Applications for a low cost receiver in an automatic meter reading system

• US 20050179561A1
• Filed: 04/14/2005
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Osterloh, Christopher L., Anderson, Benjamin L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,417,557 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.20
• 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: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 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
• 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

An automatic meter reading (AMR) system includes a plurality of utility meter endpoints, each of which includes a radio-frequency (RF) transmitter adapted for transmitting endpoint information. A plurality of transceivers are adapted to read endpoints located throughout a designated coverage area, and each transceiver adapted to receive endpoint information from utility meter endpoints located within a corresponding portion of the designated coverage area. A central storage arrangement is adapted to communicate with each of the transceivers and to store endpoint information in a central database. The AMR system also includes a low cost receiver (LCR) having a communications range that defines a gap-filling coverage area. The LCR is adapted to automatically forward received endpoint information to the central storage arrangement.

Claims

1. A home gateway radio frequency (RF) module adapted for use in an automatic meter reading (AMR) system, the home gateway module comprising:

a low cost receiver (LCR) circuit;

an antenna electrically coupled to the LCR circuit and adapted for receiving RF wireless signals from at least one utility meter endpoint;

a digital signal processing (DSP) circuit interfaced with the LCR circuit, wherein the DSP circuit is configured to correlate received RF signals with known signal patterns associated with utility meter endpoint signals utilizing a fast Fourier transform (FFT)-based algorithm; and

a transceiver circuit interfaced with the DSP circuit and adapted to wirelessly transmit utility meter endpoint data to a remote data storage location.

2. In an automatic meter reading (AMR) communications system having a plurality of endpoints, at least one central reader having a communications range that defines a designated coverage area and adapted to receive information from endpoints located in the designated coverage area, and a utility database adapted for storing at least some of the received endpoint information, a method of improving AMR system coverage comprising:

providing a low cost receiver (LCR) in a fixed location having a communications range that defines a secondary coverage area;

automatically operating the LCR to (a) wirelessly receive information transmitted from any endpoints located in the secondary coverage area, and (b) transmit at least a subset of the received endpoint information for integration into the utility database.

3. The method of claim 2, and further comprising:

automatically operating the LCR to issue a load shedding command.

4. An automatic meter reading (AMR) system, comprising:

a plurality of utility meter endpoints, wherein each of the utility meter endpoints includes a radio-frequency (RF) transmitter adapted for transmitting endpoint information;

a plurality of transceivers adapted to read endpoints located throughout a designated coverage area, each transceiver adapted to receive endpoint information from utility meter endpoints located within a corresponding portion of the designated coverage area;

a central storage arrangement adapted to communicate with each of the transceivers and to store endpoint information in a central database; and

a low cost receiver (LCR) having a communications range that defines a gap-filling coverage area, wherein the LCR is adapted to automatically forward received endpoint information to the central storage arrangement.

5. The AMR system of claim 4, wherein the LCR is configured as a virtual endpoint.

6. The AMR system of claim 4, wherein the LCR is configured to execute a load shed command.

7. The AMR system of claim 4, wherein the LCR is configured as a home gateway module.

8. A transceiver for use with an automated meter reading (AMR) system, comprising:

a low cost receiver (LCR) circuit;

a transmitter circuit;

a microcontroller adapted to be coupled to the LCR and the transmitter circuits and adapted to execute a software program that causes the auxiliary transceiver to;

automatically receive endpoint information transmitted by endpoints within communication range of the transceiver;

transmit at least a subset of the endpoint information to a utility database; and

perform load shedding command activity.