EP0244384A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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An automatic utility meter reading and monitoring system
Assignee: Slokker Aad
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Filing: 1987-04-27
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-04-27
Abstract
Abstract An automatic utility meter reading and monitoring system comprises at each customer premises at least one sensor for automatically reading the amount of usage of a utility service, processing means for accepting data for said at least one sensor, and a communication interface connected to said microcomputer, and at a central office a main computer for accepting data relating to the amount of usage of the utility service at each customer premises over a remote link connected to said communications interface, said main computer being arranged to poll said microcomputers periodically at said customer premises on a basis to obtain therefrom billing and local management information. The continuous polling of said customer premises not only allows for easy conversion to time-of-day metering, but also provides information relating to load distribution on an ongoing basis.
Inventors
- 👤 Hans Sollinger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 14:01
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q9/00; G; G01; G01D; G01D5/00; G01D5/26; G01D5/39; H04Q2209/00; H04Q2209/30; H04Q2209/60; H04Q2209/70; H04Q2209/75
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
An automatic utility meter reading and monitoring system, characterized in that it comprises at each customer premises at least one sensor (4, 8, 9) for automatically reading the amount of usage of a utility service, processing means (5) for accepting data for said at least one sensor, and a communications interface (10) connected to said microcomputer, and at a central office a main computer (14) for accepting data relating to the amount of usage of the utility service at each customer premises over a remote link connected to said communications interface, said main computer (14) being arranged to poll said microcomputers periodically at said customer premises on a basis to obtain therefrom billing and load management information.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
117 words
An automatic utility meter reading and monitoring system, characterized in that it comprises at each customer premises at least one sensor (4, 8, 9) for automatically reading the amount of usage of a utility service, processing means (5) for accepting data for said at least one sensor, and a communications interface (10) connected to said microcomputer, and at a central office a main computer (14) for accepting data relating to the amount of usage of the utility service at each customer premises over a remote link connected to said communications interface, said main computer (14) being arranged to poll said microcomputers periodically at said customer premises on a basis to obtain therefrom billing and load management information.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
An automatic utility meter reading and monitoring system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said remote line is a power line over which said data are transmitted.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
An automatic utility meter reading and monitoring system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said remote link is a telephone link.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
An automatic utility meter reading and monitoring system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said at least one sensor comprises an optical reader for reading conventional meters by character recognition.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
An automatic utility meter reading and monitoring system as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said optical reader comprises camera associated with means for converting the image formed by said camera to data representing the number indicated by said meter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
An automatic utility meter reading and monitoring system as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said optical reader comprises a series of matrix character recognition units placed over a dial of the meter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
An automatic utility meter reading and monitoring system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said at least one sensor comprises means for detecting rotation of conventional meters, and said microcomputer determines the amount of service utility service usage form the rotation of said meters.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
An automatic utility meter reading and monitoring system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of sensors are provided at each customer premises for reading meters measuring several utility services, and said microcomputer supplies information to said main computer in response to a poll command relating to usage of said several utility services.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
9f An automatic utility meter reading and monitoring system as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said several utility services are electricity, water and gas.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
An automatic utility meter reading and monitoring system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said main computer at the central office is connected to bank computers to permit automatic periodic debiting of customer accounts.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
An automatic utility meter reading and monitoring system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that visual display means are located at said central office giving a continuous indication of load distribution based on the polled readings from said customer premises.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
An automatic utility meter reading and monitoring system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said microcomputers are continually polled at frequent intervals to provide load management information in addition to said billing information.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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