Patent ID: 7535378
Filing Date: 2009-05-19
Classification: G01D,H04Q,Y02B,Y04S

Abstract:
1. An automatic meter reading system comprising: a utility meter reader having a transmitter and a reader receiver, wherein said utility meter reader listens via said reader receiver to endpoint transmissions and determines whether or not to request additional data from individual endpoints via said reader transmitter; and a plurality of utility meter endpoints each having a corresponding endpoint transmitter and a corresponding endpoint receiver, wherein each of said plurality of endpoints bubbles up to transmit a short burst transmission via said corresponding endpoint transmitter, wherein each of said plurality of endpoints turns off its endpoint transmitter after said short burst and listens for a response from said reader via said corresponding endpoint receiver, wherein upon one of said plurality of endpoints receiving a response request from said reader requesting data, said endpoint transmits said data requested by said reader; and wherein upon any of said plurality of endpoints not receiving a response from said reader, that endpoint sleeps until a next pre-programmed transmit time.