Utility meter readings on a reverse channel of a two-way paging system
First Claim
1. In a radio communication system having at least one system receiver, a plurality of utility meter transmitters and a plurality of utility meters, each utility meter connected to one of the plurality of utility meter transmitters, the radio communication system using a synchronous, time-division multiplex protocol, the synchronous, time-division multiplex protocol having a cycle divided into a plurality of time-slots, a hertzian wave transmission from each utility meter transmitter carrying a signal representative of a ready of a connected utility meter, a method of remotely reading utility meters, comprising the steps of:
- obtaining a first reading from an associated utility meter;
obtaining a section reading form another associated utility meter;
pre-programming one utility meter transmitter of the plurality of utility meter transmitters to transmit a signal containing the first reading during a pre-selected one of the plurality of time-slots;
pre-programming another utility meter transmitter of the plurality of utility meter transmitters to transmit a signal containing the second reading during another preselected one of the plurality of time-slots;
receiving at the at least one system receiver a received signal from one ofthe one utility meter transmitter of the plurality of utility meter transmitters, andsaid another utility meter transmitter of the plurality of utility meter transmitters; and
correlating the received signal with one utility meter of the plurality utility meters based upon a time of reception of the received signal.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A meter reading device (22) for wirelessly transmitting meter readings from a plurality of meters (30) includes a receiver (44) for receiving a synchronization signal (60), a clock (40) connected to the receiver, a wireless transmitter (46) connected to the receiver for transmitting meter readings in synchronization with the synchronization signal, and a microcomputer (32) pre-programmable to receive meter readings from the meter and to actuate the wireless transmitter at a different specific time for each of the meters. The transmitter transmits a radio frequency signal carrying only meter readings on a reverse channel of a two-way paging system (10) during a particular reverse channel time-slot (90) of a synchronous two-way paging protocol. A messaging terminal (18) of a the two-way paging system transfers signals carrying meter readings, along with time-slot identification, to a meter reading correlator (24) which correlates the signals with each of the meters based upon the time-slot identification alone.
125 Citations
5 Claims
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1. In a radio communication system having at least one system receiver, a plurality of utility meter transmitters and a plurality of utility meters, each utility meter connected to one of the plurality of utility meter transmitters, the radio communication system using a synchronous, time-division multiplex protocol, the synchronous, time-division multiplex protocol having a cycle divided into a plurality of time-slots, a hertzian wave transmission from each utility meter transmitter carrying a signal representative of a ready of a connected utility meter, a method of remotely reading utility meters, comprising the steps of:
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obtaining a first reading from an associated utility meter; obtaining a section reading form another associated utility meter; pre-programming one utility meter transmitter of the plurality of utility meter transmitters to transmit a signal containing the first reading during a pre-selected one of the plurality of time-slots; pre-programming another utility meter transmitter of the plurality of utility meter transmitters to transmit a signal containing the second reading during another preselected one of the plurality of time-slots; receiving at the at least one system receiver a received signal from one of the one utility meter transmitter of the plurality of utility meter transmitters, and said another utility meter transmitter of the plurality of utility meter transmitters; and correlating the received signal with one utility meter of the plurality utility meters based upon a time of reception of the received signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of correlating utility meter readings transmitted from a utility meter on a reverse channel of a synchronous two-way paging system and received by a paging system receiver, comprising the steps of:
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at the utility meter, synchronously transmitting a wireless signal on the reverse channel, the wireless signal composed solely of a reading of the utility meter; at the paging system receiver, synchronously receiving the wireless signal; and correlating the wireless signal with a utility meter based solely upon time of reception of the wireless signal.
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Specification