System and method to communicate flow information between a service distribution line and a destination point

• US 6,556,142 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2001
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Dunstan, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US09/960,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20030052790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 340/606, 340/602, 340/615, 340/870.02, 738/617.7, 738/617.9, 738/616.5, 738/610.2
• US Class Current: 340/606
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/18 Remote displaying of utility meter readings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A system and method for communicating information between a utility metering device, such as a water meter, and a remote location, such as inside a residence or a service provider.

Claims

1. A system to communicate flow information between a service distribution line and a destination point, the system comprising:

a measuring device for measuring flow of a substance in a medium between a service distribution line and a destination point;

a first flow information communicator communicatively coupled to said flow measuring device, wherein said first flow information communicator is a modulated light source coupled to said medium; and

a second flow information communicator, wherein said second flow information communicator is a light detector coupled to said medium; and

the flow information is to be communicated between said first flow information communicator and said second flow information communicator.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the flow measuring device includes an impeller.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first data unit to store said flow information, communicatively coupled to said first flow information communicator.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second data unit to store said flow information, communicatively coupled to said second flow information communicator.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second data unit, communicatively coupled to said second flow information communicator, to communicate with a computer.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the computer provides communication of the flow information to a remote provider via an Internet connection.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second data unit, communicatively coupled to said second flow information communicator, to communicate with a remote utility service provider.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein

said second flow information communicator is capable of communicating to said first flow information communicator.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the medium is a pipe.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a first data unit to control a valve in said pipe.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said valve in said pipe is controlled based on an instruction received by a second data unit.

12. A method to communicate flow information between a service distribution line and a destination point, the method comprising:

measuring, by a measuring device, flow of a substance in a medium between said service distribution line and said destination point;

communicatively coupling to said flow measuring device a first flow information communicator, said first flow information communicator being an ultrasound emitter coupled to said medium; and

communicating said flow information between the first flow information communicator and a second flow information communicator, said second flow information communicator being an ultrasound receiver coupled to said medium.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

storing said flow information by a first data unit communicatively coupled to said first flow information communicator.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

storing said flow information by a second data unit communicatively coupled to said second flow information communicator.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

communicating with a computer by a second data unit communicatively coupled to said second flow information communicator.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the computer provides communication of the flow information to a remote provider via an Internet connection.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

communicating with a remote utility service provider by a second data unit communicatively coupled to said second flow information communicator.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein

said second flow information communicator is capable of communicating to said first flow information communicator.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the flow information communicator and the first data unit are powered by an energy storage device that is re-charged by said flow measuring device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

a first data unit to control a valve in said medium based on instruction received by a second data unit.

21. A set of instructions residing in a storage medium, said set of instructions capable of being executed by a processor to implement a method of communicating flow information between a service distribution line and a destination point, the method comprising:

measuring, by a measuring device, flow of a substance in a medium between said service distribution line and said destination point;

communicatively coupling to said flow measuring device a first flow information communicator, said first flow information communicator being an ultrasound emitter coupled to said medium;

communicating said flow information between the first flow information communicator and a second flow information communicator, said second flow information communicator being an ultrasound receiver coupled to said medium;

storing said flow information by a second data unit communicatively coupled to said second flow information communicator; and

communicating with a remote utility service provider by said second data unit.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the computer provides communication of the flow information to a remote provider via an Internet connection.

23. A system to communicate flow information between a service distribution line and a destination point, the system comprising:

a measuring device for measuring flow of a substance in a medium between a service distribution line and a destination point;

a first flow information communicator communicatively coupled to said flow measuring device, wherein the first flow information communicator is a hammer device coupled to said medium; and

a second flow information communicator, wherein the second flow information communicator is a sound detection device coupled to said medium; and

the flow information is to be communicated between said first flow information communicator and said second flow information communicator.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the flow measuring device includes an impeller and the medium is a pipe.

25. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

a second data unit, communicatively coupled to said second flow information communicator, to communicate with a remote utility service provider.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the computer provides communication of the flow information to a remote provider via an Internet connection.

27. A method to communicate flow information between a service distribution line and a destination point, the method comprising:

measuring, by a measuring device, flow of a substance in a medium between said service distribution line and said destination point;

communicatively coupling to said flow measuring device a first flow information communicator, said first flow information communicator is a modulated light source coupled to said medium; and

communicating said flow information between the first flow information communicator and a second flow information communicator, said second flow information communicator is a light detector coupled to said medium.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

communicating with a remote utility service provider by a second data unit communicatively coupled to said second flow information communicator.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein

said second flow information communicator is capable of communicating to said first flow information communicator.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the flow information communicator and the first data unit are powered by an energy storage device that is re-charged by said flow measuring device.