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Automatic meter reading system with multitasking control

  • US 5,751,797 A
  • Filed: 04/13/1990
  • Issued: 05/12/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An application program stored in an operational medium and providing a single control center computer with call handling and customer account processing capabilities, the computer having a plurality of modems for connection to telephone lines to receive meter data from automatic meter reader devices, having a microprocessor, having first program memory locations for storing an operating system program, having second program memory locations for storing the application program and having a plurality of data memory locations for storing received meter data, wherein the stored application program comprises:

  • groups of servicing instructions stored in the operational medium for executing respective servicing activities related to a plurality of customer accounts for customers of utility services which are metered;

    communication instructions stored in the operational medium for transfer of received meter data from the modems to the memory locations for storing received meter data; and

    means stored in the operational medium and operable with the microprocessor and the operational system program for executing the communications instructions and portions of the groups of servicing instructions in a time-interleaved and time-controlled execution cycle in which the received meter data is transferred from the modems to the data memory locations within the execution cycle of the application program while accomplishing periodic execution of the servicing activities over a plurality of execution cycles of the application program.

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