Call in-bound remote reading and data collection system
First Claim
1. A call in-bound remote reading and data collection system for the remote reading of utility meters, comprising:
- data processing means for collecting, storing and processing data, said data processing means further including means for interconnecting said data processing means to conventional telephone lines;
a meter interface unit remotely located from said data processing unit and being interconnected to at least one meter to be read; and
wherein said meter interface unit further includes;
elapsed time determining means for determining when a prespecified amount of time, an elapsed time interval, has elapsed, where one elapsed time interval is prespecified for making a scheduled automatic reading of the meter and another time interval is prespecified for making an unscheduled reading of the meter;
phone line monitoring means for monitoring the telephone lines for telephone line transmissions;
demand read means, responsive to said phone line monitoring means, for evaluating telephone line transmissions and determining when the telephone line transmissions indicate that the meter interface unit is to interconnect to the data processing means for the unscheduled reading of the meter;
means for interconnecting said meter interface unit to said data processing means for communication and data transfer between said data processing means and said meter interface unit, where said meter interface unit is interconnected to said data processing means via the telephone lines when the elapsed time interval for making a particular meter reading is determined to have elapsed by said elapsed time determining means; and
command and data processing means for processing commands from said data collection means and for outputting data, in response to the commands received, to said data collection means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A call in-bound remote reading and data collection system for the remote reading of utility meters, including a data processor and a remotely located meter interface unit (MIU) interconnected to at least one utility meter to be read. Also disclosed is a meter interface unit and a method for the remote reading of utility meters and the collection of data. The data processor collects, stores and processes data and includes a modem to interconnect the data processor to conventional telephone lines. The MIU is interconnected to the telephone lines and the data processor, to transmit scheduled meter reading to the data processing means, when a prespecified interval has elapsed. The MIU is also interconnected to transmit unscheduled or demand meter readings when the MIU receives telephone line transmissions requesting such a reading (e.g. receipt of a specified tone). A modem is used to interconnect the MIU so it can communicate over the telephone lines. The MIU includes a microprocessor that generally controls the operation of the MIU and supervises the transfer of data between the data processor and the meter interface unit. Specifically the microprocessor processes commands from the data processor and outputs data, in response to the commands received, to the data processor.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A call in-bound remote reading and data collection system for the remote reading of utility meters, comprising:
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data processing means for collecting, storing and processing data, said data processing means further including means for interconnecting said data processing means to conventional telephone lines; a meter interface unit remotely located from said data processing unit and being interconnected to at least one meter to be read; and wherein said meter interface unit further includes; elapsed time determining means for determining when a prespecified amount of time, an elapsed time interval, has elapsed, where one elapsed time interval is prespecified for making a scheduled automatic reading of the meter and another time interval is prespecified for making an unscheduled reading of the meter; phone line monitoring means for monitoring the telephone lines for telephone line transmissions; demand read means, responsive to said phone line monitoring means, for evaluating telephone line transmissions and determining when the telephone line transmissions indicate that the meter interface unit is to interconnect to the data processing means for the unscheduled reading of the meter; means for interconnecting said meter interface unit to said data processing means for communication and data transfer between said data processing means and said meter interface unit, where said meter interface unit is interconnected to said data processing means via the telephone lines when the elapsed time interval for making a particular meter reading is determined to have elapsed by said elapsed time determining means; and command and data processing means for processing commands from said data collection means and for outputting data, in response to the commands received, to said data collection means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A call in-bound meter interface unit being interconnected to at least one utility meter to be read and for communicating data to a data processing means via conventional telephone lines, comprising:
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elapsed time determining means for determining when a prespecified amount of time, an elapsed time interval, has elapsed, where one elapsed time interval is prespecified for making a scheduled automatic reading of the meter and another time interval is prespecified for making an unscheduled reading of the meter; phone line monitoring means for monitoring the telephone lines being used for telephone line transmissions; demand read means, responsive to said phone line monitoring means, for evaluating telephone line transmissions and determining when the telephone line transmissions indicate that an interconnection is to be made with the data processing means for the unscheduled reading of a meter; means for interconnecting said command and data processing means to said data processing means for communication and data transfer between said data processing means and said command and data processing means, where said command and data processing means is interconnected to said data processing means via the telephone lines when the elapsed time interval for making a particular meter reading is determined to have elapsed by said elapsed time determining means; and command and data processing means, responsive to said elapsed time determining means and said demand read means, for processing commands from the data collection means and for outputting data, in response to the commands received, to the data collection means. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for the remote reading of utility meters and the collection of data, comprising the steps of:
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providing a data processing means to collect, store and process data, the data processing means further including means for interconnecting the data processing means to conventional telephone lines; interconnecting a meter interface unit to at least one remotely located meter to be read and to the telephone lines; prespecifying one amount of time, one elapsed time interval, for making a scheduled reading of at least one utility meter and prespecifying another amount of time, another elapsed time interval, for making an unscheduled demand reading of at least one utility meter; determining when the elapsed time interval for making a particular meter reading has elapsed; monitoring the telephone lines for telephone line transmissions; evaluating telephone line transmissions and determining when the telephone line transmissions indicate that the meter interface unit is to interconnect to the data processing means via the telephone lines for the unscheduled reading of at least one utility meter; interconnecting the meter interface unit and the data processing means via the telephone lines, when said determining determines that the elapsed time interval specified for the particular meter reading has elapsed, for communication and data transfer between the data processing means and the meter interface unit; processing commands from the data collection means and outputting data, in response to the commands received, to the data collection means after interconnecting the meter interface unit and the data processing means. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification