Automatic meter reading data communication system

• US 6,246,677 B1
• Filed: 02/23/1999
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Silver Spring Networks, Inc. (Itron, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Innovatec Communications LLC
• Inventors: Nap, Kimbel A., Ehrke, Lance A., Dresselhuys, Donn R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US09/242,793
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/342, 370/335, 370/328, 370/441, 370/346, 370/449, 340/870.02, 340/870.03, 340/870.04, 340/870.11, 340/870.06, 375/130, 379/106.03
• US Class Current: 370/346
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2213/10 using simultaneously two or more different transmission means
• 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: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/40 Display of information, e.g. of data or controls
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

An automatic meter reading data communication system having an integrated digital encoder and two-way wireless transceiver that is attachable to a wide variety of utility meters for meter data collection and information management. The integrated encoder and transceiver communicates commodity usage information over a two-way 900 MHz spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located communication node. The communication node transmits this data to a utility service provider over a commercially available fixed wide area network (WAN). The utility service provider may also request data from the communication node over the same fixed wide area network.

Claims

1. An automatic meter reading data communication system for obtaining commodity utilization data from a commodity meter, said automatic meter reading data communication system comprising:

an interface management unit removably attachable to the exterior of the commodity meter, the interface management unit including a sealed housing enclosing a digital encoder having an input positionable to obtain commodity utilization data from the commodity meter through the sealed housing, the interface management unit including software programmable to interpret the commodity utilization data based upon the type of commodity meter to which the interface management unit is attached;

a gateway node located remotely from interface management unit and communicating with the interface management unit over a two-way wireless local area network; and

wherein said gateway node communicates with a utility service provider over a two-way fixed common carrier wide area network.

2. The data communication system according to claim 1 wherein the interface management unit includes a digital encoder having an input connectable to the meter for obtaining commodity utilization data therefrom and for storing said data, and a two-way wireless transceiver coupled to said digital encoder for transmitting community utilization data from the meter and for receiving data requests from the gateway node.

3. The data communication system according to claim 1 wherein the gateway node includes an RF handler for transmitting interrogation signals to the interface management unit and for receiving commodity utilization data from the interface management unit, a wide area network handler for receiving data requests from the utility and for transmitting commodity utilization data to the utility, a message dispatcher for routing and processing interrogation signals and commodity utilization data, a data stores memory for storing utility information and interface management unit information, and a scheduler for storing a preprogrammed list of scheduled meter readings.

4. The data communication system according to claim 1 wherein the two-way wireless local area network utilizes a radio frequency spread spectrum communication technique.

5. The data communication system according to claim 4 wherein the wide area network handler utilizes commercially available fixed common carrier wide area network systems.

6. The data communication system according to claim 1 wherein said gateway node is capable of initiating communication in said data communication system responsive to a utility request message from said utility service provider.

7. The data communication system according to claim 3 wherein said gateway node is capable of initiating communication in said data communication system responsive to a preprogrammed scheduled reading message from said scheduler.

8. The data communication system according to claim 1 wherein said interface management unit is capable of initiating communication in said data communication system responsive to an alarm or tamper condition.

9. The data communication system according to claim 1 further comprising a relay node interposed between the interface management unit and the gateway node for retransmitting data and requests to and from the interface management unit.

10. The data communication system according to claim 1 wherein the gateway node stores utility identification information, interface management unit identification and scheduled meter readings in memory.

11. An interface management unit removably attachable to one of a plurality of different types of commodity meters, said interface management unit communicating with a remote gateway node, said interface management unit comprising:

a sealed housing positionable on the commodity meter and enclosing a digital encoder having an input positioned for obtaining commodity utilization data from the commodity meter through the housing and for storing said data;

an adapter ring attachable to the commodity meter and configured to removably receive the housing of the interface management unit such that the input for the digital encoder is positioned to obtain the commodity utilization data, wherein the adapter ring is configured based upon the type of commodity meter; and

a two-way wireless transceiver coupled to said digital encoder for transmitting commodity utilization data from the meter and for receiving data requests from the gateway node over a two-way wireless local are network.

12. The interface management unit according to claim 11 wherein the digital encoder includes a supervisory microcontroller, a communication microcontroller connected to said supervisory microcontroller, said communication microcontroller controlling the internal and external communication functions of said interface management unit;

and

wherein said two-way wireless transceiver includes a spread spectrum processor coupled to said communications microcontroller for enabling said interface management unit to transmit and receive data utilizing a spread spectrum communication technique, and an RF transceiver coupled to said spread spectrum processor and said communication microcontroller for transmitting commodity utilization data from the meter and for receiving interrogation signals from the gateway node.

13. The interface management unit according to claim 11 wherein said interface management unit is programmable to interpret the commodity utilization data based upon the type of commodity meter to which the interface management unit is attached and for accommodating a plurality of different data reporting needs.

18. The interface management unit according to claim 11 wherein the adapter ring receives the sealed housing to correctly position the input for the digital encoder relative to the commodity meter such that the digital encoder can obtain the commodity utilization data through the sealed housing.

14. An interface management unit suitable for use with a plurality of types of commodity meters, said interface management unit communicating with a remote gateway node, said interface management unit comprising:

a sealed housing removably attachable to the exterior of the commodity meter;

a supervisory microcontroller contained within the housing and having an input coupled to the meter through the housing for obtaining commodity utilization data therefrom, the supervisory microcontroller being programmed to interpret and store the commodity utilization data based upon the type of commodity meter, said supervisory microcontroller periodically energizing the remaining portions of said interface management unit to sense for the presence of an interrogation signal;

a communication microcontroller connected to said supervisory microcontroller, said communication microcontroller controlling the internal and external communication functions of said interface management unit;

a spread spectrum processor coupled to said communications microcontroller for enabling said interface management unit to transmit and receive data utilizing a spread spectrum communication technique; and

an RF transceiver coupled to said spread spectrum processor and said communication microcontroller for transmitting commodity utilization data from the interface management unit and for receiving interrogation signals from the gateway node.

15. A method for automatically reading data from one of a plurality of types of commodity meters and transmitting that data over a two-way wireless communication line, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting an adapter ring based upon the type of commodity meter;

installing the adapter ring to the exterior of the commodity meter;

removably attaching an interface management unit on the adapter ring installed on the commodity meter, adapter ring positioning the interface management unit such that the interface management unit can read the commodity utilization data;

interrogating the interface management unit with a gateway node located remotely from the interface management unit over a two-way wireless RF spread spectrum local area network;

responding to the interrogation signal by providing an RF message over the local area network to the gateway note; and

transmitting the requested data from the gateway node to a utility service provider over a fixed two-way common carrier wide area network.

16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising the step of interposing a relay node between said interface management unit and said gateway node for transmitting signals between said interface management unit and said gateway node.

17. The method according to claim 15 further comprising the step of programming the internal management unit to interpret the commodity utilization data read from the commodity meter based upon the type of commodity meter to which the interface management unit is attached.