Device and method for detecting a consumption variable

A volumetric flow meter for recording a consumption variable in a form of a consumption quantity of a flow, a heat, or an electric power supplied to a point of consumption, comprising:

• a data processing module;
• a metering module coupled to the data processing module;
• a near field communication module coupled to the data processing module, and in wireless communication with a user identification means;
• an authentication module coupled to the data processing module;
• a Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) standard communication module in communication with a remote and central collection unit in a form of a cloud server, via a wireless LPWA communication connection;
• a power supply module connected to the metering module, the data processing module, and the LPWA standard communication module;
• and
• a battery connected to the power supply module;
• wherein the volumetric flow meter:
• establishes a wireless near field communication connection by using the near field communication module between the data processing module and the user identification means of the user;
• authenticates the user by verifying an identity of the user;
• starts the provision of the consumption variable at the point of consumption, automatically, or by the user;
• records the consumption variable provided to the user by using the metering module, and assigning the recorded consumption variable to an account of the user using the data processing module;
• ends the provision of the consumption variable, automatically, or by the user;
• and
• transmits consumption-related data relating to the provision of the consumption variable from the data processing module to the central and remote collection unit in the form of the cloud server directly, without a local server, by means of the Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) standard communication module via the wireless LPWA communication connection;
• stores the consumption-related data by the central and remote collection unit;
• wherein the data processing module, the LPWA standard communication module and the metering module are supplied with current via the power supply module, and
• wherein the power supply module is supplied with power by the battery.