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I claim:
1. System for remote data collection comprising:
a plurality of local collection sites, each site comprising at least one
means for collecting data, said data collecting means comprising a
microcontroller;
data acquisition devices connected to said data collection means and
comprising said microcontroller, said data collection means collecting and
storing data from said data acquisition devices;
a first local communication network for each local collection site, said
first local communication network connecting said data acquisition devices
to the data collecting means of said local collection sites;
a central site comprising central monitoring and processing means and at
least one means for receiving and transmitting data, said data receiving
and transmitting means being connected to said central monitoring and to
said processing means,
a second communication network connecting said local collection sites and
said central site;
said data receiving and transmitting means receiving data transferred from
said plurality of local collection sites via said second communication
network and transmitting said received data to said central monitoring and
processing means for processing;
said data collecting means having means for simultaneously sending a
collective data capture command to said data acquisition devices, to
thereby cause said data acquisition devices to acquire data at a same time
instant, said data acquisition devices further comprising means for
transmitting said acquired data in an asynchronous manner to said data
collecting means.
2. System according to claim 1, wherein said central monitoring and
processing means communicate to the local collection means of each local
site time-related informations, during a communication sequence between
said local site and the central site.
3. System according to claim 2, wherein said time-related informations
include a next transfer moment.
4. System according to claim 2, wherein said time-related informations
include a clock synchronization signal.
5. System according to claim 1, wherein said data acquisition devices
comprise intermediate sockets each inserted between an electrical supply
plug and an item of electrical equipment, said intermediate sockets
delivering information representative of an electrical energy consumed by
said electrical equipment, said first network being an electrical
distribution network supplying said electrical equipment and on which the
data generated by said intermediate sockets is transmitted to said local
collection means by a transmission process using carrier currents.
6. System according to claim 1, wherein said data acquisition devices
comprise intermediate sockets each inserted between an electrical supply
plug and an item of electrical equipment, said intermediate sockets
delivering information representative of an electrical energy consumed by
said electrical equipment, and wherein said first network comprising
radio-frequency communications means.
7. System according to claim 6, wherein said intermediate sockets each
comprise means for measuring at least one physical variable, means for
storing a measurement data, and means for transmitting on said second
network said measured and stored data to the local collection means.
8. System according to claim 7, wherein said at least one physical variable
comprises a variable representative of an energy consumed by a load.
9. System according to claim 5, wherein said local collection means
comprise means for periodically generating on the first network read
pulses destined for the intermediate sockets, and, on reception of a read
pulse, the intermediate socket records an instantaneous consumption of
energy and then transmits said instantaneous consumption of energy to the
local collection means.
10. System according to claim 1, wherein said local sites comprise, as said
acquisition devices, management terminals connected to telephone lines
which are connected to each of said local sites, said local collection
means being arranged so as to identify and to selectively store any data
transmitted between said management terminals and remote management
centers via said telephone lines.
11. System according to claim 1, wherein said local collection means
comprise means for collecting measurements of at least one of the
following physical variables:
an energy consumed by a load,
a power absorbed by a load,
a current intensity output to a load,
a voltage at the terminals of a load.
12. System according to claim 1, wherein said first local communication
network is a Local Area Network (LAN), and said second communication
network is a Wide Area Network (WAN), and said local data storage means
further comprise means for polling said data collection means to retrieve
and store said collected data.
13. Method of remotely collecting data from a plurality of local collection
sites, each site comprising at least one means for collecting data, each
data collecting means comprising at least one data acquisition device
connected to said data collection means and comprising said
microcontroller, a first local communication network for each local
collection site, said first local communication network connecting said
data acquisition devices to said data collecting means of said local
collection sites, a central site comprising central monitoring and
processing means, and a second communication network connecting said local
collection sites and said central site, said method comprising the steps
of:
at each of said plurality of local collection sites,
capturing data by said data acquisition devices;
collecting, via said first local communication network, said captured data
from said data acquisition devices;
storing said collected data in storage means connected to said data
collection means; and
at said central site,
transferring said stored data to said central site;
processing said transferred data;
said data capturing steps in each data acquisition device being
simultaneously initiated by a collective data capture command sent by said
data collection means, to thereby cause said data acquisition devices to
acquire data at a same time instant, and said steps of collecting data
from each data acquisition devices to said data collection means being
asynchronously initiated.
