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Meter register and remote meter reader utilizing a stepper motor

  • US 8,448,845 B2
  • Filed: 02/06/2012
  • Issued: 05/28/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2003
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A retrofit meter register mounted in a sealed unit, the retrofit meter register comprising:

  • a measuring system capable of being operatively connected to a moveable measuring element mounted in a flow chamber of a body of a utility meter, the measuring system generating a signal defined as a first signal having information regarding a volume of utility passing through the flow chamber of the utility meter, wherein the body of the utility meter and the moveable measuring element have identifying physical and performance characteristics that are used in determining the volume flow of utility through the flow chamber of the utility meter;

    a signal receiver to receive transmitted signals from a source external of the sealed unit, the transmitted signals identifying the utility meter to which the retrofit meter register is to be connected; and

    a microprocessor to receive the transmitted signal from the signal receiver and the first signal from the measuring system, the microprocessor comprising physical and performance characteristics for a plurality of different models of utility meters, including the utility meter to which the retrofit meter register is to be connected, wherein the microprocessor is configured to analyze the transmitted signal to identify the model of the utility meter to which the retrofit meter register is to be connected, and act on the first signal using the physical and performance characteristics stored in the microprocessor to measure the volume of material passing through the flow chamber of the utility meter to which the register is connected, and wherein the utility meter is an existing utility meter operable to measure a volume of utility, the retrofit meter register is operable to be connected to said existing utility meter, and said retrofit meter register is operable to measure the volume of utility via the microprocessor when connected to the utility meter.

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