Utility meter assembly and remote module and mounting apparatus and assembly
First Claim
1. Utility meter assembly comprising:
- at least one utility meter having measuring apparatus for measuring use of a utility, said measuring apparatus positioned within an external housing having at least one conductive metal surface; and
a remote meter reading module positioned outside of and mounted adjacent to said utility meter external housing and electrically connected to said measuring apparatus, said remote meter reading module having a transmitter and an antenna for wireless transmission of meter data developed in accordance with data provided by said measuring apparatus,wherein one end of said antenna is electrically connected to a conductive ground plane plate within said remote meter reading module, said conductive ground plane plate forming one plate of a capacitor with said conductive metal surface of said utility meter external housing forming another plate of said capacitor, said capacitor plates being spaced apart and capacitively coupling said antenna to said meter housing and thereby substantially altering the effective electrical length of said antenna, and improving the radiation power efficiency by using the meter housing as a ground extension.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Utility meter assembly (10) includes a utility meter (11) having an external housing (12) adjacent to which is mounted a remote meter reading module housing (25) that preferably is mounted to a pair of upstanding cylindrical posts (15 and 16) that rise from the utility meter housing (12). Preferably, flexible pins (32), which preferably are part of the module housing (25), bias the module housing (25), and a ground plane plate (26) within the module housing, towards a conductive surface (14) of the utility meter housing (12). The ground plane plate (26) coupled to the meter housing (12) and to the conductive surface (14) takes advantage of the meter as an extended ground plane or a counterpoise and thus increases the radiation efficiency of the antenna. This configuration permits the use of a shorter antenna (23) for power efficient transmission of meter data. Also, the configuration of the module housing (25) provides an improved snap on assembly for mounting a module housing ( 25) to a pair of posts (15,16).
79 Citations
23 Claims
-
1. Utility meter assembly comprising:
-
at least one utility meter having measuring apparatus for measuring use of a utility, said measuring apparatus positioned within an external housing having at least one conductive metal surface; and a remote meter reading module positioned outside of and mounted adjacent to said utility meter external housing and electrically connected to said measuring apparatus, said remote meter reading module having a transmitter and an antenna for wireless transmission of meter data developed in accordance with data provided by said measuring apparatus, wherein one end of said antenna is electrically connected to a conductive ground plane plate within said remote meter reading module, said conductive ground plane plate forming one plate of a capacitor with said conductive metal surface of said utility meter external housing forming another plate of said capacitor, said capacitor plates being spaced apart and capacitively coupling said antenna to said meter housing and thereby substantially altering the effective electrical length of said antenna, and improving the radiation power efficiency by using the meter housing as a ground extension. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. Remote module usable for attachment to a utility meter comprising:
a remote meter reading module to be positioned outside of and mounted adjacent to a utility meter external housing and electrically connected to said utility meter, said remote meter reading module having a transmitter and an antenna for wireless transmission of meter data developed in accordance with data to be received by said module from said utility meter, wherein one end of said antenna is electrically connected to a conductive ground plane plate within said remote meter reading module, said conductive ground plane plate forming one plate of a capacitor for capacitively coupling to the meter housing and thereby substantially altering the effective electrical length of said antenna. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
-
16. Remote module mounting apparatus usable for attachment of a module to a utility meter, comprising:
-
a module housing, with a main housing body having electronics therein, for mounting to two meter posts, said module housing having a first peripheral portion thereof having a partial arcuate shape and a second peripheral portion having a partial arcuate shape, said module housing also having a flexible arm extension with a free end of said flexible arm extension adjacent said second arcuate portion, said free arm normally spaced away from said main housing body but deflectable toward said main housing body. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. Remote module mounting assembly comprising:
-
a module housing with a main housing body having electronics therein; two upstanding posts to which said main housing body is to be attached, wherein said posts each have a cylindrical axis and wherein the cylindrical axes are spaced apart by a predetermined dimension and are positioned such that said axes are spaced away from said module housing; the main housing body having a first peripheral portion thereof having a partial arcuate shape and a second peripheral portion having a partial arcuate shape, said main housing body also having a flexible arm extension with a free end of said arm positioned adjacent said second arctuate portion, said free arm normally spaced away from said main housing body but deflectable toward said main housing body; each of said arctuate portions in contact with an associated one of said posts with said free end of said flexible arm extension also in contact with one of said posts. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
-
Specification