14. Method according to claim 13, wherein, at said central site, said
method further comprises a step of:
selectively configuring said local collection means by carrying out a
transfer of a set of operating parameters to said local collection means.
15. Method according to claim 13, wherein, at said central site, said
method further comprises a step of:
downloading, from said central site to at least one of said data collection
means, a program for a management of said local collection means.
16. Method for remote data collection according to claim 13, wherein said
local storage means transfer locally stored data to said central site,
said transfer taking place at the initiative of said local storage means,
said transfer taking place within a time window determined by said central
site, said time window being transferred to said local storage means
during a previous communication, and said central site, during each
transfer, transferring a new time window to said local storage means, said
new time window being effective for a next data transfer.
17. Method according to claim 16, wherein said step of transferring
collected data from said local collection means to said central site can
be triggered by a reception of a simultaneous information capture command,
said simultaneous capture command causing a capture of data at a precise
moment in time common to all of said local collection means and causing an
initiation of a data transmission session during which said data stored in
said data collecting means is asynchronously transmitted to said central
site.
18. Method according to claim 17, wherein an initiation of said
asynchronous information transmission session is synchronized during each
transfer by a master clock connected to said central site.
19. Method according to claim 16, wherein a time window is allocated by
said central site to each local collecting means, said local collecting
means transferring said data stored therein to said central site during
said time window, said local collecting means receiving, in response to
said data transfer, a new time window effective for a next data transfer.
20. Method according to claim 19, wherein said time window is calculated by
said central site from a number of local collecting means having been
assigned a time window from a point in time starting with said initiation
of said information transmission session, and from a number of
simultaneous central site access routes on said second telecommunication
network (WAN).
21. Method according to claim 16, wherein said method further comprises a
step of postponing a transfer of stored data when an activity having a
higher priority than said data transfer has been detected.
22. Process according to claim 16, wherein, at said local collecting means,
said method further comprises a step of:
actuating an emergency data transfer when said data transfer within said
time window has not been successful.
23. System for remote data collection according to claim 1, wherein said
second network is a public telephone network. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for remote data collection. It
also relates to a method implemented in this system and a data collection
device.
2. Description of the Related Art
The collection of data from geographically scattered sites, in particular
points of sale, carried out for statistical purposes takes on a
considerable economic significance when it constitutes, for example, one
of the links in a process for profit calculation. Such collection must be
carried out under the best possible reliability conditions without,
however, generating excess work, while offering great flexibility of
processing in particular with regard to the type of data to be collected
and to be processed.
A system for collecting statistical data is already known from the French
Patent Application No. 2635626 of 18th August 1988 in the name of IMS
FRANCE. However, this system has the drawback of making rational use of
the server center difficult due to the fact that it is the collection
devices which have control of the call times and that internal clock
derivatives of these devices have already been observed.
Moreover, the problem of adapting the system exists since it is necessary
to provide identification of new communication protocols.
Numerous remote information collecting systems are already known, in
particular for the measurement of physical variables, or more generally of
data acquired at local sites.
Thus the document IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin (Vol. 23 No. 11 April
1981) discloses a remote collection device designed to transfer collected
data at pre-determined times, via a telephone line, to a remote computer.
It is stated that the time for automatic dialling can be programmed so it
can be modified by the remote computer during a connection. This remote
collection device includes local means of storing, monitoring and
processing means and a modem.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,837 (GORDON) describes a communication network
between dwellings and a central communication and processing site,
intended for the collection of information relating to the measurement of
power, gas and water consumption. This remote collection system uses a
public telephone network for the transfer of measurement data collected at
the level of a local site to the central site. At the level of a dwelling
unit, the various measurement data is collected via input/output channels
connecting meters to a local collection unit.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,295 (McCONNELL) describes a system for sampling
appliances of a "juke-box" type via a telephone network. At the level of
each juke-box a data collector and a modem are provided, which are
arranged so as to collect and transfer data relative to the use of this
appliance to a central site. In this system, it is the central site which
contacts each local site by telephone and requests a transfer of stored
information.
