Safety utility reconnect
First Claim
1. An advanced meter reading system for transmitting between user locations and a centralized data collection facility data and commands related to utility usage and utility supply connections, said system comprising:
- a plurality of utility metrology means and associated endpoint devices, situated at respective locations of utility consumption, for bidirectional communications for transmitting utility consumption data associated with a respective location and for receiving commands thereto;
at least one remotely controllable disconnect/reconnect valve means, associated with at least one of said utility metrology means and its associated endpoint device, for disconnecting the flow of a utility supply commodity associated with said at least one utility metrology means at its respective location in response to a disconnect signal transmitted to said disconnect/reconnect means, and for selectively reconnecting such utility supply only in response to a uniquely coded reconnect signal transmitted directly thereto;
a main communications network for bidirectional communications with said endpoint devices;
a head end processor for bidirectional communications with said main communications network, such that utility consumption data and disconnect signal commands, respectively, are communicated to and from said head end processor via said main communications network; and
an RF communication mobile device in direct RF communication with an endpoint device, for controllably receiving utility consumption data and for selectively sending to such endpoint device, without use of said main communications network, reconnect signal commands incorporating a uniquely coded reconnect signal embedded therein;
wherein said uniquely coded reconnect signal includes onsite indicia uniquely associated onsite with a respective location at which utility supply is to be reconnected, so that control of sending reconnect signal commands to a given respective location is restricted to an authorized operator of the mobile device having access to onsite indicia at such given respective location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are apparatus and methodology for providing safe reconnection of remotely disconnectible gas meters. In accordance with the present subject matter, a gas metering device is provided with a remotely controllable valve and has associated therewith indicia uniquely identifying the meter. A gas company representative or other authorized person must be physically present to read the meter associated data, enter corresponding data into a handheld device, and transmit a signal from such handheld device to the meter to initiate reclosure. In such manner, physical presence of a gas company representative is required at the time of reconnection to provide other services and functionality such as equipment inspection and/or pilot relighting as required for safety considerations.
114 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An advanced meter reading system for transmitting between user locations and a centralized data collection facility data and commands related to utility usage and utility supply connections, said system comprising:
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a plurality of utility metrology means and associated endpoint devices, situated at respective locations of utility consumption, for bidirectional communications for transmitting utility consumption data associated with a respective location and for receiving commands thereto; at least one remotely controllable disconnect/reconnect valve means, associated with at least one of said utility metrology means and its associated endpoint device, for disconnecting the flow of a utility supply commodity associated with said at least one utility metrology means at its respective location in response to a disconnect signal transmitted to said disconnect/reconnect means, and for selectively reconnecting such utility supply only in response to a uniquely coded reconnect signal transmitted directly thereto; a main communications network for bidirectional communications with said endpoint devices; a head end processor for bidirectional communications with said main communications network, such that utility consumption data and disconnect signal commands, respectively, are communicated to and from said head end processor via said main communications network; and an RF communication mobile device in direct RF communication with an endpoint device, for controllably receiving utility consumption data and for selectively sending to such endpoint device, without use of said main communications network, reconnect signal commands incorporating a uniquely coded reconnect signal embedded therein; wherein said uniquely coded reconnect signal includes onsite indicia uniquely associated onsite with a respective location at which utility supply is to be reconnected, so that control of sending reconnect signal commands to a given respective location is restricted to an authorized operator of the mobile device having access to onsite indicia at such given respective location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A bidirectional gas AMI network for transmitting commands and gas supply related data between user locations and a centralized data collection facility, said network comprising:
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a plurality of combined host/endpoint devices associated with respective gas locations, said endpoint devices providing bidirectional RF communications from its respective location; a plurality of remotely controllable disconnect/reconnect means, respectively associated with selected of said endpoint devices, for respectively disconnecting a gas supply associated with such endpoint device locations in response to respective disconnect signals transmitted thereto, and for selectively reconnecting such gas supply only in response to a coded reconnect signal for its respective location transmitted thereto; a main communications network for bidirectional communications with said endpoint devices; a centralized data collection facility in bidirectional communications with said main communications network, such that gas supply related data and disconnect signal commands, respectively, are communicated to and from said centralized data collection facility via said main communications network; and a mobile device in RF communication with other components of said network, for controllably receiving gas supply related data, and in direct RF communication with selective of said endpoint devices for selectively sending reconnect signal commands incorporating a uniquely coded reconnect signal embedded therein, having onsite indicia uniquely associated onsite with a targeted disconnect/reconnect means at a given respective location at which gas supply is to be reconnected, so that reconnect signal control is restricted to an authorized operator of said mobile device having access to onsite indicia at such given respective location. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for gathering data for monitoring gas consumption associated with a gas pipeline of a gas utility provider, and for selectively disconnecting gas supplies at selected locations and safely reconnecting previously disconnected gas supplies, such method comprising:
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transmitting gas consumption data from a plurality of endpoint devices associated with respective locations of gas utility usage; communicating such data to a head end processor via a main communications network; selectively transmitting disconnect signal commands from such head end processor to disconnect valves at selected locations of gas utility usage, to disconnect such locations from an associated gas supply; and using a mobile RF device under authorized operator control to selectively transmit directly to a targeted respective gas utility usage location reconnect signal commands incorporating a uniquely coded reconnect signal embedded therein, uniquely and physically associated with a targeted respective gas utility usage location to be reconnected, wherein said uniquely coded reconnect signal is based on onsite indicia at the targeted respective gas utility usage location, which onsite indicia is accessible at such targeted respective gas utility usage location by an authorized operator for sending the reconnect signal commands. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification