Automatic remote meter reading and control system

A remote automatic utility meter reading system for reading the measurement of a commodity and controlling loads at remote points on a power line comprising:

• (a) a control center for transmitting commands of first, second and third types and receiving measurement data, each of said commands having first and second address portions and a function code portion;
• (b) a control unit interconnecting said control center with a power line for transferring said commands and measurement data between said control center and said power line, said control unit including,
• (1) address recognition means responsive to the contents of the first address portion of said commands to effect the transfer of those commands to said power line which contain an address recognized by said address recognition means, and
• (2) means responsive to the contents of the function code portion of a command of said second type to enable said control unit to transfer said measurement data from said power line to said control center;
• and
• (c) a plurality of addressable transponder units, each connected to said power line at a remote point thereon and being simultaneously responsive to commands provided thereto from said control unit, each of said transponder units including,
• (1) a meter including an encoder, said encoder generating data signals representative of a commodity reading measured by said meter,
• (2) a plurality of function code identifiable storage means,
• (3) a plurality of load control means, each for controlling a load associated therewith, and
• (4) decode means responsive to the commands transmitted by said control center to effect the simultaneous carrying out of functions in each of said transponder units as specified by the function code portion of said commands when said decode means recognizes the address of said control unit as specified by the contents of the first address portion and further recognizes an address assigned to said transponder units as specified by the contents of the second address portion of said commands, said decode means, in response to a command of said first type, selectively effecting the storage of data signals from said encoder, as said measurement data, into an identified one of said storage means of each transponder unit as specified by the function code portion of the command of said first type, and in response to the contents of the function code portion of a command of said second type, simultaneously effecting the transfer of the measurement data from a one of the storage means in each transponder unit as identified by the function code portion of the command of said second type, the measurement data being simultaneously transferred to said control center via said control unit, and further in response to the contents of the function code portion of a command of said third type, selectively activating a one of said load control means in each of said transponder units to effect control of that load control means load as specified by the function code portion of the command of said third type.

A remote automatic utility meter reading system for reading the measurement of a commodity over a power line comprising:

• (a) a control center for transmitting commands of first and second types and receiving measurement data, each of said commands having first and second address portions and a function code portion;
• (b) a control unit interconnecting said control units with said power line including,
• (1) means for transferring commands from said control center to said power line,
• (2) address recognition means responsive to the contents of the first address portion of said commands for enabling said means for transferring to transfer those commands to said power line which contain an address recognized by said address recognition means,
• (3) a receiver section in communication with said power line including means for simultaneously receiving and storing a plurality of data signals, each of a different frequency, each of said data signals representing the measurement of one of a plurality of commodities and collectively constituting said measurement data, said receiver section further including means for transferring the stored data signals from said control unit to said control center, and
• (4) means responsive to the contents of the function code portion of a command of said second type to enable said receiver section to transfer said stored data signals from said control unit to said control center, and
• (c) a plurality of transponder units connected to said power line, said transponder units operable to be simultaneously responsive to commands provided thereto from said control unit to simultaneously transmit data signals over said power lines, each at a frequency unique thereto and different from the frequency of each of the other transponder units, each of said transponder units including,
• (1) a meter including an encoder, said encoder generating signals representative of a commodity reading measured by said meter,
• (2) a plurality of function code identifiable storage means,
• (3) means for generating data signals at a frequency unique to that transponder unit, and
• (4) decode means responsive to the commands transmitted by said control center to effect the simultaneous carrying out of functions in each of said transponder units as specified by the function code portion of said commands when said decode means recognizes the address of said control unit as specified by the contents of the first address portion and further recognizes an address assigned to said transponder units as specified by the contents of the second address portion of said commands, said decode means, in response to a command of said first type, selectively effecting the storage of the signals representative of a commodity reading from said encoder, as said measurement data, into an identified one of said storage means of each transponder unit as specified by the contents of the function code portion of the command of said first type, and in response to the contents of the function code portion of a command of said second type, simultaneously effecting the transfer of the measurement data from a one of the storage means in each transponder unit, via said means for generating data signals, as identified by the function code portion of the command of said second type, the measurement data being simultaneously transferred to said control center via said control unit.

