REMOTE METER READING APPARATUS

• US 3,778,771 A
• Filed: 11/22/1971
• Issued: 12/11/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William T. Whitaker
• Original Assignee: William T. Whitaker
• Inventors: Whitaker, William T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Curtis, Marshall M.
• Application Number:
  US05/200,792
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 179/2A 340/324R,150,151
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/002 with telemetering systems telemetering in general G08C

Abstract

At a central utility company station, a customer'"'"''"'"'s telephone number is dialed either manually or automatically, whereupon a first or starting audio frequency tone is impressed upon the telephone trunk line which activates the meter reading apparatus at the subscriber'"'"''"'"'s end. Upon receipt of the starting tone frequency, a starting circuit activates a plurality of fixed frequency oscillators, which in turn are connected to a specially adapted dial face of the utility meter to electrically impart a distinctive frequency tone to each number position. The circuit is completed by means of a tone pickup arm attached each dial which transmits the frequency to the corresponding contact of a stepping switch. A second pulsing circuit receive a second or pulsing tone of differing frequency from the central station to sequentially connect the wiper of the stepping switch with the electrical path from each of the meter dials, so that each dial may be read. The tone frequency corresponding to the number position of each meter dial is transmitted back to a tone converter at the central station, which converts the frequencies into electrical information which is intelligible to a billing and information storing computer. The system may be adapted to operate several types of meters at a customer location, or by using certain commercially available stepping switches to read many meters of a certain type at such locations as apartments and office buildings.

Claims

1. Apparatus for reading a utility meter at a remote location from a central station over a telephone line comprising:

a. a first tone generating means for selectively generating at the central station a plurality of audio frequency tones including start and read tones, and impressing the tones onto said telephone line;

b. means for selectively connecting said central station with a prescribed customer utility meter at the other end of said telephone line and bypassing said telephone set in response to a first tone from said first tone generating means;

C. a meter reading network associated with each customer'"'"''"'"'s utility meter and electrically connected into said telephone line at said customer'"'"''"'"'s location and including;

i. a second tone generating means for electrically imparting to the dials of said meter a distinctive frequency tone for each number position of the dials, said second tone generating means including a plurality of fixed frequency oscillators, each oscillator generating a different frequency tone and connected with a contact point corresponding to one of the number positions on each of the dials;

ii. tone pickup means on each dial for connecting a frequency tone from the number position corresponding to the setting of the dial to the output of the meter;

iii. stepping switch means, the number of steps in said switch at least equal to the number of dials on said meter, each step connected to the output from one of said dials, whereby as each step is successively connected, the reading from the corresponding dial is transmitted;

iv. a starting circuit means responsive to selected start tones from said central station for activating said second tone generating means, and including means for automatically opening said starting circuit means after a predetermined time period of operation thereby disconnecting said starting circuit means from said central station;

v. first filter means operatively interconnected between said starting circuit means and said central station for only transmitting a predetermined start tone or tones from said central station to said starting circuit means whereby said starting circuit means can only be actuated by generating the proper frequency or frequencies at said central station;

vi. a pulsing circuit means responsive to at least one read tone for activating said stepping switch means, said pulsing circuit including means responsive to said read tone to move said stepping switch one step, said read tone being repeated to sequentially monitor each dial;

vii. second filter means operatively interconnected between said pulsing circuit means and said central station for only transmitting a predetermined read tone or tones from said central station to said pulsing circuit means, whereby said pulsing circuit can only be actuated by generating the proper frequency or frequencies at said central station;

viii. means interconnected between the dials of said customer'"'"''"'"'s utility meter and said central station for transmitting the particular frequency from said second tone generating means that corresponds to the particular reading of a respective meter dial; and

d. means at said central station for converting said frequency tones from said utility meter into computer language.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dial face of said meter comprises a non-conductive material having an electrically conductive segment molded into the surface thereof adjacent each of the number positions of each dial forming said contact points, said segments arranged in a circular pattern corresponding to the arrangement of the number positions, means for attaching each conductive segment to one of said fixed frequency oscillators, a continuous ring of electrically conductive material, concentric to the circular pattern formed by the number positions of each dial, molded into the face of each dial, means for connecting each ring with one of the contacts of said stepping switch means, and a wiper arm on each dial connected to the gearing mechanism of the meter to continuously revolve as the utility service is consumed, said arm being formed of a conductive material and having a pair of depending contacts extending therefrom, one of said contacts adapted for engagement with one of said conductive segments at all times and the other contact engaging said ring, whereupon said frequency tone is transmitted from one of said contacts to said conductive ring and back to the stepping switch.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said step switch means Comprises a rotary step switch including a plurality of contacts arranged in an arcuate path around a central shaft, a rotary wiper having one end connected to said shaft and the other end adapted to engage one of said contacts, a gear means mounted on said shaft and secured to said wiper for moving said wiper sequentially from one contact to another in response to a signal from said pulsing circuit, said gear means being spring-biased to a normal position out of engagement with any of said contacts, locking means in engagement with the teeth of said gear for preventing inadvertent return of said gear to said normal position during operation of said switch, and a release means for releasing said locking means from engagement with said gear upon completion of the meter reading operation to return said gear to said normal position.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, and further including a transfer circuit comprising a transfer relay connected into the conductor path between said second tone generating means and said utility meter, said transfer relay being responsive to a third signal from said first tone generating means whereupon said relay, in a first position, connects said second tone generating means with said meter, and in a second position connects said tone generating means with a second meter, whereupon said apparatus may be used to read more than one type of meter.