Wireless Radio Communication System For Consumption Meters

• US 20150282172A1
• Filed: 08/26/2013
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Miitors ApS (Apator SA)
• Original Assignee: Miitors ApS (Apator SA)
• Inventors: Drachmann, Jens
• Granted Patent: US 10,004,071 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/006 Remote reading of utility meters to a non-fixed location, i.e. mobile location
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A wireless radio communication system for consumption meters is disclosed. The communication system includes one or more consumption meters arranged to be able to communicate using a first set of radio frequency bands, one or more mobile communication devices arranged to be able to communicate using a second set of radio frequency bands, and one or more meter reading systems arranged to be able to communicate using a third set of radio frequency bands, wherein the first set of radio frequency bands includes a HF band and a first VHF/UHF band, the second set of radio frequency bands includes at least the HF band and a second VHF/UHF band, and the third set of radio frequency bands includes at least the first VHF/UHF band.

Claims

1. A wireless radio communication system for consumption meters, which communication system comprises

one or more consumption meters arranged to be able to communicate using a first set of radio frequency bands,

one or more mobile communication devices arranged to be able to communicate using a second set of radio frequency bands, and

one or more meter reading systems arranged to be able to communicate using a third set of radio frequency bands,

wherein

the first set of radio frequency bands comprises a HF band and a first VHF/UHF band,

the second set of radio frequency bands comprises at least said HF band and a second VHF/UHF band, and

the third set of radio frequency bands comprises at least said first VHF/UHF band.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the third set of radio frequency bands comprises said HF band.

3. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the third set of radio frequency bands comprises said second VHF/UHF band.

4. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the HF band is used for near field communication.

5. The communication system according to claims 1, wherein said first VHF/UHF band is different from said second VHF/UHF band.

6. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the HF band is used for transferring at least meter identification information.

7. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the first VHF/UHF band is used for transferring at least meter consumption data from the one or more consumption meters to the one or more meter reading systems.

8. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the second VHF/UHF band is used for communication with a public cellular mobile communication system.

9. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more mobile communication devices are adapted to obtain location data about their own positions.

10. The communication system according to claim 9, wherein the second VHF/UHF band is used for transferring meter identification information and said location data to one or more of the one or more meter reading systems.

11. A wireless radio communication system for consumption meters, which communication system comprises

one or more consumption meters arranged to be able to communicate using a first set of radio frequency bands comprising a HF band and a first VHF/UHF band,

one or more mobile communication devices arranged to be able to communicate using a second set of radio frequency bands comprising at least said HF band and a second VHF/UHF band, and

one or more meter reading systems arranged to be able to communicate using a third set of radio frequency bands comprising at least said first VHF/UHF band,

wherein

the HF band is used for near field communication for transferring at least meter identification information from at least one of the one or more consumption meters to at least one of the one or more mobile communication devices,

the first VHF/UHF band is used for transferring at least meter consumption data from at least one of the one or more consumption meters to at least one of the one or more meter reading systems, and

the third set of radio frequency bands comprises one or both of said HF band and said second VHF/UHF band so as to enable at least one of the one or more mobile communication devices to transmit the meter identification information to at least one of the one or more meter reading systems.

12. The communication system according to claim 11, wherein the near field communication is arranged in accordance with one or both of NFC and RFID standards.

13. The communication system according to claim 11, wherein said first VHF/UHF band is different from said second VHF/UHF band.

14. The communication system according to claim 11, wherein the second VHF/UHF band is used for communication with a public cellular mobile communication system.

15. The communication system according to claim 11, wherein the second VHF/UHF band is used for WiFi communication.

16. The communication system according to claim 11, wherein the one or more mobile communication devices are arranged to obtain location data about their own positions.

17. The communication system according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the one or more mobile communication devices transfers said location data together with said meter identification information to at least one of the one or more meter reading systems.

18. The communication system according to claim 11, wherein the communication system is arranged to power the near field communication between the one or more consumption meters and the one or more mobile communication devices from a battery of the one or more mobile communication devices.

19. The communication system according to claim 11, wherein the communication system is arranged to engage the one or more mobile communication devices in relation to installation or replacement of at least one of the one or more consumption meters, and engage the one or more meter reading systems in relation to collecting consumption data from the one or more consumption meters regularly.

20. A method for registering and operating a consumption meter with a meter reading system, the method comprising the steps of:

registering the consumption meter with the meter reading system by;

transferring a meter identification information of the consumption meter to a mobile communication device from the consumption meter using near field communication; and

transferring the meter identification information of the consumption meter to the meter reading system from the mobile communication device using near field communication or communication in a second VHF or UHF radio frequency band;

operating the consumption meter by;

transferring consumption data of the consumption meter to the meter reading system from the consumption meter using communication in a first VHF or UHF radio frequency band.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the near field communication is in accordance with one or both of NFC and RFID standards.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said first VHF or UHF band is different from said second VHF or UHF band.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the second VHF or UHF band is used for communication with a public cellular mobile communication system.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the second VHF or UHF band is used for WiFi communication.

25. The method of claim 20 comprising a step of the mobile communication device obtaining location data about its position.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the mobile communication device transfers said location data together with said meter identification information to the meter reading system.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the near field communication is performed with the consumption meter as a passive part and the mobile communication device as an active part so that the near field communication uses energy from a battery of the mobile communication device.