Patent ID: 9030334
Filing Date: 2015-05-12
Classification: G08C,H04Q

Abstract:
1. A method, comprising: determining whether an unauthorized utility metering device is being employed to facilitate unauthorized utility service access; identifying a plurality of authorized utility metering devices receiving a signal from the unauthorized utility metering device during a specified time period; identifying a plurality of locations associated with the plurality of authorized utility metering devices; ranking the plurality of authorized utility metering devices according to a signal strength associated with the signal from the unauthorized utility metering device; mapping the plurality of locations associated with the plurality of authorized utility metering devices; designating an area including a highest ranked subset of the plurality of authorized utility metering devices as a zone of interest; issuing at least one command to the unauthorized utility metering device, the at least one command instructing the unauthorized utility metering device to send a wireless message; detecting a corresponding signal strength of the wireless message associated with the unauthorized utility metering device with a directional antenna from the plurality of locations within the zone of interest at a plurality of directional angles, wherein the directional antenna is coupled to a motorized mechanism that rotates the directional antenna to facilitate detecting the corresponding signal strength associated with the unauthorized utility metering device at the plurality of directional angles; capturing an image of the plurality of locations within the zone of interest at which the directional antenna is pointed when the directional antenna detects the corresponding signal strength associated with the unauthorized utility metering device; determining, via the motorized mechanism, one of the plurality of directional angles from the plurality of locations within the zone of interest from which the corresponding signal strength is highest; identifying a utility metering device as the unauthorized utility metering device in the one of the plurality of directional angles from the plurality of locations within the zone of interest; and wherein the corresponding signal strength associated with the unauthorized utility metering device, the image, and the one of the plurality of directional angles are recorded in a data recording software application executed on a computing device in communication with the motorized mechanism.