Reed switch chain to detect meter tampering
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsDidier Gilbert Rouaud, David John Sevey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Aspects of the invention provide for detecting tampering with an electronic utility meter. In one embodiment, aspects of the invention include an electronic utility meter, comprising a metering circuit enclosed within a cover; a switch chain including at least one reed switch operatively coupled to the metering circuit, and positioned around an inner circumference of the cover; and a sensor enclosed within the cover, coupled to the switch chain, the sensor sensing the at least one three reed switch closing in response to a user interaction with the electronic utility meter.
Claims11
An electronic utility meter, comprising:
- a metering circuit enclosed within a cover;
- a switch chain including at least one reed switch operatively coupled to the metering circuit, and positioned around an inner circumference of the cover;
- and
- a sensor enclosed within the cover, coupled to the switch chain, the sensor sensing the at least one reed switch closing in response to a user interaction with the electronic utility meter.
A device, comprising:
- a metering circuit for metering a utility service within a utility system, the metering circuit enclosed within a cover;
- a switch chain including at least one reed switch operatively coupled to the metering circuit, and positioned around an inner circumference of the cover;
- a sensor enclosed within the cover, coupled to the switch chain, the sensor sensing the at least one reed switch closing in response to a user interaction with the electronic utility meter;
- and
- a communication module for generating an alarm to send to a utility company in response to the at least one reed switch closing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.