Mobile communication-based remote meter reading system and method

• US 7,202,800 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2003
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Choi, Chang Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Jr.; Timothy
• Application Number:
  US10/619,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20040174270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870, 340/870.02, 340/870.07, 340/870.11, 375/150, 455/422, 455/466, 370/335, 370/349
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• 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 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A remote meter reading system is provided. The system comprises a meter reading system for sending metering information of a subscriber via the infrastructure of a mobile communication system; and a remote control system in communication with the meter reading system for collecting the metering information of the subscriber. The metering information is transferred to the remote control system via a short message service (SMS) of the mobile communication system and the mobile communication network operates based on a code division multiple access (CDMA) technology.

Claims

1. A remote meter reading system comprising:

a meter reading system for sending metering information of a subscriber via an infrastructure of a mobile communication system to a remote control system in communication with the meter reading system for collecting the metering information of the subscriber, wherein

the meter reading system comprises;

a meter reading unit configured for reading meterage information provided by one or more utility meters, wherein said one or more utility meters are associated with a single utility subscriber such that each utility meter measures the subscriber'"'"'s usage of one type of utility from among a plurality of utilities used by the subscriber; and

a multiplexer for selecting meterage information provided by a first utility meter from among said one or more utility meters, wherein said selection is based on identification information stored in a first memory as provided in control information provided from the remote control system,

wherein the selected meterage information is transmitted to the remote control system over the mobile communication system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the metering information is transferred to the remote control system via a short message service (SMS) of the mobile communication system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication network operates based on a code division multiple access (CDMA) technology.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote control system comprises:

a communication module for wirelessly communicating a message with the meter reading system;

a decoder for extracting metering information of a subscriber from the message;

a processor for managing the extracted metering information and generating at least one control signal for controlling the meter reading system; and

an encoder for generating a short message comprising the control signal and providing the short message to the communication module.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said identification information comprises a first identifier identifying the subscriber, and a second identifier identifying a utility type used by the subscriber.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the meter reading system further comprises:

a converter unit for converting meterage information provided by one of the utility meters into a digital signal;

wherein the multiplexer selects the digital signal;

a second memory for storing output data of the multiplexer; and

a third memory for storing the control information from the remote control system for controlling the multiplexer'"'"'s selection.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a controller for controlling the multiplexer'"'"'s selection based on number of meters in communication with the meter reading system.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a processor for generating a short message comprising the digital signal selected by the multiplexer.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a communication module for communicating the short message to the remote control system through the mobile communication network.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the communication module acts as an interface between the remote control system and the meter reading system to receive a message from the remote control system and transfer it to the processor.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the message received from the control system comprises instructions to cut off supply to a subscriber.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the message comprises at least one of:

an ID number of a subscriber;

an identifier of the utility meter;

meter-reading date and time information; and

information on failure of the meter and its energy leakage.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the message comprises at least one of:

an ID number of a target subscriber;

an identifier identifying a utility meter to be read;

time information indicating time for reading the meter; and

control information to control supply to the target subscriber.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein when a message is received from the remote control system, the processor decodes the received message and stores identification information identifying the at least one utility meter.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller controls the multiplexer based on the identification information.

16. A short messaging structure for communicating information between a meter reading system and a remote control system connected in a mobile communication network, the short messaging structure comprising at least one of:

a subscriber number of the meter reading system;

meter ID of a utility meter;

meter reading time for reading a utility meter; and

service control information for supplying utility to the subscriber wherein the meter reading system comprises;

a meter reading unit configured for reading meterage information provided by one or more utility meters, wherein said one or more utility meters are associated with a single utility subscriber such that each utility meter measures the subscriber'"'"'s usage of one type of utility from among a plurality of utility types used by the subscriber; and

a multiplexer for selecting meterage information provided by a first utility meter from among said one or more utility meters, wherein said selection is based on identification information stored in a first memory as provided from the remote control system,

wherein the selected meterage information is transmitted to the remote control system over the mobile communication system.

17. The short messaging structure of claim 16, wherein the subscriber number identifies a subscribing household to utility services.

18. The short messaging structure of claim 16, wherein the meter ID identifies a utility meter utilized to measure usage of utility service provided to a subscriber, identified by the subscriber number.

19. The short messaging structure of claim 16, wherein the meter reading time provides a time for reading a utility meter identified by the meter ID.

20. The short messaging structure of claim 16, wherein the service control information provides information to limit services provided to a subscriber identified by the subscriber number.

21. The short messaging structure of claim 16, wherein said identification information comprises a first identifier identifying the subscriber, and a second identifier identifying a utility type used by the subscriber.

22. A mobile communication-based remote meter reading method comprising sending metering information of a subscriber from a meter reading system to a remote control system in communication with the meter reading system via the infrastructure of a mobile communication system wherein the meter reading system comprises:

a meter reading unit configured for reading meterage information provided by one or more utility meters, wherein said one or more utility meters are associated with a single utility subscriber such that each utility meter measures the subscriber'"'"'s usage of one type of utility from among a plurality of utility types used by the subscriber; and

a multiplexer for selecting meterage information provided by a first utility meter from among said one or more utility meters, wherein said selection is based on identification information stored in a first memory as provided from the remote control system, wherein said identification information comprises a first identifier identifying the subscriber, and a second identifier identifying a utility type used by the subscriber;

wherein the selected meterage information is transmitted to the remote control system over the mobile communication system.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising transferring the metering information to the remote control system via a short message service (SMS) of the mobile communication system.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the mobile communication network operates based on a code division multiple access (CDMA) technology.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein said identification information comprises a first identifier identifying the subscriber, and a second identifier identifying a utility type used by the subscriber.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein a meter reading unit is in communication with at least one utility meter, the method further comprising:

converting meterage information provided by the utility meter into a digital signal; and

selecting the digital signal.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

controlling the selection of the digital signal based on number of meters in communication with the meter reading system.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

generating a short message comprising the selected digital signal.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

communicating the short message to the remote control system through the mobile communication network.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the communication network acts as an interface between the remote control system and the meter reading system, the method further comprising:

receiving a message from the remote control system and transferring the message to a processor in the meter reading system.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the message received from the control system comprises instructions to cut off supply to a subscriber.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the message comprises at least one of:

an ID number of a subscriber;

an identifier of the utility meter;

meter-reading date and time information; and

information on failure of the meter and its energy leakage.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the message comprises at least one of:

an ID number of a target subscriber;

an identifier identifying a utility meter to be read;

time information indicating time for reading the meter; and

control information to control supply to the target subscriber.

34. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

receiving a message from the remote control system;

decoding the received message by the processor; and

storing identification information identifying the at least one utility meter.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

controlling the selection of the digital signal based on the identification information.