Apparatus and method for collecting meter data

Claim 2

A utility meter data collection device having a plurality of operational modes, comprising: an antenna; a utility meter interface receiving utility usage data from a utility meter; a radio frequency (RF) stage coupled to the antenna and responsive to the utility meter interface; and a controller in communication with the utility meter interface, the radio frequency stage and a control device, in a first mode, the controller instructing the RF stage to transmit the utility usage data over a control channel of a wireless cellular communication system and in a second mode the controller instructing the control device to perform a predetermined action.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing the utility usage data.

Claim 4

The device of claim 1, wherein the utility meter interface comprises an analog to digital converter.

Claim 5

The device of claim 1, wherein said utility meter is selected from the group consisting of an electricity meter, a water meter, and a gas meter.

Claim 6

A communication unit in a wireless cellular communication system, the communication unit comprising: a base station interface module receiving utility usage data from a utility usage-data collection device; a network interface module in communication with a telephone network; a switch matrix coupling the base station interface module and the network interface module; and a processor responsive to the switch matrix and in communication with a utility processing center, the utility processing center remotely instructing the utility usage-data collection device to transmit the utility usage data over a control channel of the wireless communication system, and the switch matrix routing the utility usage data to one of the network interface module and the processor.

Claim 7

A communication unit in a wireless cellular communication system, the communication unit comprising: a base station interface module receiving utility usage data from a utility usage-data collection device; a network interface module in communication with a telephone network; a switch matrix coupling the base station interface module and the network interface module; and a processor responsive to the switch matrix and in communication with a utility processing center, the utility processing center remotely instructing the utility usage-data collection device to transmit the utility usage data over a control channel of the wireless communication system, and the switch matrix routing the utility usage data to one of the network interface module and the processor.

Claim 8

The communication unit of claim 5, further comprising a memory storage device responsive to the processor and storing the utility usage data.

Claim 9

The communication unit of claim 6, wherein the utility usage data is transmitted from the memory storage device to the utility processing center.

Claim 10

A wireless communication system comprising: a first communication unit; a utility usage-data collection device having a plurality of modes of operation, the utility usage-data collection device responsive to the first communication unit and operable for transmitting utility usage data to the first communication unit over a control channel of the wireless communication system; and a second communication unit coupled to the first communication unit, the second communication unit comprising: a first communication unit interface module receiving the utility usage data from the first communication unit; a network interface module in communication with a telephone network; and a switch matrix coupling the first communication unit interface module and the network interface module.

Claim 11

A wireless communication system comprising: a first communication unit; a utility usage-data collection device having a plurality of modes of operation, the utility usage-data collection device responsive to the first communication unit and operable for transmitting utility usage data to the first communication unit over a control channel of the wireless communication system; and a second communication unit coupled to the first communication unit, the second communication unit comprising: a first communication unit interface module receiving the utility usage data from the first communication unit; a network interface module in communication with a telephone network; and a switch matrix coupling the first communication unit interface module and the network interface module.

Claim 12

The system of claim 8, wherein said first communication unit comprises a base station.

Claim 13

The system of claim 8, wherein said wireless communication system comprises a radiotelephone system.

Claim 14

The system of claim 8, wherein said wireless communication system is selected from the group consisting essentially of a frequency division multiple access system, a time division multiple access system, and a code division multiple access system.

Claim 15

The device of claim 1, wherein in the first mode, the controller is responsive to a message from a utility processing center.

Claim 16

The device of claim 12, wherein the utility processing center comprises a billing center.

Claim 17

The device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined action comprises adjusting electricity usage in at least a portion of a building.

Claim 20

The method of claim 15, wherein the message is selected from the group consisting essentially of: a telemetry poll message, an operations message and a control message.

Claim 21

The method of claim 16, wherein the one of the plurality of modes of operation is selected from the group consisting essentially of: a polling mode, an operational support mode and a remote control mode.

Claim 22

The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of: prior to receiving the message by the utility usage-data collection device, receiving, by the wireless communication system, a command from the utility processing center.

Claim 23

The method of claim 18, wherein the message is received by the utility usage-data collection device in response to the command.