Smart transmitter for utility meters

• US 7,498,953 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2004
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OW Investors, LLC
• Original Assignee: Floyd S. Salser, Jr. & Associates, Inc.
• Inventors: Harvey, Ian Phillip, Allcorn, Roger, Salser, Floyd Stanley Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US10/989,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20060103546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,568 Days
• Field of Search: 740/870.02, 740/870.03, 702/63, 455/127.1, 455/127.5, 455/128, 455/129, 713/300, 340/636.1
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• 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

Abstract

The present inventions relate to a smart transmitter technology that provides for a more stable transmitted signal power level, a more stable transmitted signal carrier frequency, a sleep mode without the need for receiving a wakeup signal, and a universal communication interface.

The smart transmitter may comprise selective of a processor, a universal communication interface, transmitter circuitry, a reference-frequency-generator, a depletable power source, and an antenna. The processor configures the transmitter circuitry to adjust the power level of the transmitted signal based on the quality of power supplied to the transmitter circuitry. The processor is further configured to access temperature data from a temperature sensor and compensate for expected changes in the frequency output of the reference-frequency-generator. Finally, the processor is configured to initiate an AutoCommSelect routine that selects the proper universal communication interface configuration and communication protocol required to communicate with a data-source connected to the transmitter.

Claims

1. A transmitter for transmitting data from a utility meter to a remote location, said transmitter comprising:

a processor operatively connected to transmitter circuitry and a depletable power source, wherein said transmitter circuitry is electrically associated with an antenna;

a memory electrically associated with said processor for storing power-level-adjustment-data wherein such power-level-adjustment-data comprises a plurality of data pairs comprising power-level-adjustment-values and supplied-voltage-level-values;

wherein said processor is configured to retrieve utility-data from a data-source electrically associated with said processor and transfer at least part of said utility-data to the transmitter circuitry;

wherein said transmitter circuitry is configured to transmit a data-signal to a remote location, said data-signal comprising at least part of said utility-data;

wherein said processor is operable to configure said transmitter circuitry to transmit said data-signal at different power levels;

wherein the power level of the transmitted data-signal is affected by the quality of power supplied to the transmitter circuitry; and

wherein the processor is further configured to (1) determine the real-time voltage level being supplied by the depletable power source, (2) retrieve the power-level-adjustment-value paired with the supplied-voltage-level-value that best matches said real-time voltage value, and (3) use the retrieved power-level-adjustment-value to automatically adjust the power level of the transmitted data-signal to compensate for a reduction in the quality of the power supplied by said depletable power source.

2. A transmitter for transmitting data from a utility meter to a remote location as in claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to transmit said data-signal in (i) a walk-by transmit mode having a first transmit-on time/transmit off-time transmitter sequence, and (ii) a drive-by transmit mode having a second transmit-on time/transmit off-time transmitter sequence wherein the transmit-one time for said first transmitter sequence is longer than the transmit-on time for the second transmitter sequence.

3. A transmitter for transmitting data from a utility meter to a remote location as in claim 1, wherein the processor maintains a substantially constant transmitted data-signal power level.

4. A transmitter for transmitting data from a utility meter to a remote location as in claim 1, wherein the processor generates depletable power source status data and uses said transmitter circuitry to transmit said depletable power source status data to a remote location.

5. A transmitter for transmitting data from a utility meter to a remote location as in claim 1, wherein said depletable power source is a rechargeable battery that is recharged by an energy-converter.

6. A transmitter for transmitting data from a utility meter to a remote location as in claim 5, wherein said energy-converter is a photovoltaic device that generates electricity by absorbing electromagnetic radiation.

7. A transmitter for transmitting data from a utility meter to a remote location as in claim 6, wherein said photovoltaic device is a photovoltaic radome.

8. A method for transmitting data from a utility meter to a remote location, said method comprising:

providing a transmitter comprising a processor electrically associated with transmitter circuitry, each electrically associated with a depletable power source wherein said transmitter circuitry is further electrically associated with an antenna;

associating said transmitter with a data-source, said data-source configured for storing utility-data;

retrieving data from said data-source and transmitting a data-signal to a remote location, said data-signal comprising at least part of said data;

monitoring the status of said depletable power source and adjusting the power level of the transmitted data-signal to maintain the transmitted power level of said data-signal between a upper limit and lower limit;

storing a plurality of transmitter-schedule-data-sets in said memory, wherein each of said transmitter-schedule-data-sets includes a data-signal-power-level value, a communication-session-start-time value, communication-session-stop-time value, and transmit-sequence value; and

wherein said plurality of transmitter-schedule-data-sets define at least two of (a) a walk-by mode, (b) a drive-by mode, and (c) a fixed network mode.

9. A method for transmitting data from a utility meter to a remote location as in claim 8, further comprising the step of maintaining a substantially constant transmitted data-signal power level.

10. A method for transmitting data from a utility meter to a remote location as in claim 8, further comprising the step of generating depletable power source status data and transmitting said depletable power source status data to said remote location.

11. A method for transmitting data from a utility meter to a remote location as in claim 8, further comprising the step of recharging said depletable power source with a photovoltaic device that generates electricity by absorbing electromagnetic radiation.

