Metering system

A method of collecting data comprising the steps of:

• a) generating a series of successive measurements by measuring a parameter with a telemetry device at a series of measurement times;
• b) storing a plurality of said measurements in said telemetry device;
• c) transmitting said stored measurements to a collection device at a series of transmission times;
• d) extracting said series of successive measurements from a series of said transmissions with said collection device;
• e) generating a metered function of said parameter with said collection device by analyzing said series of successive measurements;
• and
• f) transmitting said metered function to a monitoring station.

A network for collecting data generated by a plurality of sensors, comprising:

• a) a plurality of data generating devices, each including
• i) a sensor configured to generate measurements by measuring a parameter,
• ii) a memory configured to store said measurements, and
• iii) a transmitter configured to transmit at a plurality of transmission times measurements stored in memory to an intermediate device;
• and
• b) a plurality of intermediate devices, there being fewer intermediate devices than data generating devices, each of said intermediate devices including
• i) a receiver configured to receive transmissions from a subset of said plurality of data generating devices,
• ii) a processor configured to extract said measurements from said transmissions and further configured to generate a metered function of said parameter by analyzing said measurements, and
• iii) a transmitter to transmit said metered function;
• and
• c) a central station configured to receive said transmitted metered functions from said plurality of intermediate devices.

A method of collecting data comprising the steps of:

• a) generating measurements by measuring a parameter with a sensor;
• b) storing a plurality of said measurements in a memory;
• c) transmitting said stored measurements to an intermediate device;
• d) extracting said measurements from said transmissions with said intermediate device;
• e) generating a metered function of said parameter with said intermediate device by analyzing said measurements;
• and
• f) transmitting said metered function to a central station.