The European Patent Application 0264311 (ELF FRANCE) discloses a process
for the transmission of information or measurement data from a local
measuring device installed at a remote site to a central interrogation
station at a central location where the data is processed, by using a
public telephone network while allowing normal use of the telephone line.
It includes the following stages:
transmission of a first call from the central station to the local station
on line of which the bell of the called station is momentarily disabled,
repetition, after a certain lapse of time, of the call by the central
station,
line seizure,
execution of the transmission procedure.
The International Application PCT W089/08959 (TELEMETRY RESEARCH) discloses
a process for the remote collection of information originating from meters
installed in dwellings, in particular power meters, by using a public
telephone network. In this system there is also a central site which takes
the initiative in establishing communication with the local collecting
devices and carries out a sampling operation of all the local sites.
In fact, current remote collection systems have the drawback of requiring
complex management of communications between the local sites and the
central site. Now, the main difficulties of remote collection reside in
the reliability and the availability of telecommunication media.
Therefore, ill-timed or unsuccessful calls contribute to considerably
lowering the efficiency and therefore the usefulness of remote collection.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the invention is to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a
system for remote data collection from a set of local collection sites to
a central site which contains central monitoring and processing means,
each local site containing local means for data collection and being
connected to a communication network.
According to the invention, the remote data collection system is
characterized in that:
at each local site, the local collection means are arranged so as to
identify and collect data originating from acquisition devices which is
transmitted over a first local area network serving said local site, and
include local means for storing this data,
and in that moreover the central site includes means for receiving via a
second network, in particular a telephone network, the data stored at each
local site in the local collection means in order to be processed by the
central means of monitoring and processing, each data transfer being
initiated by the local collection means concerned at a moment in time
which has been determined beforehand and communicated by the central means
of monitoring and processing.
In this way, with the system according to the invention, the data collected
locally is not processed locally, but simply stored prior to transfer to a
central site where it is then processed, this transfer being controlled at
the central site. Consequently it is no longer necessary to provide the
local collection means with complex means for the identification of the
organisation of the collected data, this identification being transferred
to the central site.
The first communication network is a local area network (LAN) which can use
wire, fiber-optic or radio-frequency means. This network can be, for
example, an electrical distribution network over which a transmission
technique by carrier currents is used.
The second network is a wide-area network (WAN) and more generally any
network for long-distance communication, with circuit or packet switching
or also leased lines. This second network can use any type of hardware
medium, in particular wire, fiber-optic or radio-frequency means. This can
be, for example, an analog or digital switched telephone network or a
cellular radio network.
The local collection means can be designed to collect measurements of
physical variables, in particular:
the energy consumed by a load,
the power absorbed by a load,
the current intensity output to a load, or
the voltage at the terminals of a load.
These physical variables may also be temperatures, illuminations, levels,
flow rates, or physical variables indicative of pollution.
It can also be envisaged that the local collection means are designed to
collect information representing binary states or values originating from
adding machines or also any other information available at a collection
point, for example, an image capture, financial information (point of
sale) or also information relating to evaluation of consumers' responses
and behavior to products and services which are offered to them.
According to another aspect of the invention, a remote collection system is
implemented in an environment containing several first local area networks
and a second wide-area network, characterized in that in addition it
contains, for each local area network, local storage points communicating
on the one hand, with local collection points via each first network, and,
on the other hand, communicating with the central site via the second
wide-area network, these local storage points being arranged to store the
data collected by the local collection points and to interrogate these
local collection points.
