Automatic meter reading data communication system
First Claim
1. An automatic meter reading data communication system for obtaining commodity utilization data from a commodity meter, said automatic meter reading data communication system comprising:
- an interface management unit removably attachable to the exterior of the commodity meter, the interface management unit including a sealed housing enclosing a digital encoder having an input positionable to obtain commodity utilization data from the commodity meter through the sealed housing, the interface management unit including software programmable to interpret the commodity utilization data based upon the type of commodity meter to which the interface management unit is attached;
a gateway node located remotely from interface management unit and communicating with the interface management unit over a two-way wireless local area network; and
wherein said gateway node communicates with a utility service provider over a two-way fixed common carrier wide area network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic meter reading data communication system having an integrated digital encoder and two-way wireless transceiver that is attachable to a wide variety of utility meters for meter data collection and information management. The integrated encoder and transceiver communicates commodity usage information over a two-way 900 MHz spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located communication node. The communication node transmits this data to a utility service provider over a commercially available fixed wide area network (WAN). The utility service provider may also request data from the communication node over the same fixed wide area network.
406 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An automatic meter reading data communication system for obtaining commodity utilization data from a commodity meter, said automatic meter reading data communication system comprising:
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an interface management unit removably attachable to the exterior of the commodity meter, the interface management unit including a sealed housing enclosing a digital encoder having an input positionable to obtain commodity utilization data from the commodity meter through the sealed housing, the interface management unit including software programmable to interpret the commodity utilization data based upon the type of commodity meter to which the interface management unit is attached;
a gateway node located remotely from interface management unit and communicating with the interface management unit over a two-way wireless local area network; and
wherein said gateway node communicates with a utility service provider over a two-way fixed common carrier wide area network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An interface management unit removably attachable to one of a plurality of different types of commodity meters, said interface management unit communicating with a remote gateway node, said interface management unit comprising:
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a sealed housing positionable on the commodity meter and enclosing a digital encoder having an input positioned for obtaining commodity utilization data from the commodity meter through the housing and for storing said data;
an adapter ring attachable to the commodity meter and configured to removably receive the housing of the interface management unit such that the input for the digital encoder is positioned to obtain the commodity utilization data, wherein the adapter ring is configured based upon the type of commodity meter; and
a two-way wireless transceiver coupled to said digital encoder for transmitting commodity utilization data from the meter and for receiving data requests from the gateway node over a two-way wireless local are network. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 18)
wherein said two-way wireless transceiver includes a spread spectrum processor coupled to said communications microcontroller for enabling said interface management unit to transmit and receive data utilizing a spread spectrum communication technique, and an RF transceiver coupled to said spread spectrum processor and said communication microcontroller for transmitting commodity utilization data from the meter and for receiving interrogation signals from the gateway node.
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13. The interface management unit according to claim 11 wherein said interface management unit is programmable to interpret the commodity utilization data based upon the type of commodity meter to which the interface management unit is attached and for accommodating a plurality of different data reporting needs.
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18. The interface management unit according to claim 11 wherein the adapter ring receives the sealed housing to correctly position the input for the digital encoder relative to the commodity meter such that the digital encoder can obtain the commodity utilization data through the sealed housing.
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14. An interface management unit suitable for use with a plurality of types of commodity meters, said interface management unit communicating with a remote gateway node, said interface management unit comprising:
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a sealed housing removably attachable to the exterior of the commodity meter;
a supervisory microcontroller contained within the housing and having an input coupled to the meter through the housing for obtaining commodity utilization data therefrom, the supervisory microcontroller being programmed to interpret and store the commodity utilization data based upon the type of commodity meter, said supervisory microcontroller periodically energizing the remaining portions of said interface management unit to sense for the presence of an interrogation signal;
a communication microcontroller connected to said supervisory microcontroller, said communication microcontroller controlling the internal and external communication functions of said interface management unit;
a spread spectrum processor coupled to said communications microcontroller for enabling said interface management unit to transmit and receive data utilizing a spread spectrum communication technique; and
an RF transceiver coupled to said spread spectrum processor and said communication microcontroller for transmitting commodity utilization data from the interface management unit and for receiving interrogation signals from the gateway node.
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15. A method for automatically reading data from one of a plurality of types of commodity meters and transmitting that data over a two-way wireless communication line, the method comprising the steps of:
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selecting an adapter ring based upon the type of commodity meter;
installing the adapter ring to the exterior of the commodity meter;
removably attaching an interface management unit on the adapter ring installed on the commodity meter, adapter ring positioning the interface management unit such that the interface management unit can read the commodity utilization data;
interrogating the interface management unit with a gateway node located remotely from the interface management unit over a two-way wireless RF spread spectrum local area network;
responding to the interrogation signal by providing an RF message over the local area network to the gateway note; and
transmitting the requested data from the gateway node to a utility service provider over a fixed two-way common carrier wide area network. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification