Method for reading meters for fluids

A system, referred to as a reading system, used in an automated metering management system in the context of a fluid-distribution service, said automated metering management system comprising a plurality of fluid meters,

• wherein the reading system comprises at least one first communication module in accordance with a wireless communication standard used by a fluid meter and a second communication module suitable for communicating by powerline with a data concentrator in a first frequency band via a first network of the powerline communication network type, said data concentrator communicating with a management entity of the automated metering management system via a second network, and wherein the reading system comprises means for instancing an emulation application emulating a virtual fluid meter able to communicate directly with the data concentrator for each fluid meter in the plurality, and, for each fluid meter in the plurality, the corresponding virtual fluid meter takes responsibility for retransmitting information, representing a fluid-consumption reading, supplied to the reading system by said fluid meter in the plurality to the management entity via the data concentrator, the system comprising:
• at least one intermediate unit, each intermediate unit comprising a communication module identical to the first communication module and being associated with a fluid meter in the plurality of the water meter type and/or a fluid meter in the plurality of the gas meter type, and a centralised meter comprising the second communication module and the means for instancing an emulation application emulating a virtual fluid meter able to communicate directly with the data concentrator for each fluid meter in the plurality, each intermediate unit and the centralised meter being two separate devices and comprising a communication module suitable for communicating with each other by powerline in a second frequency band, not overlapping said first frequency band, via a third network of the powerline communication network type distinct from said first network.

An intermediate unit used in an automated metering management system in the context of a fluid-distribution service, said automated metering management system comprising a plurality of fluid meters,

• wherein the intermediate unit is associated with a fluid meter in the plurality of the water meter type and/or a fluid meter in the plurality of the gas meter type and comprises a first communication module in accordance with a wireless communication standard used by each fluid meter in the plurality and a second communication module suitable for communicating by powerline with a centralised meter in a first frequency band via a first network of the powerline communication network type, said centralised meter being separate from said intermediate unit and being suitable for communicating by powerline in a second frequency band not overlapping said first frequency band via a second network, distinct from said first network, of the powerline communication network type with a data concentrator, said data concentrator communicating with a management entity of the automated metering management system via a third network, the intermediate unit being able to relay information representing fluid consumption transmitted by each fluid meter to which said unit is attached to the centralised meter so that said centralised meter can relay said information to the management entity via the data concentrator.