Remote meter reading using transmitted visual graphics.
First Claim
1. ] What is claimed is a computer implemented method and system for improved reading of remote meters or gages that have visible faces or dials, with digital or analog output, including the following elements of the invention, image collector device, image transmitter device, communications network, utility meter or gage, host computer system, communication apparatus, internet and WWW, algorithmic pattern recognition processor, pattern recognition algorithms, database of image information, communication network and comprising the steps of:
- installing the image collector device at the meter or gage or in the meter, making a visual graphic of the meter face, including the unique meter ID on the visual graphic, storing this graphic in the image collector, preprocessing the image graphic at the image collector, transmitting the visual graphic to an intermediate device before transmitting to host computer, transmitting the visual graphic to the host computer directly, post processing the visual graphic before analysis, analyzing the visual graphic using selected computer image analysis algorithms, using a segmented system for processing the graphic image, extracting from the graphic the scalars or values of the metered parameter, providing the extracted data to an end user, storing the visual graphic for further analysis in a database. making the database available online on a global network, updating the database with the current visual graphic.
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Abstract
A technique for remote meter reading (RMR) of a plurality of meters uses visual image devices coupled to pattern recognition technologies to allow unattended meters, gages, registers, screens, and other similar display equipment to communicate their output data without human intervention to a central source and to provide this data on a global network. Historically, meters, gages and similar devices were either read by the human eye or by data-loggers and controllers which transmitted these data to a host system. With this invention the display devices can be read autonomously by the method described herein and a visual graphic of the meter face is transmitted to a host which then recognizes the data value embedded in the visual. Substantial increases in efficiency; performance and economics can be achieved with this invention which introduces the concept of “visualmetering”.
34 Citations
30 Claims
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1. ] What is claimed is a computer implemented method and system for improved reading of remote meters or gages that have visible faces or dials, with digital or analog output, including the following elements of the invention, image collector device, image transmitter device, communications network, utility meter or gage, host computer system, communication apparatus, internet and WWW, algorithmic pattern recognition processor, pattern recognition algorithms, database of image information, communication network and comprising the steps of:
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installing the image collector device at the meter or gage or in the meter, making a visual graphic of the meter face, including the unique meter ID on the visual graphic, storing this graphic in the image collector, preprocessing the image graphic at the image collector, transmitting the visual graphic to an intermediate device before transmitting to host computer, transmitting the visual graphic to the host computer directly, post processing the visual graphic before analysis, analyzing the visual graphic using selected computer image analysis algorithms, using a segmented system for processing the graphic image, extracting from the graphic the scalars or values of the metered parameter, providing the extracted data to an end user, storing the visual graphic for further analysis in a database. making the database available online on a global network, updating the database with the current visual graphic. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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12. ] A computer system comprising:
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a CPU;
RAM andcomputer software system embodied in a storage medium, comprising;
at least one external interface to communicate with systems external of said computer; and
a multi-layered distributed software architecture comprising;
application and infrastructure subsystems, said application and infrastructure subsystems comprising services, distributed throughout said computer, that collaborate to complete predefined processing functionalities;
middleware software, said middleware software being provided to allow scalability, and transaction processing, mapping of objects to data repositories; and
application frameworks, said application frameworks allowing access to said database repositories and the creation of processes conforming with subject middleware software. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification