Gas meter having ultra-sensitive magnetic material retrofitted onto meter dial and method for performing meter retrofit

An automatic meter reading (AMR) module for a utility meter of the type having an index assembly with at least one index dial and at least one index dial pointer that rotates about an index pointer shaft to indicate the flow of a utility commodity through the meter, the advanced metering reading module comprising:

• an index cover at least a portion of which is transparent so that movement of the index dial and the index pointer to which the index cover is to be attached are visible to an observer during meter operation;
• a carrier for holding a magnet to the at least one index pointer at a non-zero radial distance from the index pointer shaft so that the carried magnet orbits the index pointer shaft in operation as the utility commodity flows through the meter;
• a sensor that is adapted to detect the passage of the magnet past the sensor on each orbit during operation;
• and
• a sensor circuit that receives an input signal from the sensor and develops a count related to the number of times the sensor has detected the passage of the pointer carried magnet.

A system for performing automated meter reading comprising:

• an AMR retrofit assembly including a mechanical to electrical conversion device, a radio for communicating a meter reading to an external requestor and optionally for receiving data and commands;
• a network for communicating the meter reading from the radio to the external requester wherein the external requestor comprises a requesting network server;
• and
• the server for controlling the operation of the system.