REMOTE SENSING SYSTEM
First Claim
1. An imaging system for reading residential and/or commercial meters, the imaging system comprising:
- a transmission element that attaches to an external location of a meter, the transmission element selectively communicating a reading signal corresponding to a meter value;
an imaging unit located within said transmission element that images the meter value at a prescribed frequency; and
a transceiving arrangement that receives the reading signal communication from said transmission element, the transceiving arrangement further comprising a converter that analyzes and converts the reading signal communication to a use signal.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An imaging system (10) and method (200) for reading residential and/or commercial meters. The system and method comprise a transmission element (12) that attaches to an external location of a meter (24). The transmission element (12) selectively communicates a reading signal (40) corresponding to a meter value. The system and method further comprise an imaging unit (14) located within the transmission element (12) that images the meter value at a prescribed frequency. The system and method also comprise a transceiving arrangement (16) that receives the reading signal (40) communication from the transmission element. The transceiving arrangement (16) also comprises a converter (44) that analyzes and converts the reading signal (40) communication to a use signal (46).
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An imaging system for reading residential and/or commercial meters, the imaging system comprising:
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a transmission element that attaches to an external location of a meter, the transmission element selectively communicating a reading signal corresponding to a meter value; an imaging unit located within said transmission element that images the meter value at a prescribed frequency; and a transceiving arrangement that receives the reading signal communication from said transmission element, the transceiving arrangement further comprising a converter that analyzes and converts the reading signal communication to a use signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of imaging and transmitting an image captured from residential and/or commercial utility meters, the method comprising:
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attaching a transmission element to an external location of a utility meter; imaging at a prescribed frequency a utility meter value on the utility meter with an imaging unit, the imaging unit being fixedly attached to said transmission element; communicating from the transmission element a reading signal corresponding to the image utility meter value captured by said imaging unit; receiving said reading signal sent from the transmission element with a transceiving arrangement; converting said reading signal communication with a converter located within said transceiving arrangement to a use signal comprising a use value; and transmitting said use signal to at least one monitoring system in remote communication with said transceiving arrangement, said monitoring system receiving said use signal that includes said use value displayed on said monitoring system. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An imaging system for reading residential and/or commercial utility meters, the imaging system comprising:
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a transmission element that attaches to an external location of a utility meter, the transmission element selectively communicating a reading signal corresponding to a utility meter value, the transmission element comprising; an antenna for transmitting said reading signal using a wireless communication protocol; a plurality of solar cells providing a source of power to said transmission element; and an imaging unit located within said transmission element that images the utility meter value at a prescribed frequency; a transceiving arrangement that receives the reading signal communication from said transmission element, the transceiving arrangement further comprising a converter that analyzes and converts the reading signal communication to a use signal comprising a use value; and at least one monitoring system in remote communication with said transceiving arrangement, said monitoring system receiving said use signal that includes said use value displayed on said monitoring system. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification