Optimized bubble up receiver AMR system

• US 20050086182A1
• Filed: 02/05/2004
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Osterloh, Christopher, Nagy, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US10/773,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20050086182A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/412
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

In an AMR system, a reader wirelessly communicates with both battery-powered receivers and electrically-powered receivers; each receiver being operably connected to a utility meter. Each battery-powered receiver has a bubble-up period of X seconds while each electrically-powered receiver has a bubble-up period of Y seconds. The reader reads the electrically-powered receivers every W minutes, however, only (Y/X)*100% of the battery-powered receivers are bubbled up during this read time. The result is a (1−(Y/X))*100% reduction in falsing of battery powered meters producing a great savings in battery life.

Claims

1. An automatic meter reading (AMR) system, comprising:

a reader;

a plurality of battery-powered receivers, wherein at least a portion of said plurality of said battery-powered receivers are operably connected to a utility meter, wherein each electrically-powered receiver within the portion of battery powered receivers has a bubble-up period of X seconds; and

a plurality of electrically-powered receivers, wherein at least a portion of said plurality of said electrically-powered receivers are operably connected to a utility meter, wherein each electrically-powered receiver within the portion of electrically-powered receivers has a bubble-up period of Y seconds;

wherein said reader is in wireless communication with the portion of battery-powered receivers and reads the portion of battery-powered receivers every Z hours, and wherein said reader is in wireless communication with the portion of electrically-powered receivers and reads the portion of electrically-powered receivers every W minutes, and wherein only (Y/X)*100% of the portion of battery-powered receivers are bubbled-up during a read by said reader of the portion of electrically-powered receivers.

2. The AMR system of claim 1, wherein each electrically-powered receiver within the portion of electrically-powered receivers are read on average of (1440/W) times per day and wherein each battery-powered receiver within the portion of battery-powered receivers are read on average of (Y/X)*(1440/W) times per day.

3. The AMR system of claim 1, wherein said AMR system reduces falsing of each battery-powered receiver within the portion of battery-powered receivers by (1−

(Y/X))*100%.

4. The AMR system of claim 1, wherein said reader establishes a read time and wherein said read time is continuously sequenced by +Y seconds until +X seconds from a nominal.

5. The AMR system of claim 4, wherein each sequenced read time bubbles up a different (Y/X)*100 of the portion of battery-powered receivers.

6. The AMR system of claim 1, wherein the portion of battery-powered receivers communicate with said reader on the same frequency channels as the portion of electrically-powered receivers communicate with said reader.

7. A method for automatically reading a plurality of utility meters, wherein a portion of said plurality of utility meters are each operably connected to a battery-powered receiver and wherein a portion of said plurality of utility meters are each operably connected to an electrically-powered receiver, wherein each of said battery-powered receivers has a bubble-up period of X seconds and wherein each of said electrically-powered receivers has a bubble-up period of Y seconds, and wherein each of said receivers is capable of being wirelessly read by a reader, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing a read period for said battery-powered receivers;

establishing a minute-based read period for said electrically-powered receivers, wherein said read period is represented by W;

reading said electrically-powered receivers on average of 1440/W times per day; and

reading said battery-powered receivers on average of (Y/X)*(1440/W) times per day.

9. The method of claim 9, wherein said method reduces falsing of each battery-powered receiver by (1−

(Y/X))*100%.

8. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of bubbling up (Y/X)*100% of said battery powered receivers upon reading said electrically-powered receivers.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of establishing a read time for said reader and sequencing said read time by +Y seconds until +X seconds from a nominal is reached.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each sequenced read time bubbles up a different (Y/X)*100% of the battery-powered receivers.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said battery-powered receivers communicate on the same frequency channels as the electrically-powered receivers.

13. An automatic meter reading (AMR) system, comprising:

a reader; and

a plurality of utility meters, wherein a portion of said plurality of utility meters are each operably connected to a battery-powered receiver and wherein a portion of said plurality of utility meters are each operably connected to an electrically-powered receiver, wherein each of said battery-powered receivers has a bubble-up period of X seconds and wherein each of said electrically-powered receivers has a bubble-up period of Y seconds and a minute-based read period of W, and wherein each of said receivers is capable of being wirelessly read by said reader,

wherein said reader reads said electrically-powered receivers on average of 1440/W times per day and wherein said reader reads said battery-powered receivers on average of (Y/X)*(1440/W) times per day.

14. The AMR system of claim 13, wherein said reader bubbles up (Y/X)*100% of the battery-powered receivers upon reading the electrically-powered receivers.

15. The AMR system of claim 13, wherein the AMR system reduces falsing of the battery-powered receiver by (1−

(Y/X))*100%.

16. The AMR system of claim 13, wherein said reader has a read time and wherein said read time is sequenced by +Y seconds until +X seconds from a nominal is reached.

17. The AMR system of claim 16, wherein each sequenced read time results in said reader bubbling up a different (Y/X)*100% of the battery-powered receivers.

18. The AMR system of claim 13, wherein said battery-powered receiver communicates on the same frequency channels as the electrically-powered receiver.