Method and system for providing web-enabled cellular access to meter reading data

• US 9,709,421 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2014
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Badger Meter Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Badger Meter Incorporated
• Inventors: Blackwell, Morrice D., Schultz, Randall L., Locker, Yarum
• Primary Examiner(s): MITCHELL, NATHAN A
• Application Number:
  US14/171,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20140320304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• Field of Search: 34087002, 34087003, 4554141
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5651 Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data
• 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 method and a system for collection of meter readings from meter reading and transmitting devices (12, 14) and for viewing on a web-enabled wireless communication device (28) comprises addressing at least one receiver (15) through the Internet (21) and obtaining a data file of meter data for a plurality of meter reading devices (12, 14) that have previously communicated with the receiver (15). The receiver (15) can then re-transmit the meter data through a wide area network such as the Internet (21) to a web site (10) operated by an organization marketing AMR systems. The meter data is then accessed and displayed at a customer demonstration site using a handheld wireless smart phone (28) which receives a web page (22) that is reduced in size for transmission through the cellular network to the smart phone (28).

Claims

1. A method for collection of meter data through a wide area network from at least one receiver communicating in a local network with at least one meter reading device in a geographic area, the method comprising:

receiving meter data generated by a utility meter and provided to a meter reading device, the meter data including both utility consumption data readings and condition status data generated by the utility meter, through the wide area network at a web site from a receiver that received the meter data from the meter reading device;

storing the meter data at the web site; and

accessing the meter data at the web site using a wireless communication device and displaying the meter data on a display portion of the wireless communication device, wherein the condition status data includes at least one of leak detection data, tamper data, radio signal strength, and shut-off valve data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the meter data is accessed by an application program on the wireless communication device that displays the meter data as a reduced size web page.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the wireless communication is a handheld web-enabled phone device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the handheld web-enabled phone device communicates through a GSM cellular network.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the meter data is received at the web site as an HTML web page and is stored at the web site.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the wide area network is the Internet.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the meter reading devices include devices for reading condition status data related to a meter or to supply links connected to the meter, and wherein the meter data includes condition status data.

8. A system for displaying meter reading data collected from at least one reading device in a geographic area, the system comprising:

a computer server implementing a web site for receiving and storing a data file through a wide area network from the at least one receiver that includes meter reading data, including both utility consumption data readings from the utility meter and condition status data, from a plurality of meter reading devices; and

a web-enabled cellular phone executing an application program for the web-enabled cellular phone for displaying condition status data and utility consumption data readings communicated from the web site accessible through a cellular network, wherein the condition status data includes at least one of leak detection data, tamper data, radio signal strength, and shut-off valve data.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the application program displays the meter data as a reduced size web page on a display portion of the web-enabled cellular phone.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein web-enabled cellular phone communicates through a GSM cellular network.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the meter data is received at the web site as an HTML web page and is stored at the web site.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the wide area network is the Internet.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the meter reading devices include devices for reading condition status data related to a meter or to supply links connected to the meter, and wherein the meter data includes condition status data.

14. A method for collection of meter data through a wide area network from at least one receiver communicating in a local network with at least one meter reading device in a geographic area, the method comprising:

receiving data through the wide area network at a web site from the at least one receiver that includes meter data generated by a utility meter and provided via a meter reading device to the at least one receiver, the meter data including both utility consumption data readings and condition status data generated by the utility meter;

receiving a request to display the meter data at the web site from a wireless communication device; and

transmitting the meter data for display on a display portion of the wireless communication device, wherein the utility consumption data readings are meter readings for at least one meter reading device that have been transmitted at a defined time interval,

wherein receiving a request to display the meter data at the web site from a wireless communication device includes selection of a link displayed on a web page specific to the at least one meter reading device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the meter data is displayed on the display portion as a reduced size web page.

16. A method for collection of meter data through a wide area network from at least one receiver communicating in a local network with at least one meter reading device in a geographic area, the method comprising:

receiving data through the wide area network at a web site from the receiver that includes meter data from at least one meter reading device;

receiving a request to display the meter data at the web site from a wireless communication device; and

transmitting the meter data for display on a display portion of the wireless communication device, wherein the meter data includes a plurality of meter readings for at least one meter reading device that have been transmitted at a defined time interval, wherein the meter data includes an indication of signal strength.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the indication of signal strength includes an indication of signal strength for each defined time interval.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the defined time interval is daily.

19. A method for collection of meter data through a wide area network from at least one receiver communicating in a local network with at least one meter reading device in a geographic area, the method comprising:

receiving data through the wide area network at a web site from the receiver that includes meter data generated by a utility meter and provided via a meter reading device to the at least one receiver, the meter data including both utility consumption data readings and condition status data generated by the utility meter;

receiving a request to display the meter data at the web site from a wireless communication device; and

transmitting the meter data for display on a display portion of the wireless communication device, wherein the utility consumption data readings are meter readings for at least one meter reading device that have been transmitted at a defined time interval,

wherein the at least one meter reading device includes a least one device for reading condition status data related to a meter or to supply links connected to the meter, and wherein the meter data includes condition status data.