Fixed network for an automatic utility meter reading system

• US 8,786,463 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neptune Technology Group Incorporated (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Neptune Technology Group Incorporated (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brennan, Jim, Hamilton, David, Ali, Mohammed, Cely, Joe, Easterling, Quentin, Bilodeau, John, Poorbaugh, Ed, Carter, Burt, Kynard, Richard, Wynn, Warren, White, Dan, Pettit, David
• Primary Examiner(s): BAUER, SCOTT ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US13/691,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20130088368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.02
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/45 Utility meters networked together within a single building
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/00 Electric signal transmission systems G08C17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/86 Arrangements characterised by the broadcast information itself
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A fixed network for automatically reading a utility meter system has been developed. The network includes multiple meter interface units (MIUs) that each collect data from a designated utility meter. The collected data is transmitted to a primary data collector. The network includes multiple data collectors and each MIU identifies its own primary data collector based on signal quality between the collector and the MIU. The network includes a central host computer that is used to receive the collected data from the primary data collectors.

Claims

1. A method of communicating data for a utility meter reading system, comprising:

transmitting wirelessly utility consumption data collected from a utility meter from a meter interface (MIU) over a communications network;

listening at the MIU for an acknowledgment signal transmitted to said MIU in response to satisfactory receipt of the MIU'"'"'s data;

if no acknowledgment signal is received by said MIU, repeating said transmitting and listening steps up to a predetermined number of times until an acknowledgment signal is received by said MIU;

if no acknowledgment signal is received by said MIU after said predetermined number of times, switching said MIU from a two-way communications mode to a one-way communications model; and

monitoring the communications mode of the MIU from a host system and if said MIU is in a one-way communications mode with a primary data collector, reassigning said MIU to a different data collector to allow said MIU to establish a two-way communications mode with the different collector.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said MIU is in a one-way communications mode, and further comprising:

listening at the MIU for an acknowledgment signal transmitted to said MIU in response to satisfactory receipt of the MIU'"'"'s data;

if an acknowledgment signal is received by said MIU, switching said MIU to a two-way communications mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said acknowledgment signal comprises a time signal to allow the MIU to update an internal clock.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said an acknowledgment signal is contained in a packet and said packet comprises a command to said MIU to perform an action.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said command is selected from the group consisting of:

a time signal, a communications schedule, a command to reduce signal power on the subsequent transmissions, and a configuration command.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said command is a time signal and the MIU updates its internal clock in response to receiving said time signal.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said command serves as said acknowledgment signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said command is selected from the group consisting of:

a time signal, a communications schedule, a command to reduce signal power on the subsequent transmissions, and a configuration command.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said command is a time signal and the MIU updates its internal clock in response to receiving said time signal.