METERS AND UPGRADED METER COVER WITH SENSOR
3 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.
79 Citations
48 Claims
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1-28. -28. (canceled)
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29. 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 at least partially enclose the internal components of the existing meter; b) one or more sensors affixed to the cover housing and configured to detect arrival of an object in a local external environment of the meter and generate arrival information; c) a wireless radio affixed to the cover housing, the wireless radio configured to transmit the arrival information to the existing meter or to a remote server in communication with the existing meter; and d) a payment accepting unit affixed to the cover housing and configured to accept a payment from a user, the payment accepting unit comprising a low-power mode and powered-up mode and configured to transition from the powered-up mode to the low-power mode when idle and transition from the low-power mode to the powered-up mode in response to the arrival information. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A meter comprising:
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a) a housing base; b) a meter device at least partially disposed in the housing base; and c) a removable cover housing configured to accommodate an upper portion of the meter device, the removable cover housing engageable with the housing base to at least partially enclose the meter device;
the removable cover housing comprising;
one or more sensors affixed to the cover housing and configured to detect arrival of an object in a local external environment of the meter and generate arrival information;
a wireless radio affixed to the cover housing, the wireless radio configured to transmit the arrival information to the meter device or to a remote server in communication with the meter device; and
a payment accepting unit affixed to the cover housing and configured to accept a payment from a user, the payment accepting unit comprising a low-power mode and powered-up mode and configured to transition from the powered-up mode to the low-power mode when idle and transition from the low-power mode to the powered-up mode in response to the arrival information.
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47. 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; and c) replacing the cover housing by engaging a replacement cover housing with the housing base to enclose the meter device;
provided that the replacement cover housing comprises;
one or more sensors affixed to the cover housing and configured to detect arrival of an object in a local external environment of the meter and generate arrival information;
a wireless radio affixed to the cover housing, the wireless radio configured to transmit the arrival information to the existing meter or to a remote server in communication with the existing meter; and
a payment accepting unit affixed to the cover housing and configured to accept a payment from a user, the payment accepting unit comprising a low-power mode and powered-up mode and configured to transition from the powered-up mode to the low-power mode when idle and transition from the low-power mode to the powered-up mode in response to the arrival information;
whereby the meter is upgraded. - View Dependent Claims (48)
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Specification