• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
  • 同族专利
  • 引用文献
  • 法律状态
  • 优先权
    • 专利摘要:
    A system for detecting a change on a moving surface, for example in the area of color and / or texture, comprising: at least one light-generating device for generating light directed at the moving surface; and at least one light sensor to detect the light reflected from the moving surface; wherein the change on the moving surface, for example on the plane of color and / or texture, is detected on the basis of the light reflected by the light sensor.
    公开号:BE1024178B1
    申请号:E2016/5526
    申请日:2016-06-30
    公开日:2017-11-29
    发明作者:Velthoven Robrecht Van；Michaël Burm；Olivier Decroupet；Goethem Luc Van；Renaud Ligot
    申请人:Electrabel Nv；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING A CHANGE ON ONE
    MOVING SURFACE
    Domain of the invention
    The invention relates to systems and methods for detecting a change on a moving surface, for example a rotating disk of an electricity meter provided with a marking.
    BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
    The following problems are identified within the domain of sensors for detecting the rotation of a disk with a mark in an electricity meter: • It is not possible to use advanced sensors or sensor systems at a highly variable distance from an electricity meter. Moreover, there are additional difficulties when the watt-hour meter is enclosed in a transparent / translucent cabinet on top of the meter's glass housing. • Disturbing effect of ambient light - variable from dark at night to very bright sunlight. • Installing a sensor requires specific technical treatment to initiate the detection. • The sensor obstructs the visibility of the meter: the details of the electricity meter can no longer be read if the sensor is installed for detection. The sensor is either fixed or it is cumbersome to remove and / or reinstall. Moreover, it is impossible to place the sensor in exactly the same position as before.
    A solution must be found for the problems described above. Object of the invention
    It is an object of the invention to provide systems and methods for detecting a change on a moving surface, which can be applied at a variable distance to achieve the same end result, which can be used with any ambient light and which have an automatic self-learning or self-adjusting calibration. in an easily removable and reproducible manner.
    Summary of the invention
    The first aspect of the invention consists in a system for detecting a change on a moving surface, for example in the area of color and / or texture, comprising: at least one light-generating device for generating light directed at the moving surface; and at least one light sensor to detect the light reflected from the moving surface; wherein the change on the moving surface, for example on the plane of color and / or texture, is detected on the basis of the light reflected by the light sensor. The light that is reflected by the moving surface mainly comes from the light-generating device. Such a system can, for example, detect a marking on a rotating disk of an electricity meter. In addition, the system can be used, for example, when the moving surface is the edge of a rotating disk, and the detected change or marking on the rotating disk can be used to detect the rotations of the disk. Instead of an electricity meter, the system can more generally also be used for other meter types equipped with a marked rotating disk, as described above.
    Moreover, the system can be characterized in that it contains a housing in which the devices, more particularly the light-generating device, the light sensor and a component or system for detecting the moving surface, are mounted. The inside of the housing of these devices can be adjusted or edited, eg blackened, to prevent internal light reflections in the system that might otherwise be captured directly or indirectly by the light sensor. Such internal reflections can disrupt or cancel the signal of the light reflected from the moving surface.
    The system may further comprise a number of optical means, such as lenses for focusing the light emitted by the light-generating device and / or the light reflected by the moving surface; wherein the optical means for the light emitted by the light-generating device is differently oriented than the optical means for the reflected light before it is captured by the light sensor. The different orientation is, for example, determined by the fact that the optical axis of the lens for the emitted light, also called the emitting lens, is no longer parallel to the optical axis of the lens for the reflected light, also called the receiving lens. In other words: the optical axis of the lens for the reflected light differs, for example, light from the parallel (with respect to the optical axis of the lens for the emitted light) and is therefore placed at a certain angle. For example, by tilting the receiving lens further inwards - apparently closing the optical setup - the signal received by the light sensor can be further concentrated and improved, because the tilt causes the light to fall into the light sensor perpendicularly. In accordance with an arrangement of the invention, the light emitted lens is mounted in the system with its optical axis to a large extent perpendicular to the moving surface and is positioned in such a way that the distance from the lens to the moving surface is similar to or nearly equal to the distance between the lens for the reflected light and the moving surface. In other words: both lenses are largely in the same optical plane at a certain distance from the moving surface.
