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PRE-PAID
WATER CONSUMPTION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WITH SMART CARD |
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By the means
of this system, it is possible for the municipalities to
manage the water consumption of their consumers and for
the consumer to consume water at an amount for which he
bought credits before. So that, either the consumer will
able to control what amount of water he has consumed and
what amount he can consume more with the rest of his
credit at any time and the municipalities' water
administrations will be able to collect the cost of
water before it is consumed. Besides that the
administrations will get rid of the reading, billing and
terminating water processes where no meter reading
process takes place in pre-paid system and the billing
is made during the consumer is purchasing credit. The
system comprises of the following parts.
Water
meter with Smart Card
Smart
Card Credit Loading / Reading Centers (Credit Sales
Points)
Credit
Selling Points Control Center (Central PC)
1.- Credit Selling Points
Control Center :
In this center, the credit sales made from the Credit
Sales Points to the consumers are controlled. Besides
that, the information relating the user and the meter
carried to Sales Points by the smart card are checked.
2.- Smart Card Credit Loading /
Reading Centers (Credit Sales Points) :
The water credit sales are executed through these
centers. The consumers who need credits (who need water)
come to the Credit Sales Point. Upon his request and
need, certain amount of credit that is equal to certain
amount of water is loaded in his card and the billing is
made by the officer against the cash money. In this
respect, the processes like meter reading, billing after
consumption and difficulties in collecting water costs
will be removed. The smart card has a security password
inside and each smart card has its own password which
means each card is different from each other. When the
consumer comes to the credit sales point with his smart
card to purchase credit, the card is checked in PC. In
this check, it is controlled which municipality,
consumer and meter the card belongs to. According to the
data obtained from the card and the user, the card is
accepted or refused and the billing is made with
referance to the name of the consumer. If the data
obtained from the check of the card doesn't comply with
that obtained from the consumer, the card will not be
loaded.
3.- Water Meter with Smart Card
:
The water meter with smart card comprises Mechanical
Water Meter with Pulse Output, Valve Group, Electronic
Hardware, Battery Group, Electronic Software and Smart
Card.
3.1 - Mechanical Water Meter
with Pulse Output :
The Mechanical meter complies with ISO 4064 standard EEC
Directive 75/33. - Mechanical Meter Nominal Flowrate :
1,5 m3/h - Mechanical Meter Test Pressure : 16 bar -
Mechanical Meter Working Temperature : 30 oC The water
meter with pulse output converts the data obtained from
mechanical meter into an electrical signal by means of a
reed switch group that is activated by a permanent
magnet. It makes a sensitive reading and gives 2 pulses
per one liter.
3.2 - Valve Group :
The valve used in the system conforms with the related
ISO standard and TSE standard. The nominal working
voltage of the valve is 3,6 V DC but it can work
properly till the voltage is 2,6 V DC. The power
consumption of the valve is of the lowest ones to ensure
the longest life of the battery. The valve is actuated
within 20 ms either in opening and closing. Once the
valve is closed or opened it keeps its position until it
is activated again without consuming energy. So that it
saves the energy in the battery. The valve is able to
evaluate the opening/closing data sent from the
electronic hardware. The valve testing pressure is 16
bars.
3.3 - Electronic Hardware :
This unit controls the mechanical meter and the valve
group and establishes the communication of the system
with the water administration by means of the smart card.
The electronic hardware is a very unique one and all
components are gathered in one PCB. The sockets with
locks on them are used in designing the circuit to
ensure the rigidity of the system and facilitating the
assembly process. The electronic components used are
chosen with a great care and of the best quality.
3.3.1 - Display :
Thanks to the Alphanumeric LCD used, the characters can
be read easily. The characters with the height of 14 mm
written on a grey background can be read from a distance
of even 1 mt. without any difficulty and hindering the
eye look. When the display is active, its power
consumption is so low by the help of the Display Driver.
3.4 - Battery Group :
The battery group consists of two batteries with the
following capacities :
1 - Battery for supplying energy to the electronic
hardware.
2 - Battery for supplying energy to the valve.
Each of the batteries is Lithium C size and has a
voltage of 3,6 V and a capacity of 7,2 Ah. The shelf
life of the batteries is 10 years. Both of the batteries
are kept in their own battery protections. The batteries
connected with the locked sockets belonging to PCB
provide a speedy and an easy replacement with the new
ones. The batteries are located in the meter apart from
the meter and the valve group such that it is possible
for the water administration officers to replace the
batteries without dismantling the seal of the Ministry
of Industry. The charge of the batteries in the battery
group are checked by the electronic hardware continuosly.
The battery 1 is displayed as PYL-1 while the second
battery is displayed as PYL-2 on the LCD. If it is
detected that the voltage of any of the batteries is
lower than the working voltage or the batteries are out
of service because of any reason, the electronic
hardware record all the data and shuts down the valve.
