MANAGING SERIAL NUMBERING OF ENCODER-RECEIVER-TRANSMITTER DEVICES IN AUTOMATIC METER READING SYSTEMS
First Claim
1. For an encoder-receiver-transmitter (ERT)-based automatic meter reading (AMR) system having a multitude of ERTs, a method of facilitating unique recognition of a specific ERT, the method comprising:
- providing an AMR collection infrastructure device configured to;
receive a standard consumption message (SCM) transmitted by one of the multitude of ERTs, the SCM consisting essentially of a bit sequence arranged as;
a 1-bit synchronization field, a 20-bit preamble field, a 2-bit first ERT ID field, a 1-bit special use field, a 2-bit physical tamper field, a 4-bit ERT type field, a 2-bit encoder tamper field, a 24-bit consumption data field, a 24-bit second ERT ID field, and a 16-bit validation field; and
determine a unique identity of one of the multitude of ERTs based on a numerical value having a length that is greater than 26 bits and that is defined by values of the first ERT ID field, the second ERT ID field, and at least a portion of a third field of the SCM.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A solution for providing various types of encoder-receiver-transmitter (ERT) devices for use in corresponding types of automatic meter reading (AMR) systems that receive standard consumption messages (SCMs) from ERT devices. According to one aspect, the solution includes maintaining a set of records that associate each issued serial number with a corresponding configured ERT type. A new first ERT device of a first type is configured with a serial number in accordance with the set of records. The first ERT device may have a common serial number with another ERT device of a different type; but the first ERT device may not have a common serial number with any other ERT device of the first type.
31 Citations
30 Claims
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1. For an encoder-receiver-transmitter (ERT)-based automatic meter reading (AMR) system having a multitude of ERTs, a method of facilitating unique recognition of a specific ERT, the method comprising:
providing an AMR collection infrastructure device configured to;
receive a standard consumption message (SCM) transmitted by one of the multitude of ERTs, the SCM consisting essentially of a bit sequence arranged as;
a 1-bit synchronization field, a 20-bit preamble field, a 2-bit first ERT ID field, a 1-bit special use field, a 2-bit physical tamper field, a 4-bit ERT type field, a 2-bit encoder tamper field, a 24-bit consumption data field, a 24-bit second ERT ID field, and a 16-bit validation field; and
determine a unique identity of one of the multitude of ERTs based on a numerical value having a length that is greater than 26 bits and that is defined by values of the first ERT ID field, the second ERT ID field, and at least a portion of a third field of the SCM. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of providing various types of encoder-receiver-transmitter (ERT) devices for use in corresponding types of automatic meter reading (AMR) systems that receive standard consumption messages (SCMs) from ERT devices, each SCM consisting essentially of a bit sequence arranged as:
- a 1-bit synchronization field, a 20-bit preamble field, a 2-bit first ERT ID field, a 1-bit special use field, a 2-bit physical tamper field, a 4-bit ERT type field, a 2-bit encoder tamper field, a 24-bit consumption data field, a 24-bit second ERT ID field, and a 16-bit validation field, wherein each ERT device is configured with (a) an issued serial number to represented by values of the 2-bit first ERT ID field and the 24-bit second ERT ID field of SCMs generated by the ERT device, and (b) an ERT type to be represented by a value of the 4-bit ERT type field of the SCMs generated by the ERT device, the method comprising;
maintaining a set of records that associate each issued serial number with a corresponding configured ERT type; and
configuring a first new ERT device of a first type with a serial number in accordance with the set of records such that;
the first ERT device may have a common serial number with another ERT device of a different type; and
the first ERT device may not have a common serial number with any other ERT device of the first type. - View Dependent Claims (13)
- a 1-bit synchronization field, a 20-bit preamble field, a 2-bit first ERT ID field, a 1-bit special use field, a 2-bit physical tamper field, a 4-bit ERT type field, a 2-bit encoder tamper field, a 24-bit consumption data field, a 24-bit second ERT ID field, and a 16-bit validation field, wherein each ERT device is configured with (a) an issued serial number to represented by values of the 2-bit first ERT ID field and the 24-bit second ERT ID field of SCMs generated by the ERT device, and (b) an ERT type to be represented by a value of the 4-bit ERT type field of the SCMs generated by the ERT device, the method comprising;
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14. A method of issuing potentially non-unique serial numbers for assignment to various types of encoder-receiver-transmitter (ERT) devices for use in automatic meter reading (AMR) systems that receive standard consumption messages (SCMs) from ERT devices such that each issued ERT device can be uniquely identified based on its SCM message, each SCM consisting essentially of a bit sequence arranged as:
- a 1-bit synchronization field, a 20-bit preamble field, a 2-bit first ERT ID field, a 1-bit special use field, a 2-bit physical tamper field, a 4-bit ERT type field, a 2-bit encoder tamper field, a 24-bit consumption data field, a 24-bit second ERT ID field, and a 16-bit validation field, the method comprising;
maintaining a plurality of records in a computer database, each record representing associations of previously-issued serial numbers and corresponding ERT types; and
receiving, over a computer network, a request for issuance of a serial number for use with a new ERT device;
