초록 ▼

Automatic meter readers are arranged for connection to customers\telephone lines and for automatic dialing for transmission of meter data to a computer of a utility control center, communications being effected through a call collection module which includes a plurality of call collection units conn

Automatic meter readers are arranged for connection to customers\telephone lines and for automatic dialing for transmission of meter data to a computer of a utility control center, communications being effected through a call collection module which includes a plurality of call collection units connected to separate telephone lines for handling of a large number of calls. Each meter reader is battery-operated and includes a microprocessor which is powered up periodically for a short time interval to store data, to determine whether the number of power-ups since the last meter data transmission is such that a call to the utility control center should be instituted, and to determine whether leakage, tamper or other conditions require an immediate call. An operator at the utility control center can control and receive data from a very large number of meter readers and readily obtain, display and print out a variety of types of data including cumulative consumption, peak rate and time-of-day data and data with respect to leakage conditions and tampering with a reader.

대표청구항 ▼

A metering system comprising: a plurality of automatic meter readers, each arranged for connection to a telephone line and for dialing of a certain telephone number and transmission of meter data, utility control center means including data storage means and data processing means, and call collectio

A metering system comprising: a plurality of automatic meter readers, each arranged for connection to a telephone line and for dialing of a certain telephone number and transmission of meter data, utility control center means including data storage means and data processing means, and call collection means including data storage means and data processing means and arranged for connection to a certain telephone line to which said certain telephone number is assigned, said call collection means further including means for responding to a call on said certain line for reception of meter data and immediate storage of said meter data in said data storage means thereof, and means controlled by said utility control center means for effecting transfer of stored meter data from said data storage means of said call collection means to said data storage means of said utility control center means, each of said automatic meter readers including data storage means and processor means for controlling operation thereof in accordance with control data stored in said data storage means of said automatic meter readers, and said call collection means including means for storing control data in said data storage means thereof and means for transferring control data from said data storage means thereof through said telephone lines and telephone exchange equipment to said automatic meter readers for storage in said data storage means to said automatic meter readers, said utility control center means including means for storing control data in said data storage means thereof and means for transferring control data from said data storage means thereof to said call collection means for storage of control data in said data storage means of said call collection means, each of said automatic meter readers including means for generating periodic signals, means in said data storage means thereof for storing count data and means for counting said periodic signals for effecting dialing of said certain telephone number and transmission of meter data, said call collection means being arranged to send control data including said count data to an automatic meter reader during a response to a call from the same automatic meter reader. An automatic meter reader comprising: a battery, meter pulse counter means continuously energized from said battery, oscillator driven clock means continuously energized from said battery and arranged for developing a periodic tick signal, wake-up timer means continuously energized from said battery and including counter means arranged to be loaded with a control number and driven by said tick signal to develop a wake-up signal after said control number of tick signals, memory means, program means, processor means connected to said battery for energization therefrom, power-up means responsive to said wake-up signal to change said processor means from a power-down sleep condition to a power-up wake condition, said processor means being controlled by said program means in said wake condition to perform processing operations including accumulation of pulses from said meter pulse counter means and storage of corresponding accumulated meter data in said memory means, reset of said meter pulse counter means, loading of said control number in said counter means of said wake-up timer means and a final power-down to said sleep condition. A metering system comprising: a plurality of automatic meter readers each arranged for connection to a telephone line and for transmission of meter data to a utility control center means, each of said meter readers including data generating means for generating meter data, data storage means for storing data including control data and generated meter data, said generated meter data being stored in accordance with predetermined criteria established by said control data, and data transmission means for transmitting stored meter data from said data storage means over a telephone line, computer means including memory means and data processing means and arranged for receiving data transmitted from said meter readers and for controlling transmission of control data to said meter readers to control said predetermined criteria, said computer means including a keyboard, a display operable from said keyboard and means responsive to operation of said keyboard for transmitting control data to said meter readers to control said predetermined criteria of storage of generated meter data.