METER reader, meter READING METHOD USING SAME, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM capable of PERFORMING METHOD

A meter reader comprising:

• a meter having an indicator displayed in numbers;
• a camera;
• a memory device;
• and
• a control circuit configured to calculate a date and a time by itself, control the camera such that the camera captures an image of the indicator at a predetermined time every month based on the calculated date and time to store the captured indicator image in the memory device, check whether a first day belongs to a predetermined meter reading period at a predetermined time every day based on the calculated date and time, detect whether a connection signal is received from a mobile device when the first day belongs to the predetermined meter reading period, and transmit the indicator image stored in the memory device to the mobile device when the connection signal is received.

A computer program stored in a computer-readable recording medium for wirelessly providing meter reading data to a mobile device in combination with hardware, comprising:

• storing meter reader information in a memory device;
• switching from a sleep state to a first wakeup state in response to a first interrupt generated at a first time every month;
• controlling a camera such that the camera captures an image of an indicator of a meter indicating a usage amount in numbers to generate an indicator image;
• receiving the indicator image generated by the camera to store the indicator image in the memory device;
• entering the sleep state from the first wakeup state after the indicator image is stored in the memory device;
• switching from the sleep state to a second wakeup state in response to a second interrupt generated at a second time every day;
• determining whether a first day is a meter reading date based on the second interrupt;
• determining whether a connection signal is wirelessly received from the mobile device;
• determining whether a first time interval has elapsed when the first day is not the meter reading date and the connection signal is not received to enter the sleep state from the second wakeup state when the first time interval has elapsed;
• reading the indicator image and the meter reader information from the memory device to transmit the indicator image and the meter reader information to the mobile device when the first day is the meter reading date and the connection signal is received;
• and
• determining whether a second time interval has elapsed after the indicator image and the meter reader information are transmitted to the mobile device to enter the sleep state from the second wakeup state when the second time interval has elapsed.