WO1998024070A1

WO1998024070A1 - Method and device for authorising and controlling with a memory card the dispensing and metering of the consumption of a fluid or energy

Info

Publication number: WO1998024070A1
Application number: PCT/FR1997/002161
Authority: WO
Inventors: François VICAIRE; Jean-Pierre Crenn; Laurent Pappola; Jean-Marie Pinot
Original assignee: Sofabodi - Societe De Fabrication De Bornes De Distribution; Gesport
Priority date: 1996-11-28
Filing date: 1997-11-28
Publication date: 1998-06-04
Also published as: FR2756400A1; NZ334920A; AU7411798A; AU741490B2; IL129763A; EP0948780A1; FR2756400B1; IL129763A0

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for authorising and controlling with a memory card the dispensing and metering of a least a flux, using any type of meter (9, 11) delivering a signal representing said consumption to an electronic management unit (4) connected to a memory card (2) reader (31) and for controlling the opening and closing of at least a member for interrupting (10, 12) the dispensing (5, 6) of said flux. The invention is characterised in that the memory card (2) is loaded with value units, and is introduced into the electronic unit (4) reader (31), all the value units contained in the card memory are unloaded into the memory of the electronic unit with an identification code particular to the card (2); the card (2) is then removed from the reader (31) and the dispensing of said flux is authorised by opening the member interrupting the dispensing (10, 12); the number of value units corresponding to the consumption of the flux is deducted in the electronic unit memory (4).

Description

Method and device for authorization and control by memory card for the distribution and metering of consumption of at least one fluid or energy.

The object of the present invention is a method and a device for controlling by memory card for the distribution and metering of consumption of at least one fluid or energy.

The technical sector of the invention is the field of manufacturing and managing devices for the distribution and measurement of energy and / or flow.

One of the main applications of the invention is the production of independent and programmable terminals for distributing at least water and electricity by means of a preloaded payment card which can be used in any space or a place that can accommodate mobile and habitable machinery, such as, for example, marinas, campsites, fairgrounds, markets, etc.

In general, at this day for this type of use, either the user pays a global package taking into account an average consumption, which is not very satisfactory, especially for users staying for a certain time in the same place , without however consuming a great deal of fluid or energy; either for fairer accounting, this requires installing individual meters on each distribution station, reading the indexes on arrival and then departure of the user, in order to make him an exact invoice, but the users can leave without having paid their due, this obliges managers to be paid provisions and to regularly check consumption so that it does not exceed said provision, which greatly complicates management. To try to find a more suitable solution, various devices for distributing fluid and / or energy or more generally "flows" have been developed from the use of memory cards; there are various embodiments, some of which have been the subject of patent applications. One can quote for example the patent application FR 2,666,675 filed on September 11, 1990 by the Company of Study Manufacturing and Engineering in Electronic Payment Systems Automation and Telecommunication Networks, which describes a system authorizing the use of various flows such as in particular the 'water, electricity and telephone and comprising a series of specific equipment to control these flows; each installation for distributing a flow comprises a means for controlling the passage of the flow and a means for measuring its quantity; a centralized control and equipment device comprises at least one reader of an identification and / or payment means making it possible, after validation, to order said control means and to account for the flow quantities: this centralized device then makes it possible to invoice the consumer, identified by his card and on a basis corresponding to the actual use of the consumptions carried out. It turns out that such a device is more suited to fixed residences welcoming specific tenants, than to temporary parking areas for vehicles or nautical vehicles, for which the prepayment devices are preferable.

In this field, we can cite the European patent EP 152 198 of January 24, 1985, filed by the company SCHLUMBERGER on a system with prepayment of consumption units, essentially of electrical energy, using a memory key: the particularity Securing the system is a mutual identification of the meter and the key which must include compatible codes, as exists in many credit card or access card systems. This document therefore teaches in fact a security device for access to the distribution of a fluid, or energy, or to a transmission network, to a single person having a pre-identified key for a total of given consumption, obliging said person to re-enter and maintain their key each time they are used.

We can also cite the Swiss patent CH 622 636 filed on April 27, 1978 by the SODECO Company on a prepaid energy distributor teaching a card system of the type used in public telephones and which gradually cancels memories including prepayment units, but thus obliging, as in the previous document, to keep the card in the dispenser, which is not possible for the user of a vehicle remaining permanently, for example, since any person could on the one hand withdraw their card and thus interrupt the distribution and on the other hand reuse it for their own account.

