Geographic locating remote endpoint monitor device, system, and methodology thereof

• US 8,374,228 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sensus Spectrum, LLC (Xylem, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: M&FC Holding, LLC (Xylem, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sanderford, H. Britton Jr., Rouquette, Robert E., Naden, Gary A., Reed, Marc L., Boudreaux, Gordon J., Brown, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): TSE, YOUNG TOI
• Application Number:
  US12/340,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20090103509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 375/224, 375/259, 455/404.2, 455/440, 455/456.1, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 342/357.09, 342/357.2
• US Class Current: 375/224
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 21/00 Generation of oscillations by combining unmodulated signals of different frequencies H03B19/00 takes precedence; frequency changing circuits in general H03D
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/08 Details of the phase-locked loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/061 providing hard decisions only; arrangements for tracking or suppressing unwanted low frequency components, e.g. removal of dc offset removal of dc offset in coupling arrangements H04L25/029, H04L25/0296
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/4902 Pulse width modulation; Pulse position modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/4921 using quadrature encoding, e.g. carrierless amplitude-phase coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/12 Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2331 wherein the received signal is demodulated using one or more delayed versions of itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/32 Carrier systems characterised by combinations of two or more of the types covered by groups H04L27/02, H04L27/10, H04L27/18 or H04L27/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/34 Amplitude- and phase-modulated carrier systems, e.g. quadrature-amplitude modulated carrier systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/3433 using an underlying square constellation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/3483 using a modulation of the constellation points
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/364 Arrangements for overcoming imperfections in the modulator, e.g. quadrature error or unbalanced I and Q levels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/38 Demodulator circuits; Receiver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/3845 using non - coherent demodulation, i.e. not using a phase synchronous carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/06 the signals being represented by different frequencies combined with time-division multiplexing H04L5/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/16 Half-duplex systems; Simplex/duplex switching; Transmission of break signals non-automatically inverting the direction of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/083 wherein at least one of the access points is a moving node
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/27 between access points

Abstract

A remote endpoint monitor device includes a remote endpoint device including a meter, a position locator, a frequency selector, and a communication unit. The meter is configured to measure a service parameter to provide a measured service parameter value. The position locator is configured to determine a position of the remote endpoint device. The frequency selector is configured to select a transmission frequency device based on the determined position. The transmitter is configured to transmit service information data including the service parameter value at the transmission frequency selected by the frequency selector. A method of a remote endpoint monitor device includes measuring a service parameter, determining a position of the remote endpoint device, selecting a transmission frequency of the remote end point device, and transmitting service information data at the transmission frequency. Thus, the remote endpoint monitor device is capable of handling an automatic frequency switchover without direction provided externally.

Claims

1. A monitoring system, comprising:

a remote endpoint device including

a meter that measures a parameter and prepares endpoint information based on the measured parameter,

a position locator configured to determine a position of the remote endpoint device,

a frequency selector configured to select a transmission frequency of the remote endpoint device based on the position determined by the position locator, and

a transmitter configured to transmit the endpoint information at the transmission frequency selected by the frequency selector; and

a base station configured to receive the endpoint information transmitted by the transmitter and to transmit the received endpoint information to a communication network,

wherein the endpoint information includes a present value of the measured parameter and a data field showing changes since a previous time when the parameter was measured.

2. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the communication network includes a wide area network (WAN) or a local area network (LAN).

3. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein

the frequency selector includes a database including geographic locations associated with geographic boundaries that separate different operating areas of communication governed by a licensing body or license agreements.

4. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein:

the transmitter is further configured to transmit the endpoint information separated by a pseudo-random amount of time.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the meter includes a water, gas, or electric utility meter; and

the endpoint information includes a utility parameter measured by one of the utility meters.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the endpoint information includes a number of difference terms providing a history of the measured parameter; and

the number of difference terms is based on a system requirement.

7. A remote endpoint device, comprising:

a meter that measures a parameter and prepares endpoint information based on the measured parameter,

wherein the end point information includes a present value of the measured parameter and a data field showing changes since a previous time when the parameter was measured;

a position locator configured to determine a position of the remote endpoint device;

a frequency selector configured to select a transmission frequency of the remote endpoint device based on the position determined by the position locator; and

a transmitter configured to transmit endpoint information at the transmission frequency selected by the frequency selector.

8. The remote endpoint device according to claim 7, wherein

the frequency selector includes a database including geographic locations associated with geographic boundaries that separate different operating areas of communication governed by a licensing body or license agreements.

9. The remote endpoint device according to claim 7, wherein:

the transmitter is further configured to transmit the endpoint information separated by a pseudo-random time interval.

10. The device according to claim 7, wherein:

the meter includes a water, gas, or electric utility meter; and

the endpoint information includes a utility parameter measured by one of the utility meters.

11. The device according to claim 7, wherein:

the endpoint information includes a number of difference terms providing a history of the measured parameter; and

the number of difference terms is based on a system requirement.

12. A method of transmitting information, comprising:

measuring a parameter;

preparing endpoint information based on the measured parameter, the endpoint information including a present value of the measured parameter and a data field showing changes since a previous time when the parameter was measured;

determining a position of a remote endpoint device;

selecting a transmission frequency of the remote endpoint device based on the position determined by the determining; and

transmitting the endpoint information at the transmission frequency selected by the selecting.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the remote endpoint device includes a water, gas, or electric utility meter, the method further comprising:

transmitting the endpoint information including a utility parameter measured by one of the utility meters.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting the endpoint information to including a number of difference terms providing a history of the measured parameter, wherein the number of difference terms is based on a system requirement.