    Moreover, the inside of the housing of the devices of the system, in which the optical means are also arranged, can be further adapted to prevent internal reflections in the system by providing physical barriers. In particular, these physical barriers are provided between the optical means.
    The system can also be equipped with an additional light-generating device to generate light that is emitted in the direction of the moving surface; and with an additional light sensor to capture the light reflected from the moving surface; wherein the change on the moving surface, for example in terms of color and / or texture, is again detected on the basis of the light reflected by the additional light sensor; and comparing the twice detected change on the moving surface to generate additional information about the movement of the moving surface. In other words, the system can include two light-generating devices to generate light that is emitted to the moving surface, whereby two light sensors can be used to capture the light reflected from the moving surface. The two light-generating devices, or light sources, are preferably mounted in such a way that the light generated by them is directed in parallel. As a result, two parallel light beams are emitted from the respective light sources. By detecting the change twice, more specific information can be gathered about the movement itself of the moving surface. For example, in the case of a rotating disc with a marking, such as with an electricity meter, the direction of rotation of the disc can be determined by the marking being detected twice, while only the speed and the number of revolutions can be detected if the marking is only once detected.
    The described system may comprise an LED and an associated driver as a light-generating device, while the light sensor is, for example, a photo-transistor.
    A special feature of the system, which comprises at least one light-generating device with associated optical means, designated as emitting lens, and at least one light sensor with associated optical means, designated as receiving lens, is furthermore that there is a special relationship between the position of the emitting lens lens and the receiving lens. What's more, when detecting the outside of a rotating disc, the optical axis of the radiating lens does not necessarily coincide with the diameter of the disc perpendicular to the plane of the radiating lens, but can be positioned off-set , therefore at a certain distance from the extension of this diameter. Moreover, there may be a special relationship between this certain offset distance on the one hand and the distance between the radiating lens and the receiving lens on the other. In accordance with an arrangement of the invention, when this latter relationship is also associated with the field of view of the light sensor or phototransistor used, the allowable distance of the system from the mounting surface becomes highly variable, without affecting the interpretation of the signal for detecting a marker on a rotating surface. For example, the receiving lens condenses the light reflected from the moving surface in one specific direction to obtain a compressed elliptical image instead of a circle. That is why the signal is compressed for efficient and optimum detection.
    In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, a method is provided to detect a change in a moving surface, for example in the area of color and / or texture, wherein signal processing and signal conditioning are performed, for example sampling with a specific sampling frequency and filtering around a certain central frequency at which light from a moving surface is used and transformed into an interpretable signal to detect a change on the moving surface. With this signal processing and signal conditioning, the influence of ambient light factors - either nightly dark or bright sunlight - is excluded, so that the signal can be interpreted correctly.
    In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, a method is provided for detecting a change on a moving surface, for example in the area of color and / or texture, signal processing being performed so that at least two thresholds are automatically generated for a change to occur. detect a moving surface. In addition, these thresholds can be self-adjusting or self-learning, for a constantly updated signal calibration. In accordance with an arrangement, absolute and local minima are used for this signal processing and signal calibration. With this signal processing the influence of dirt, aging, temperature, discoloration or other wear factors is excluded for a correct interpretation of the signal.
