Automated data transmission system

• US 5,193,111 A
• Filed: 01/06/1992
• Issued: 03/09/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ABB Power T&D Limited (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Power T&D Limited (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Matty, Thomas C., Colclaser, Robert G. III, Hitchins, Gary O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MATAR, AHMAD
• Application Number:
  US07/815,886
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 379/106, 379/107, 379/102, 379/105
• US Class Current: 379/106.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling the transmission of data, via a telephone network (20), between a first location (2,14,16) where data is collected and a central station (22). Data transmission is effected by: collecting and storing data (24-36) at the first location (2); providing an indication (42) of the current time at the first location; storing, at the first location, an indication (30) of a selected time which is after the present time and an indication (32-36) of selected ones of the plurality of data types; comparing (42) the indication of the present and selected times and establishing a connection (56), via the telephone network (20), from the first location (2,14,16) to the central station (22) when the present time becomes later than the selected time; and effecting a communication, via the connection, which includes a first transmission (56) of the selected ones of the stored data type from the first location (2,14,16) to the central station (22) and a second transmission (58 ), from the central station (22) to the first location (2,14,16), of an indication of a new selected time, and identification of the data to be collected and the locations from which that data will be obtained, for the next communication.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the transmission of data, via a telephone line, from a plurality of data reading and storage devices at a first location where data is collected to a central station, the plurality of data reading and storage devices including a first data reading and storage device having means for reading and storing data of at least one data type and a second data reading and storage device having means for reading and storing data of a plurality of different data types, the method comprising:

collecting and storing data of the at least one type in the reading and storing means of the first device and data of each of the plurality of different types in the reading and storing means of the second device at the first location;

providing an indication of the present time at the first location;

storing, in a first storing step at the first location an indication of a selected time which is later than the present time;

storing, in a second storing step at the first location, an indication of the at least one data type for which data is stored in the first device and an indication of at least a selected one of the plurality of data types for which data is stored in the second device;

comparing the indication of the present and selected times and establishing a connection, via the telephone line, from the first location to the central station when the present time becomes later than the selected time; and

effecting a communication, via the connection, which includes a first transmission of data of the selected ones of the stored data types from the first location to the central station and a second transmission, from the central station to the first location, of an indication of a new selected time and an indication of the data types for which data is to be transmitted during the next communication, which data types include the at least one data type for which data is stored in the first device and at least one, but less than all, of the plurality of different data types for which data is stored in the second device.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

determining, at the first location, whether the new selected time is later than the present time, and repeating said step of comparing based on the new selected time

3. A method as defined in claim 2 further comprising:

terminating the connection after reception of the second transmission.

4. A method as defined in claim 3 wherein:

the at least one device includes a first device having means for acquiring data and first data storing means, and a second device having second data storing means which include at least one addressable memory location for storing data relating to the second device; and

said second storing step comprises storing, in said first data storing means, an identification of selected data acquired by said means for acquiring data and an identification of selected data stored in said second data storing means.

5. A method as defined in claim 4 wherein said step of collecting and storing data further comprises storing in said first data storing means data representing the telephone number of the central station and data identifying the first location.

6. A method as defined in claim 5 further comprising:

monitoring the time interval between said operation of establishing a connection and reception, at the first location, of the second transmission, and if that time interval is longer than a selected time interval, repeating said steps of establishing a connection and effecting a communication.

7. A method as defined in claim 6 wherein:

the first location further has a communication system;

said step of establishing a connection comprises sending the data stored in the first data storing means to the communication system, and, in the communication system, using the data representing the telephone number of the central station to establish the connection; and

said step of effecting a communication is carried out so that the first transmission contains the selected data acquired by the means for acquiring data and the selected data stored in the at least one memory location of the second data storing means.

8. A method as defined in claim 7 wherein said step of effecting a communication includes sending the data stored in the memory location of the second data storing means directly to the communication system.

9. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the second data reading and storage device is an electric utility meter.

10. Apparatus for controlling the transmission of data, via a telephone line, from a plurality of data reading and storage devices at a first location where data is collected to a central station, the plurality of data reading and storage devices including a first data reading and storage device having means for reading and storing data of at least one data type and a second data reading and storage device having means for reading and storing data of a plurality of different data types, the apparatus comprising:

first means for collecting and storing data of the at least one type in the reading and storing means of the first device and data of each of the plurality of different types in the reading and storing means of the second device at the first location;

second means at the first location for providing an indication of the present time;

third means at the first location for storing an indication of a selected time which is later than the present time;

fourth means at the first location for storing an indication of the at least one data type for which data is stored in the first device and an indication of at least a selected one of the plurality of data types for which data is stored in the second device;

fifth means for comparing the indication of the present and selected times and establishing a connection, via the telephone line, from the first location to the central station when the present time becomes later than the selected time; and

sixth means for effecting a communication, via the connection, which includes a first transmission of data of the selected ones of the stored data types from the first location to the central station and a second transmission, from the central station to the first location, of an indication of a new selected time and an indication of the data types for which data is to be transmitted during the next communication, which data types include the at least one data type for which data is stored in the first device and at least one, but less than all, of the plurality of different data types for which data is stored in the second device.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10 further comprising:

seventh means at the first location for determining whether a new selected time is later than the present time.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 10 comprising, at the first location, a first device which contains means for acquiring data and said first, second, third, fourth and fifth means, and a second device having data storing means which include at least one addressable memory location for storing data relating to the second device;

and wherein said fourth means stores an identification of selected data acquired by said means for acquiring data and an identification of selected data stored in said second data storing means.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said first means stores data representing the telephone number of the central station and data identifying the first location.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13 further comprising eighth means at the first location for monitoring the time interval between the establishment of a connection and reception at the first location of the second transmission.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said sixth means comprise a communication system at the first location for receiving the data stored in said first means, for using the data representing the telephone number of the central station to establish the connection, and for effecting a communication so that the first transmission contains the selected data acquired by the means for acquiring data and the selected data stored in the at least one memory location of said data storing means of said second device.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said communication system is connected directly to said second device for receiving the data stored in the at least one memory location of said data storing means of said second device.

17. Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said second data reading and storage device is a electric utility meter.