Automated meter reading system
First Claim
1. A method of re-programming a utility meter from a first program code to a second program code, while performing metering operations, using an application server program, said utility meter comprising a memory and a microcontroller operating according to program code that is stored in said memory, said method comprising:
- controlling, via said microcontroller, the metering operations on said utility meter according to said first program code;
remotely receiving, at said utility meter, said application server program from a remote computer using a public link data connection;
using said application server program to receive the second program code and to control the metering operations on the utility meter while receiving the second program code;
checking an integrity of said second program code to verify the integrity prior to overwriting said first program code, wherein checking the integrity of said second program code comprises utilizing checksums to determine the integrity;
overwriting, in said memory, said first program code with said second program code; and
controlling, via said microcontroller, the metering operations according to said second program code.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an automatic remote metering system in accordance with the invention a method is provided for reprogramming each client utility meter from a host computer by downloading a reprogram first program from the host to a corresponding hub utility meter fourth memory portion via a communications link, verifying integrity of the reprogram first program, and downloading the reprogram first program from the hub utility meter to the client utility meter via a radio frequency link and overwriting the client utility meter first program code with the reprogram first program code.
40 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of re-programming a utility meter from a first program code to a second program code, while performing metering operations, using an application server program, said utility meter comprising a memory and a microcontroller operating according to program code that is stored in said memory, said method comprising:
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controlling, via said microcontroller, the metering operations on said utility meter according to said first program code; remotely receiving, at said utility meter, said application server program from a remote computer using a public link data connection; using said application server program to receive the second program code and to control the metering operations on the utility meter while receiving the second program code; checking an integrity of said second program code to verify the integrity prior to overwriting said first program code, wherein checking the integrity of said second program code comprises utilizing checksums to determine the integrity; overwriting, in said memory, said first program code with said second program code; and controlling, via said microcontroller, the metering operations according to said second program code. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. In an automatic meter reading system comprising a host computer, a hub meter, and a client meter, wherein communications between the client meter and the host computer are via the hub meter, a method of re-programming the client meter from a first program code to a second program code, while performing metering operations, said method comprising:
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controlling, via a microcontroller, the metering operations on said client meter according to said first program code; remotely receiving, at said client meter, an application server program, wherein said application server program is received via said hub meter that received the application server program from said host computer using a public link data connection; using said application server program to receive the second program code and to control the metering operations on the client meter while receiving the second program code; checking an integrity of said second program code to verify the integrity prior to overwriting said first program code, wherein checking the integrity of said second program code comprises utilizing checksums to determine the integrity; overwriting said first program code with said second program code; and controlling, via said microcontroller, the metering operations according to said second program code. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. In an automatic remote metering system comprising a host computer, a hub meter, and a client meter, a method of re-programming the client meter from a first client program code to a second client program code, while performing metering operations, the method comprising:
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controlling, via a microcontroller, the metering operations on said client meter according to said first client program code; remotely receiving, at said client meter, an application server program, wherein said application server program is received via said hub meter that received the application server program from said host computer using a public link data connection; using said application server program to receive the second client program code and to control the metering operations on the client meter while receiving the second client program code, wherein the second client program code is received via a radio frequency communications link to said hub meter; checking an integrity of said second client program code to verify the integrity by said hub meter prior to overwriting said first client program code, wherein checking the integrity of said second client program code comprises utilizing checksums to determine the integrity; overwriting said first client program code with said second client program code; and controlling, via said microcontroller, the metering operations according to said second client program code. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. In an automatic remote metering system comprising a host computer, a hub meter, and a client meter, wherein communications between the client meter and the host computer are via the hub meter, a method of re-programming the client meter from a first program code to a second program code, while performing metering operations, the method comprising:
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remotely receiving, at the hub meter, an application server program from the host computer via a public link data connection, wherein the public link data connection comprises a cellular communications link to the host computer; using said application server program to receive the second program code, at said hub meter, and to control the metering operations on the hub meter while receiving the second program code; verifying an integrity of the second program code prior to sending the second program code to the client meter, wherein verifying the integrity of said second program comprises utilizing checksums to determine the integrity; and sending, via a radio frequency communications link, the second program code to the client meter for overwriting the first program code on the client meter. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. In an automatic remote metering system comprising a host computer, a hub meter, and a client meter, wherein communications between the client meter and the host computer are via the hub meter, a method of re-programming the client meter from a first client program code to a second client program code, while performing metering operations, the method comprising:
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remotely receiving at the client meter, via a radio frequency communications link to the hub meter, an application server program, wherein the application server program is received from via said hub meter that received the application server program from said host computer using a public link data connection; using said application server program to receive the second client program code from said host computer and to send metering information to said host computer while receiving the second client program code, wherein said second client program code is received and said metering information is sent via said radio frequency communications link to said hub meter; checking an integrity of said second client program code to verify the integrity by said hub meter prior to overwriting said first client program code, wherein checking the integrity of said second client program code comprises utilizing checksums to determine the integrity; overwriting said first client program code with said second client program code; and controlling the metering operations according to said second client program code. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification