Gas meter device and gas supply system using the device

• US 8,550,109 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2008
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyata, Hajime, Itou, Youichi, Kamon, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Fristoe, Jr., John K
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAHILL, JESSICA MARIE
• Application Number:
  US12/747,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20100269596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• Field of Search: 137/485, 137/357, 137/551, 137/557, 732/75, 702/1, 702/33, 702/34, 702/35, 702/50, 702/51, 702/127, 702/187, 702/189
• US Class Current: 137/357
• CPC Class Codes: F23K 2900/05001 Control or safety devices in gaseous or liquid fuel supply lines
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2231/18 Detecting fluid leaks
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/184 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/242 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/667 Arrangements of transducers for ultrasonic flowmeters; Circuits for operating ultrasonic flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/007 comprising means to prevent fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/063 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/0755 involving digital counting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6969 Buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7758 Pilot or servo controlled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8326 Fluid pressure responsive indicator, recorder or alarm

Abstract

A gas meter device is provided which is configured in a manner that even if a user takes an unauthorized action such as the removal of a gas meter device in order to use gas without authorization, since the generation of a particular flow-rate change profile different from a normal flow-rate change profile of a gas appliance is detected, the sign of the tamper of the gas can be detected, whereby the tamper of the gas can be prevented. The gas meter device includes an appliance determining unit 6 for determining a gas appliance being used and a tamper determining unit 7 which determines that the gas is used without authorization in the case where the particular flow-rate change profile different from an appliance determining value registered in a registration storage unit 5 is generated.

Claims

1. A gas meter device, comprising:

a flow-rate measuring unit which is coupled to a gas supply pipe for homes and measures a gas flow rate;

an appliance information input unit;

a registration storage unit which stores data registered by the appliance information input unit;

an appliance determining unit which compares appliance determining values registered in the registration storage unit with a gas flow-rate value measured by the flow-rate measuring unit to thereby determine a gas appliance being used; and

a tamper determining unit configured to;

determine whether a particular flow-rate change profile generated by a change in flow rate is different from the appliance determining values registered in the registration storage unit;

based on a determination that the particular flow-rate change profile is different from the appliance determining values, determine whether there is a continuation of a given flow rate in the gas flow-rate value measured by the flow-rate measuring unit over a predetermined time period; and

based on a determination that there is a continuation of the given flow rate in the gas flow-rate value measured by the flow-rate measuring unit over the predetermined time period, determine the gas used corresponding to the particular flow-rate change profile is used without authorization.

2. A gas meter device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pressure measuring unit which measures a pressure of the gas within the gas supply pipe, wherein

the tamper determining unit determines that the gas is used without authorization in a case where, in addition to that the particular flow-rate change profile generated by a change in flow rate is different from the appliance determining value, the pressure of the gas measured by the pressure measuring unit reduces rapidly.

3. A gas meter device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a seismoscope which detects vibration of the gas meter device, wherein

the tamper determining unit determines that the gas is used without authorization in a case where, in addition to that the particular flow-rate change profile generated by a change in flow rate is different from the appliance determining value, the seismoscope detects abnormal vibration.

4. A gas meter device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a gas interruption valve which interrupts the gas when it is determined that the gas is used without authorization, wherein

the tamper determining unit continues the gas interruption valve to interrupt the gas until the interruption is released by a management company.

5. A gas meter device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display portion which displays, when it is determined that the gas is used without authorization, the tamper.

6. A gas meter device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a notifying unit which notifies, when it is determined that the gas is used without authorization, the tamper to a management company in real time.

7. A gas meter device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a tamper storage unit which stores, when it is determined that the gas is used without authorization, the tamper; and

a notifying unit which notifies a stored content of the tamper storage unit to a management company periodically at a predetermined timing.

8. A gas meter device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a tamper storage unit which stores, when it is determined that the gas is used without authorization, the tamper; and

a notifying unit which notifies a stored content of the tamper storage unit in accordance with an inquiry from a management company.

9. A gas meter device according to claim 1, wherein the flow-rate measuring unit is an ultrasonic measuring type.

10. A gas supply system using the gas meter device according to claim 1.

11. A gas meter device according to claim 1, wherein the given flow rate indicates an arbitrary flow rate outside a particular threshold range.

12. A gas meter device according to claim 1, wherein the given flow rate indicates a particular flow rate below a threshold value.

13. A gas meter device comprising:

a flow-rate measuring unit which is coupled to a gas supply pipe for homes and measures a gas flow rate;

an appliance information input unit;

a registration storage unit which stores data registered by the appliance information input unit;

an appliance determining unit which compares appliance determining values registered in the registration storage unit with a gas flow-rate value measured by the flow-rate measuring unit to thereby determine a gas appliance being used;

a gas type storage unit which stores gas type supplied into the gas supply pipe at a time of normal use;

a gas type determining unit which determines gas type being supplied at present;

a tamper determining unit which determines that the gas is used without authorization when;

a particular flow-rate change profile generated by a change in flow rate is different from the appliance determining values registered in the registration storage unit, and

the gas type determined by the gas type determining unit differs from the gas type stored in the gas type storage unit.

14. A gas meter device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a gas interruption valve which interrupts the gas when it is determined that the gas is used without authorization, wherein

the tamper determining unit continues the gas interruption valve to interrupt the gas until the interruption is released by a management company.

15. A gas meter device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a display portion which displays, when it is determined that the gas is used without authorization, the tamper.

16. A gas meter device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a notifying unit which notifies, when it is determined that the gas is used without authorization, the tamper to a management company in real time.

17. A gas meter device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a tamper storage unit which stores, when it is determined that the gas is used without authorization, the tamper; and

a notifying unit which notifies a stored content of the tamper storage unit to a management company periodically at a predetermined timing.

18. A gas meter device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a tamper storage unit which stores, when it is determined that the gas is used without authorization, the tamper; and

a notifying unit which notifies a stored content of the tamper storage unit in accordance with an inquiry from a management company.

19. A gas meter device according to claim 13, wherein the flow-rate measuring unit is an ultrasonic measuring type.

20. A gas supply system using the gas meter device according to claim 13.