    In accordance with a fourth aspect of the invention, a method is provided for detecting a change in a moving surface, for example in the area of color and / or texture, comprising: a housing in which the devices of the system are mounted; and at least one support for removable mounting of the housing of the system on a mounting surface, from which a change on the moving surface can be observed; wherein the support is provided with an adhesive tape, and with mechanical obstacles corresponding to a mechanical obstacle on the housing. As a result, the system can be adapted to be detachably mounted on a mounting surface for an arrangement where a change must be detected on a moving surface, for example in terms of color and / or texture. The support is for example provided with at least two bumps and nearby notches. The housing of the system is, for example, provided with a pin corresponding in shape and size to one of the two notches in the support. The support can be fixed in at least two positions: a first position, with the pin of the housing in a first notch, can be used to promote correct positioning of the system on the mounting surface, while a second position, with the pin of the housing in a second notch can be used to press the support against the mounting surface. Moreover, when the pressure surface of the support is provided with an adhesive, such as double-sided adhesive tape, the support can be fixed on the mounting surface. In accordance with an arrangement of the invention, the bumps and notches differ in size and / or shape: a thick, large bump is chosen to press the support against the mounting surface with considerable force; a small bump is specifically designed to maintain a certain position, but also to be able to easily remove the housing and reattach it to the support. Note: the principle of the detachable attachment with respect to the invention described above also applies in other circumstances, occasions or applications where there is not necessarily a detection or measurement system, but where a specific system or device is regularly installed, attached, removed and, if necessary, reattached and removed again in the same mounting position - in a particularly user-friendly way.
    In accordance with a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided associated software, a computer program, and a permanently machine-readable storage medium for storing such a computer program. One aspect of the invention can be combined with another aspect of the invention, and preferably one or more of the aspects of the invention are combined with each other, as this results in additional technical advantage, in particular the synergistic effect of the combination of aspects within these domains (such as physical / mechanical choices versus signal choices versus signal processing) is worth mentioning.
    Description of the drawings
    Figure 1 is a schematic representation of the functional diagram of a sensor system in an application in accordance with an arrangement of the present invention.
    Figure 2 illustrates an exploded view of the sensor system in accordance with an arrangement of the invention.
    Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the support in different views in accordance with an arrangement of the invention.
    Figure 5 illustrates the mounting position of the support in accordance with an arrangement of the invention.
    Figure 6 illustrates the printing position of the support in accordance with an arrangement of the invention.
    Figure 7 illustrates one side of the housing assembly part in accordance with an arrangement of the invention.
    Figure 8 illustrates the other side of the housing assembly part, provided with PCB and connector, in accordance with an arrangement of the invention.
    Figure 9 illustrates the assembly part of the housing in accordance with an arrangement of the invention.
    Figure 10 shows in detail the bottom view of the snap button shown in Figure 9.
    Figure 11 illustrates the housing cover in accordance with an arrangement of the invention.
    12 (a) and (b) illustrate the optical concept in accordance with the invention.
    Figure 13 illustrates the lens plate with lenses in accordance with an arrangement of the invention.
    Figure 14 illustrates the optical alignment of light source and receiver in accordance with an arrangement of the invention.
    Figure 15 illustrates the reduction detection and threshold determination in accordance with an arrangement of the invention.
    Detailed description
    A sensor system is designed to be mounted on an electricity meter or its housing and to optically detect the rotations of the meter disc. The revolutions are detected by directing the light of two LEDs onto the disk and detecting the presence of the black or red mark on the disk by means of the drastic change or decrease in reflected light caused by two phototransistors. Two sets of LED and phototransistor are used to enable the sensor system to detect not only the rotations of the disk but also its direction of rotation.
    The sensor system processes the data from the phototransistors internally to obtain the necessary information about the rotation of the meter disc. As soon as a revolution is detected, a pulse is sent to the meter module. A register of the total number of revolutions is also kept internally, so that a meter module system can consult this if necessary.
    Each part of the sensor system is described in detail below: - Mounting mechanism - Housing - Optical system - PCB and components - Algorithms and processing
    The installation and use of the sensor system are also described separately in the following sections.
    Finally, an overview is given of the challenges that are overcome by this invention.
    Detailed description of the drawings
    In accordance with an arrangement of the invention, the apparatus consists of a number of different parts, as shown in Figure 1. This figure is a functional diagram of the sensor system 100 mounted on the meter box 103 of a watt-hour meter 102, which comprises a rotating disk 101 The meter box 103 is, for example, a transparent or translucent box of Plexiglas or an ordinary glass type. In more detail, the sensor system 100, which is mounted on the outer wall of meter box 103 ', consists of components and functions indicated by dotted lines. For example, a mounting mechanism 105 is provided for mounting the housing of the sensor system 130 on the wall of the cabinet 103 '. Within the housing 130 a PCB 120 with electronic components is provided, as well as an optical system 142, comprising lenses 140 with optional filters and light sources 144 and light receivers 145. The signal received by a light receiver 145 - also in connection with the PCB 120 - is transmitted for signal conditioning by a signal conditioning element 124 and for further processing by a central processing unit or CPU 123. The CPU 123 is also in direct contact with a driver 121, which is connected to the PCB 120, around the light sources 144 under the control of the CPU 123 of to provide power. By means of an external meter module 104, information can be supplied about the power stage of 126 of, for example, an electrical household, while this external meter module 104 is per se controlled by the CPU 123 of the sensor system 100. Images and more detailed diagrams are referred later, when the specific parts of this diagram are discussed.
