System and method for remote utility meter reading

• US 9,338,411 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2012
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Dondurur, Mehmet, Sahin, Ahmet Z.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Heather
• Application Number:
  US13/712,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20140160297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/006 Remote reading of utility meters to a non-fixed location, i.e. mobile location
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2823 Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network device-related reporting H04L43/065; arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• 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

The system and method for remote utility meter reading are include a camera positioned adjacent the face of a utility meter for generating an analog optical image signal representative of a the utility meter having a visual identifier associated with the utility meter. The visual identifier may be a label, a bar code or the like for identifying the location of the particular utility meter. An analog-to-digital converter is in communication with the camera for receiving the analog optical image signal and generating an associated digital image signal. The original analog optical image signal is preserved, so that a transmitter in communication with the camera may transmit both the analog optical image signal and the digital image signal to a remote host associated with the utility company for remote reading of the utility meter.

Claims

1. A system for remote utility meter reading, comprising:

a camera for generating an analog optical image signal representative of a utility meter having a visual identifier associated with the utility meter;

an analog-to-digital converter in communication with the camera for receiving the analog optical image signal and generating an associated digital image signal;

a transmitter connected to the camera for transmitting both the analog optical image signal and the digital image signal to a remote host, wherein both the analog optical image signal and the digital image signal are used for verification of location and power consumption associated with the utility meter;

a track positioned adjacent the utility meter;

a camera mount slidably mounted on the track, wherein said camera is mounted on said camera mount; and

means for mechanically translating said camera and said camera mount with respect to said track for generating the analog optical image signal representative of a selected one of a plurality of utility meters.

2. The system for remote utility meter reading as recited in claim 1, further comprising a local monitor display in communication with said camera for locally displaying an image representing utility usage.

3. The system for remote utility meter reading as recited in claim 1, wherein the camera is powered by a local utility power supply.

4. The system for remote utility meter reading as recited in claim 3, further comprising at least one battery in electrical communication with said camera.

5. The system for remote utility meter reading as recited in claim 4, further comprising at least one auxiliary power supply in electrical communication with said camera and the at least one battery.

6. The system for remote utility meter reading as recited in claim 5, wherein the at least one auxiliary power supply comprises at least one solar panel.

7. The system for remote utility meter reading as recited in claim 5, wherein the at least one auxiliary power supply comprises at least one wind turbine.

8. The system for remote utility meter reading as recited in claim 1, further comprising local non-transitory storage memory for locally recording the analog optical image signal and the digital image signal.

9. A method of remote utility meter reading, comprising the steps of:

generating an analog optical image signal with a camera, the analog image signal being representative of a utility meter having a visual identifier associated with the utility meter;

converting the analog optical image signal into an associated digital image signal;

transmitting both the analog optical image signal and the digital image signal to a remote host, wherein both the analog optical image signal and the digital image signal are used for verification of location and power consumption associated with the utility meter;

a track positioned adjacent the utility meter;

a camera mount slidably mounted on the track, wherein said camera is mounted on said camera mount; and

mechanically translating said camera and said camera mount with respect to said track for generating the analog optical image signal representative of a selected one of a plurality of utility meters.

10. The method of remote utility meter reading as recited in claim 9, further comprising the step of locally displaying an image representing utility usage.

11. The method of remote utility reading as recited in claim 10, wherein the step of generating the analog optical image signal comprises generating the analog optical signal representative of the selected one of the plurality of utility meters.

12. The method of remote utility reading as recited in claim 10, wherein the step of generating the analog optical image signal comprises continuously generating the analog optical signal in real time.

13. The method of remote utility reading as recited in claim 10, wherein the step of generating the analog optical image signal comprises periodically generating the analog optical signal.

14. The method of remote utility reading as recited in claim 10, further comprising the step of transmitting an alert signal to the remote host upon detection of a cessation of utility usage.

15. A system for remote utility meter reading, comprising:

a camera for generating an analog optical image signal;

a track;

a camera mount slidably mounted on the track, wherein said camera is mounted on said camera mount;

means for mechanically translating the camera and the camera mount with respect to the track, the camera generating the analog optical image signal representative of a selected one of a plurality of utility meters having a visual identifier associated therewith;

an analog-to-digital converter in communication with the camera for receiving the analog optical image signal and generating an associated digital image signal;

a transmitter connected to the camera for transmitting both the analog optical image signal and the digital image signal to a remote host, wherein both the analog optical image signal and the digital image signal are used for verification of location and power consumption associated with the utility meter.

16. The system for remote utility meter reading as recited in claim 15, further comprising a local monitor display in communication with said camera for locally displaying an image representing utility usage.

17. The system for remote utility meter reading as recited in claim 15, wherein the camera is powered by a local utility power supply.

18. The system for remote utility meter reading as recited in claim 17, further comprising at least one auxiliary power supply in electrical communication with said camera.

19. The system for remote utility meter reading as recited in claim 15, further comprising local non-transitory storage memory for locally recording the analog optical image signal and the digital image signal.