Applications for a low cost receiver in an automatic meter reading system

• US 7,417,557 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2005
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Cornwall, Mark K., Osterloh, Christopher L., Delamater, Jeffrey L., Anderson, Benjamin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US11/105,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20050179561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.02, 340/870.03, 370/335, 370/338, 375/130, 375/133, 375/134
• US Class Current: 340/870.03
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/45 Utility meters networked together within a single building
• 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 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

An automatic meter reading (AMR) system includes a plurality of utility meter endpoints, each of which includes a radio-frequency (RF) transmitter adapted for transmitting endpoint information. A plurality of transceivers are adapted to read endpoints located throughout a designated coverage area, and each transceiver adapted to receive endpoint information from utility meter endpoints located within a corresponding portion of the designated coverage area. A central storage arrangement is adapted to communicate with each of the transceivers and to store endpoint information in a central database. The AMR system also includes a low cost receiver (LCR) having a communications range that defines a gap-filling coverage area. The LCR is adapted to automatically forward received endpoint information to the central storage arrangement.

Claims

1. In an automatic meter reading (AMR) communications system having a plurality of endpoints adapted for two-way communications with collection transceivers, a plurality of collection transceivers each having a communications range that defines a principal coverage area and adapted to obtain information from endpoints located in the principal coverage area via at least the two-way communications for which the plurality of endpoints are adapted, a method of improving AMR system coverage comprising:

providing an auxiliary transceiver in a fixed location, wherein the auxiliary transceiver has a communications range that defines an auxiliary coverage area;

automatically operating the auxiliary transceiver in a low-power standby mode during a first time duration, and automatically operating the auxiliary transceiver in an active mode during a second time duration that is shorter than the first time duration, wherein operating the auxiliary transceiver during the second time duration includes;

exiting the standby mode to enter an active operating mode;

independently initiating a command directed to at least one endpoint in the auxiliary coverage area to obtain information from that at least one endpoint, wherein the command is substantially in a form of a command transmitted for reception by the plurality of endpoints according to the two-way communications for which the plurality of endpoints are adapted;

receiving endpoint information transmitted from the at least one endpoint located in the auxiliary coverage area in response to the command; and

transmitting at least a subset of the received endpoint information to at least one of the plurality of collection transceivers, wherein the transmitting is in response to a prompting signal from one of the plurality of collection transceivers directed to endpoints.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting at least the subset of the received endpoint information to the at least one of the plurality of collection transceivers includes transmitting at least the subset of the received endpoint information to at least one transceiver selected from the group consisting of:

an intermediate transceiver, and a central transceiver.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the auxiliary transceiver in the fixed location includes establishing the auxiliary coverage area such that the auxiliary coverage area at least partially overlaps with at least one principal coverage area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating with the endpoint on a prompt-response basis includes communicating a command and control frame as the prompt.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the endpoint information includes metered data, and wherein operating during the second time duration includes re-formatting the metered data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time duration is randomized such that operating the auxiliary transceiver during the second time duration is performed at random intervals.

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

a plurality of utility meter endpoints, each of the utility meter endpoints including a radio-frequency (RF) transceiver adapted to transmit endpoint information based on a prompt-response mode of communication;

a plurality of collectors having a communications range that defines a principal coverage area, each collector adapted to receive endpoint information from utility meter endpoints located within a corresponding portion of the principal coverage area based on the prompt-response mode of communication;

a central transceiver adapted to communicate with each of the collectors and to collect endpoint information; and

an auxiliary transceiver having a communications range that defines an auxiliary coverage area that includes an area outside of the principle coverage area, wherein the auxiliary transceiver is adapted to automatically independently initiate communication with utility meter endpoints in the auxiliary coverage area based on the prompt-response mode of communication, and is adapted to automatically transmit received endpoint information to at least one of the plurality of collectors in a one-way communication mode.

8. The AMR system according to claim 7, wherein the auxiliary transceiver operates without any connection to an external power source.