    A cut-away view of the arrangement of the sensor system 200 is shown in Figure 2, as well as a meter 202 or a meter box 203 on which the sensor system 200 can be mounted. This sensor system 200, as illustrated in Figure 2, comprises the following parts: a lid 210 as part of the housing 130, a PCB 220 and a connector 222 and a cable 225 mounted thereon on the meter module 104, an assembly part 230 of the housing 130 a lens plate 240, mounting brackets 250, and screws 260. Neither the driver 121, nor the light sources 144 and light receivers 145 are shown here, but are mounted on and connected to the PCB 220.
    Fixing mechanism
    In accordance with an arrangement of the invention, the sensor system 100, 200 can be placed on any meter 102, 202 or meter box 103, 203 with a flat and transparent or translucent surface 103 'large enough to mount the sensor system for the meter disc 101. The mounting mechanism 105 developed for this sensor system 100, 200 offers numerous advantages. It makes it possible to position the sensor system 100, 200 on a meter 102, 202 or a meter box 103, 203 without the need for additional tools. It also allows a user to remove the sensor system 100, 200 and leave the supports 250 in their position. This allows the meter index to be easily read without the sensor system 100, 200 being in the field of view. Thereafter, the sensor system 100, 200 can easily be reassembled on the four supports 250 that remained on the meter 102, 202 or meter box 103, 203.
    The mounting mechanism 105 consists of four supports 250, 350, 450, different views of which are illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. The supports 250, 350, 450 are mounted within the housing 130, more specifically within the assembly part 230 of the sensor system 100, 200 , by means of snap fasteners or a snap system 351 with bumps and notches. Double sided Very High Bond tape 456 is used to attach the supports 250, 350, 450 to the transparent surface 103 'and to hold these supports 250, 350, 450 in their position, as shown in Figure 4. In accordance with an arrangement of the invention, the surface provided with double-sided adhesive tape is not completely arbitrary, but is well chosen. The number of surfaces with attached supports are also part of the design. It appears that a specific mounting surface is better divided into four smaller mounting zones instead of concentrating the mounting surface on a single large zone. In a first example, the supports 250, 350, 450, 550 are held in position within the housing assembly part 230, 530 - and engaged with the aid of a pin 531 - as described in Figure 5. This allows the user to adjust the sensor system 100 200 move to the surface 103 ', 503' where it can be applied without the tape 456 coming into contact with the surface. Once the sensor system 100, 200 is in the correct position, the supports 250, 350, 450, 550, 650 can be pressed against the surface 103 ', 603', as shown in Figure 6. This causes the double-sided tape 456 to come onto the support 250, 350, 450 in contact with meter 102, 202 or meter box 103, 203.
    Figure 3 shows that the supports 350 are provided with, for example, at least two bumps 352, 354 and adjacent notches 353, 355 in a longitudinal support rod 356. Again, Figure 5 shows that the assembly part 530 of the housing of the system is for example is provided with a pin 531 corresponding in shape and size to one of the two notches 553, 555 in the support 550. As a result, the support 550 can be fixed in at least two positions: a first position, with the pin 531 of the housing in a first notch 555, can be used to promote correct positioning of the system 100, 200 on the mounting surface, as illustrated in Figure 5, while a second position of the housing pin 631 in a second notch 653 can be used to pressing support 650 against mounting surface 603 ', as shown in Figure 6. When the pressure surface of support 650 is additionally provided with an adhesive, such as two-sided adhesive tape, the support 650 can be attached to the mounting surface 603 '. In accordance with an arrangement of the invention, the bumps and notches may differ in size and / or shape. For example, as shown in Figure 6, a thick large hump 654 can be particularly chosen to press the support 650 against the mounting surface 603 'with considerable force, while a small hump 652 is specifically designed to maintain a certain position, but also to be able to easily remove the assembly part 630 from the housing and re-attach it to the support 650.
