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Meter reading system

  • US 5,278,551 A
  • Filed: 04/06/1993
  • Issued: 01/11/1994
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1989
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A meter reading system comprising:

  • a data recording controller mounted on a vehicle, said vehicle being in general proximity to a meter to be read, said controller including a meter reading data file having a data storage area formed for storing a previous reading for each user number and capable of storing at least a present reading and charged rate, said data recording controller further including an RF transceiver for receiving and transmitting data;

    a meter placed at a house of each user and having a display section for displaying a present reading and having a bar-coded user number attached onto a front surface of said meter; and

    a data input terminal unit for radio-transmitting and receiving data directly to and from said data recording controller, said data input terminal unit comprising,a casing having an end portion, the size of which is such that the end portion can be held by one hand,a pen-scanner type bar code reader, attached to one end of said casing in the longitudinal direction, for reading said bar-coded user number attached on said meter,a keyboard, attached near the other end of said casing in the longitudinal direction, for manually entering a present reading according to a reading displayed on said display section of said meter,a transmitting/receiving means, included within said casing, for transmitting wirelessly to said data recording controller said user number read by said bar code reader and for receiving wirelessly a previous reading associated with said user number from said data recording controller,used-amount computing means, included within said casing, for computing the amount used from said previous reading as obtained from said data recording controller in response to said user number and said present reading entered through said keyboard,printer means, attached to the other end of said casing in the longitudinal direction, responsive to said computing means for printing on a reading slip, meter reading data including at least said previous reading and said computed amount used, andmeans, included within said casing and responsive to said keyboard for causing the wireless transmission of said meter reading data to said data recording controller by said transmitting/receiving means.

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