System for automatic collection and transport of readings from water, gas and electricity meters

• US 6,961,666 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2001
• Issued: 11/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Automated Meter Reading Systems SL
• Original Assignee: Automated Meter Reading Systems SL
• Inventors: Perello Garcia, Carles, Comas Romero, Jose Mario
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Desta, Elias
• Application Number:
  US10/332,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20040039539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• Field of Search: 702/45, 702/62, 702/65, 702/104, 702/156, 702/176, 702188-189, 340/853.1, 379/15.02, 709/217, 375/130
• US Class Current: 702/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/02 Automatically-operated arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A system for automatic collection and transport of readings from water, gas and electricity meters wherein at least one receiver element and one element to transmit (1) define an ad-hoc wireless network, self organizing in an area (A), where the readings are transmitted to the next element using multihop techniques according to a routing algorithm. A value t is assigned to the receiver elements (1), with maximum value T. If the direct neighbours of a given network node have as a maximum an assigned value t, a value t-k is assigned to this node. Every node will transmit a message to a node with t value larger than its own. If there is more than one with the same maximum value, it will transmit to one of them. The system allows the meter reading to be transported automatically to the billing center.

Claims

1. A system for automatic collection and transport of readings from water, gas and electricity meters (4) comprising:

at least one element to transmit the reading from the meter and at least one receiver element (1) of that reading, said at least one transmitter device including an interface subsystem (3) that adapts the signal from the meter (4) to be processed by a microcontroller subsystem (5), which executes software application and prepares the meter (4) reading to be sent from an RF transmitter subsystem (6) to at least one receiver element (1),

wherein said at least one receiver element and one element to transmit (1) define an ad-hoc wireless network, self organizing in an area (A), where said readings are transmitted to the next element using multihop techniques according to a routing algorithm;

a value t is assigned to the receiver elements (1), with maximum value T;

if the direct neighbours of a given network node have as a maximum an assigned value t, a value t-k is assigned to this node; and

every node will transmit a message to a node with t value larger than its own, if there is more than one with the same maximum value, it will transmit to one of them; and

wherein the interface subsystem (3) includes an electronic interface capable of adapting signal pulses sent from a current loop or optical sensor.

2. System according to claim 1, wherein the radio transmitter subsystem (6) uses a spread-spectrum digital transceiver capable of implementing a Frequency Hopping or Direct Sequence scheme, with digital modulation.

3. System according to claim 1, wherein the radio transmission subsystem (6) is of low power, such as between 0.01 W and 1 W, with a maximum coverage in urban areas of a circle of 300 meters in radius.

4. System according to claim 1, wherein the microcontroller subsystem (5) executes the software application on a multi-tasking operating system.

5. System according to claim 1, wherein the transmission subsystem (6) sends the meter (4) readings to at least one receiver element (1), via spread-spectrum digital radio using channel sense multiple access method with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA).

6. System according to claim 1, wherein the communication between the at least one receiver element (1) and the radio transmission subsystem (6) is bidirectional.

7. System according to claim 1, wherein the communication between said at least one receiver element (1) and the radio transmission subsystem (6) uses the IP protocol.

8. System according to claim 1, wherein the application includes a first two-dimensional table, in which the first dimension is the tariff to be applied and the second dimension is the identification of the meter (4) read, and a second two-dimensional table of tariffs in which the first dimension is the start time and the second dimension is the stop time.

9. System according to claim 1, wherein the meters can be substituted by any kind of sensor or data acquisition equipment.

10. A system for automatic collection and transport of readings from water, gas and electricity meters (4) comprising:

at least one element to transmit the reading from the meter and at least one receiver element (1) of that reading, said at least one transmitter device including an interface subsystem (3) that adapts the signal from the meter (4) to be processed by a microcontroller subsystem (5), which executes software application and prepares the meter (4) reading to be sent from an RF transmitter subsystem (6) to at least one receiver element (1),

wherein said at least one receiver element and one element to transmit (1) define an ad-hoc wireless network, self organizing in an area (A), where said readings are transmitted to the next element using multihop techniques according to a routing algorithm;

a value t is assigned to the receiver elements (1), with maximum value T;

if the direct neighbours of a given network node have as a maximum an assigned value t, a value t-k is assigned to this node; and

every node will transmit a message to a node with t value larger than its own, if there is more than one with the same maximum value, it will transmit to one of them; and

wherein the radio transmission subsystem (6) is of low power, such as between 0.01 W and 1 W, with a maximum coverage in urban areas of a circle of 300 meters in radius.

11. System according to claim 10, wherein the transmission subsystem (6) sends the meter (4) readings to at least one receiver element (1), via spread-spectrum digital radio using channel sense multiple access method with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA).

12. System according to claim 10, wherein the communication between said at least one receiver element (1) and the radio transmission subsystem (6) uses the IP protocol.

13. A system for automatic collection and transport of readings from water, gas and electricity meters (4) comprising:

at least one element to transmit the reading from the meter and at least one receiver element (1) of that reading, said at least one transmitter device including an interface subsystem (3) that adapts the signal from the meter (4) to be processed by a microcontroller subsystem (5), which executes software application and prepares the meter (4) reading to be sent from an RF transmitter subsystem (6) to at least one receiver element (1),

wherein said at least one receiver element and one element to transmit (1) define an ad-hoc wireless network, self organizing in an area (A), where said readings are transmitted to the next element using multihop techniques according to a routing algorithm;

a value t is assigned to the receiver elements (1), with maximum value T;

if the direct neighbours of a given network node have as a maximum an assigned value t, a value t-k is assigned to this node; and

every node will transmit a message to a node with t value larger than its own, if there is more than one with the same maximum value, it will transmit to one of them; and

wherein the application includes a first two-dimensional table, in which the first dimension is the tariff to be applied and the second dimension is the identification of the meter (4) read, and a second two-dimensional table of tariffs in which the first dimension is the start time and the second dimension is the stop time.

14. System according to claim 13, wherein the meters can be substituted by any kind of sensor or data acquisition equipment.