    Housing
    As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the housing 130 of the sensor system 100, 200 in accordance with an arrangement of the invention consists of two major parts. A first black part 230 on the side of the meter 102, 202 holds the lenses 140, equipped with a lens plate 240, the PCB 120, 220 and the four supports 250. This assembly part 230 must be black to internal reflections of the light from prevent the light sources 144, for example the light from the LEDs to the light receivers 145, e.g. phototransistors, which could negatively influence the correct interpretation and operation of the sensor system 100, 200. The second part or cover 210 is located on the rear of the sensor system 100, 200 and serves primarily to close the housing 130 of the sensor system, which is necessary to achieve the IP51 standard for the sensor system 100, 200 (in connection with including water-drip and dust-free applications).
    Figures 7-10 illustrate the assembly member 230, 730, 930 of the housing 130 in accordance with an arrangement of the invention. Figure 7 shows the inside of the assembly part 730 on which the PCB is held in position by the snap fasteners 701, more specifically for fixing, and the pins 702, more particularly for positioning. As can be clearly seen in Figure 2, the inside of the assembly member 230 is partially oriented toward the housing cover 210. A baffle 703 is provided between the leds 144 and the photo transistors 145 as a physical barrier to limit or exclude internal reflections. The assembly part 730 with the PCB 820 and connector 822 mounted thereon is shown in Figure 8. Figure 9 shows the so-called outside of the assembly part 930, i.e. the side facing the meter disc 101. As shown in Figure 2, the lens plate 240 is positioned and secured with a snap button 901. This is shown in more detail in Figure 10, where the lens plate 1040 is mounted on the assembly part 1030 and further secured by means of the snap button 1001. A perspective view of the cover 1110 is shown in Figure 11, around a water-drip and dust-free system to ensure. Both housing parts are attached to each other by means of four screws 260, as described above with respect to the cut-away view of Figure 2.
    Optical system
    In accordance with an arrangement of the invention, the main challenge of the optical system 142 is to provide optimum signal quality over a distance d with a large variable distance range of 0.5 cm to 10 cm between the outer wall 1203 of the case mounted sensor system 1200 and the meter 1202 itself, without any adjustments having to be made during installation. The reflective properties of disc 1201 with the marking can vary from very glossy over matte to ribbed. The designed optical system can handle all these influences without any adjustment.
    This is achieved through the optical concept, as illustrated in Figure 12 (a) and (b). The selected light source is an LED. The LED projects light onto a disk 1201 in a parallel beam through a first type of lens 1205. The beam is perpendicular to prevent reflections from the meter window or meter box directly to the receiving phototransistor. The light reflected from the outer edge of the disk 1201 is received by a phototransistor after it has passed through a second type of lens 1204.
    Taking into account the field of view of the phototransistors, the distances L1 and L2 are optimized to capture a good signal despite variables such as distance range, disk diameter and thickness, reflective properties of the disk, transparency and color of the meter box, ... without adjustments have to be made.
    In accordance with an arrangement of this invention, the lens plate is a single piece of PMMA or plexiglass made from injection molding that comprises four different lenses: two for the LEDs and two for the phototransistors. The PMMA material is chosen, for example, because of the compromise between manufacturability and functionality. Figure 13 shows the lens plate 1300, with the stated lenses 1304 and 1305. The central, cylindrical lenses 1305 are for the LEDs, while the outer lenses 1304 are for the phototransistors. It is envisaged that recesses 1301 are provided in the lens plate under the press studs of the housing, the openings 1302 between the outer lenses and the rest of the plate 1300 being made in such a way that they reflect internal LED light to the lenses. of the phototransistors.
