Utility meter pit lid mounted antenna antenna assembly and method
First Claim
1. An arrangement for obtaining data from a utility meter received in an underground pit box of the type having a lid with a predetermined opening therethrough, said arrangement comprising:
- transmitter means received within such a pit box and interconnected with a utility meter received therein for transmitting utility meter data therefrom; and
antenna means, electrically coupled with said transmitter means so as to receive output therefrom without requiring mechanical connection thereto, and extending at least partly through such pit lid predetermined opening so as to be outside such pit box and at least partly electromagnetically thereabove, so that utility meter data transmitted by said transmitter means are propagated by said antenna means from outside and above such pit box.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methodology for radio utility meter reading processing of data acquisition for use with an automatic billing system involves a utility meter transmitter antenna system installed at or near ground level. An RF utility meter communication apparatus transmits utility meter data to a remote utility meter data collection unit from an underground pit box. The pit box includes a utility meter and has a generally ground level pit lid with an opening therethrough. An antenna element has an upper member extending at least partly through such pit lid opening. A depending base of the antenna element extends from the upper element and passes through the pit lid opening into the underground pit box. The depending antenna element is capacitively coupled or provided with some other form of non-mechanical coupling to the output of an RF transmitter also included within the pit box. The antenna element components are nested for ease of attachment to or removal from a pit lid, with a rotatable threaded nut received about a depending antenna element for drawing tight against the underside of the pit lid, with an upper antenna element received above such pit lid. An antenna element may be directly coupled with a metallic pit lid so that such metallic pit lid functions as part of the antenna. Alternative embodiments may be provided for structure of the antenna element, so as to minimize the structure and components needed for removably securing or installing the antenna arrangement, supported on the removable pit lit of a conventional pit box.
68 Citations
56 Claims
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1. An arrangement for obtaining data from a utility meter received in an underground pit box of the type having a lid with a predetermined opening therethrough, said arrangement comprising:
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transmitter means received within such a pit box and interconnected with a utility meter received therein for transmitting utility meter data therefrom; and
antenna means, electrically coupled with said transmitter means so as to receive output therefrom without requiring mechanical connection thereto, and extending at least partly through such pit lid predetermined opening so as to be outside such pit box and at least partly electromagnetically thereabove, so that utility meter data transmitted by said transmitter means are propagated by said antenna means from outside and above such pit box. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A radio frequency utility meter communication apparatus for transmitting utility meter data to a remote utility meter data collection unit from an underground pit box receiving a utility meter and having a generally ground level pit lid with an opening therethrough, said communication apparatus comprising:
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an antenna element having a top cap larger than the pit lid opening and received thereabove, and having a depending base extending from said top cap and passing through the pit lid opening into the underground pit box;
an RF transmitter situated inside the underground pit box and electrically coupled with said antenna element depending base without mechanical connection thereto such that RF signals transmitted by said RF transmitter are propagated by said antenna element; and
utility meter interconnection means for interconnecting data from a utility meter within an underground pit box to said RF transmitter situated inside such underground pit box;
whereby said antenna element top cap, at least partly situated above an exterior, above ground portion of the pit box lid, propagates utility meter data from the utility meter within the pit box to a remote utility meter data collection unit. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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16. A radio frequency utility meter communication apparatus for transmitting utility meter data to a remote utility meter data collection unit from an underground pit box receiving a utility meter and having a generally ground level pit lid with an opening therethrough, said communication apparatus comprising:
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an antenna element having a top cap larger than the pit lid opening and received thereabove, and having a depending base extending from said top cap and passing through the pit lid opening into the underground pit box;
antenna securement means for securing said antenna element in a fixed position relative to an associated pit lid with said top cap of said antenna element received above the pit lid opening and with said depending base thereof extending through said pit lid opening;
an RF transmitter situated inside the underground pit box and associated with said antenna element depending base such that RF signals transmitted by said RF transmitter are propagated by said antenna element; and
utility meter interconnection means for interconnecting data from a utility meter within an underground pit box to said RF transmitter situated inside such underground pit box;
whereby said antenna element top cap, at least partly situated above an exterior, above ground portion of the pit box lid, propagates utility meter data from the utility meter within the pit box to a remote utility meter data collection unit.
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22. An arrangement for obtaining data from a utility meter received in an underground pit box of the type having a lid with a predetermined opening therethrough, said arrangement comprising:
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transmitter means received within such a pit box and interconnected with a utility meter received therein for transmitting utility meter data therefrom; and
antenna means, capacitively coupled with said transmitter means so as to receive output therefrom without requiring mechanical connection thereto, and extending at least partly through such pit lid predetermined opening, so that utility meter data transmitted by said transmitter means are propagated by said antenna means. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An arrangement for obtaining data from a utility meter received in an underground pit box of the type having a lid with a predetermined opening therethrough, said arrangement comprising:
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transmitter means received within such a pit box and interconnected with a utility meter received therein for transmitting utility meter data therefrom; and
antenna means, associated with said transmitter means, and extending at least partly through such pit lid predetermined opening, so that utility meter data transmitted by said transmitter means are propagated by said antenna means; and
reversible installation means for removably securing said antenna means relative to the associated pit lid and for removably securing said transmitter means relative to said antenna means, so that a data transmission arrangement is removably installed within a utility meter pit box relying only on the pit box lid as a base of support. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A radio frequency utility meter communication apparatus for transmitting utility meter data to a remote utility meter data collection unit from an underground pit box receiving a utility meter and having a generally ground level pit lid with an opening therethrough, said communication apparatus comprising:
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an antenna element having a top cap larger than the pit lid opening and received thereabove, and having a depending base extending from said top cap and passing through the pit lid opening into the underground pit box;
an RF transmitter situated inside the underground pit box and associated with said antenna element depending base such that RF signals transmitted by said RF transmitter are propagated by said antenna element; and
utility meter interconnection means for interconnecting data from a utility meter within an underground pit box to said RF transmitter situated inside such underground pit box;
whereby said antenna element top cap, at least partly situated above an exterior, above ground portion of the pit box lid, propagates utility meter data from the utility meter within the pit box to a remote utility meter data collection unit. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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Specification