Apparatus and method for monitoring a variety of resource consumption meters
First Claim
1. An apparatus for attachment to a resource consumption meter emitting a digital or analog consumption signal having a frequency indicative of a rate of a resource being metered by the resource consumption meter, said apparatus comprising:
- a. at least one signal detector for optically detecting said digital or analog consumption signal from said resource consumption meter; and
b. a circuit operatively connected to said at least one signal detector for determining a type of the consumption signal and processing said consumption signal in accordance with the type to produce a human readable output indicating a state of the resource consumption meter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus is disclosed for attachment to a resource consumption meter emitting and detecting a signal having a first frequency relative to the rate of metered resource consumption. The apparatus comprises at least one signal detection means adapted to detect said signal from said resource consumption meter; and, a circuit operatively connected to the signal detection means and adapted for interpreting the signal for a human. A method for multi-mode operation of the apparatus is disclosed so that it is possible for the apparatus to automatically detect the type of resource consumption meter it is attached to and operate accordingly.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An apparatus for attachment to a resource consumption meter emitting a digital or analog consumption signal having a frequency indicative of a rate of a resource being metered by the resource consumption meter, said apparatus comprising:
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a. at least one signal detector for optically detecting said digital or analog consumption signal from said resource consumption meter; and b. a circuit operatively connected to said at least one signal detector for determining a type of the consumption signal and processing said consumption signal in accordance with the type to produce a human readable output indicating a state of the resource consumption meter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 16, 17)
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9. A method for monitoring resource consumption utilizing an apparatus that is attachable to a resource consumption meter that emits a consumption signal having a frequency indicative of the rate of metered resource consumption, said method comprising the following steps:
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a. at least one optical signal detector optically detecting a consumption signal from the resource consumption meter; b. a circuit operatively connected to the at least one optical signal detector detecting the consumption signals and recognizing the consumption signal type, the circuit further processing detected consumption signals and generating human readable output indicative of the rate of metered resource consumption by alternating between a plurality of circuit paths included in the circuit in accordance with the consumption signal type, said plurality of circuit paths operating one or more of the following modes of operation; i. a sample and hold mode of operation for generating the human readable output utilizing a consumption signal type emitted from the resource consumption meter that is an analog meter having a reflective indicator indicative of resource consumption; ii. a digitizing mode of operation for generating the human readable output utilizing a consumption signal type emitted from the resource consumption meter that is a digital meter having an integral emitter; and iii. an analog-to-digital mode of operation for generating the human readable output utilizing a consumption signal type emitted from the resource consumption meter that measures measure detected energy from an integral emitter or reflected energy. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus attachable to a resource consumption meter and said apparatus being operable to monitor the resource consumption meter that emits a consumption signal having a frequency relative to a rate of metered resource consumption, said apparatus comprising:
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a. a light energy emitter operable to illuminate an analog indicator, said analog indicator being operable to reflect emitted light energy as the consumption signal; b. at least one light energy detector operable to detect the emitted light energy and to determine the emitted light energy type; c. a circuit connected to said at least one light energy detector, said circuit being operable to generate an output signal, said circuit including three alternative circuit paths to generate the output signal in accordance with the emitted light energy type and said three alternative circuit paths representing at least one of the following; i. a first path operable as a sample and hold mode of operation being utilizable with the resource consumption meter that is an analog meter having a moving indicator indicative of resource consumption; ii. a second path operable as a digitizing mode of operation; and iii. a third path operable as an analog-to-digital mode of operation; and d. a microprocessor operable to process the output signal and to generate human readable output.
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Specification