Detecting utility meter orientation based on a temperature gradient of the utility meter

A detection system comprising:

• two or more temperature sensors incorporated into a utility meter, the two or more temperature sensors configured to determine a set of temperature measurements at the utility meter;
• a temperature aggregator configured to combine the set of temperature measurements into a temperature gradient;
• and
• an orientation detector configured to:
• compare the temperature gradient to a thermal fingerprint of the utility meter;
• and
• detect a change in orientation of the utility meter based on a change in a relationship among temperatures in the temperature gradient as compared to the thermal fingerprint,
• wherein the thermal fingerprint represents a baseline set of one or more temperature gradients based on the two or more temperature sensors over time.

A computer-program product for detecting a meter orientation, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having program instructions embodied thereon, the program instructions executable by one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

• determining a set of temperature measurements comprising a respective temperature measurement at two or more temperature sensors of a utility meter;
• comparing the set of temperature measurements to a thermal fingerprint of the utility meter, wherein the thermal fingerprint represents a baseline set of one or more temperature gradients based on the two or more temperature sensors over time;
• detecting that an orientation of the utility meter is incorrect, based on comparing the set of temperature measurements to the thermal fingerprint of the utility meter;
• and
• performing a remedial action based on the orientation of the utility meter being incorrect.