METERS AND UPGRADED METER COVER WITH SENSOR
First Claim
1. A meter cover comprising:
- a) a removable cover housing configured to accommodate an upper portion of internal components of an existing meter, the cover housing engageable with a housing base of the existing meter to cover and enclose the internal components of the existing meter, wherein the cover housing comprises left and right flares, protruding at least partially to the left and right, respectively, from the removable cover housing and adapted to house one or more sensors;
b) one or more sensors affixed to the left flare of the cover housing and housed in the left flare to collect information pertaining to the presence of an object in a first local external environment to the left of the existing meter and one or more sensors affixed to the right flare of the cover housing and housed in the right flare to collect information pertaining to the presence of an object in a second local external environment to the right of the existing meter, wherein the one or more sensors affixed to the left flare of the cover housing and the one or more sensors affixed to the right flare of the cover housing operate independently of each other; and
c) a wireless radio affixed to the cover housing, the wireless radio configured to transmit the information pertaining to the first and second local external environments to the existing meter or to a remote server in communication with the existing meter.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Meters and meter covers comprising: a removable cover housing configured to accommodate the upper portion of the internal components of an existing meter, the cover housing engageable with the housing base of the existing meter to cover and enclose the internal components of the existing meter; a sensor affixed to the cover housing, the sensor configured to collect environmental information pertaining to the local external environment of the existing meter; a wireless radio affixed to the cover housing, the wireless radio configured to transmit the environmental information to the existing meter or to a remote server in communication with the existing meter; and a power unit affixed to the cover housing, the power unit supplying power to the sensor and the wireless radio.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A meter cover comprising:
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a) a removable cover housing configured to accommodate an upper portion of internal components of an existing meter, the cover housing engageable with a housing base of the existing meter to cover and enclose the internal components of the existing meter, wherein the cover housing comprises left and right flares, protruding at least partially to the left and right, respectively, from the removable cover housing and adapted to house one or more sensors; b) one or more sensors affixed to the left flare of the cover housing and housed in the left flare to collect information pertaining to the presence of an object in a first local external environment to the left of the existing meter and one or more sensors affixed to the right flare of the cover housing and housed in the right flare to collect information pertaining to the presence of an object in a second local external environment to the right of the existing meter, wherein the one or more sensors affixed to the left flare of the cover housing and the one or more sensors affixed to the right flare of the cover housing operate independently of each other; and c) a wireless radio affixed to the cover housing, the wireless radio configured to transmit the information pertaining to the first and second local external environments to the existing meter or to a remote server in communication with the existing meter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A meter comprising:
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a) a housing base; b) a meter device at least partially disposed in the housing base; c) a removable cover housing configured to accommodate an upper portion of the meter device, the cover housing engageable with the housing base of the existing meter to cover and enclose the meter device, wherein the cover housing comprises left and right flares protruding at least partially to the left and right, respectively, from the removable cover housing and adapted to house one or more sensors; d) one or more sensors affixed to left the flare of the cover housing and housed in the left flare to collect information pertaining to the presence of an object in a first local external environment to the left of the existing meter and one or more sensors affixed to the right flare of the cover housing and housed in the right flare to collect information pertaining to the presence of an object in a second local external environment to the right of the existing meter, wherein the one or more sensors affixed to the left flare of the cover housing and the one or more sensors affixed to right flare of the cover housing operate independently of each other; and e) a wireless radio affixed to the cover housing, the wireless radio configured to transmit the information pertaining to the first and second local external environments to the meter device or to a remote server in communication with the meter device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of upgrading a meter comprising:
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a) disengaging a cover housing from a housing base of an existing meter to expose an internal meter device; b) removing the cover housing; c) replacing the cover housing; and d) engaging a replacement cover housing with the housing base to cover and enclose the meter device; provided that the replacement cover housing comprises;
left and right flares protruding at least partially to the left and right, respectively, from the removable cover housing and adapted to house one or more sensors;
one or more sensors affixed to the left flare of the cover housing and housed in the left flare to collect information pertaining to the presence of an object in a first local external environment to the left of the existing meter and one or more sensors affixed to the right flare of the cover housing and housed in the right flare to collect information pertaining to the presence of an object in a second local external environment to the right of the existing meter, wherein the one or more sensors affixed to the left flare of the cover housing and the one or more sensors affixed to the right flare of the cover housing operate independently of each other; and
a wireless radio affixed to the cover housing, the wireless radio configured to transmit the environmental information to the meter device or to a remote server in communication with the meter device;
whereby the meter is upgraded. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A method of upgrading a meter comprising:
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a) disengaging a portion of a cover housing from a cover housing of an existing meter; b) removing the portion of the cover housing; c) replacing the portion of the cover housing; and d) engaging a replacement portion of the cover housing with the cover housing of the existing meter; provided that the portion of the cover housing comprises less than 75%, 50%, or 25% of the cover housing; provided that the replacement portion of the cover housing comprises;
left and right flares protruding at least partially to the left and right, respectively, from the removable cover housing and adapted to house one or more sensors;
one or more sensors affixed to the left flare of the cover housing and housed in the left flare to collect information pertaining to the presence of an object in a first local external environment to the left of the existing meter and one or more sensors affixed to the right flare of the cover housing and housed in the right flare to collect information pertaining to the presence of an object in a second local external environment to the right of the existing meter, wherein the one or more sensors affixed to the left flare of the cover housing and the one or more sensors affixed to the right flare of the cover housing operate independently of each other; and
a wireless radio affixed to the portion of the cover housing, the wireless radio configured to transmit the environmental information to the meter device or to a remote server in communication with the meter device;
whereby the meter is upgraded. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification