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Apparatus and method for establishing communication from remote sites in a fixed meter reading network

  • US 8,471,723 B2
  • Filed: 06/02/2010
  • Issued: 06/25/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A utility meter interface circuit for use in a fixed automatic meter reading network, the utility meter interface circuit comprising:

  • a site transmitter that transmits a first message, as a first transmission of radio frequency signals from one of a plurality of utility meter data origination sites in a frequency channel to be received by a gate way fixed transceiver;

    a site receiver at the one of the utility meter data origination sites that listens for an acknowledgement signal from the gateway fixed transceiver; and

    whereupon the site receiver not detecting the acknowledgement signal within a defined time period;

    control circuitry for executing one or more retries of transmitting the first message for reception by the gateway fixed transceiver; and

    the site receiver again listening for the acknowledgement signal from the gateway fixed transceiver; and

    upon the site receiver not detecting the acknowledgement signal within a second defined time, the site transmitter transmitting radio frequency signals on a last retry for reception by the gateway fixed transceiver; and

    wherein after three tries to transmit the first message, and upon not receiving the acknowledgement signal, a second message is transmitted from the site transmitter and includes meter reading data for the last sixteen meter reading intervals to make up for non-acknowledged transmissions of the first message.

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