System and method for detecting tampering of a utility meter
First Claim
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1. A tamper alarm circuit for detecting a tampered condition of a utility meter comprising:
- an amplification stage comprising;
a transducer that generates a transducer output responsive to physical movement of the utility meter; and
an amplification circuit that receives and amplifies the transducer output, and generates an amplified output;
and a comparator stage comprising a comparator that receives the amplified output, compares the amplified output to a predetermined threshold that corresponds to a tampering condition, and provides a comparator output when the amplified output exceeds the predetermined threshold,wherein an alarm condition is generated when the comparator output indicates that the amplified output exceeds the predetermined threshold.
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Abstract
A tamper alarm circuit for detecting a tampered condition of a utility meter is disclosed. The tamper alarm circuit has a transducer coupled to an amplification circuit which is coupled to a detection circuit, the detection circuit generating an alarm condition when the detection circuit determines that a voltage signal generated by the transducer and amplified by the amplification circuit has reached a predetermined threshold.
19 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A tamper alarm circuit for detecting a tampered condition of a utility meter comprising:
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an amplification stage comprising; a transducer that generates a transducer output responsive to physical movement of the utility meter; and an amplification circuit that receives and amplifies the transducer output, and generates an amplified output; and a comparator stage comprising a comparator that receives the amplified output, compares the amplified output to a predetermined threshold that corresponds to a tampering condition, and provides a comparator output when the amplified output exceeds the predetermined threshold, wherein an alarm condition is generated when the comparator output indicates that the amplified output exceeds the predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A utility meter comprising:
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a utility resource monitoring circuit, the utility resource monitoring circuit monitoring the amount of resources used by a consumer, the utility resource monitoring circuit communicating with; a tamper alarm circuit, the tamper alarm circuit further comprising an amplification stage that generates an amplified voltage signal responsive to physical movement of the utility meter; and a comparator stage that receives the amplified voltage signal, compares the amplified voltage to a predetermined threshold, and generates an indication that the amplified voltage signal has exceeded the predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 21)
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14. A method for detecting a tamper condition in a utility meter comprising, the utility meter having a transducer coupled to an amplification circuit, the method comprising:
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receiving a voltage signal from the transducer in response to physical movement of the utility meter; amplifying the voltage signal from the transducer at the amplification circuit so as to generate an amplified voltage signal; determining that the amplified voltage signal has exceeded a predetermined threshold, and generating an alarm condition when it is determined that the amplified voltage signal has exceeded the predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23)
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Specification