Also according to another aspect of the invention, the remote collection
procedure employed in the system according to the invention is
characterized in that it contains, at each local site, a stage for
identifying and collecting data originating from the acquisition devices
which is transmitted over a first network, in particular an electrical
distribution network, serving this local site, followed by a stage for
storing the data locally at the central site, a stage for transferring the
said stored data to the central site, followed by a stage for processing
the said transferred data, each data transfer being initiated at the local
site at a moment in time or during an interval of time determined
beforehand and communicated by the central site.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will also be apparent
from the description hereafter.
In the attached drawings given as non-limitative examples:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of a remote collection
system according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of a remote collection
system according to the invention applied to the remote collection of
energy consumption information in dwellings;
FIG. 3 is a diagram of a particular embodiment of a remote collection
device according to the invention;
FIG. 4 shows the organisation of the file management in the system
according to the invention; and
FIG. 5 shows the general structure of a remote collection system according
to the invention using several first local area networks.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A first embodiment of the system according to the invention as well as the
process used will now be described.
A remote collection system 1 according to the invention includes, with
reference to FIG. 1, monitoring and processing means 3, 6, 7 within a
central site SC and local remote-collection devices D1, D2, DN, 10 within
a set of local sites S1, S2, SN, SL which can be, for example,
pharmaceutical dispensaries or other points of sale. These local sites S1,
S2, SN, SL are connected to the central site SC by a set of telephone
lines L1, L2, LN, 9 belonging to a telecommunication network, in
particular a telephone network 2.
As an example, a first local site S1 can be provided with a payment
terminal P1 connected to a local collection device D1, a second local site
S2 can be provided with a second payment terminal P2 connected to a second
local collection device D2 and a management terminal T2 connected to the
telephone line L2, while another local site SN may only be provided with a
management terminal TN connected to the telephone line LN. In the case of
the use of the system according to the invention for the collection of
statistical information relating to inventory control for pharmaceutical
dispensaries, a local site SL is generally provided with a terminal 8
intended for the management of orders to different distributors and a
conventional payment terminal 11 which can be connected to a local
collection device 10 via a Centronics-type connector generally used to
connect a printer. Other types of link can also be envisaged, used in
parallel or serial mode, for example an RS232C link.
Collection devices arranged to receive data observed on another network can
also be envisaged, for example, an electrical distribution network on
which carrier current information is transported, as suggested in FIG. 1
in which the collection device 10 is also connected to an external item of
equipment E which observes information transported over an electrical
energy distribution network R. Of course, the second network can be based
on the use of other transmission media, for example, infrared, radio or
wire means.
The local collection device 10 and the management terminal 8 are connected
to the telephone line 9 of the local site SL. A central remote collection
site SC according to the invention includes, with reference to FIG. 1, an
electrical power supply unit 4, a multiplexer 5, within a front-end
processor 3 containing a set of modulation/demodulation (modem) cards, for
example, up to the number 16, each connected to a telecommunication line,
and a monitoring and processing unit 6, for example a PC-type
micro-computer, generally connected to a host computer system 7. This
monitoring and processing unit 6 is designed to perform the following
functions:
management of communications between an operator and the system, in
particular in the form of window and pull-down menu presentations,
demultiplexing of collected data,
processing of this data in particular in order to sort it into files of
pre-determined format,
production of files associated with the telecommunications operations,
the non-volatile storage at least temporarily of the files resulting from
the operation of the system,
management of the operating functions of the remote collection system, in
particular:
the configuration of this system,
the remote maintenance of the collection devices,
the preparation of call lists allocating different operating parameters and
information fields necessary for the operation of the system to each call
number.
The telephone lines used by the remote collection system according to the
invention can be part of a private and/or public switched telephone
network and operate equally well with loop-disconnect or DTMF dialling or
any other method of transmission channel access.
The remote collection system according to the invention can be
advantageously applied to collecting data relating to electrical energy
consumption in dwellings and more generally on any premises.