9. The AMP system of claim 7, wherein the auxiliary transceiver is adapted to automatically communicate with at least one preexisting transceiver such that the at least one preexisting transceiver does not need to be re-configured to support communications with the auxiliary transceiver.

10. An auxiliary transceiver for use with an automated meter reading (AMR) system that includes an endpoint and a reader, the auxiliary transceiver comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) receiver circuit;

a RF transmitter circuit;

a processor coupled with the RF receiver and the RF transmitter circuits; and

an on-board power source that supplies energy to the RF receiver, RF transmitter, and CPU circuits;

wherein the processor is programmed to cause the auxiliary transceiver to automatically;

independently initiate a process that gathers endpoint information from the endpoint, wherein the process causes the auxiliary transceiver to substantially appear to the endpoint as a reader; and

initiate a one-way communication with the reader to transmit at least a subset of the endpoint information while substantially mimicking an endpoint transmission.

11. The auxiliary transceiver of claim 10, wherein the processor is further programmed to cause the auxiliary transceiver to re-format the endpoint information received from the endpoint.

12. The auxiliary transceiver of claim 10, wherein the auxiliary transceiver includes a common hardware platform with that of a utility meter endpoint.

13. The auxiliary transceiver of claim 10, wherein the processor is programmed to enter the active operating mode at randomized time intervals.

14. An auxiliary transceiver for use with an automated meter reading (AMR) system that includes a plurality of endpoints and at least one data collector, the auxiliary transceiver comprising:

means for independently initiating a process that includes receiving communications from at least one of the plurality of endpoints to receive endpoint information while appearing substantially as a data collector to the at least one of the plurality of endpoints; and

means for transmitting at least a subset of the received endpoint information to the at least one data collector while substantially mimicking an endpoint-initiated transmission.

15. In an automatic meter reading (AMR) communications system having a plurality of endpoints adapted for two-way communications, a plurality of principal transceivers having a communications range that defines a principal coverage area and adapted to receive endpoint information from endpoints located in the principal coverage area, and a central collector that collects endpoint information from at least the plurality of principal transceivers, a method of improving AMR system coverage comprising:

providing an auxiliary transceiver in a fixed location, wherein the auxiliary transceiver has a communications range that defines an auxiliary coverage area;

automatically operating the auxiliary transceiver, including;

independently initiating a process to obtain information from at least one endpoint located in the auxiliary coverage area while substantially appearing to the at least one endpoint as one of the principle transceivers;

transmitting at least a subset of the received endpoint information for collection by the central collector while substantially mimicking a communication potentially initiated by the at least one endpoint.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein independently initiating the process to obtain information from at least one endpoint includes transmitting a prompt to which endpoints are generally responsive.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein transmitting the prompt includes transmitting a prompt that includes at least one of a fixed wakeup sequence and a command and control frame.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein transmitting at least the subset of the received information includes transmitting data representing received endpoint metered data to at least one of the plurality of principal transceivers.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein transmitting at least the subset of the received information includes transmitting data in a one-way communication mode.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein automatically operating the auxiliary transceiver includes automatically operating the auxiliary transceiver in a low-power standby mode during a first time duration, and automatically operating the auxiliary transceiver in an active mode during a second time duration that is shorter than the first time duration, wherein independently initiating the process and transmitting at least the subset of the received endpoint information occurs during the second time duration.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein providing the auxiliary transceiver in the fixed location is performed such that the auxiliary transceiver remains electrically disconnected from any power source external to the auxiliary transceiver.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein providing the auxiliary transceiver consists essentially of

pre-configuring the auxiliary transceiver;

selecting a location for installation; and

fixing the auxiliary transceiver in the selected location;

such that the auxiliary transceiver remains transparent to the AMR system.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein providing the auxiliary transceiver does not require configuring any of the plurality of principal transceivers or of the central collector to enable operability of the auxiliary transceiver.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein automatically operating the auxiliary transceiver in the active mode during the second time duration is performed at non-periodic intervals.

