Modular wireless fixed network for wide-area metering data collection and meter module apparatus
First Claim
1. A scalable and modular fixed-base wireless network system for wide-area metering data collection comprising:
- at least one meter module for monitoring, storing, encoding and periodically transmitting metering data;
at least one base station for receiving, decoding, storing and forwarding metering data; and
a data operations center, which communicates with said receiver base station and receives decoded metering data from the base station, said data operations center processing, validating and storing metering data in a database that it maintains for meter modules operating in the network system.
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Abstract
A one-way direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) communications wide-area network is the data collection channel (uplink) of an automatic meter reading (AMR) system, and a paging network, or other suitable communication channel is the optional forward (downlink) channel. The communications network may include one-way meter modules (transmitters) each communicatively coupled to a corresponding electric, gas or water utility meter, and may include two-way meter modules (transceivers) each coupled to such a corresponding utility meter. The meter modules monitor, store, encode and periodically transmit metering data via radio signals (air messages) in an appropriate RF channel. Metering data air messages are collected by a network of receiver Base Stations (BS) and forwarded to a Data Operations Center (DOC), which acts as a metering data gateway. The reception range of each base station is typically over 5 miles in urban areas, allowing sparse infrastructure deployment for a wide variety of metering data collection applications.
42 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A scalable and modular fixed-base wireless network system for wide-area metering data collection comprising:
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at least one meter module for monitoring, storing, encoding and periodically transmitting metering data;
at least one base station for receiving, decoding, storing and forwarding metering data; and
a data operations center, which communicates with said receiver base station and receives decoded metering data from the base station, said data operations center processing, validating and storing metering data in a database that it maintains for meter modules operating in the network system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of encoding interval consumption values transmitted by a meter module in a metering data collection system, comprising:
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collecting consumption values at selected intervals; and
compressing collected consumption data using a logarithmic table encoder to reduce the number of bits required in a data message for each consumption interval. - View Dependent Claims (21, 23)
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22. A method of increasing the redundancy level of interval consumption data transmitted by a meter module in a metering data collection system, comprising:
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transferring interval consumption values from said meter module using multiple messages related to the same time period, and wherein each of said multiple messages has a time base; and
shifting the time base of each message compared to the previous message, in a cyclic manner, so that interval consumption data may be reconstructed even if some of the messages are not received thus increasing the redundancy level of the data while simultaneously enabling the transfer of more detailed interval consumption data related to smaller consumption intervals, within the metered time period.
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Specification