12. A method for transmitting data from a utility meter to a remote location as in claim 8, wherein said depletable power source also supplies power to said data-source.

13. A multimode transmitter for transmitting data from a utility meter to a remote location, said transmitter comprising:

a transmitter housing;

a processing device disposed within said housing;

a memory electrically associated with said processing device and configured for storing a plurality of transmitter-schedule-data-set values, wherein each of said transmitter-schedule-data-set values includes a data-signal-power-level value, a communication-session-start-time value, communication-session-stop-time value, and transmit-sequence value; and

programmable transmitter circuitry electrically associated with said processing device and an antenna, wherein said transmitter circuitry is programmable for transmitting a data-signal at a plurality of power levels;

a depletable power source electrically associated with said processing device and said transmitter circuitry;

wherein said processing device is further configured to receive utility-data from a data-source electrically associated with the processing device;

wherein said processing device id further configured to track the passage of time and define time-data;

wherein said processing device is further configured to place said transmitter circuitry in a sleep-mode until said time-data value is between the communication-session-start-time value and the communication-session-stop-time value for a transmitter-schedule-data-set;

wherein said processing device is further configured to program said transmitter circuitry to transmit a data-signal consistent with the values defined by said transmitter-schedule-data-set when the time-data value is between the communication-session-start-time value and the communication-session-stop-time value for said transmitter-schedule-data-set; and

wherein said data-signal comprises at least part of said utility-data.

14. A transmitter as in claim 13, further comprising a coil-interface electrically associated with said processing device, said coil-interface configured for communicating with an external electronic device.

15. A transmitter as in claim 14, wherein said coil-interface is operable for (a) updating the transmitter'"'"'s firmware code and (b) transferring data from said transmitter to said external electronic device.

16. A transmitter as in claim 13, wherein said transmitter further comprises in interface electrically associated with said processing device, said interface configured to automatically receive data from a plurality of data-sources employing a plurality of communication protocols.

17. A transmitter as in claim 13, wherein said transmitter-schedule-data-set values define at least two of (a) a walk-by mode, (b) a drive by mode, and (c) a fixed network mode.

18. A transmitter as in claim 17, wherein said data signal comprises at least part of said transmitter-schedule-data-set value for the selected transmitter-schedule-data-set.

19. A transmitter as in claim 14, wherein the selected transmitter-schedule-data-set can be changed using said coil-interface.

20. A transmitter as in claim 13, wherein said power source is disposed in said transmitter housing.

21. A transmitter as in claim 20, wherein said power source is a rechargeable batter that is recharged by an energy-converter.

22. A transmitter as in claim 13, further comprising a temperature sensor electrically associated with said processing device and wherein said processing device is configured to use said temperature sensor to define temperature-data.

23. A transmitter as in claim 22, wherein said data-signal comprises temperature-data.

24. A transmitter as in claim 23, wherein said processing device is configured to transmit a data-signal according to at least two different transmitter-schedule-data-sets during at least one day of a seven day period.

25. A transmitter for transmitting data from a utility meter to a remote location, said transmitter comprising:

an antenna;

a transmitter electrically associated with said antenna, said transmitter programmable for transmitting a data-signal at a plurality of power levels;

a processing device electrically associated with a data-source and configured for receiving utility-data from said data-source;

wherein said processing device is electrically associated with said transmitter through a programming-buss and a data-buss, said programming-buss configured for transferring configuration data to said transmitter, and wherein said data-buss is configured for transferring utility-data to said transmitter;

a memory electrically associated with said processing device and configured for storing a plurality of transmitter-schedule-data-sets, wherein each of said transmitter-schedule-data-sets includes;

(a) transmission-session-start-time value, (b) a transition-session-stop-time, (c) a transmission-on time, and (d) a transmission-off time;

a depletable power source configured for supplying power to said processing device and said transmitter;

wherein said processing device is further configured to track the passage of time and use current time data and the transmission-session-start-time value to determine when to enable said transmitter thereby starting a transmission-session, wherein said processing device further configures said transmitter to repetitively transmit a data-signal for a time period substantially equal to the transmission-on time and then stop transmitting for a time period substantially equal to said transmission-off time until the processing device determines that the transmission session has ended and places said transmitter into a sleep-mode; and

wherein said data-signal comprises at least part of said utility-data.

26. A transmitter as in claim 25, wherein one transmitter-schedule-data-set defines a walk-by mode and one transmitter-schedule-data-set defines a drive-by mode.

27. A transmitter as in claim 26, wherein one transmitter-schedule-data-set defines a fixed network mode.

28. A transmitter as in claim 25, further comprising a mushroom shaped transmitter housing comprising a radome section and a stem section.

29. A transmitter as in claim 28, wherein said antenna, said transmitter, and said processing device is disposed in said radome section and said depletable power source is disposed in said stem section.

30. a transmitter as in claim 29, wherein said depletable power source is a rechargeable battery electrically associated with a photovoltaic recharging device.

31. A transmitter as in claim 30, wherein said transmitter housing is suitably sized to be mechanically associated with a pit lid, said pit lid having a top surface and a bottom surface with a section of said pit lid defining a hole there through, wherein the radome section of said transmitter housing rests generally adjacent to said top surface with said stem section extending through said hole.