The problem posed is therefore to be able to use, as is therefore known in the requests mentioned above for example, memory cards preloaded with value units, these being therefore prepaid with the manager of '' a given type of site; it is equipped with fluid or energy distribution networks that the purchaser of said smart card wants to be able to use while paying only for what corresponds to its exact consumption, and this in full guarantee, both for the manager of the site considered precisely thanks to the use of pre-payment cards, only for the user so that nobody can steal from him the units of value thus pre-purchased, or "hack" his connection in his absence; the whole system should be able to allow the use of the same prepayment cards at any point of distribution of the same site and even of different sites equipped in the same way; and vice versa, each distribution point can be used by any user with a prepayment card, but without specific identification of its holder. A solution to the problem posed is a method of authorization and control by memory card for the distribution and metering of consumption of at least one fluid or energy, using any type of meter delivering a signal representative of said consumption to a unit. management electronics connected to a memory card reader and making it possible to control the opening and closing of at least one cut-off device for distributing said fluid or energy from a supply network; according to the invention: - units of value are loaded into the memory of said smart card from any compatible and qualified external means,

said card thus loaded is introduced into the reader of the electronic unit associated with the fluid or energy meter whose distribution is to be authorized,

- we unload with an identification code specific to the card all the value units contained in the memory of this card, in a memory of the electronic unit, we can then remove said card from the reader and authorize by opening of the cut-off device, the distribution of said fluid or energy,

- a count is made in said memory of the electronic unit of a number of value units corresponding to the consumption of the fluid or energy which can thus continue as long as there are still valid value units in said memory, the cut remaining open. According to said method of the invention:

- when we want to stop the distribution of the fluid or energy, we reintroduce the same card as that which authorized this distribution,

- we then check whether the identification code of this card corresponds to that transferred with the value units initially discharged and we can reload in the memory of said card, the value units not consumed and remaining in the memory of the electronic unit,

- when the memory of the electronic unit no longer has a value unit, the shut-off device is closed, preventing any distribution of fluid or corresponding energy until the introduction, either of this same card, or another card of the same type with valid value units.

According to the present invention, the same card can be reused in any other compatible memory card reader, associated with any other counter for any flow, any fluid or any energy, the distribution of which is to be authorized, as long as it has valid units of value in its memory. In a preferred embodiment, if the distribution of the fluid or of the energy is disconnected without having reintroduced the same card as that which authorized this distribution, the cut-off member is automatically closed which can then only be reopened. after in particular the introduction of this same card or any other order transmitted by the site manager such as over the air or by master card as for the statements and operating modifications below.

If we indeed want to be able to control from a central point all of the consumption in progress at all the distribution points, as well as make assessments, with a view to maintenance, of the proper functioning of these said distribution points, with the possibility of opposite direction to modify their operation remotely, one can transmit all this information in one direction or the other, by hertzian way, thanks to any transmitter receiver arranged on each point of distribution and on the central point.

In the absence of such a wireless network, it is necessary that the manager of the place concerned then have a "master" card allowing him to be able to insert it in all the readers associated with each distribution point, in order to take readings there and / or transmit operating modifications, such as the pricing of consumption.

The result is new authorization and control methods by memory card for the distribution and metering of consumption of at least one fluid or energy, responding to the problem posed without having the drawbacks of the methods known to date. The present invention also relates to devices allowing the implementation of the methods according to the invention with specific advantages: these in particular not requiring any wiring between the distribution points and the central control point, it suffices simply to connect said devices according to the invention to existing networks without therefore requiring modifications to the arrangements of the site in question. In addition, the managers of different sites can agree to use the same memory cards with the same associated readers on their distribution devices, thus simplifying the management of their consumption for the user by moving from one site to another. other; the management and purchase of cards, which can be distributed to all points of sale, is then centralized by any external body which then transfers to each site manager the share of consumption that it has been able to record at its points of sale. distribution. All the actors, users, consumers and managers of the sites thus equipped, are thus secured with the additional possibility of the fact of the proper identification of each card such as for example its serial number, to invalidate it on all sites in the event of loss or theft for example.

We could cite other advantages of the present invention, but those mentioned above already show enough to prove the novelty and the interest.

