US6747571B2 — Utility meter interface system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 203 words

A method for facilitating data exchange between a utility meter for monitoring utility consumption and a host device, wherein the meter is coupled to a first wireless transceiver with a first hardwired connection and the host device is coupled to a second wireless transceiver with a second hardwired connection and the first transceiver and the second transceiver are operative to wirelessly exchange data therebetween, comprising: providing a gateway meter management component coupled to the first hardwired connection; generating a request for the meter to provide a predetermined set of information with the gateway meter management component; transmitting the request from the gateway meter management component to the meter over the first hardwired connection; upon receipt of the request by the meter, the meter transmitting a meter data set that contains the predetermined set of information to the gateway meter management component over the first hardwired connection; upon receipt of the meter data set by the gateway meter management component, purging the meter data set of at least a portion of information unrelated to the predetermined set of information to provide a processed data set; and transmitting the processed data set with the first transceiver and addressed for receipt by the second wireless transceiver.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 203 words

A method for facilitating data exchange between a utility meter for monitoring utility consumption and a host device, wherein the meter is coupled to a first wireless transceiver with a first hardwired connection and the host device is coupled to a second wireless transceiver with a second hardwired connection and the first transceiver and the second transceiver are operative to wirelessly exchange data therebetween, comprising: providing a gateway meter management component coupled to the first hardwired connection; generating a request for the meter to provide a predetermined set of information with the gateway meter management component; transmitting the request from the gateway meter management component to the meter over the first hardwired connection; upon receipt of the request by the meter, the meter transmitting a meter data set that contains the predetermined set of information to the gateway meter management component over the first hardwired connection; upon receipt of the meter data set by the gateway meter management component, purging the meter data set of at least a portion of information unrelated to the predetermined set of information to provide a processed data set; and transmitting the processed data set with the first transceiver and addressed for receipt by the second wireless transceiver.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein the gateway meter management component is embodied as executable logic in the first wireless transceiver and wherein the first wireless transceiver executes the logic independently of operations carried out by the meter.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 2 , wherein the first transceiver is a modem.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 50 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein the gateway meter management component is embodied as executable logic in a dedicated device coupled to the first hardwired connection, the dedicated device executing the logic independently of operations carried out by the first wireless transceiver and operations carried out by the meter.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method of claim 1 , further comprising encrypting the processed data prior to wireless transmission.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 5 , further comprising forwarding the processed data as received by the second transceiver to the host device and decrypting the encrypted processed data with the host device.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 60 words

The method of claim 1 , further comprising: transmitting a host acknowledgment packet generated by the host and intended for receipt by the meter from the second wireless transceiver to the first wireless receiver; and intercepting the host acknowledgment packet with the gateway meter management component so as to prevent the host acknowledgment packet from being received by the meter.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 59 words

The method of claim 1 , further comprising: upon receipt of the meter data set by the gateway meter management component, generating an acknowledgment receipt in substitution for a host generated acknowledgment receipt of the meter data set with the gateway meter management component; and transmitting the substitute host acknowledgment receipt to the meter over the first hardwired connection.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein the meter is selected from an electric meter, a gas meter, a water meter and combinations thereof.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein the second hardwired connection is at least in part an internet connection.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 1 , further comprising: conducting a first encryption of the processed data set with the gateway meter management component; and conducting a second encryption of the encrypted processed data set with the first wireless transceiver.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method of claim 11 , further comprising: decrypting the second encryption performed by the first wireless transceiver with the second wireless transceiver; and decrypting the first encryption performed by the gateway meter management component with the host.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 183 words

A gateway meter management component for facilitating data exchange between a utility meter for monitoring utility consumption and a host device, wherein the meter is coupled to a first wireless transceiver with a first hardwired connection and the host device is coupled to a second wireless transceiver with a second hardwired connection and the first transceiver and the second transceiver are operative to wirelessly exchange data therebetween, the gateway meter management component comprising: logic to generate a request for the meter to provide a predetermined set of information; logic to transmit the request from the gateway meter management component to the meter over the first hardwired connection; logic to receive a meter data set that contains the predetermined set of information from the meter over the first hardwired connection; logic to, upon receipt of the meter data set, purge the meter data set of at least a portion of information unrelated to the predetermined set of information and to provide a processed data set; and logic to deliver the processed data set to the first transceiver for transmission to the second wireless transceiver.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 183 words

A gateway meter management component for facilitating data exchange between a utility meter for monitoring utility consumption and a host device, wherein the meter is coupled to a first wireless transceiver with a first hardwired connection and the host device is coupled to a second wireless transceiver with a second hardwired connection and the first transceiver and the second transceiver are operative to wirelessly exchange data therebetween, the gateway meter management component comprising: logic to generate a request for the meter to provide a predetermined set of information; logic to transmit the request from the gateway meter management component to the meter over the first hardwired connection; logic to receive a meter data set that contains the predetermined set of information from the meter over the first hardwired connection; logic to, upon receipt of the meter data set, purge the meter data set of at least a portion of information unrelated to the predetermined set of information and to provide a processed data set; and logic to deliver the processed data set to the first transceiver for transmission to the second wireless transceiver.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 42 words

The gateway meter management component of claim 13 , wherein the gateway meter management component is embodied as executable logic in the first wireless transceiver and wherein the first wireless transceiver executes the logic independently of operations carried out by the meter.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 53 words

The gateway meter management component of claim 13 , wherein the gateway meter management component is embodied as executable logic in a dedicated device coupled to the first hardwired connection, the dedicated device executing the logic independently of operations carried out by the first wireless transceiver and operations carried out by the meter.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 49 words

The gateway meter management component of claim 13 , further comprising logic to intercept a host acknowledgment packet generated by the host and intended for receipt by the meter with the gateway meter management component so as to prevent the host acknowledgment packet from being received by the meter.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 52 words

The gateway meter management component of claim 13 , further comprising logic to, upon receipt of the meter data set, generate an acknowledgment receipt in substitution for a host generated acknowledgment receipt of the meter data set and transmit the substitute host acknowledgment receipt to the meter over the first hardwired connection.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 56 words

A system for exchanging data between a utility meter and a host device, comprising: a first wireless transceiver coupled to the meter with a first hardwired connection; a second wireless transceiver coupled to the host with a second hardwired connection; and a gateway meter management component according to claim 13 coupled to the first hardwired connection.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 39 words

The system of claim 18 , wherein the gateway meter management component is embodied as executable logic in the first wireless transceiver and wherein the first wireless transceiver executes the logic independently of operations carried out by the meter.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 50 words

The system of claim 18 , wherein the gateway meter management component is embodied as executable logic in a dedicated device coupled to the first hardwired connection, the dedicated device executing the logic independently of operations carried out by the first wireless transceiver and operations carried out by the meter.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 19 words

The system of claim 19 , wherein the second hardwired connection is at least in part an internet connection.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 43 words

The system of claim 18 , wherein the gateway meter management component further includes logic to conduct a first encryption of the processed data set and the first wireless transceiver includes logic to conduct a second encryption of the encrypted processed data set.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 22 , wherein the second wireless transceiver includes logic to decrypt a second encryption performed by the first wireless transceiver and the host includes logic to decrypt a first encryption performed by the gateway meter management component.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2007-06-08	2007-12-08	2008-06-08	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2011-06-08	2011-12-08	2012-06-08	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2015-06-08	2015-12-08	2016-06-08	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Utility meter interface system

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag