Automated meter reading installation system and method

• US 20040225626A1
• Filed: 04/19/2004
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Greer Commission Of Public Works
• Original Assignee: Greer Commission Of Public Works
• Inventors: Forrester, Brian
• Application Number:
  US10/827,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20040225626A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/412
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A system and method for assisting in the installation of automated meter reading technology and more specifically, to the administrative tasks associated with replacing of traditional meter with meters allowing for automated readings. The invention allows a user to receive data concerning a utility meter upgrade from a host computer to a handheld device, input data concerning the upgrade on a handheld computer, and then transmit the data back to host computer, thus updating the information on the host computer.

Claims

1. An automated system upgrading utility meters from old meters with traditional meter reading capabilities to new meters with automated meter reading capabilities and maintaining accurate records of the upgrade comprising:

a first computer readable medium;

a host computer readable medium with the ability to transmit data to and from said first computer readable medium;

customer information embodied within said host computer readable medium containing current utility meter information and location information for customers;

a set of computer readable host instructions embodied within said host computer readable medium including;

retrieving instructions for retrieving said current utility meter and location information for customers who have old utility meters that need to be upgraded;

instructions for transmitting said retrieved current utility meter and location information to said first computer readable medium; and

a set of computer readable portable instructions embodied within said first computer readable medium including;

instructions for receiving said retrieved current utility meter and location information from said host computer readable medium;

instructions for receiving updated meter information concerning the upgrade of one of said old utility meters with a new utility meter or upgrading said old utility meters with additional components; and

instructions for transmitting said updated meter information to said host computer readable medium;

said set of host computer readable instructions including;

instructions for receiving said updated new meter information from said first computer readable medium representing upgraded old meters, and

instructions for updating said current utility information with said updated meter information in said customer information on said host computer readable medium, to reflect updated upgrade status.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said set of host computer readable instructions includes instructions for creating route information representing a list of locations where meters need to be upgraded arranged in a logical sequence based on said location information.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said set of host instructions includes instructions for transmitting said route information to said first computer readable medium.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said set of host instructions include instructions for converting said route information to a format recognizable by said first computer readable medium prior to transmitting said route information to said first computer readable medium.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein said set of portable computer readable instructions includes instructions for displaying said route information.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said set of portable computer readable instructions includes:

instructions for displaying a list of options;

instructions for receiving input representing a selection of a option from a user; and

instructions for displaying output in response to said selection of option.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said receiving instructions include scanning instructions for electronically scanning the updated meter information into said first computer readable medium.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said set of portable instructions include GPS instructions for communicating with a Global Positioning system to obtain accurate information for locating a utility meter.

9. An automated system for upgrading utility meters from old meters to new meters and maintaining accurate records of the upgrade comprising:

a computer readable medium;

a set of computer readable instructions in communication with said computer readable medium including;

receiving instructions for receiving customer information of customers with old utility meters transmitted from a host computer readable medium;

instructions for receiving upgraded meter information of a new utility meter to replace an old utility meter or a component used to upgrade to the old utility meter; and

instructions for transmitting said upgraded meter information to said host computer readable medium.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said receiving instructions include scanning instructions for electronically scanning the updated meter information into said computer readable medium.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said set of computer readable instructions include instructions for displaying route information received from a host computer.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein said set of computer readable instructions includes:

instructions for displaying a list of options;

instructions for receiving input representing a selection of an option from a user; and

instructions for displaying output in response to said selection of option.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein said set of instructions include GPS instructions for communicating with a Global Positioning system to obtain accurate information for locating a utility meter

14. An automated system for upgrading utility meters from old meters to new meters and maintaining accurate records of the work orders comprising:

a host computer readable medium;

a set of host computer readable instructions in communication with said host computer readable medium including;

retrieving instructions for retrieving current utility meter and location information for customers who have old utility meters that need to be upgraded from customer information in communication with said host computer readable medium;

instructions for transmitting said retrieved current utility meter and location information to a second computer readable medium;

instructions for receiving upgraded meter information from said second computer readable medium representing upgraded old meters, and

instructions for updating said current utility information with said upgraded meter information in said customer information on said host computer readable medium, to reflect updated upgrade status.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said set of host computer readable instructions includes instructions for creating route information representing a list of locations where meters need to be upgraded arranged in a logical sequence based on said location information.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said set of host instructions includes instructions for transmitting said route information to said first computer readable medium.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein said set of host instructions include instructions for converting said route information to a format recognizable by said first computer readable medium prior to transmitting said route information to said first computer readable medium.

18. A method for maintaining accurate records and processing information associated with utility meters while upgrading utility meters comprising the steps of:

retrieving current utility meter and location information for customers who have old utility meters that need to be upgraded;

transmitting said retrieved current utility meter and location information to a portable computer for upgrading an old meter, updating meter information to a portable computer concerning upgrading of an old utility meter a new utility meter, and transmitting said updated meter information to a host computer;

receiving said updated new meter information from a portable computer representing upgraded, and

updating said current utility information with said updated current utility meter information in said customer information on said host computer readable medium, to reflect updated upgrade status.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of creating route information representing a list of locations where meters need to be upgraded arranged in a logical sequence.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of transmitting said route information to a portable computer.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of converting said route information to a format recognizable by a portable computer prior to transmitting said route information to a portable computer.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of displaying said route information on a portable computer.

23. The method of claim 18 further comprising the steps of:

displaying a list of options on a portable computer to a user;

receiving input representing a selection of an option from a user; and

displaying output in response to said selection of option.