Therefore, with reference to FIG. 2, a remote collection system 20 includes
a central site SC provided with a control and processing unit 6, a
communication device 3 and in each dwelling concerned with this system and
representing a local system SL, a local collection device 10 connected on
the one hand, via the local electrical energy distribution network R1, to
intermediate sockets 21-26 inserted between the electric plugs 31-36 and
the electrical equipment 41-46, and on the other hand, via a second
telecommunication network R2, for example the telephone network, to the
central site SC. In practice the local collection device 10 is connected
to the telecommunication network R2 by a telephone line L. The electrical
equipment concerned can be domestic electrical appliances such as a cooker
41, a refrigerator or deep-freeze 42, an item of electrical heating
equipment 43, a washing machine 44, an electrical water-heater 45 or also
lighting devices 46. Each intermediate socket continuously records the
energy consumed by the electrical equipment to which it is connected. When
an intermediate socket 21-26 receives a read command originating from the
local collection device 10, for example in the form of a reading pulse, it
then stores measurement information of the energy consumed, power and
voltage measurement information and transmits this information to the
local collecting device 10 via the electrical distribution network R1 by a
conventional transmission process using carrier currents. The local
collecting device 10 transmits the set of collected data to the central
site SC via the second telecommunication network R2 during a predetermined
time window or at a pre-determined moment in time which has been
communicated to it beforehand by the central site during a previous call.
A power acquisition module 50 can also be connected to the local area
network R1 in order to acquire data corresponding to currents which exceed
a predetermined current limit, for example 16 A. This acquisition module
50 can be, for example, employed to measure the energy of a set of
electrical equipment.
A communication interface 52 can also be envisaged between an electronic
electricity meter 51 installed at the front of the local energy
distribution network R1 and the telephone line L.
Each local collection device 10 contains, with reference to FIG. 3, a
monitoring and processing unit, for example, a microcontroller MC, a PROM,
EPROM, flash EPROM or EEPROM type non-volatile memory MP containing the
program executed by the microcontroller MC, a memory for storing the
collected data MR, for example, of backed-up RAM, EEPROM, flash EPROM or
hard disk type and communication circuits. These communication circuits
include a first interface set U1 with the telephone line 9 containing
activity detection means, dialling means 18, line seizure means 17 and
switching means 16, a communication set U2 containing for example two
modulation/demodulation (modem) circuits M1, M2 and a universal
asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART) circuit 14 connected to these
modulation/demodulation circuits M1, M2. The afore-mentioned circuits are
all connected to a data bus BD with which the microcontroller MC and the
memories MP and MR are interfaced. An address bus BA controlled on input
by the microcontroller MC is connected at least partially to the memory
circuits MP, MR and to an address decoder 15 which provides in particular
chip select signals (CS) to the different communication circuits. The
collection device is also equipped with a power supply unit 13 ensuring an
appropriate supply of electrical energy to the different circuits of the
device and a connector CC which allows external connection to the data bus
BD via a buffer register RT.
It should be noted that the control programs of the collection device can
be downloaded from the central site via the collection system means
according to the invention.
The use of the remote collection system according to the invention requires
a database which allows files to be produced or imported in ASCII format.
Of course conversion programs can be envisaged which are used so as to
allow the processing of data within the framework of a database which does
not directly integrate data in ASCII format.
The transfer via the switched telephone network of data which has been
collected and stored beforehand to the central processing site is carried
out using conventional file transfer methods, on the initiative of each
collection device within a time window communicated by the central site
during a previous call.
No data processing is carried out in the collection devices, all processing
being performed at the level of the remote collection center. In
particular the data collected is not filtered in the collection devices.
With reference to FIG. 4, the remote collection system according to the
invention uses a set of files stored in the local collection devices and
the central site SC. Each local memory contains an FDC file of the data
collected and an FCO file of the configuration of the local collection
device 10. Within the computer workstation 6 at the central site SC, the
collection system according to the invention manages an FID file which is
the same data collected at each local collection device, a set of files
intended for the computer system of the operator containing an FDR file of
reprocessed data, an FCT file of the status of telecommunication
operations and an FCR file of the status of data reprocessing, and an FST
file of the remote collection session provided by the computer system of
the operator if the latter wishes to automate the use of the system.
