Retrofitting device providing automatic reading capability for metering systems

• US 5,506,404 A
• Filed: 09/08/1993
• Issued: 04/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: W. J. Milan-Kamski
• Original Assignee: W. J. Milan-Kamski
• Inventors: Milan-Kamski, W. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TIEP HUU
• Application Number:
  US08/117,694
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 250/231.13, 250/231.14, 250/237 G, 250/227.21, 250/231.16, 340/870.02, 340/870.28, 340/870.29
• US Class Current: 250/231.14
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/008 Modifications to installed utility meters to enable remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/347 using displacement encoding scales
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/06 through light guides, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

The present invention provides a retrofitting assembly and system providing automatic reading capability for gas, electric power, and water meters. The assembly includes a differential sensing system which recognizes and stores the angular position of an optical pattern mounted onto a rotating member of a meter. Light pulses stemming from pulsed sources travel through fiber optic cables on their way to the optical pattern. A Sensing/Transmitting/Receiving module generates, processes, and stores the pulses sent to and received from the optical pattern. Also disclosed is a billing system which may be built around the retrofitted or modified meters.

Claims

1. A retrofitting assembly and optical sensing system providing automatic reading capability for utility meters, comprising,

a plurality of fiber optic cables;

an optical pattern mounted to a moving member of one of said utility meters;

a cable lens joined to one set of terminal ends of said fiber optic cables and facing said optical pattern;

a number of interrogation pulses for initiating reading sequence;

a number of pulsed sources of light, triggered by said interrogation pulses, for generating light signals which travel through said fiber optic cable and onto said optical pattern;

a light sensing device for converting light pulses reflected from said optical pattern to electrical signals;

a number of digital coincidence detectors for receiving said electrical signals from said light sensing device for gating said electrical signals with said interrogation pulse;

a digital time domain difference detector for differentially calculating outputs received from said number of digital coincidence detectors; and

a control module for accumulating and electronically manipulating said differentially calculated output received from said digital time domain difference detector.

2. A retrofitting assembly and system providing automatic reading capability for utility meters as recited in claim 1, whereby there are two of said fiber optic cables, wherein said optical pattern is a circular arrangement of alternating reflective and non-reflective segments, and whereby said cable lens is joined to said two fiber optic cables and positioned so as to allow one of said fiber optic cables to face a reflective segment on said optical pattern while permitting the other to face a non-reflective segment on said optical pattern.

3. A retrofitting assembly and system providing automatic reading capability for utility meters as recited in claim 1, whereby said control module has an LCD display on its front face, and wherein a multiplicity of data selection buttons are located on said control module.

4. A retrofitting assembly and system providing automatic reading capability for utility meters as recited in claim 1, wherein said control module receives interrogation commands from local billing centers that initiate a transfer of meter readings to said local billing centers along a data communication medium.

5. A retrofitting assembly and system providing automatic reading capability for utility meters as recited in claim 4, wherein said control module may operate in a repeater mode in order to reconstitute signals sent along said data communication medium.

6. A retrofitting assembly and system providing automatic reading capability for utility meters as recited in claim 4, wherein data is further transferred from said local billing centers to a central billing center, and finally, to a data processing center.