    Each lens 1304, 1305 is specifically designed for a sensor system in accordance with this invention. The LED lenses are cylindrical lenses that provide a focused light beam that creates a round point with a diameter of 8-10 mm. These lenses 1305 are designed as Fresnel lenses to prevent a plastic component from being too thick to be formed. Thanks to the small opening angle of the light beam emitted by the LEDs, the sensor system can be used over a large distance range to the meter, while the size of the point does not change significantly with distance. The lenses of the phototransistors, which are also designed as Fresnel lenses, focus the field of view of each phototransistor in a horizontal line of a certain thickness for an elliptical view, as shown in Figure 14. In this image, the phototransistors have been replaced by red colored LEDs to enable visualization of the optical alignment between light source and receiver. The lenses of the phototransistors are lightly directed or tilted toward the center of the disk, thereby maximizing the amount of LED light reflected by the phototransistors.
    The LED points are not focused on the disc itself, but on infinity and the emitted light beams run parallel to each other and perpendicular to the meter. This creates two points of constant size, independent of the distance between the sensor system and the disc, so that the sensor system can be used over a large distance range of 0.5 mm to 10 cm. PCB and components
    The PCB and its components are based on advanced existing and available as standard, i.e., unmodified or modified, material, although specific components, including the LEDs and the phototransistors, may be specially selected for an arrangement of the invention.
    Algorithms and processing
    Due to the large number of operations to be described in this chapter, each step is described in the logical sequence for signal processing. The steps for 'Signal generation' to 'Marker detection' are performed independently in both signal channels. The 'Turn detection' step requires a correct result of both signals (Left and Right).
    Signal generation
    The signal is generated by two blue LEDs that project light onto the meter disc. Each LED is modulated with a frequency of 1 kHz. The blue light was chosen to ensure that it is absorbed by all black and red marks or stripes on the meter disc. The modulation frequency was selected to make a clear difference between the intended LED light and undesired ambient light from many possible light sources present in households, such as incandescent lamps, LED lamps, halogen lamps, neon tubes, fluorescent compact lamps and HID lamps. This method is also used to make a clear difference between the intended LED light and the unwanted light from exposure to sunlight.
    Signal reception
    The signal used for the remainder of the processing is received by photo transistors and a 24-bit ADC, with a sampling frequency of 24 kHz. The resolution of the ADC was chosen to guarantee a sufficiently large resolution in all situations, from dark environments to direct sunlight.
    Although the signal is AC coupled, a 10-bit ADC is used to sample the operating point of the phototransistor. This is done to make a correction to normalize the signal.
    Signal conditioning
    The signal obtained from the 24-bit ADC is processed via the following steps: 1. The signal is sent through a digital Chebyshev bandpass filter, which is centered on the modulation frequency of 1 kHz. In this way the intended LED light is recognized and distinguished from light sources in the environment. 2. The filtered signal is compensated for changes in the sensitivity of the phototransistor due to fluctuations in the ambient light, by using the also sampled operating point. A calibration curve was measured and stored on the controller. 3. After compensation, the signal is rectified and the envelope is detected. In this process, the signal frequency is also lowered to limit the processor load.
    Marker detection
    Once the signal envelope has been calculated, the presence of the mark on the disk for the sensor system can be detected as a reduction in signal intensity created by the greater absorption of light by the black or red mark compared to the rest of the disk. As illustrated in Figure 15, the mark detection is performed by two thresholds 1501, 1502, the signal having to go below the lower threshold and then above the upper threshold for a mark to be detected. The thresholds are determined during the calibration procedure, as described below. In accordance with the arrangement, the absolute minimum 1503 and a local reduction 1504 are defined to define the thresholds 1501, 1502 that are used for marker detection and signal calibration. The thresholds are constantly updated to reflect changes in signal amplitude due to temperature fluctuations and component degradation.
    Rotation detection
    To determine whether a pulse is to be sent to the meter module to indicate a complete revolution of the disk, the algorithm uses the markings detected by the two sensors. A pulse is only taken into account once a mark has been detected by both sensors: a positive pulse (energy consumption is greater than possible energy production) if a mark is detected on the left phototransistor followed by the right phototransistor, and a negative pulse (energy production is greater energy consumption) in the reverse case.
    The algorithm is also resistant to a missed mark in one of the two signals and automatically corrects itself by adding two pulses if necessary.
    Directional changes due to the transition from consumption to production or vice versa are also correctly detected thanks to the algorithm that takes both signals into account before a decision is made on the transmitted pulse.
    Installation and use
    Installation by a technician
    The first step during the installation of the sensor system is the correct positioning of the sensor system for the meter disc. This can be done with the help of two LED spots. These spots must face the disc and be placed symmetrically to the left and right of the center of the disc. As soon as the position has been determined with the help of the LED spotlights, the four supports can be pressed against the cabinet and then attached as described above.
    Calibration
    The calibration of the sensor system is related to the determination of the thresholds, as described above. This calibration is performed automatically after the sensor system is switched on. This is therefore the case after installation by the installer but also as a repair method after the sensor system has been disconnected from the voltage. Note that the following detail about the procedure is performed independently for each signal channel.
    The calibration method consists of two parts: a start-up algorithm with a first rough version of the thresholds, and a refinement phase, in which these thresholds are refined and / or updated in order to maximize the immunity to noise and signal deviation. In accordance with an arrangement, the refinement phase never ends. I.e. that the thresholds are constantly adjusted during the life of the sensor system. 1. Start-up phase
    No valid thresholds were known at the start-up of the sensor system. To arrive at a first version of these thresholds, the algorithm keeps track of the minimum and the average of the signal. The thresholds are constantly being redefined between the two fluctuating measurements. At the same time, these thresholds are used to detect reductions in the signal. When a reduction is detected, the minimum of it is stored. When the last five stored minima are close enough to each other and quite far away from all other measured points, the start-up phase is considered successful and the controller continues with the refining phase. There are numerous additional controls to prevent the system from becoming active with a non-rotating disk. 2. Refinement phase
    In the refinement phase, the minimum of each reduction and the minimum between two reductions are measured and then used to update an exponentially moving average. These slowly adapting versions are used to update the thresholds. In this way the thresholds evolve along with any deviations due to aging or thermal influences.
    The sensor provides the installer with feedback after successful calibration by blinking the two LEDs in a predetermined way.
    Removal and repositioning
    The sensor can easily be removed from the meter, leaving only the four supports. In this way the meter index can be read more easily. The sensor system can withstand such use and continues to operate normally as soon as it is re-assembled and closed.
    List of challenges overcome with this invention • Large range (0.5 - 10 cm) o Optical design with parallel beams and light sensors or photo transistors with a large field of vision thanks to lenses that focus the light rays in circular points with a diameter of approximately 8 to 10 mm and the field of view of the light sensors focus in a horizontal line, avoiding sounds and reflections from around the disc o Centered positioning relative to the disc, no other requirement or turning required • Variable meter characteristics o Works with all meter discs (red or black marking, polished or ribbed disc) o Works with all meter boxes o Works when mounted directly on a meter if there is sufficient space to install the sensor system o Automatic and autonomous calibration, no input required • Variable environmental factors o Resistant to each type of ambient light thanks to modulated LED light and spell dpass filtering of the signals o Resistant to temperature fluctuations (day versus night, seasons, light ...) thanks to continuous monitoring of thresholds with respect to signal levels • Installation must be possible very quickly, in about 5 minutes. o Simple mounting mechanism, only requirement is that the light spots are symmetrically aimed at the meter disc o Automatic and autonomous calibration, no input required o One size fits everywhere, no adjustments are needed based on meter, environment, etc ... • The meter index must be able to be read o Fixing mechanism makes it easy to remove the sensor system to consult the meter index The sensor system continues to work when it is clicked back into position on the supports • Meters where both consumption and production are possible o Concept with two detection sites; makes it possible to determine the direction of rotation of the disc
    权利要求:
    Claims (17)
    [1]
    Conclusions
    A system for generating information about the movement of a moving surface, comprising: at least one light-generating device for generating light directed at said moving surface; and at least one light sensor to detect the light reflected from this moving surface; wherein a first change on this moving surface is detected based on the reflected light collected by this light sensor; this system further comprising an additional light-generating device for generating light that is emitted in the direction of the moving surface; and with an additional light sensor to capture the light reflected from the moving surface; wherein a second change on the moving surface is again detected based on the reflected light collected by the additional light sensor; wherein there is a relationship between the position of the light-generating device and the light sensor associated with the field of view of the light sensor, and wherein the twice-detected change on the moving surface is compared to generate additional information about the movement of the moving surface .
