Automatic meter reading device
First Claim
1. An apparatus used for reading a number of meters and for transmitting meter data to a remote receiver, the improvement comprising:
- means for repeating transmission of said data to said receiver, said repeating means being responsive to a condition of said receiver to terminate said transmission,said repeating means comprising a modulo-n counter, n being an integer corresponding to the number of meters being read.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device for automatically reading one or more meters at a remote location and supplying the information read over telephone lines to a central station includes a coupler effective on command from the central station to furnish power to the meter reading device from the telephone lines and to energize the device to duplicate the readings of the meter counters in sequence to respective registers, from which the readings are encoded in an encoder effective to transmit the information through the coupler and over the telephone lines to a central station by frequency-shift modulation, and to repeat the message until signalled by the central station to stop.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus used for reading a number of meters and for transmitting meter data to a remote receiver, the improvement comprising:
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means for repeating transmission of said data to said receiver, said repeating means being responsive to a condition of said receiver to terminate said transmission, said repeating means comprising a modulo-n counter, n being an integer corresponding to the number of meters being read. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An automatic remote meter reading device for transmitting meter data to a remote receiver comprising:
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a coupling means for connection to a telephone line, said coupling means being responsive to a voltage reversal on said telephone line caused by said receiver and to an identification code transmitted on said telephone line, a power supply means for said meter reading device connected to said telephone line for providing power to said meter reading device responsive to said voltage reversal, means for generating a power signal for initiating operation of said meter reading device responsive to said coupling means, said power signal persisting as long as said voltage reversal persists, accumulator means for receiving signals from each meter to be read, said accumulator means comprising; a buffer means for each meter, each such buffer receiving signals from only one meter and conditioned thereby, an oscillating means responsive to said buffer means for generating periodic pulses, a counter corresponding to each buffer, a control means for each buffer, said control means being readied by said condition of said buffer and by a first pulse of said oscillator and being triggered by a second pulse of said oscillator, for causing said corresponding counter to count only when said condition of said buffer persists for a time at least as long as the period between said periodic pulses, counter selecting means responsive to said power signal and to an accumulator select clock signal for providing signals enabling a transfer of a count in a particular counter to an output register, said counter selecting means comprising a modulo-n counter advanced by said accumulator select clock signal, n being a number corresponding to the number of meters being read by said meter reading device, advances of said modulo-n counter causing contents of different counters to be transferred to said output register, said counter selecting means being programmable to enable operation with a variable number of meters, and encoding means for generating timing signals including said acummulator select clock signals for use by said accumulator means and for causing said meter data in said output register to be transmitted to said remote receiver, whereby said modulo-n counter within said counter selecting means causes repeated transfers of the contents of the different counters to said output register as long as said power signal persists. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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- 7. An automatic meter reading device for a meter effective to furnish pulses to a receiving means according to the meter reading comprising a mechanism adjacent one or more meters and including an accumulator having one counter for each meter and advanced thereby, a register, means in said accumulator for duplicating the reading of each of said counters in said register, an encoder, means controlled by said encoder for encoding the reading of said register in sequence into a self-clocking binary code message, means for repeatedly transmitting said code message, and means responsive to said receiving means for terminating transmission of said code message.
Specification