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Automatic meter reading system

  • US 4,866,761 A
  • Filed: 06/19/1987
  • Issued: 09/12/1989
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1986
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A metering system comprising:

  • a plurality of automatic meter readers each arranged for connection to both consumption metering means and a telephone line at the premises of a subscriber and for transmission of meter data to a utility control center means, each telephone line being also connectable to standard types of telephone equipment at said premises and operative to respond to a standard ringing signal generated by a telephone exchange to which the line is connected, each of said meter readers including a battery-operated power supply, data generating means for connection to said consumption metering means to generate meter data, data storage means for storing generated meter data, data communication means including means for transmitting stored meter data from said data storage means, hook switch means for connecting said data communication means to a telephone line, control means for controlling said data generating means and said data communication means and said hook switch means, said hook switch means being normally in a on-hook state to disconnect said data communication means from said telephone line and establish a high resistance on-hook condition and being operable by said control means to an off-hook state to connect said data communication means to said telephone line and establish a low resistance off-hook line condition, demand signal receiving means arranged to develop a control signal in response to a demand signal of a certain form which is distinctively different from that of said standard ring signal, coupling means for coupling said demand signal receiving means to said telephone line to develop said control signal in response to a signal of said certain form on said line, said control means and said demand signal receiving means being continuously energized from said battery-operated power supply but having a very low power consumption as compared to that of said data communication means, and means for applying said control signal to said control means, said control means being responsive to said control signal to operate said hook switch means to said off-hook condition, energize said data communication means from said battery-operated power supply and connect said data communication means to said telephone line for transmission of meter data through said telephone line to said utility control center, said hook switch means being thereby operated and said data communication means being thereby energized and operated in response to a demand signal of said certain form without being operated in response to standard ring signals to minimize interference with normal subscriber'"'"'s use of a telephone line and to minimize drain on said battery-operated power supply, wherein said data generating means of each of said automatic meter readers includes low current-consumption counter means continuously energized from said battery-operated power supply for temporary accumulation of meter data, and wherein said control means includes processor means arranged to be periodically energized for short time intervals from said battery-operated power supply to effect storage in said data storage means of data temporarily accumulated by said counter means.

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