Method and apparatus for collecting and displaying consumption data from a meter reading system

• US 7,317,404 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2005
• Issued: 01/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Cumeralto, Scott, DeVries, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US11/036,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20050190074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.02, 340/870.03, 705/412, 702/60
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/006 Remote reading of utility meters to a non-fixed location, i.e. mobile location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 23/00 Alarms responsive to unspecified undesired or abnormal conditions
• 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 2209/50 using a mobile data collecting device, e.g. walk by or drive by
• 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 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• 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 method and an apparatus for collecting and displaying real-time utility consumption data and an estimate of utility costs from various utility metering modules upon request by the consumer within the comfort of their own home or business. According to one aspect of the invention, a utility display module is in communication with a utility end point device that monitors and displays consumption of a utility (water, gas, and/or electricity). The source of the data received by the module may be generated by utility meter transmitters that are attached to the various utility delivery end points or meters. In a related embodiment, a repeater may be used with a battery powered energy display module to make the module transportable.

Claims

1. In an automatic meter reading (AMR) system that includes a plurality of endpoint devices interfaced with utility metering devices, wherein the endpoint devices each generate and wirelessly transmit utility consumption-related data to a corresponding at least one reading device to be ultimately provided to a host processor operated by a utility service, the AMR system further including an apparatus for collecting and displaying consumption data for use by a user associated with a customer of the utility service, the apparatus comprising:

communication circuitry configured to receive at least a portion of the utility consumption-related data that is wirelessly transmitted by the plurality of endpoint devices for reception by the corresponding at least one reading device;

a display adapted to display, to the user information based on at least a portion of the utility consumption-related data that is received by the communication circuitry;

control circuitry operably coupled to the communication circuitry and to the display, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the receipt and display of the utility consumption-related data to the user such that only the utility consumption-related data generated by endpoint devices corresponding to the customer of the utility service is displayed;

power circuitry operably coupled to the control circuitry to regulate a flow of power thereto; and

a housing adapted to house the control circuitry, communication circuitry, power circuitry and display.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an actuating member disposed on the housing and operably coupled to the control circuitry to facilitate operating the apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry comprises at least one programmable logic device selected from the group, consisting of:

a FPLG, a PLC, and a microprocessor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication circuitry comprises a radio module adapted to at least receive the utility consumption-related data wirelessly transmitted from the corresponding at least one endpoint device.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the radio module includes a receiver, a transmitter, and an antenna.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising storage operably coupled to the control circuitry to facilitate the storage of the received utility consumption related data.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a real-time clock operably coupled to the control circuitry to facilitate accurate display of utility consumption-related data.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication circuitry is adapted to interface with a computing device selected from group consisting essentially of a handheld computing device, a residential energy management system, a mobile data collection system, and a fixed network.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a repeater adapted to propagate the transmitted utility consumption-related data from the at least one of the at least one corresponding endpoint device to the communication circuitry.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the repeater comprises a generally portable wall repeater removably couplable to a wall outlet, wherein the wall repeater includes repeater circuitry configured to receive, amplify and transmit the utility consumption-related data from the at least one of the at least one corresponding endpoint device to the communication circuitry.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the wall repeater additionally includes a housing having:

a circuitry housing portion to house the repeater circuitry; and

an outlet cover portion that is removably couplable to the wall outlet.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the circuitry housing portion includes an antenna housing portion to house an antenna of the repeater circuitry.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a RS232 port operably coupled to the control circuitry to facilitate communication between the apparatus and a remote computing device.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display comprises at least one display element selected from the group consisting of:

a liquid crystal display element, a plasma display element, and a light emitting device (LED) display element.

36. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the apparatus is based in a premises associated with the customer of the utility service;

the apparatus is situated remotely from at least one endpoint device based in the premises and associated with the customer of the utility service; and

the apparatus is configured to wirelessly communicate with the at least one endpoint device based in the premises.

15. In an automatic meter reading (AMR) system that includes a plurality of endpoint devices interfaced with utility metering devices, wherein the endpoint devices each generate and wirelessly transmit utility consumption-related data to at least one reading device to be ultimately provided to a host processor, method for automatically collecting and displaying utility-service information based on the utility consumption-related data to a user associated with a customer of a utility service monitored by a set of at least one endpoint device associated with the customer, the method comprising:

wirelessly transmitting, by a first endpoint device of the set of at least one endpoint device, a first transmission of utility consumption-related data for reception by at least one of the at least one reading device;

receiving the first transmission by a remote display device that is situated remotely from the first endpoint device;

processing, by the remote display device, the first transmission to produce the utility service information; and

displaying to the user, by the remote display device, only the utility-service information that is based on the utility consumption-related data generated by the set of at least one endpoint device associated with the customer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein displaying the utility service information to the user includes displaying only the utility service information relevant to the customer of the utility service.

17. The method of claim 15, further including receiving, by the remote display device, utility consumption-related data via corresponding transmissions from a plurality of specific endpoint devices that are associated with the customer of the utility service.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein displaying the utility service information includes displaying at least one item of utility service information selected from the group consisting essentially of:

cost of utility, billing information, billing projection information, current date and time, setting current date and time, setting a start date of monitoring, selecting an endpoint device, and selecting an appliance to monitor.

19. The method of claim 15, further including notifying the user, by the display device, of an event selected from the group consisting essentially of a predetermined amount of utility consumed, an amount of excess utility consumed, a date, a time, and ordering of utility.

20. The method of claim 15, further including facilitating programming control circuitry of the display device by providing navigable displayable menu options and sub-menu options.

21. A system for displaying consumption data for use by a user associated with a customer of at least one utility, the system comprising:

means for metering a utility, said means being operably coupled to a utility meter that is based in a premises of said customer and including means for transmitting utility consumption data to an automatic meter reading system reader; and

means for receiving said utility consumption data transmitted by said means for metering said utility and for displaying, to said user, only utility consumption-related information unique to said customer based on said utility consumption data, said means for receiving said utility consumption data being-based in said premises.

22. A system for displaying utility consumption-based data for use by a user associated with a customer of at least one utility, the system comprising:

a plurality of utility metering devices, each of the utility metering devices being operably coupled to a respective at least one utility meter and adapted to transmit utility consumption data for reception by an automatic meter reading (AMR) system that forwards the utility consumption data to a central station; and

at least one utility display module, the utility display module configured to receive the transmitted utility consumption data, to display only utility consumption-based data that is unique to the customer of the at least one utility, and to wirelessly transmit the consumption data to the AMR system.

23. The system of claim 22, further including at least one utility metering device adapted to transmit utility consumption data being operably coupled to an appliance consuming a utility.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the utility display module comprises:

communication circuitry configured to receive the transmitted utility consumption data;

a display adapted to display the utility consumption-based data to the user;

control circuitry operably coupled to the communication circuitry and to the display, the control circuitry adapted to control the receipt of the utility consumption data and the display of the utility consumption-based data to a user;

power circuitry operably coupled to the control circuitry to regulate a flow of power thereto; and

a housing to house the control circuitry, communication circuitry, power circuitry and display.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the utility metering device includes at least one communication device selected from the group consisting of:

a Bluetooth connectivity device, and a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) device.

26. The system of claim 24, further including circuitry operably coupled to the control circuitry and adapted to measure at least one environmental parameter, wherein the control circuit analyzes the utility consumption data based on the at least one environmental parameter to identify a possible correlation therebetween.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the circuitry is adapted to measure at least one measurable environmental parameter selected from the group consisting essentially of indoor temperature, outdoor temperature, indoor humidity, outdoor humidity, wind speed, wind direction, and barometric pressure.

28. In an automatic meter reading (AMR) system that includes a plurality of endpoint devices interfaced with utility metering devices and at least one reading device that reads consumption-related data from endpoint devices, the AMR system comprising:

an apparatus that is based in a premises associated with a customer of a utility service, wherein the apparatus obtains and displays utility consumption-related data for viewing by a user associated with the customer, the apparatus being configured to;

obtain consumption-related data from a wireless transmission by a corresponding at least one endpoint device that is transmitted for reception by the at least one reading device;

limit display of the consumption-related data to data that is relevant to only the customer; and

engage in communications with at least one of the at least one reading device.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the consumption-related data includes at least one set of data selected from the group consisting of:

monitored status data, billing-related data, and pricing-related data.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the apparatus is configured to operate as a data collection point for at least one endpoint device.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the apparatus is configured to communicate received consumption-related data via a communication port.

32. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the apparatus is configured to communicate with the at least one of the at least one reading device to facilitate transmission of consumption-related data to the AMR system.

33. The apparatus or claim 28, wherein the apparatus is configured to communicate with the at least one of the at least one reading device to receive information from the AMR system.

34. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the endpoint devices include ERT modules.

35. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the apparatus is configured to display only the utility consumption-related data that is relevant to the customer of the utility service.

37. An automatic meter reading (AMR) system, comprising:

a first utility meter endpoint device associated with a first customer who is responsible for billings to a utility service provider, wherein the first utility meter endpoint device wirelessly transmits utility consumption-related information in a first transmission;

a reading device that receives the first transmission and communicates the utility consumption-related information to a central station associated with the utility service provider; and

a customer informing apparatus associated with the first customer and situated remotely from the first utility meter endpoint, wherein the customer informing apparatus displays only customer-informing information tat is relevant to the first customer, and wherein the customer-informing information is based at least in part on the utility consumption-based information from the first transmission.

38. The AMR system of claim 37, wherein the customer-informing apparatus receives the first transmission and produces the customer-informing information based on the consumption-related information contained in the first transmission.

39. The AMR system of claim 37, wherein the customer-informing apparatus wirelessly communicates with the reading device.

40. In an automatic meter reading (AMR) system serving a utility service provider, a method for informing a customer of the utility service provider regarding utility usage relevant to the customer, the method comprising:

deploying a remote display apparatus to be maintained under at least partial control by the customer;

transmitting, by a utility meter endpoint device associated with the customer, a first wireless transmission to the utility service provider via the AMR system, wherein the first wireless transmission includes utility consumption-related information specific to the customer;

receiving, by the remote display apparatus, the first wireless transmission; and

displaying, by the remote display apparatus, utility usage-related information unique to the customer.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

producing, by the remote display apparatus, the utility usage-related information based on the utility consumption-related information of the first wireless transmission.