A remote automatic utility meter reading system for reading the measurement of commodities over a plurality of power lines comprising:

• (a) a computer having a plurality of input/output communication lines for selectively transmitting commands of first and second types and receiving measurement data thereon, each of said commands having first and second address portions and a function code portion;
• (b) at least one control unit connected to each of said communication lines and to an associated power line, each of said control units including,
• (1) address recognition means responsive to the contents of the first address portion of said commands to effect the transfer of those commands received from said computer to the control unit's associated power line which contain an address recognized by said address recognition means,
• (2) a receiver section responsive to the contents of the function code portion of a command of said second type to enable said receiver section to simultaneously receive coded signals representative of said measurement data, said receiver section including,
• (i) a plurality of receivers, each including means for receiving and storing coded signals of a different frequency, and
• (ii) means for transferring the stored coded signals from said control unit to said computer;
• and
• (c) at least one group of transponder units coupled to the associated power line of each control unit, the transponder units in each group capable of recognizing an address unique to each group and each transponder unit in a group operable to be simultaneously responsive to a command received thereby to effect the transmission of coded signals over the associated power line at a different frequency forming one frequency of a specified range of frequencies assigned to each group of transponder units, each transponder unit including,
• (1) a meter including an encoder, said encoder generating data signals representative of a commodity reading measured by said meter,
• (2) a plurality of function code identifiable storage means,
• (3) means for generating data signals at a frequency unique to that transponder unit, and
• (4) decode means responsive to the commands transmitted by said computer to effect the carrying out of functions in said transponder unit as specified by the function code portion of said commands when said decode means recognizes the address of said transponder unit's associated control unit as specified by the contents of the first address portion and further recognizes an address assigned to each of the transponder units in a group as specified by the contents of the second address portion of said commands, said decode means, in response to a command of said first type, selectively effecting the storage of the signals representative of a commodity reading from said encoder, as said measurement data, into an identified one of said storage means as specified by the contents of the function code portion of the command of said first type, and in response to the contents of a command of said second type, effecting the transfer of the measurement data from a one of the storage means, via said means for generating data signals, as identified by the function code portion of the command of said second type, the measurement data being simultaneously transferred from the addressed group of transponder units, via that group's associated control unit, to said computer.

A remote automatic utility meter reading system for reading the measurement of commodities over a plurality of power lines comprising:

• (a ) a computer for transmitting commands of first, second, and third types and receiving measurement data, each of said commands having first and second address portions and a function code portion;
• (b) a plurality of individually addressable control units, each interconnecting said computer with an associated power line, each of said control units including,
• (1) address recognition means responsive to the contents of the first address portion of said commands to effect the transfer of those commands, including said first and second address and function code portions, from said computer to that control unit's associated power line which contains an address recognized by said address recognition means.
• (2) a receiver section responsive to the contents of the function code portion of a command of said second type to enable said receiver section to simultaneously receive coded signals representative of said measurement data, said receiver section including,
• (i) a plurality of receivers, each including means for receiving and storing coded signals of a different frequency, and
• (ii) means for transferring the stored coded signals from said control unit to said computer;
• and
• (c) a plurality of transponder units coupled to the power line of each control unit, the transponder units on each power line forming a group capable of recognizing an address unique to each group and the transponder units in each group operable to be simultaneously responsive to a command received from their respectively coupled control unit to effect the transmission of coded signals over their respective power line at a different frequency forming one frequency of a specified range of frequencies assigned to each group of transponder units, each transponder unit including,
• (1) a meter including an encoder, said encoder generating data signals representative of a commodity reading measured by said meter,
• (2) a plurality of function code identifiable storage means,
• (3) a plurality of load control means for controlling a load associated respectively therewith, and
• (4) decode means responsive to the commands transmitted by said computer to effect the carrying out of functions in said transponder unit as specified by the function code portion of said commands when said decode means recognizes the address of said transponder unit's associated control unit as specified by the contents of the first address portion and further recognizes an address assigned to each of the transponder units in a group as specified by the contents of the second address portion of said commands, said decode means, in response to a command of said first type, selectively effecting the storage of the signals representative of a commodity reading from said encoder, as said measurement data, into an identified one of said storage means as specified by the function code portion of the command of said first type, and in response to the contents of the function code portion of a command of said second type, effecting the transfer of the measurement data from a one of the storage means as identified by the function code portion of the command of said second type, the measurement data being simultaneously transferred from the addressed group of transponder units to said computer via that group's associated control unit, and further in response to the contents of the function code portion of a command of said third type, selectively activating a one of said load control means to effect control of that load control means load as specified by the function code portion of the command of said third type whereby the selected loads of the addressed group of transponder units are simultaneously activated.