using a computer to issue a serial number in response to the request such that the serial number is associated with a matched ERT type that is consistent with a type of the new ERT device, wherein the associated serial number and the matched ERT type is distinct from any serial number-ERT type association of the plurality of records; and
updating the plurality of records to reflect the issued serial number as being associated with the matched ERT type. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
- a 1-bit synchronization field, a 20-bit preamble field, a 2-bit first ERT ID field, a 1-bit special use field, a 2-bit physical tamper field, a 4-bit ERT type field, a 2-bit encoder tamper field, a 24-bit consumption data field, a 24-bit second ERT ID field, and a 16-bit validation field, the method comprising;
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18. An encoder-receiver-transmitter (ERT)-based automatic meter reading (AMR) system comprising:
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a plurality of ERTs operatively coupled to respective utility metering devices; and
an AMR collection infrastructure including at least one of a reader, a collection system, and a billing system, the AMR collection infrastructure adapted to be communicatively coupled with each of the plurality of ERTs;
wherein each of the plurality of ERTs transmits a standard consumption message (SCM), the SCM consisting essentially of a bit sequence arranged as;
a 1-bit synchronization field, a 20-bit preamble field, a 2-bit first ERT ID field, a 1-bit special use field, a 2-bit physical tamper field, a 4-bit ERT type field, a 2-bit encoder tamper field, a 24-bit consumption data field, a 24-bit second ERT ID field, and a 16-bit validation field; and
wherein the AMR collection infrastructure determines a unique identity of one of the plurality of ERTs based on a numerical value having a length that is greater than 26 bits and that is defined by values of the first ERT ID field, the second ERT ID field, and at least a portion of a third field of the SCM. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A system for issuing potentially non-unique serial numbers for assignment to various types of encoder-receiver-transmitter (ERT) devices for use in automatic meter reading (AMR) systems that receive standard consumption messages (SCMs) from ERT devices such that each issued ERT device can be uniquely identified based on its SCM message, each SCM consisting essentially of a bit sequence arranged as:
- a 1-bit synchronization field, a 20-bit preamble field, a 2-bit first ERT ID field, a 1-bit special use field, a 2-bit physical tamper field, a 4-bit ERT type field, a 2-bit encoder tamper field, a 24-bit consumption data field, a 24-bit second ERT ID field, and a 16-bit validation field, the system comprising;
a computer database containing a plurality of records, each record representing associations of previously-issued serial numbers and corresponding ERT types; and
a computer network interface that receives a request for issuance of a serial number for use with a new ERT device;
a computer processor operatively coupled with the computer database and the computer network interface, and programmed to;
issue a serial number in response to the request such that the serial number is associated with a matched ERT type that is consistent with a type of the new ERT device, wherein the associated serial number and the matched ERT type is distinct from any serial number-ERT type association of the plurality of records;
and update the plurality of records to reflect the issued serial number as being associated with the matched ERT type.
- a 1-bit synchronization field, a 20-bit preamble field, a 2-bit first ERT ID field, a 1-bit special use field, a 2-bit physical tamper field, a 4-bit ERT type field, a 2-bit encoder tamper field, a 24-bit consumption data field, a 24-bit second ERT ID field, and a 16-bit validation field, the system comprising;
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30. A system for providing various types of encoder-receiver-transmitter (ERT) devices for use in corresponding types of automatic meter reading (AMR) systems that receive standard consumption messages (SCMs) from ERT devices, each SCM consisting essentially of a bit sequence arranged as:
- a 1-bit synchronization field, a 20-bit preamble field, a 2-bit first ERT ID field, a 1-bit special use field, a 2-bit physical tamper field, a 4-bit ERT type field, a 2-bit encoder tamper field, a 24-bit consumption data field, a 24-bit second ERT ID field, and a 16-bit validation field, wherein each ERT device is configured with (a) an issued serial number to represented by values of the 2-bit first ERT ID field and the 24-bit second ERT ID field of SCMs generated by the ERT device, and (b) an ERT type to be represented by a value of the 4-bit ERT type field of the SCMs generated by the ERT device, the system comprising a processor operatively coupled with a data store, wherein;
the data store contains a set of records that associate each issued serial number with a corresponding configured ERT type; and
the processor that associates a first new ERT device of a first type with a serial number in accordance with the set of records such that;
the first ERT device may have a common serial number with another ERT device of a different type; and
the first ERT device may not have a common serial number with any other ERT device of the first type.
- a 1-bit synchronization field, a 20-bit preamble field, a 2-bit first ERT ID field, a 1-bit special use field, a 2-bit physical tamper field, a 4-bit ERT type field, a 2-bit encoder tamper field, a 24-bit consumption data field, a 24-bit second ERT ID field, and a 16-bit validation field, wherein each ERT device is configured with (a) an issued serial number to represented by values of the 2-bit first ERT ID field and the 24-bit second ERT ID field of SCMs generated by the ERT device, and (b) an ERT type to be represented by a value of the 4-bit ERT type field of the SCMs generated by the ERT device, the system comprising a processor operatively coupled with a data store, wherein;
Specification