The parameters governing the operation of the collection devices and stored
in a non-volatile manner can be modified remotely from the central site. A
field which is representative of an operating profile can be
advantageously envisaged which can, for example, assume a numerical value
from 1 to 99, inclusive. A separate screen is associated with each value
of the operating profile which shows in an explicit manner the functional
choices chosen from the options available. A main screen arranged as a
control panel offers an overall view of the call list. The user of the
central site can therefore carry out printout, modification and back-up
operations for the parameters associated with an operating profile by
selecting the "Operating profile" field associated with each telephone
number.
When the storage memory of the collection device is full, an indication is
sent by the microcontroller at the time of the next data transfer, so as
to alert the central site of the status.
At the end of each successful remote data collection, the central site
transmits to the collection device concerned the current date and time,
the time of the next call, as well as, optionally, data leading to
modifications in the operating conditions of the local site during the
next period of data capture. Each successful remote collection causes the
resetting of the storage memory pointers so as to release all the
available memory space to store the data which will be collected during a
future data capture session.
In a more general form for implementing the invention, with reference to
FIG. 5, a remote collection system RCS according to the invention can be
envisaged which uses several communication networks, for example, two LAN,
LAN' (Local Area Network) networks, and a WAN (Wide Area Network)
telecommunication network. Each LAN, LAN' can accommodate several local
collection points PCL.sub.a, PCL.sub.b, PCL.sub.c ; PCL.sub.a ', PCL.sub.b
'. Some local collection points PCL.sub.a, PCL.sub.a ' collect, for
example, data originating from external sensors C.sub.a, C.sub.a ', other
local collection points PCL.sub.b, PCL.sub.b ' themselves have built-in
sensors C.sub.b, C.sub.b ', while local collection points PCL.sub.c can
also be envisaged which are designed to collect data originating from an
external device, for example, a management terminal. Local storage devices
PSL, PSL' are envisaged which are designed to store information collected
within a local area network and to pole the collection points. These local
storage devices are coupled to a second WAN network via network connecting
points. The central site SC contains a connection device DR to the second
WAN, information processing means CP and mass storage means MS.
Each local storage point PSL. PSL' receives and stores information
originating from the local collection points PCL.sub.a, PCL.sub.b,
PCL.sub.c ; PCL.sub.a ', PCL.sub.b ' with which it is in contact via the
first LAN, LAN'.
Within a time window determined by the central site SC and communicated to
the local storage point PSL, PSL' during the previous communication, the
local storage point PSL takes the initiative of calling the central site
SC in order to transfer the data stored locally and to obtain from the
central site the new time window for the next call.
Communications between the local storage points PSL, PSL' and the central
site SC transit via the second WAN.
Each local collection point PCL.sub.a, PCL.sub.b, PCL.sub.c ; PCL.sub.a ',
PCL.sub.b ' can send its data to a corresponding local storage point PSL,
PSL':
at determined times,
within a determined time window,
according to a local event.
Each item of information transmitted from local collection points
PCL.sub.a, PCL.sub.b, PCL.sub.c ; PCL.sub.a ', PCL.sub.b ' to local
storage points PSL, PSL' can be transmitted on the initiative of local
collection points or can have been triggered by the reception of a
synchronous data capture command. This command is sent periodically by the
local storage point PSL, PSL' of each LAN, LAN' at pre-determined times
which can be modified remotely from the central site SC from one
collection session to another. Reception of this command causes the
capture of information at a precise moment in time and the opening of the
session for the transmission of information to the local storage point
PSL, PSL' which may be asynchronous.
Time stamping can advantageously take place within the local storage point
PSL, PSL', which avoids having a time marking device in the local
collection points PCL.sub.a, PCL.sub.b, PCL.sub.c ; PCL.sub.a ', PCL.sub.b
'. All the information received in an asynchronous manner by the local
storage point PSL, PSL' following the synchronous sending of a collective
command for capture and transmission in the form of a reading pulse, can
receive the same time stamping in the local storage point PSL, PSL'.
