Simultaneous analog and digital data transfer

• US 3,919,640 A
• Filed: 11/08/1974
• Issued: 11/11/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Walter Simciak
• Original Assignee: Walter Simciak
• Inventors: Simciak, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayer, Albert J.
• Application Number:
  US05/521,953
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• Field of Search: 325/30,163,2,3,8,67,7,13,151,152,363,492,113,320,15,17 178/66R,66A 340/152T,171A,171PF,204,248,249
• US Class Current: 375/269
• 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: G08C 15/00 Arrangements characterised by the use of multiplexing for the transmission of a plurality of signals over a common path
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• 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

An apparatus is disclosed for simultaneously transferring via electromagnetic waves analog and digital data from a remote transponder to a fixed or mobile central control station. Digital data is transmitted from the remote transponder to the fixed or mobile central control station and at the same time the DC voltage of the battery powering the remote station is measured and transmitted to the central or mobile interrogating station.

Claims

1. An apparatus for simultaneously transmitting via electromagnetic waves analog and digital data signals to a mobile or fixed central station from a selected transponder associated with a selected one of said plurality of remote meter reading stations, said analog data signals representing the voltage level of a battery which supplies electric power to said selected remote transponder, and said digital data signals representing information obtained by said selected transponder from its associated remote meter reading station, said apparatus comprising:

a. frequency shift key (FSK) means in each of said remote transponders for encoding digital data at a predetermined frequency for wireless transmission to said mobile or fixed central station from a selected one of said remote transponders;

b. voltage control (VCO) means in each of said remote transponders, one each of said FSK means being coupled to one each of said VCO means, said VCO means for shifting the frequency of its associated FSK means in proportion to the voltage level supplied by a battery associated to said selected one of said remote transponders; and

, c. UHF FM transmitting means in each of said remote transponders for wirelessly transmitting to said fixed or central station from a selected one of said transponders the FSK encoded digital information signals and the analog frequency shifted information signals representative of the battery voltage level.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 including receiving means in said fixed or mobile central station for receiving the FSK encoded digital information signals and the analog frequency shifted information signals.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 further including decoding means coupled to said receiving means for translating the received analog frequency shifted signals into binary coded signals.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said decoding means comprises:

a. first means for providing a reference signal from said received analog frequency shifted signals;

b. second means for subdividing said received analog frequency shifted signals into a predetermined number of component-frequencing signals; and

, c. comparing means for comparing each of the component frequency signals with the reference signal.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein said comparing means provides a high DC signal (i.e., logical one) when the component frequency signal is higher than the reference signal, and further provides a low DC signal (i.e., logical zero) when the component frequency signal is lower than the reference signal.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 including latch means for preserving the signals obtained from the comparing means.