Electronic meter reader system and method

• US 7,248,179 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2002
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richmark Holdings (Pty) Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Danie Smit
• Inventors: Smit, Danie
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US10/489,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20050012639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,776 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.02, 340/870.03, 340/870.07, 705/412, 379/106.03
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/00 Coin-freed apparatus with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• 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 2209/826 where the data is sent periodically
• 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: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• 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 utility metering system includes a plurality of distributed utility meter readers. Each reader is associated with a respective electronic utility meter at a respective utility user station. Each meter reader comprises a transceiver for transmitting metered data received from the respective meter to a remote station via a GSM cellular infrastructure in the form of an SMS message. The data received is stored in a database in relation to a unique identification code number. In the case of meters for pre-paid utilities, the system enables users to obtain credit readings from the station from positions remote from the meters and also to replenish credits on the meters from such positions, by causing the station to transmit credit data prepaid for via the infrastructure to the meters.

Claims

1. A utility meter reading system comprising a plurality of distributed electronic meter readers each associated with a respective utility meter installed at a respective utility user station, each of the meter readers being connectable to a meter reading arrangement by a cellular phone infrastructure for intermittently transmitting respective metered data to the meter reading arrangement, the meter reading arrangement comprising a plurality of user portable cellular phones for receiving metered data and for communicating the data to a user,

wherein at least some of the meters are prepayment meters storing credit data relating to the utility prepaid for by a user, and wherein the user is enabled selectively to increment the credit data stored in a selected meter utilizing the cellular phone infrastructure and one of said cellular phones.

2. A meter reading system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each meter reader is in data communication with the respective utility meter.

3. A meter reading system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each reader transmits the metered data in the form of an SMS message.

4. A meter reading system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the meter reading arrangement comprises a remote station comprising a computer system and database, the database being configured to store respective metered data for each reader in relation to a unique identification code associated with an SIM card of the reader.

5. A meter reading system as claimed in claim 4 wherein each of the meter readers intermittently transmits to the remote station metered data to be stored in the database.

6. A meter reading system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the remote station intermittently polls each of the utility meter readers for metered data to be stored in the database.

7. A meter reading system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the remote station further comprises a caller interface which is contactable by a calling user and for automatically providing the user with data from the database.

8. A meter reading system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the caller interface is configured to receive new credit data from the calling user and to transmit said new data to a prepaid utility meter nominated by the calling user and utilizing a unique identification code associated with an SIM card of the reader.

9. A meter reading system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the caller interface comprises an interactive voice front-end for cooperating with the calling user.

10. A method of communicating with a prepayment utility meter, the method comprising the steps of:

causing metered data to be transmitted via a cellular phone infrastructure;

causing the data to be communicated to a user via a cellular phone connectable to the infrastructure, and

enabling the user to adjust credit data stored in the meter by causing data relating to a new credit for use of the utility prepaid for, to be transmitted from the cellular phone via the infrastructure to the meter.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the metered data is transmitted in the form of a short message service (SMS) data message via the cellular phone infrastructure to a central station and then to said cellular phone.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the metered data is periodically and automatically transmitted to the central station.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the central station intermittently polls for the metered data to be transmitted to the station.

14. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the cellular phone is used to call the central station to retrieve the metered data.

15. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the new credit data is transmitted from the central station to the meter.