The description and the figures below represent an exemplary embodiment of the invention, adapted for example to sites of marinas with distribution devices constituted by terminals but without limitation: other embodiments are possible, in the scope and scope of this invention, such as in particular for other types of applications as mentioned in the introduction.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of the operation of a device for distributing and counting consumption of at least one fluid or energy, controlled and authorized by a memory card according to the method of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the whole of a management network of several distribution devices such as that represented in FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 represents an example of a distribution and metering terminal for consumption of at least one fluid or of energy, equipped with a device according to FIG. 1. Whatever the type of distribution and metering point for consumption of the fluid or energy which may be essentially and respectively of water and electricity, this comprises at least one meter 9, 11 of consumption of said fluid or of said energy, and delivering a signal representative of said consumption, an electronic management unit 4 receiving said signal representative of consumption and capable at least of converting it into predefined value units, a memory card reader 3] associated with at least one keyboard and a display screen, a cut-off member 10, 12 of said energy or said fluid, located on the supply network 7 and upstream of the distribution outlet 5, 6 of said fluid or energy, the whole being controlled and controlled by said electronic unit 4 and supplied at least by an electric battery, not shown.

Unloading with an identification code specific to the card 2 of all the value units contained in its memory, to the memory of the electronic unit 4 of the device located for example in terminal 1 of FIG. 3, can be carried out by simply copying files from one memory to another; then blocking or erasing the memory of the card 2 until it is recharged at the end of consumption if there are units of value remaining in the memory of the electronic unit 4 of the distribution device concerned.

Each electronic unit 4 of the distribution devices can be configured by the site manager in question, by assigning a weighting coefficient to each flow, fluid or energy distributed as a function of the cost thereof to debit from said memory a number of units of value of an equivalent amount. These coefficients can indeed be different from one site to another, while the pre-paid and pre-loaded units of value are the same for all memory cards.

To make such a setting, either the site manager has a master card 17 as mentioned above, which he must then introduce into each reader 3 d of the various distribution devices 1, or in a preferential mode, there is of a transmitting receiving antenna 18 of radio waves on each of these devices or distribution points, connected to each associated electronic management unit 4: this antenna 18 then allows the transfer of information, on the one hand 13 _! between each distribution point such as terminal 1 and any external central management unit 14 and vice versa 13 ₂ between the latter and said device 1.

In addition, all of these external central units 14 under the control of the manager of the site in question, transmit their management data, on the one hand for the sale of memory cards 2 and on the other hand for the consumption of the various fluids, around 15 a centralized operating site 16 of all the information from all the sites considered, in order to then make the distribution and the financial compensation between the different sites.

According to a particular embodiment, each distribution device can comprise a means of warning the user when the number of value units remaining in the memory of the electronic unit 4, and corresponding to the distribution sockets 5, 6 which have been authorized, reaches a given threshold. Such a warning means can be flashing lighting, for example from 10% of remaining consumption units relative to the maximum total units of the memory card 2, and continuous lighting below 5% for example.

According to the representation of FIG. 1, a distribution device or point 1 comprises at least two distribution sockets 5, 6, two consumption meters 9, 11, and two cut-off members 10, 12 for distribution on the one hand water and secondly electricity.

According to the representation of FIG. 3, the device according to the invention can be a terminal 1 fixed on the ground and comprising at least four distribution outlets 5, 6, four meters 9, 1 1 of consumption and four cut-off members 10, 12 for distributing the same fluid or energy, and a single electronic unit 4 and a single memory card reader 3; said terminal 1 may include in its part upper a light globe 8 allowing users to see and be able to plug in and control the desired distribution, whatever the hour and in particular during the night.

Said memory cards 2 can be smart cards, of known type, which can be disposable once emptied of their value units or be rechargeable.

At distribution point 1, the card reader 3 ₁ with its associated screen 3 ₂ and keyboard 3 ₃ can be protected by a folding cover; after inserting said card 2 into the reader 3 ι, the screen 3 ₂ offers the user to choose between one of the distribution channels of the terminal, if the latter has several sockets 5, 6 for distributing the same fluid or energy, depending on the availability of these to be used for example in water and electricity; the user then types his choice on the keyboard 3, said channel number with that of identification of the card and the number of units contained therein are then stored in the electronic unit 4; the use of the water 6 and electricity 5 circuits of the chosen channel is authorized, the card is then neutralized and the channel used is unavailable for another user. It can also be proposed to the user to use only water or electricity, so that the supply of the other fluid stops.

