Meters and upgraded meter cover with sensor

A meter comprising:

• a) a housing base;
• b) a meter device at least partially disposed in the housing base;
• c) a removable cover housing configured to accommodate an upper portion of the meter device, the cover housing engageable with the housing base of the existing meter to at least partially enclose the meter device, wherein the cover housing comprises left and right flares protruding at least partially to the left and right, respectively, from the removable cover housing and adapted to house one or more sensors;
• d) one or more sensors affixed to left the flare of the cover housing and housed in the left flare to collect information pertaining to the presence of an object in a first local external environment to the left of the existing meter or one or more sensors affixed to the right flare of the cover housing and housed in the right flare to collect information pertaining to the presence of an object in a second local external environment to the right of the existing meter;
• and
• e) a wireless radio affixed to the cover housing, the wireless radio configured to transmit the information pertaining to the first or second local external environments to the meter device or to a remote server in communication with the meter device.

A method of upgrading a meter comprising:

• a) disengaging a cover housing from a housing base of an existing meter to expose an internal meter device;
• b) removing the cover housing;
• and
• c) replacing the cover housing by engaging a replacement cover housing with the housing base to enclose the meter device;
• provided that the replacement cover housing comprises:
• left and right flares protruding at least partially to the left and right, respectively, from the replacement cover housing and adapted to house one or more sensors;
• one or more sensors affixed to the left flare of the replacement cover housing and housed in the left flare to collect information pertaining to the presence of an object in a first local external environment to the left of the existing meter or one or more sensors affixed to the right flare of the replacement cover housing and housed in the right flare to collect information pertaining to the presence of an object in a second local external environment to the right of the existing meter;
• and a wireless radio affixed to the replacement cover housing, the wireless radio configured to transmit the environmental information to the meter device or to a remote server in communication with the meter device;
• whereby the meter is upgraded.

A method of upgrading a meter comprising:

• a) disengaging a portion of a cover housing from a cover housing of an existing meter;
• b) removing the portion of the cover housing;
• and
• c) replacing the portion of the cover housing by engaging a replacement portion of the cover housing with the cover housing of the existing meter;
• provided that the portion of the cover housing comprises less than 75%, 50%, or 25% of the cover housing;
• provided that the replacement portion of the cover housing comprises:
• left and right flares protruding at least partially to the left and right, respectively, from the replacement portion of the cover housing and adapted to house one or more sensors;
• one or more sensors affixed to the left flare of the replacement portion of the cover housing and housed in the left flare to collect information pertaining to the presence of an object in a first local external environment to the left of the existing meter or one or more sensors affixed to the right flare of the replacement portion of the cover housing and housed in the right flare to collect information pertaining to the presence of an object in a second local external environment to the right of the existing meter;
• and a wireless radio affixed to the portion of the replacement portion of the cover housing, the wireless radio configured to transmit the environmental information to the meter device or to a remote server in communication with the meter device;
• whereby the meter is upgraded.