3.5 - Electronic Software :
Thanks to the special software developed, the continuos
and secure data communication between the meter and the
valve group and the synchronization of the smart card
with the central PC has been established.
The datas that are carried by Smart Card are as follows
:
- The name of the Water Administration
- The type of the consumer
- The number of the consumer
- The number of the meter
- The diameter of the meter
- The information about the credits
- The information about the spare credits that will be
determined by the Administration
- The last date at which the credit has been loaded to
the meter
- The charge condition of the batteries
- The information about the valve malfunctioning
- The information about the meter malfunctioning
- The sign of interfering with the meter
- The sign of encountering a magnetic field
- The information about the consumption
- The authorization card operations
The datas and messages that maintain the system to be
controlled are as follows :
The Alarm Messages :
- Valve malfunctioning
- Meter malfunctioning
- Electronic Hardware and Valve Battery Charge
Information
- 'Meter is out of Credit' message
Date Information
Valve + Meter Control Information :
The main control unit checks if there is any alarm
message and if there is, warns the consumer by
displaying the messages on its display. The electronic
control units controls the amount of water that passes
through the meter and decreases the number of credits as
a function of the consumption. In case the meter is out
of credit and the valve is closed, the consumer inserts
his card into the meter to open the valve and run the
spare credit. The consumer can also observe on meter's
display the necessary information that he is consuming
the spare credit. In a certain period of time, if a
certain amount of consumption is exceeded by the
consumer that belongs to the first tariffe, the meter
switches to the second tariffe automatically. When this
period of time passes, the meter switches itself to the
first tariffe again. The information about the tariffe
and level of consumption can be loaded in the card with
3 different levels. In case of inquiry from the
consumer, the meter can make itself out of service for
certain period of time. (in case of holidays or absence
of the family for a long period of time). Checking the
levels of the batteries is made by the electronic
hardware continuosly. In case the battery level is lower
than the level it should be, all the datas are stored in
the memory. By means of the smart card, the information
about the battery levels are carried to the Credit Sales
Point letting the administration be informed too. In
case of a malfunctioning of the valve, a message 'VANA
ARIZA' is displayed. The meters goes on metering the
consumption and recording the consumption higher than
the amount of credit as the consumer's debt. In case of
the meter box is opened by the unauthorized people or
interfered deliberately, the electronic control unit
terminates the water flow by shutting off the valve and
records the date in smart card. After the maintenance is
performed by the administration, the system is updated
by the authorization card.
3.6 - Smart Card :
If a wrong card is inserted into the meter, the main
control unit identifies that card and warns the consumer
displaying a message. The cards used in control system
conforms with the ISO 7816 and they have secure memory.
Card Endurance : 100.000 cycles
Card Data Retention
: 100 years. The cards bear low power CMOS. The names of
the cards used in the system ; The Consumer Card :
By means of this card which has been assigned to the
consumer, the data transfer, data displaying and credit
purchasing processes can be executed. The Authorization
Card :
This card executes all the operations that
the Consumer Card does with the exception of the credit
loading. In necessary, one can change all the datas and
reload them with this card. Redundant Credit Card :
In case the consumer inquiries his redundant credits, he
makes back loading by using this card taking back the
credit loaded in the meter. After having finished this
operation, he delivers this card to the Credit Sales
Point and can take his money back. Switching Off Card :
This card is used by the water administration and
executes the meter switching off process by shutting off
the valve. Reset Card :
It is used to reset the
datas of the microprocessor in the electronic control
unit. Time Card :
It adjusts the date and the time
in the Electronic control unit.
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The Superior Specifications of Meter : |
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The length
of the meter is same with that of the conventional
mechanical meter which facilitates connecting the meter
to the network and replacing it with the old one. - The
electronic hardware is very sensitive with a minimum
reading resolution of 1 lt.
- According to the direction of the water entrance from
the network, it is possible to rotate the display 180 o
.
- If no water flow is detected by the meter in 10 days,
the valve closes itself automatically for the safety
reasons. The valve can be opened and the meter can be
put in service again by using a card. This card is used
by the administration officer. The duration 10 days can
be adjusted up to request.
- The time and the date adjustment of the meter is made
by means of a card. The real time clock placed in the
electronic hardware has been programmed to detect the
working hours, working days, the month and even the
number of days in February adding one day to the year
every 4 years.
- If the consumer uses the spare credit and if the meter
goes out of credit not in the working hours, the valve
will not close itself until the new working day starts
letting the water being consumed by lending credit. When
the consumer goes to the Credit Sales Point to purchase
credit, the lended credits will be decreased from the
number of new credits loaded.
- The body of the meter is of a special plastic material
which ensures a long life and protecting the electronic
hardware from atmospheric effects like moisture and dust.
- The smart card reader is also protected from the
atmospheric effects by means of sealing.
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PRE-PAID WATER METER WITH SMART
CARD
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