    [2]
    The system according to claim 1, further comprising a housing in which the light generating device, the light sensors and a processing system are mounted.
    [3]
    The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least a portion of the housing is provided with a non-reflective surface.
    [4]
    The system according to any of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: a first optical means to focus the light emitted by the light generating device and a second optical means to focus the light reflected from the moving surface; wherein the first optical means is oriented differently than the second optical means.
    [5]
    The system according to claim 4, wherein the first optical means and / or the second optical means are lenses.
    [6]
    The system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the optical axis of the first optical means is not parallel to the optical axis of the second optical means.
    [7]
    The system according to any of claims 4 to 6, wherein the first optical means is mounted in the system with its optical axis substantially perpendicular to the moving surface, and in such a position that the distance to the moving surface is similar to or nearly equal to the distance between the second optical means and the moving surface.
    [8]
    The system according to any of claims 2 to 7, wherein at least a portion of the housing is provided with physical barriers.
    [9]
    The system according to any of claims 4 to 7, wherein at least a portion of the housing is provided with physical barriers located between the first and the second optical means, respectively.
    [10]
    The system according to any of claims 2 to 9, wherein the light-generating device is a light-emitting diode or LED, and / or wherein the light sensor is a phototransistor.
    [11]
    The system according to any of claims 4 to 10, is characterized by the fact that there is a special relationship between the positions of the first optical means and the second optical means, respectively.
    [12]
    12. In accordance with one of Claims 4 to 11, wherein this particular relationship is characterized by the fact that there is a certain distance between the optical axis of the first optical means and the central axis of the moving surface, which is perpendicular at the plane of the first optical means.
    [13]
    The system according to claim 12, wherein this particular relationship is furthermore related to the field of view of the light sensor.
    [14]
    The system according to any of claims 2 to 13, further comprising at least one support for removable mounting of the housing on a mounting surface, from which the change on the moving surface can be observed; wherein the support is provided with an adhesive tape and with mechanical obstacles corresponding to a mechanical obstacle on the housing.
    [15]
    15. A method of generating information about the movement of a moving surface, wherein the light reflected from a moving surface is used and transformed into an interpretable signal, and signal processing is done in such a way that at least two thresholds are automatically generated to detect the change on the moving surface; wherein these thresholds are based on the absolute minimum and a local reduction in the signal.
    [16]
    A data processing system with the means for performing the method of claim 15, and optionally a computer program with a software code adapted to perform the method of claim 15.
    [17]
    A storage medium that can be read by a computer, including the computer program of claim 16.
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    WO2017211433A1|2017-12-14|
    EP3469311A1|2019-04-17|
    US10907987B2|2021-02-02|
    US20190271567A1|2019-09-05|
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    US5130641A|1990-11-29|1992-07-14|Amrplus Partners|Eddy wheel edge sensor|
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    FR2987440B1|2012-02-29|2014-03-07|Schneider Electric Ind Sas|METHOD FOR CALIBRATING AN APPARATUS FOR COUNTING TOWERS OF A MARKED MARK IN A CONSUMER COUNTER AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS FOR COUNTING TOWERS OF SUCH A MARK|
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    法律状态:
    2018-02-12| FG| Patent granted|Effective date: 20171129 |
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    EPEP16173930.5|2016-06-10|
    EP16173930|2016-06-10|EP16751487.6A| EP3469311A1|2016-06-10|2016-07-15|System and method for detecting a change on a moving surface|
    PCT/EP2016/066975| WO2017211433A1|2016-06-10|2016-07-15|System and method for detecting a change on a moving surface|
    US16/308,658| US10907987B2|2016-06-10|2016-07-15|System and method for detecting a change on a moving surface|
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