Meter transponder hybrid

Claim 1

In an energy consumption measuring system of the type comprising a standard watt-hour meter consisting of a meter movement mounted within a standard enclosing cover, said meter movement being connected to power lines and having a metallic disc mounted for rotation at a rate related to the consumption by a consumer of energy supplied over the said power lines, a pulse initiator located within said standard meter cover and responsive to rotation of said disc for generating pulses indicative of the said energy consumption, and a transponder for effecting two-way communication between said watt-hour meter and a remote central location, said transponder including means for receiving signals transmitted from a remote central location over said power lines and means for transmitting metering information to said remote central location over said power lines, said transponder further including means responsive to said pulses generated by said pulse initiator for providing the metering information that is to be transmitted over said power lines upon receipt of a signal over said power lines from the remote central location, the improvement wherein said transponder comprises a circuit board of substantially annular configuration which is disposed externally of and in at least partially surrounding relation to said standard watt-hour meter movement within said standard cover of said meter, said transponder comprising a plurality of electrical components which are mounted on said annular circuit board in spaced relation to one another adjacent the exterior of the meter movement and within said standard meter cover, coupling means for connecting selected ones of said transponder electrical components to said pulse initiator, and further coupling means for connecting other selected ones of said transponder electrical components to said power lines, said transponder and each of said coupling means being located entirely within said standard cover.