Back to results
US 4,940,976 AGranted
Automated remote water meter readout system
AssigneeUtilicom Inc.
InventorsConstantine S. Gastouniotis, Nuno Bandeira, Kitchener C. Wilson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeUtilicom Inc.
InventorsConstantine S. Gastouniotis, Nuno Bandeira, Kitchener C. Wilson
Estimating the term…
An automated multi-purpose utility water meter readout system. The disclosed system obtains water usage information from an existing water meter without any modifications or attachments to the meter. The device needs only to be located in proximity to the water meter and obtains water flow information by sensing the magnetic flux lines generated by the internal rotating coupling magnets of the water meter. The varying magnetic flux is converted to a periodic electrical signal whose frequency is proportional to the flow rate. The instantaneous flow is continually totalized and stored in a solid-state counter, from which the totalized flow information is periodically transmitted to a remote receiver by a standard, well-proven radio frequency telemetry link. The remote receiver stores data from multiple meters (up to 10,000) and periodically sends the data to the data processing office by means of telephone lines, CATV cable, or RF link. As an option, the system offers a feature that can provide direct benefits to the water user, i.e. an interface unit located in the user's residence receives water use data from the meter and displays this data to aid in water conservation and provide warnings of water leaks. The disclosed system is optionally powered by a novel solid-state thermoelectric generator which converts ambient thermal energy to electrical energy and provides an operational life that far exceeds the economic life of the device.
In a meter measuring consumption of an item and having a case with a rotating magnet therein producing a magnetic field moving at a rate proportional to the consumption of the item, the improvement for remotely reading data from outside of the meter without physically invading or modifying the meter comprising:
A sensor/transmitter unit for non-invasively mounting in association with a water meter measuring consumption of water and including a case containing a coupling magnet producing a magnetic field rotating at a rate proportional to the water consumption rate and for transmitting consumption data for remote reading of the meter comprising:
A self-powered sensor/transmitter unit for attachment to a water meter for transmitting water consumption data to allow remote reading of the meter comprising:
A thermo-electric generator for providing power to low-power devices at remote locations from changes in temperature at the location of a device incorporating the generator comprising:
A system of remotely and non-invasively monitoring and reading consumption data from a plurality of water meters each including a case having a coupling magnet therein producing a magnetic field rotating at a rate proportional to the water consumption rate comprising:
A system for remotely monitoring and reading consumption data from a plurality of utility meters each including a component moving in proportion to the consumption of an associated utility item comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.