Mobile device and method for meter configuring and data collection

• US 10,274,350 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2015
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Mudireddy, Chandrasekar Reddy, Palle, Suresh Kumar, Reddy, Jaganmohan Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bachner, Robert G
• Application Number:
  US14/677,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20160290838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/00 Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow measuring a proportion of the volume flow G01F5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/063 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A mobile device includes a transceiver coupled to an antenna configured to send wireless signals to and receive wireless signals from a fluid meter that is battery powered that has stored security information. The mobile device includes a processor coupled to the transceiver, a mobile display and a memory device. The memory device stores a fluid meter configuration and data collection (FMCDC) program that is implemented by the processor. The mobile device wirelessly transmits a connection request to the fluid meter. The fluid meter determines whether the connection request satisfies the stored security information. Provided the connection request satisfies the stored security information, the fluid meter transmits a wireless validation signal. Responsive to receiving the wireless validation signal at the mobile device, the mobile device wirelessly writes at least one parameter on the fluid meter or wirelessly reads stored meter data from the fluid meter.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing a mobile device including a mobile display and a first transceiver comprising a near field communications device coupled to an antenna configured for sending wireless signals to and receiving wireless signals from fluid meter including a second transceiver comprising a near field communications device that includes a sleep mode that is exclusively battery powered having a fluid flow sensor and stored security information, said mobile device further including a memory device and at least one processor coupled to said first transceiver and said memory device, wherein said memory device stores a fluid meter configuration and data collection (FMCDC) program implemented by said processor;

said mobile device wirelessly transmitting a connection request to said fluid meter;

said fluid meter determining whether said connection request satisfies said stored security information, wherein said determining whether said connection request satisfies said stored security information is performed exclusively by said fluid meter;

provided said connection request satisfies said stored security information, said fluid meter transmitting a wireless validation signal, and

responsive to receiving said wireless validation signal at said mobile device, said mobile device wirelessly writing at least one parameter on said fluid meter or wirelessly reading stored meter data from said fluid meter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said stored security information includes a mobile number or a hardware address of said mobile device enabling an identity of said mobile device to be determined for checking by said fluid meter to a stored list of authorized ones of said mobile devices that can access said fluid meter.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said stored security information includes at least one stored security password and said connection request includes a password portion.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said near field communication device of said mobile device and fluid meter both implement a communication protocol selected from radio frequency (RF) NFC, RFID, BLUETOOTH®

, short-range 802.11, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, and infrared.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if said near field communication device of said fluid meter is active; and

responsive to said near field communication device of said fluid meter being active, prompting a user to enter a password on said mobile device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

responsive to said near field communication device of said fluid meter being in said sleep mode, transmitting an encrypted short message service (SMS) command to said fluid meter to activate said near field communication device.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

responsive to said near field communication device of said fluid meter being in said sleep mode, detecting a user input to said fluid meter to activate said near field communication device;

determining if said user input has been received; and

responsive to receiving said user input, activating said near field communication device.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

responsive to said near field communication device of said fluid meter being in said sleep mode, displaying a pre-determined time of the near field communication device being active;

determining if a user input to connect said mobile device to said fluid meter during said pre-determined time has been received;

responsive to receiving said user input to connect said mobile device to said fluid meter during said pre-determined time, determining if said pre-determined time is equal to a current time; and

responsive to said pre-determined time being equal to said current time, transmitting said connection request and said password to said fluid meter.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said fluid meter is one of a gas meter, a water meter or a sewage meter.

10. A mobile device comprising:

a first transceiver comprising a near field communications device coupled to an antenna configured to send wireless signals to and receive wireless signals from a fluid meter including a second transceiver comprising a near field communications device that includes a sleep mode that is exclusively battery powered having a fluidflow sensor and stored security information;

a mobile display;

a memory device;

at least one processor coupled to said first transceiver, said mobile display and said memory device, wherein said memory device stores a fluid meter configuration and datacollection (FMCDC) program implemented by said processor;

said mobile device wirelessly transmitting a connection request to said fluid meter;

said fluid meter determining whether said connection request satisfies said stored security information, wherein said determining whether said connection request satisfies said stored security information is performed exclusively by said fluid meter;

provided said connection request satisfies said stored security information, said fluid meter transmitting a wireless validation signal, and

responsive to receiving said wireless validation signal at said mobile device, said mobile device wirelessly writing at least one parameter on said fluid meter or wirelessly reading stored meter data from said fluid meter.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein said stored security information includes a mobile number or a hardware address of said mobile device enabling an identity of said mobile device to be determined for checking by said fluid meter to a stored list of authorized ones of said mobile devices that can access said fluid meter.

12. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein said stored security information includes at least one stored security password and said connection request includes a password portion.

13. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein said near field communication device implements a communication protocol selected from radio frequency (RF) NFC, RFID, BLUETOOTH®

, short-range 802.11, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, and infrared.

14. The mobile device of claim 10, further comprising:

determining if a near field communication device of said fluid meter is active; and

responsive to said near field communication device of said fluid meter being active, prompting a user to enter a password on said mobile device.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, further comprising:

responsive to said near field communication device of said fluid meter being in said sleep mode, transmitting an encrypted short message service (SMS) command to said fluid meter to activate said near field communication device of said fluid meter.

16. The mobile device of claim 14, further comprising:

responsive to said near field communication device of said fluid meter being in said sleep mode, detecting a user input to said fluid meter to activate said near field communication device of said fluid meter;

determining if said user input has been received; and

responsive to receiving said user input, activating said near field communication device of said fluid meter.

17. The mobile device of claim 14, further comprising:

responsive to said near field communication device of said fluid meter being in said sleep mode, displaying a pre-determined time of the near field communication device of said fluid meter being active;

determining if a user input to connect said mobile device to said fluid meter during said pre-determined time has been received;

responsive to receiving said user input to connect said mobile device to said fluid meter during said pre-determined time, determining if said pre-determined time is equal to a current time; and

responsive to said pre-determined time being equal to said current time,

transmitting said connection request and said password to said fluid meter.

18. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein said fluid meter is one of a gas meter, a water meter or a sewage meter.