of pulses by said controlling means.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said other end of said reading unit is the output end thereof, said detector means has different light inputs respectively responsive to such distinct signals from each said elementary reading units at said output end, and said scanning means includes pulse responsive means for controlling said sequence of signals at said output means.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said one end of said reading unit is the input end thereof, said light supplying means includes a plurality oF light sources for illuminating corresponding one of said guide means at said input end, and said scanning means includes pulse responsive means for sequentially switching on said light sources.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said one end of said reading unit is the input end thereof, said light supplying means includes a plurality of light sources for illuminating corresponding ones of said guide means at said input end, said light sources producing lights having different frequencies, said detector means includes a plurality of filter means respectively responsive to a different one of said frequencies, and said scanning means include means for sequentially switching the output of said respective filter means to said output means.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said light supplying means include means for producing light of selected frequency and said detector means include filter means responsive to the selected frequency.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a first and second such reading units, said first unit having means responsive to operation of first such scanning means associated therewith for generating a control signal and said second reading unit having means responsive to said control signal for triggering second such scanning means associated therewith to operate said second reading unit.