Low-powered remote sensor

• US 4,893,332 A
• Filed: 04/29/1988
• Issued: 01/09/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aquatrol Corporation
• Original Assignee: Aquatrol Corporation
• Inventors: Brown, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): George, Keith E.
• Application Number:
  US07/188,496
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 379/40, 379/51, 379/55, 379/106, 379/107, 379/375, 379/376, 379/413, 379/414, 379/415, 379/416, 340/870.01, 340/870.02, 307/149, 455/343
• US Class Current: 379/106.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/002 with telemetering systems telemetering in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/44 using alternate current H04Q1/50 takes precedence

Abstract

A low-powered remote sensor is achieved by capacitively isolating a long duration perpetual timer which is powered by removing inductively coupled AC power from telephone lines or other long lines. Three embodiments are described using this concept. The first embodiment is a remote utility sensor designed to periodically dial and transmit data to a central site via telephone lines and report its functionality on a periodic basis. The second embodiment of the remote utility sensor is used for reporting utility usage for common utilities such as gas meters, water meters, electric meters and water softeners on a periodic basis over telephone lines. The third embodiment is a remote utility sensor which continually records utility usage and can be read by a portable recording device through a remote cabled interface.

Claims

1. A remote transmitting device for connection to a telephone line, comprising:

number transmitting means for transmitting coded numbers;

telephone line connection means for interconnecting said number transmitting means to the telephone line whereby transmitted coded numbers can be communicated over the telephone line;

sequencer means connected to said number transmitting means for sequentially causing a predetermined series of coded numbers to be transmitted to said telephone line connection means, said predetermined series of coded numbers including the telephone number of a central station and further including a unique address;

low-power source means capacitively coupled to said telephone line for drawing inductively coupled AC line power from the telephone line and further operable for regulating said drawn power; and

perpetual timer means powered by said low-power, source means for periodically causing said sequencer means to transmit said sequence of numbers to said central station.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein said coded numbers comprise dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) codes.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein said coded telephone numbers comprise dial pulse telephone codes.

4. A remote transmitting device for periodically reporting to a central station over a telephone line comprising:

telephone interfacing means electrically connected to the telephone line for transmitting information;

automatic dialing means connected to said telephone interfacing means for transmitting a telephone number corresponding to the central station;

timer means connected to said dialing means for periodically causing said automatic dialing means to transmit said telephone number corresponding to the central station; and

low-power source means capacitively connected to the telephone line for drawing inductively coupled AC power from a long wire line and for powering said timer means.

17. The device in accordance with claim 4, wherein the telephone interfacing means electrically connected to the telephone line further comprises means for receiving information.

5. A remote transmitting device connected to a telephone line comprising:

telephone line connection means electrically connected to the telephone line for transmitting and receiving information;

tone signalling means electrically connected to said telephone line connection means for transmitting tones;

tone sequencer means electrically connected to said tone signalling means and operable in a first mode for causing said tone signalling means to transmit a telephone number corresponding to a central receiving site, said tone sequencer means operable in a second mode for causing said tone signalling means to transmit a sequence of tones corresponding to an address;

long duration timer means for periodically causing said tone sequencer means to operate in a first mode wherein said telephone number is transmitted by said tone signalling means through said telephone lines, said long duration timer means further operable for causing said tone sequencer means to operate in a second mode wherein said address is transmitted by said tone signalling means to the telephone line; and

low-power storage means electrically connected between said telephone line and said long duration timer means and operable for drawing inductively coupled AC power from said telephone line for powering said long duration timer means, said low-power storage means being capacitively coupled to the telephone line.

6. The device according to claim 5 wherein said tone sequencer means further includes a third mode for transmitting a sequence of numbers corresponding to the status of a device being monitored.

7. The device according to claim 5 further including a sensor means electrically connected to said tone sequencer means for causing said tone sequencer means to operate in a third mode, said third mode corresponding to transmitting the inverted value of said address.

18. The device in accordance with claim 5, wherein the tone signalling means includes DTMF tone signalling means.

8. A device for monitoring utility meters and transmitting the status thereof over telephone lines, comprising:

telephone line connection means electrically connected to said telephone line;

DTMF signalling means electrically connected to said telephone line connection means for transmitting standard telephone DTMF tones;

sequencer means electrically connected to said DTMF tone signalling means for causing a sequence of tones to be transmitted, said sequence of tones including a first series corresponding to a telephone number of a central reporting station, said sequence of tones further including a second series corresponding to an address of the utility meter, said sequence of tones further including a third series corresponding to the status of the utility meter;

timer means electrically connected to said sequencer means for causing the remote sensing device to periodically call the central reporting station and transmit the status of the utility meter; and

low-power source means electrically connected to said timer means and further capacitively connected to the telephone line for drawing inductively coupled AC power from the telephone line for use in powering said timer means.

9. The device according to claim 8 further including counter means electrically connected to said sequencer means for counting utility meter usage and further operable for providing said sequencer with said third series corresponding to said utility meter usage.

10. The device according to claim 8 further including a medium-power source means electrically connected to said telephone line for drawing current directly from the telephone line and for powering said telephone line transmitting means, DTMF signalling means, and sequencer means.

11. A remote utility sensing device for monitoring a utility meter and reporting utility usage to a portable peripheral device, comprising:

sensing means connected to the utility meter for generating digital pulses in response to the utility usage;

counter means connected to said sensing means for counting and storing said digital pulses;

interface means connected to said counter means for transmitting values stored in said counter means to the portable peripheral device; and

power source means capacitively coupled to a long wire for drawing inductively coupled AC line power, and further operable for rectifying and low-pass filtering said power for powering said remote utility sensing device.

12. The device according to claim 11 wherein said long wire is a telephone line.

13. The device according to claim 11 wherein said counter means is implemented using CMOS circuitry.

14. The device according to claim 11 further including addressing means connected to said interface means for supplying a unique address to the portable peripheral device.

15. The device according to claim 11 wherein said interface means is implemented using parallel data transmission from said counter means to the portable peripheral device.

16. The device according to claim 11 wherein said interface means is implemented using serial data transmission from said counter means to the portable peripheral device.