Wireless meter-reading system and methods thereof

• US 7,310,052 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2005
• Issued: 12/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eric L. Bowman
• Original Assignee: Eric L. Bowman
• Inventors: Bowman, Eric L.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US11/175,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20070008171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.02, 340/870.03, 340/870.05, 340/531, 370/401, 382/100
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/18 Remote displaying of utility meter readings
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• 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 2209/886 using energy harvesting, e.g. solar, wind or mechanical
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A wireless meter-reading system includes a utility meter having a housing and a face and a recording device located in the housing. The recording device is adapted to read and convert data located on a portion of the face to wirelessly transmittable data. A power source coupled to the recording device permits continuous and instantaneous capture of the wirelessly transmittable data from the face of the utility meter by the recording device. A communication device provided for wirelessly receiving and transmitting data between a consumer site and a utility provider site facilitates monitoring of the face of the utility meter by the consumer site and by the utility provider site. A method for allowing a consumer to join a secured wireless network of a utility provider comprises the consumer paying a fee to the utility provider. Both the consumer and the utility provider benefit from this arrangement.

Claims

1. A wireless meter-reading system having at least one consumer site and at least one utility provider site, comprising, in combination:

(a) at least one utility meter having a housing and a face;

(b) at least one recording device coupled to said housing, said at least one recording device adapted to read and convert data located on a portion of said face to wirelessly transmittable data, said at least one recoding device capturing visual images of the data located on a portion of said face;

(c) a power source coupled to the recording device for powering said at least one recording device; and

(d) a communication device for wirelessly receiving and transmitting data between said at least one consumer site and said at least one utility provider site to facilitate monitoring of said face of said at least one utility meter by said at least one consumer site and by said at least one utility provider site, said communication device relaying the visual images of said face of said at least one utility meter from said at least one recording device to said at least one consumer site, and said secured network hub facilitating e-mail transmission between said at least one utility provider site and said at least one consumer site, wherein said email transmission including a billing statement and visual images confirming said billing statement.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising an alarm coupled to said at least one utility meter adapted to alert said at least one utility provider site when said at least one utility meter is inoperable and requires repair.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a light source located in said housing of said at least one utility meter, to enhance optical capture of said wirelessly transmittable data from said face of said at least one utility meter.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one utility meter comprises at least one of an electric meter, a gas meter, and a water meter.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one recording device comprises at least one digital camera, a web camera, an electronic eye, a laser, a digitally counting electronic chip, a scanner and a bar code reader.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said face of said at least one utility meter comprises utility usage data and identifying data of said at least one utility meter from said at least one consumer site.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said power source comprises at least one of a battery, a solar power panel, a wind turbine and a portion of power supplied to said at least one utility meter.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said communication device is coupled wirelessly to both said at least one at least one recording device and to a secured network hub.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said secured network hub comprises a server of a central processing unit of said at least one utility provider site.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein both said at least one consumer site and said at least one utility site have at least one input device and at least one output device.

11. A method for allowing at least once consumer to join a secured wireless network of at least one utility provider, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing at least one utility meter having a housing and a face;

(b) providing at least one recording device, said at least one recording device in said housing adapted to read and convert data located on a portion of said face to wirelessly transmittable data, said at least one recoding device capturing visual images of the data located on a portion of said face;

(c) providing a power source coupled to said at least one recording device;

(d) providing a communication device provided for wirelessly receiving and transmitting data between said at least one consumer and said at least one utility provider, thereby facilitating monitoring of said face of said at least one utility meter by said at least one consumer and by said at least one utility provider, said communication device relaying the visual images of said face of said at least one utility meter from said at least one recording device to said at least one consumer site, and said secured network hub facilitating data transmission between said at least one utility provider site and said at least one consumer site, wherein said data transmission including a billing statement and visual images confirming said billing statement; and

(e) providing a secured network hub by said at least one utility provider to relay data from said at least one utility provider to said at least one consumer.

12. The method according to claim 11 further comprising the step of:

paying a fee by said at least one consumer to said at least one utility provider allowing said at least one consumer to join said secured wireless network of said at least one utility provider, and thereby instantaneously receive at least utility usage data and current billing data of said at least one consumer from said secured wireless network comprising a combination of said at least one recording device located in said at least one utility meter, said power source coupled to said at least one recording device, said communication device, and a network hub secured by said at least one utility provider.

13. The method according to claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

providing said at least one utility meter having an alarm to alert said at least one utility provider when said at least one utility meter is inoperable and requires repair by said at least one utility provider; and

providing a light source located in said housing of said at least one utility meter, said light source activated under low light conditions to facilitate optical capture of data from said face of said at least one utility meter.

14. The method according to claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

providing said at least one utility meter comprising at least one of an electric meter, a gas meter, and a water meter; and

providing said at least one recording device comprising at least one recording device comprising at least one of a digital camera, a wed camera, an electronic eye, a laser, a digitally counting electronic chip, a scanner, and a bar code reader.

15. The method according to claim 11 further comprising the step of:

providing said secured network hub comprises a server of a central processing unit of said at least one utility provider.

16. The method according to claim 11 further comprising the step of:

providing both said at least one consumer and said at least one utility provider have at least one input device and at least one output device.

17. The method according to claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

providing a portion of said face of said at least one utility meter comprising at least utility usage data and identifying data of said at least one utility meter of said at least one consumer; and

displaying said utility usage data and said identifying data of said at least one utility meter on a screen of a monitor of said at least one consumer and on a screen of a monitor of said at least one utility provider.

18. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of:

determining excessive utility usage by said at least one consumer by monitoring said face of said at least one utility meter of said at least one consumer over said secure network hub to reduce wasteful utility usage by said at least one consumer, conserve utility usage and reduce costs of said at least one consumer.

19. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring said face of said at least one utility meter of each of said at least one consumer over said secure network hub by said at least one utility provider;

predicting future utility usage of each of said at least one consumer by said at least one utility provider to improve planning for utility expansion and planning to allocate costs of peak usage times of said utility usage of each of said at least one consumer efficiently.

20. A wireless meter-reading system having at least one consumer site and at least one utility provider site, comprising, in combination:

(a) at least one utility meter having a housing and a face;

(b) at least one recording device coupled to said housing, said at least one recording device adapted to read and convert data located on a portion of said face to wirelessly transmittable data, said at least one recoding device capturing visual images of the data located on a portion of said face;

(c) a power source coupled to the recording device for powering said at least one recording device; and

(d) a communication device for wirelessly receiving and transmitting data between said at least one consumer site and said at least one utility provider site to facilitate instantaneous and continuous monitoring of said face of said at least one utility meter by said at least one consumer site and by said at least one utility provider site, said communication device relaying the visual images of said face of said at least one utility meter from said at least one recording device to said at least one consumer site, and said secured network hub facilitating data transmission between said at least one utility provider site and said at least one consumer site, wherein said data transmission including a billing statement and visual images confirming said billing statement.