FIXED NETWORK FOR AN AUTOMATIC UTILITY METER READING SYSTEM
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A fixed network for utility meter reading system, comprising:
- a plurality of meter interface units (MIU), where each MIU collects data from a designated utility meter;
a plurality of data collectors, where each MIU identifies and establishes a communication link with a primary data collector that has been identified as having optimal signal quality with the MIU; and
a central host computer that receives the data from the plurality of data collectors.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fixed network for automatically reading a utility meter system has been developed. The network includes multiple meter interface units (MIUs) that each collect data from a designated utility meter. The collected data is transmitted to a primary data collector. The network includes multiple data collectors and each MIU identifies its own primary data collector based on signal quality between the collector and the MIU. The network includes a central host computer that is used to receive the collected data from the primary data collectors.
72 Citations
56 Claims
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1. A fixed network for utility meter reading system, comprising:
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a plurality of meter interface units (MIU), where each MIU collects data from a designated utility meter; a plurality of data collectors, where each MIU identifies and establishes a communication link with a primary data collector that has been identified as having optimal signal quality with the MIU; and a central host computer that receives the data from the plurality of data collectors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 38)
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8. A fixed network for utility meter reading system, comprising:
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a plurality of meter interface units (MIU), where each MIU collects data from a designated utility meter; a plurality of data collectors that receives the data from at least one MIU; means for identifying a primary data collector for each MIU from the plurality of data collectors based on signal quality with the MIU; and a central host computer that receives the data from the plurality of data collectors.
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9. A method of communicating data for utility meter reading system, comprising:
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collecting data from a utility meter with at least one designated meter interface unit (MIU); transmitting the data via a communication link between an MIU and a primary data collector, where each MIU identifies the primary data collector as having optimal signal quality with the MIU as compared among a plurality of data collectors; and transmitting the data from the primary data collector to a central host computer. - View Dependent Claims (10, 12, 13, 15, 22)
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11. (canceled)
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14. (canceled)
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16. (canceled)
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17. (canceled)
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18. (canceled)
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19. (canceled)
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20. (canceled)
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21. (canceled)
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23. A method of maintaining the communication network for utility meter reading system, comprising:
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collecting data from a utility meter with at least one designated meter interface unit (MIU); transmitting the data via a communication link between an MIU and a primary data collector, where each MIU identifies the primary data collector as having optimal signal quality with the MIU as compared among a plurality of data collectors; transmitting the data from the primary data collector to a central host computer; and transmitting system maintenance messages in a specific reserved time period. - View Dependent Claims (25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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24. (canceled)
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26. (canceled)
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31. (canceled)
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36. A method of maintaining the communication network for utility meter reading system, comprising:
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collecting data from a utility meter with at least one designated meter interface unit (MIU); transmitting the data via a communication link between an MIU and a primary data collector, where each MIU identifies the primary data collector during installation of the system, where each MIU receives low power communications from the plurality of data collectors, identifies a data collector with optimal signal quality as the primary data collector, and transmits a configuration data packet to the primary data collector; and transmitting the data from the primary data collector to a central host computer.
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37. (canceled)
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39. A method of communicating data for utility meter reading system, comprising:
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collecting data from a utility meter with at least one designated meter interface unit (MIU); transmitting the data via a communication link between an MIU and a primary data collector, where each MIU identifies the primary data collector as having optimal signal quality with the MIU as compared among a plurality of data collectors and where the MIU automatically adjusts the power output of a data transmission to the primary collector based on the signal quality of the communication link between the MIU and the primary data collector; and transmitting the data from the primary data collector to a central host computer. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A method of communicating data for utility meter reading system, comprising:
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collecting data from a utility meter with at least one designated meter interface unit (MIU); transmitting the data via a communication link between an MIU and a primary data collector; transmitting the data from the primary data collector to a central host computer; and transmitting an acknowledgment signal to an MIU upon satisfactory receipt of the MIU'"'"'s data at the primary data collector, where a time signal is included in the acknowledgment signal so that the MIU will update an internal clock.
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47. A method of communicating data for utility meter reading system, comprising:
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collecting data from a utility meter with at least one designated meter interface unit (MIU); transmitting the data via a communication link between an MIU and a primary data collector; transmitting the data from the primary data collector to a central host computer; transmitting an acknowledgment signal to an MIU upon satisfactory receipt of the MIU'"'"'s data at the primary data collector; and where the MIU converts to a one-way communication link with the primary data collector if a plurality of sufficient acknowledgment signals for satisfactory receipt of the MIU'"'"'s data by the primary data collector are not received.
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48. A method of communicating data for utility meter reading system, comprising:
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collecting data from a utility meter with at least one designated meter interface unit (MIU); transmitting the data via a communication link between an MIU and a primary data collector; transmitting the data from the primary data collector to a central host computer; transmitting a unique preamble pattern before the data to indicate the beginning of a data transmission; and transmitting an inversion of the unique preamble pattern to indicate the end of the preamble. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50)
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51. A method of communicating data for utility meter reading system, comprising:
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collecting data from a utility meter with at least one designated meter interface unit (MIU); transmitting the data via a communication link between an MIU and a primary data collector; transmitting the data from the primary data collector to a central host computer; and retransmitting a failed data transmission using a modified ALOHA transmission procedure.
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52. A method of communicating data for utility meter reading system, comprising:
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collecting data from a utility meter with at least one designated meter interface unit (MIU) where the data comprises utility usage that is a defined as a percentage value; transmitting the data via a communication link between an MIU and a primary data collector; and transmitting the data from the primary data collector to a central host computer; and where the data comprises utility usage that is a defined as a percentage value. - View Dependent Claims (53)
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54. A method of maintaining the communication network for utility meter reading system, comprising:
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collecting data from a utility meter with at least one designated meter interface unit (MIU); transmitting the data via a communication link between an MIU and a primary data collector; transmitting the data from the primary data collector to a central host computer; and transmitting a system maintenance message from the primary data collector to an installer upon installation of the MIU, where the system maintenance message contains the status of the MIU.
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55. A method of maintaining the communication network for utility meter reading system, comprising:
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collecting data from a utility meter with at least one designated meter interface unit (MIU); transmitting the data via a communication link between an MIU and a primary data collector; transmitting the data from the primary data collector to a central host computer; monitoring system noise versus time of day; and setting a data transmission time for when the system noise is minimized.
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56. A method of maintaining the communication network for utility meter reading system, comprising:
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collecting data from a utility meter with at least one designated meter interface unit (MIU); transmitting the data via a communication link between an MIU and a primary data collector; transmitting the data from the primary data collector to a central host computer; transmitting an alarm to the central host computer when the MIU detects an alarm condition; and controlling the alarm from the central host computer so the alarm may be enabled, disabled, or delayed in the MIU.
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Specification