Extended fluid meter battery life apparatus and methods
AssigneeNexgrid, LLC
InventorCosta Apostolakis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Extended fluid meter battery life apparatus and methods. In an embodiment, the fluid metering device may include a battery; a wireless communications unit powered by the battery; and a monitoring unit configured to monitor fluid usage information to determine whether the fluid usage information meets a predetermined condition. The wireless communications unit may be powered up if the fluid usage information meets the predetermined condition and the fluid usage information may be transmitted using the wireless communications unit.
Claims20
A fluid metering device, comprising:
- a battery;
- a wireless communications unit powered by the battery;
- and
- a monitoring unit configured to monitor fluid usage information to determine whether the fluid usage information meets a predetermined condition,
- wherein the wireless communications unit is powered up if the fluid usage information meets the predetermined condition and the fluid usage information is transmitted using the wireless communications unit.
A fluid metering method, comprising:
- monitoring, using a monitoring unit, fluid usage information to determine whether the fluid usage information meets a predetermined condition;
- and
- powering up a wireless communications unit powered by a battery if the fluid usage information meets the predetermined condition, and transmitting the fluid usage information using the wireless communications unit.
A fluid metering device, comprising:
- a fluid input;
- a fluid output;
- a fluid channel between the fluid input and the fluid output;
- a flow measuring unit configured to measure a flow amount of fluid passing through the fluid channel;
- a battery;
- a wireless communications unit powered by the battery;
- and
- a monitoring unit configured to monitor the flow amount of fluid to determine whether the flow amount of fluid meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold,
- wherein the wireless communications unit is powered up if the flow amount of fluid meets or exceeds the predetermined threshold and the flow amount of fluid or fluid usage information is transmitted using the wireless communications unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.