Method for collecting data and sensor, data collector and measurement data information network

A method for collecting data during operation of at least one local sensor being part of a supply network intended to distribute a consumable, wherein the at least one local sensor containing a communication device, a storage device, and a measuring element providing elementary measuring units corresponding to at least one physical or physico-chemical variable or at least one physical or physico-chemical parameter, as raw measurement data, which comprises the steps of:

• generating consumption data from the elementary measuring units;
• determining conditions for generating time stamps in advance using a correlation model in order to determine a measurement resolution of the at least one local sensor;
• generating the time stamps of the raw measurement data in the at least one local sensor on a basis of the correlation model;
• transmitting the time stamps via a wired connection and/or via a radio path, with a result that the raw measurement data acquired by the measuring element are reconstructed and evaluated on a basis of the time stamps using the correlation model;
• transmitting, via a primary communication path, the consumption data in parallel with the time stamps, the at least one local sensor being connected to a data collector via the primary communication path;
• providing a tertiary communication path between the data collector and a head end;
• at least one of collecting, storing or evaluating the time stamps and/or the consumption data transmitted by the at least one local sensor and/or consumption meters in the data collector and/or the head end;
• transmitting the time stamps and the consumption data via different transmission paths or via different radio paths, a plurality of the time stamps being transmitted as a data packet along the primary communication path, the time stamps being compressed;
• and
• carrying out a new data transmission in a form of a message or a telegram as soon as a predefined quantity of the time stamps since a previous transmission has been reached.