Patent ID: 7283916
Filing Date: 2007-10-16
Classification: G01R,G06Q

Abstract:
1. In a system for automatic meter reading of utility meters, a method for measuring a quality of a consumable utility, the method comprising: monitoring a supply of a utility, wherein the monitoring occurs in addition to receiving meter reading data from a telemetry device coupled to a utility meter, wherein the meter reading data includes an amount of the utility previously consumed; detecting if the supply of the utility is compromised; and providing an indication of whether the supply is compromised based on at least two measured parameters, wherein providing the indication occurs in addition to providing the received meter reading data to a central processor associated with the utility supply; wherein the system for automatic meter reading of utility meters is a fixed network meter reading system having multiple collector nodes, and wherein at least some collector nodes in the fixed network locally monitor the supply of the utility and provide an indication of whether the supply is compromised, without reliance on a signal from the telemetry device or the utility meter.