Utility meter remote automatic reading system

Claim 2

A remote automatic utility meter reading system comprising a. an interrogating source having an interrogation transmitting means for transmitting an address code corresponding to a particular utility meter to be interrogated, and a reply receiving means for receiving the reply transmission from a utility meter being interrogated, b. a plurality of reply stations each having an interrogation receiving means for receiving an interrogation transmission from said interrogation transmitting means, a meter address identification memory, authenticating means for comparing the contents of the meter identification memory with the encoded interrogation transmission from said interrogating source, a meter reading memory, and reply transmitting means connected to said meter reading memory and enabled by said authenticating means for transmitting the meter reading if the interrogation was a valid interrogation, and c. a communication link interconnecting said interrogation source with said plurality of reply stations, d. wherein said communication link is a combination of an electric power line and wireless communication link.

Claim 3

The meter reading system according to claim 1 wherein the interrogating source is mobile.

Claim 4

A remote, automatic utility meter reading system comprising: a. an interrogating source having an interrogation transmitting means for transmitting an address code corresponding to a particular utility meter to be interrogated, and a reply receiving means for receiving the reply transmission from a utility meter being interrogated, b. a plurality of reply stations each having an interrogation receiving means for receiving an interrogation transmission from said interrogation transmitting means, a meter address identification memory, authenticating means for comparing the contents of the meter identification memory with the encoded interrogation transmission from said interrogating source, a meter reading memory, and reply transmitting means connected to said meter reading memory and enabled by said authenticating means for transmitting the meter reading if the interrogation was a valid interrogation, and c. a communication link interconnecting said interrogation source with said plurality of reply stations, wherein said interrogating source is at a fixed location and wherein said communication link is an electric power line with wireless bypasses around power transformers and other obStructions.

Claim 5

A remote, automatic utility meter reading system comprising: a. an interrogating source having an interrogation transmitting means for transmitting an address code corresponding to a particular utility meter to be interrogated, and a reply receiving means for receiving the reply transmission from a utility meter being interrogated, b. a plurality of reply stations each having an interrogation receiving means for receiving an interrogation transmission from said interrogation transmitting means, a meter address identification memory, authenticating means for comparing the contents of the meter identification memory with the encoded interrogation transmission from said interrogating source, a meter reading memory, and reply transmitting means connected to said meter reading memory and enabled by said authenticating means for transmitting the meter reading if the interrogation was a valid interrogation, and c. a communication link interconnecting said interrogation source with said plurality of reply stations, wherein said interrogating source is at a fixed location and wherein said communication link is an electric power line with wireless bypasses around power transformers and other obStructions.

Claim 6

The meter reading system according to claim 1 wherein the wireless link is a radio frequency link.

Claim 7

The utility meter reading system according to claim 1 wherein the wireless communication link is an acoustic communication link.

Claim 8

The utility meter reading system according to claim 1 wherein the interrogating source is at a fixed location.

Claim 9

The utility meter reading system according to claim 3 wherein the wireless bypass is a radio frequency bypass.

Claim 10

The utility meter reading system according to claim 3 wherein the wireless bypass is an acoustic bypass.

Claim 11

The utility meter reading system according to claim 3 wherein the transmission by said interrogation transmitting means is a pulse frequency modulated transmission and includes a preset pulse, a first data pulse corresponding to a binary ONE, and a second data pulse corresponding to a binary ZERO, and wherein the reply transmission by said reply transmitting means is a pulse frequency modulated transmission including said first and second data pulses.

Claim 12

The utility meter reading system according to claim 9 wherein said preset pulse is a first pulse modulated frequency, said first data pulse is a second pulse modulated frequency, and said second data pulse is a third pulse modulated frequency.

Claim 13

The utility meter reading system according to claim 9 wherein said first data pulse is a first pulse modulated frequency, said second data pulse is a second pulse modulated frequency, and said preset pulse is the simultaneous transmission of pulses at both data frequencies.

Claim 14

The utility meter reading system according to claim 9 wherein said meter identification memory is a read only non-volatile memory.

Claim 15

The utility meter reading system according to claim 10 further including a shift register at said reply station into which the contents of said meter identification memory is transferred for authenticating the interrogation transmission.

Claim 16

The utility meter reading system according to claim 13 wherein said authenticating circuits comprise comparing means to compare the output of said receiving means and said shift register.

Claim 17

The utility meter reading system according to claim 14 wherein said authenticating circuits further include an arming latch which is set by said preset pulse and rest by said comparing means if the output of said receiving means does not agree with the output of said shift register.

Claim 18

The utility meter reading system according to claim 15 further including gating means enabled by said arming latch if the interrogation is valid to transfer the contents of said meter reading memory to said reply transmitter.

Claim 19

The utility meter reading system according to claim 12 further including gate means enabled by said authenticating circuit if a valid interrogation has been received to transfer the contents of said meter reading memory to said reply transmitter.

Claim 20

The utility meter reading system according to claim 17 wherein said meter reading memory is an accumulating memory, and the utility meter is provided with a pulse generating means to produce pulses which are accumulated in said meter reading memory.

Claim 21

The utility meter reading system according to claim 18 wherein said pulse generating means includes sensor means coupled to the utility meter shaft to produce a pulse each revolution of the meter shaft.

Claim 22

The utility meter reading system according to claim 19 wherein said sensor is a commutating mechanical switch.

Claim 23

The utility meter reading system according to claim 19 wherein said sensor is a photoelectric switch.

Claim 24

The utility meter reading system according to claim 19 wherein said sensor is an inductively coupled switch.

Claim 25

The utility meter reading system according to claim 17 wherein said sensor is a capacitive coupled switch.

Claim 26

The utility meter reading system according to claim 18 further including a special purpose digital computing means coupled to said pulse generating means to adD one to the contents of said meter reading memory each time said pulse generating means produces an output pulse.

Claim 27

The meter reading system according to claim 18 wherein said meter reading memory is a counting memory which is coupled to said pulse generating means and automatically increases its contents by one each time said pulse generating means produces an output pulse.

Claim 28

The utility meter reading system according to claim 17 wherein said meter reading memory is the mechanical memory of said utility meter.

Claim 29

The utility meter reading system according to claim 26 further including sensor means to provide a decimal output for each dial of the mechanical memory of said utility meter.

Claim 30

The utility meter reading system according to claim 27 further including logic means coupled to said sensor means to resolve ambiguities between adjacent outputs of each of said dials.

Claim 31

The utility meter reading system according to claim 9 wherein said identification memory is a non-volatile read-only memory and further comprising shift register means, and an arming latch means, said arming latch being set by said preset pulse to transfer the contents of said identification memory to said shift register means, said authenticating means being connected to said shift register means for comparing the output of said shift register with the received interrogation transmission, and said meter reading memory being connected to said shift register means to have its contents transferred into said shift register means if the interrogation is valid, and said shift register then being operable to transfer its contents to said reply transmitting means.

Claim 32

The utility meter reading system according to claim 29 further including fail-safe means connected to said arming latch means to reset said arming latch means in the event that the interrogation transmission is faulty or has been interrupted.

Claim 33

The utility meter reading system according to claim 29 further comprising a reply latch means enabled by said arming latch means when the interrogation is valid to reset said arming latch means and to cause the contents of said meter reading memory to be transferred to said shift register means for transfer to said reply transmitting means.

Claim 34

The utility meter reading system according to claim 31 further comprising means to reset said reply latch means after the contents of said shift register means have been transmitted by said reply transmitting means.