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

a plurality of utility meter endpoints, wherein each of the utility meter endpoints includes a radio-frequency (RF) transceiver adapted for transmitting endpoint information based on at least one of two modes, a first mode being on a bubble-up basis and a second mode being in response to a received RF prompting signal;

a plurality of collectors having a communications range that defines a principal coverage area, each collector adapted to receive endpoint information from utility meter endpoints located within a corresponding portion of the principal coverage area;

a central storage arrangement adapted to communicate with each of the collectors and to store endpoint information in a central database; and

an auxiliary transceiver having a communications range that defines an auxiliary coverage area, wherein the auxiliary transceiver is adapted to automatically independently initiate a process to obtain endpoint information from at least one utility meter endpoint in the auxiliary coverage area, wherein the process includes independently initiating a command to the at least one utility meter endpoint, and adapted to automatically transmit the endpoint information to at least one of the plurality of collectors utilizing a communication format that substantially mimics a communication potentially initiated by the at least one endpoint.

26. The AMR system of claim 25, wherein the process to obtain endpoint information includes transmitting a prompt by the auxiliary transceiver requesting the endpoint information.

27. The AMR system of claim 26, wherein the prompt transmitted by the auxiliary transceiver includes at least one of a fixed wakeup sequence and a command and control frame.

28. The AMR system of claim 25, wherein the auxiliary transceiver includes a low-cost receiver (LCR).

29. The AMR system of claim 25, wherein the auxiliary transceiver includes circuitry substantially similar to circuitry included in a utility meter endpoint.

30. The AMR system of claim 29, wherein the auxiliary transceiver includes circuitry that is the same as communications circuitry included in a utility meter endpoint.

31. The AMR system of claim 25, wherein the auxiliary transceiver includes a battery.

32. The AMP system of claim 25, wherein the auxiliary transceiver operates without any connection to an external power source.

33. The AMR system of claim 25, wherein the auxiliary transceiver automatically communicates with at least one of the plurality of collectors without prior configuration of any of the collectors.

34. The AMR system of claim 26, wherein the auxiliary transceiver transmits the prompt at non-periodic intervals.

35. The AMR system of claim 25, wherein the auxiliary transceiver automatically transmits the endpoint information in a one-way communication mode.

36. The AMR system of claim 25, wherein the auxiliary transceiver automatically operates in a low-power standby mode during time periods between instances of automatic transmissions.

37. An auxiliary transceiver for use with an automated meter reading (AMR) system, comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) receiver circuit;

a RF transmitter circuit;

a processor adapted to be coupled to the RF receiver and the RF transmitter circuits and adapted to execute a program that causes the auxiliary transceiver to automatically;

independently initiate a process to obtain endpoint information from at least one endpoint of the AMR system;

receive endpoint information transmitted in response to the process; and

transmit at least a subset of the endpoint information utilizing a communication format that substantially mimics a communications format of an AMR system endpoint.

38. The auxiliary transceiver of claim 37, wherein the process to obtain endpoint information includes transmitting a RF prompting signal that is addressed to a utility meter endpoint.

39. The auxiliary transceiver of claim 38, wherein the RF prompting signal includes at least one of a fixed wakeup sequence and a command and control frame.

40. The auxiliary transceiver of claim 37, wherein the auxiliary transceiver is adapted to transmit at least the subset of the endpoint information in a one-way communication mode.

41. The auxiliary transceiver of claim 37, wherein the receiver circuit is a low-cost receiver (LCR) circuit

42. The auxiliary transceiver of claim 37, wherein the auxiliary transceiver is free of any hardware for connecting to an external power source.

43. The auxiliary transceiver of claim 37, wherein the active operating mode is entered into at randomized time intervals.

44. The auxiliary transceiver of claim 37, further comprising:

a battery configured to supply energy to the RF receiver, RF transmitter, and CPU circuits; and

wherein the program executed by the processor further causes the auxiliary transceiver to;

during a first time duration, (a) automatically operate in a low-power standby mode and, during a second time duration that is shorter than the first time duration, (b) automatically operate in an active operating mode during which communication activity takes place.