When the user chooses to complete the distribution service for all the fluids which concern him, after having reintroduced his card, the units consumed having been erased from the memory of the electronic unit 4, only the number of units remaining is displayed and reloaded in the card; the channel becomes available again for another user, the card is reusable up to the remaining units and the consumption of water and electricity as well as the date, the time of the end of the service are memorized with the identification number of the card, the channel number and the number of terminal 1 for transmission to the local centralization unit 14.

If a user fails to reintroduce his card 2 at the end of the service, for example in the event of loss, this card 2 remains neutralized since it no longer contains units of value; it is therefore unusable in another distribution point and the site manager has the possibility of resetting the distribution system, either by the introduction of a master card 17, or by the wireless remote control network 13.

Claims

1. Method of authorization and control by memory card for the distribution and metering of consumption of at least one fluid or energy, using any type of counter (9, 1 1) delivering a signal representative of said consumption to a electronic management unit (4) connected to a reader (3 ^ of memory card (2) and making it possible to control the opening and closing of at least one cut-off device (10, 12) for distribution (5, 6 ) of said fluid or energy from a supply network (7), characterized in that: - units of value are loaded into the memory of said memory card (2) from any compatible external means and empowered for that,

- said card (2) thus loaded is introduced into the reader (3 ι) of the electronic unit (4) associated with the counter (9, 1 1) of the fluid or energy whose distribution is to be authorized,

- we unload with an identification code specific to the card (2) all the value units contained in the memory of this card (2), in a memory of the electronic unit (4), we can then remove said card (2) of the reader (3 ι) and the distribution of said fluid or energy is authorized by the opening of the cut-off member (10, 12),

- a count is made in said memory of the electronic unit (4) of a number of value units corresponding to the consumption of the fluid or energy which can thus continue as long as there are still valid value units in said memory, l 'cutoff member (10, 12) remaining open.

2. Method of control by memory card according to claim 1, characterized in that:

- when we want to stop the distribution of the fluid or energy, we reintroduce the same card (2) as that which authorized this distribution,

- we then check whether the identification code of this card (2) corresponds to that transferred with the value units initially discharged and we can reload the memory of said card (2) value units not consumed and remaining in the memory of the electronic unit (4),

- when the memory of the electronic unit no longer contains a value unit, the shut-off device (10, 12) is closed, preventing any distribution of fluid or of corresponding energy until introduction, or this same card (2), or another card of the same type with valid value units.

3. Method according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said same card (2) is reused in any other reader (3 ι) of compatible memory card, associated with any other counter (9, 1 1) of any fluid or any energy, which we want to authorize the distribution and that as long as it has in its memory valid value units.

4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that if the distribution of the fluid or of the energy is disconnected (5, 6) without having reintroduced said same card (2) as that which authorized this distribution , the shutoff member (10, 12) is automatically closed, which can then only be reopened after the introduction of this same card (2) in particular.

5. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that transmits any information on consumption and maintenance of the meter (9, 1 1), the electronic unit (4) and all the others associated organs, to a central external unit (14) by radio (13) or master card (17). 6. Authorization and control device by memory card for the distribution and metering of consumption of at least one fluid or energy, and allowing the implementation of a method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises at least one counter (9, 1 1) for consumption of said fluid or of said energy, and delivering a signal representative of said consumption, an electronic management unit (4) receiving said signal representative of consumption and capable at least of converting it into predefined value units, a reader (3 ι) of memory card (2) associated at least with a keyboard and a display screen, a cut-off member (10, 12) of said energy or of said fluid, located on the supply network (7) and upstream of a distribution outlet (5,

6) of said fluid or energy, the assembly being controlled and controlled by said electronic unit (4) and supplied at least by an electric battery.

7. Control device according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises at least one transmitting receiving antenna (18) of radio waves, allowing the transfer of information between the device and any central unit (14) external management , and vice versa between the latter and said device.

8. Device according to any one of claims 6 or

7, characterized in that it comprises at least one means of warning the user when the number of value units remaining in the memory of the electronic unit (4), reaches a given threshold.

9. Device according to any one of claims 6 to

8, characterized in that it comprises at least two distribution outlets (5, 6), two consumption meters (9, 1 1), and two cut-off members (10, 12) for respectively the distribution water and on the other hand electricity.

10. Device according to any one of claims 6 to

9, characterized in that it is constituted by a terminal (1) comprising at least four distribution outlets (5, 6), four consumption meters (9, 11) and four distribution cut-off members (10, 12) of the same fluid or energy, and a single electronic unit (4) and a single memory card reader (3).