Patent ID: 9729943
Date: 2017-08-08
CPC Classifications: H04Q

Claim:
1. A utility meter reporting network comprising: an end-point reporting device configured to collect utility usage data and to convey said utility usage data to a gateway device via a first Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) radio communication link using an ISM transmitter operable in the 902 MHz to 928 MHz range, said end-point reporting device including a vertically polarized antenna and a horizontally polarized antenna; said gateway device comprising an ISM receiver for receiving said utility usage data from said end-point reporting device, a storage for storing said utility usage data, and a wireless transceiver configured to send said utility usage data via an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 compliant wireless communication link, wherein said gateway device is configured to implement a frequency selection algorithm in conjunction with an antenna selection algorithm, wherein: a remote device configured to receive said utility usage data from said gateway device via said IEEE 802.11 compliant wireless communication link; wherein said gateway device is configured to erase said utility usage data from said storage upon receipt of a confirmation of said utility usage data from said remote device; wherein said gateway device receives said utility usage data from said end-point reporting device at a first rate when a utility malfunction is not suspected; wherein said gateway device receives said utility usage data from said end-point reporting device at a second rate when said utility malfunction is suspected, said first rate being a periodic rate and said second rate being a continuous rate.