All the local storage points PCL.sub.a, PCL.sub.b, PCL.sub.c ; PCL.sub.a ',
PCL.sub.b ' can be advantageously reset to the system time by a master
clock at the central site SC during each call.
Thus it is possible to send back time-stamped information to the central
site SC in a perfectly synchronous manner originating from a large number
of remote local sites. The synchronisation of information capture times
allows statistical calculations to be easily carried out over the entire
panel constituted by the local sites of the system. These calculations can
be carried out by means of conventional tools such as spreadsheets,
database management software, etc. For example, the curve of the load of
the electrical installations of the panel can be plotted for the different
uses, in an overall manner, for example, over 24-hour periods with a
resolution of 5 minutes.
A time window is allocated to each local storage point PSL, PSL' in which
to call the central site SC in order to transfer to it the data stored in
its local memory and to receive in return the new time window
corresponding to the next call. This window is calculated by the central
site from the number of local collection devices having been attributed a
window value starting from the opening time of the remote collection
session as well as the number of simultaneous access routes to the
telecommunication network.
The advantage of attributing a time window rather than a precise time is
that it allows the access time of the second network, the transmission
times for the transfer of data and a certain tolerance regarding the time
of each operation to be taken into account.
The use within a local storage point of an emergency call number can also
be envisaged, so as to allow this local storage point to call the central
site outside the normally-envisaged time window, when the normally
programmed communication and transfer has not been successful. The
actuation of this emergency number can allow intervention by the central
site in the form for example of a "back-up" without however disrupting the
normal operation of the remote collection. This emergency call should
preferably be carried out in working hours so as to allow the intervention
of an operator at the central site.
So that the use of networks to which each local site is connected is
disturbed as little as possible by this system, the local storage sites
PSL, PSL' can be equipped with a priority line seizure detection device so
as to interrupt any transmission or transmission attempt if priority use
of the second WAN network is detected.
Similarly, the equipment connected to the first LAN, LAN' can employ a
network access system designed to systematically postpone access to this
network when priority activity has been detected. The intervals of the
reading pulses triggering the transfer of information from the local
collection points PCL.sub.a, PCL.sub.b, PCL.sub.c ; PCL.sub.a ', PCL.sub.b
' to the local storage points PSL, PSL', as well as, if appropriate, the
parameter input conditions before triggering the transfer (transfer
according to events) can be advantageously downloaded by the central site
SC into the local storage points PSL, PSL' during each call.
Other local operating parameters for the equipment connected to the first
network can also be downloaded by the central site SC. For example, the
downloading of information relating to the minimum inactivity time before
transmission on the first network can be envisaged.
The local collection points PCL.sub.a, PCL.sub.b, PCL.sub.c ; PCL.sub.a ',
PCL.sub.b ' can be connected to devices for detecting the presence of
human beings, for counting the presence of human beings, for example, for
analytical uses regarding how frequently public places are used, for
measuring the effectiveness of advertising in sales outlets. The addition
of collection capabilities for the operating parameters of external
appliances also allows uses for audience measurement for audio-visual
media to be envisaged. The current tendency being towards an explosion of
audio-visual consumption points in the home, the system according to the
invention, thanks to the existence of the local area network, allows the
number of information capture points to be increased.
The invention is also particularly well suited to be used in Demand Side
Management. In particular, the following tasks can be carried out:
acquisition of an understanding of energy consumptions per use, as a
function of time and for given sites,
calibration of a statistical analysis system for consumption,
verification of the effects of implementing energy saving programs,
re-invoicing of consumptions, for example, in the different plots of a
camping site.
It can also be envisaged that the remote collection system according to the
invention may include local collection devices using non-intrusive methods
of estimating a physical variable, for example, the energy consumed at
energy consumption points for which it is not possible to install
measuring equipment.
Of course the present invention is not limited to the examples which have
just been described and numerous arrangements can be applied to these
examples without exceeding the scope of the invention.
Thus, a single-channel version of the system and of the process according
to the invention can be envisaged. Moreover, the characteristics of the
components constituting the collection devices are not limited to those
set out in the description and may change in line with the progress
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