Time diversified packet protocol
First Claim
1. A method of reporting information from a meter in an automated meter reading system, comprising:
- (a) reading the meter upon a series of reading intervals and associating each reading with a time stamp corresponding to when said reading was made;
(b) transmitting a packet comprising first and second non-sequential readings and a third reading from said series, and an indicator of time elapsed since each said reading was taken, wherein said packet does not include a reading from said series between said non-sequential readings, and wherein the interval between the third reading and the closest of the first or second readings is not equal to the interval between the first and second readings; and
(c) subsequently transmitting a packet comprising a reading more recent than either of said non-sequential readings and another reading from said series between said first and second non-sequential readings.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of reporting information from a meter interface unit to a receiving device in which a data packet is transferred from the meter interface unit containing meter readings, which are associated with an indicator of the elapsed time since the reading was taken. The receiving device compares this elapsed time value with the actual elapsed time, based upon the internal clock of the receiving device, in order to determine any inaccuracies in the clock of the meter interface unit. In another embodiment, the data packet includes at least two nonsequential meter readings, separated by a multiplicity of reading intervals, on a rolling basis, such that data will not be lost as a result of a temporary obstruction that interferes with the transmission or receipt of meter readings.
7 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of reporting information from a meter in an automated meter reading system, comprising:
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(a) reading the meter upon a series of reading intervals and associating each reading with a time stamp corresponding to when said reading was made; (b) transmitting a packet comprising first and second non-sequential readings and a third reading from said series, and an indicator of time elapsed since each said reading was taken, wherein said packet does not include a reading from said series between said non-sequential readings, and wherein the interval between the third reading and the closest of the first or second readings is not equal to the interval between the first and second readings; and (c) subsequently transmitting a packet comprising a reading more recent than either of said non-sequential readings and another reading from said series between said first and second non-sequential readings. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification