Patent ID: 7216108
Filing Date: 2007-05-08
Classification: G01D,G06F,G06Q,G07F,Y02B,Y04S

Abstract:
1. A method of enabling via smart card transaction enhanced functionality for a utility meter used to monitor different types of utilities for products or commodities such as water, gas, electricity cable service or telecommunications, said method comprising the following steps: providing a smartcard reader interfaced with a utility meter and with a peripheral computer (PC); interrogating the utility meter to determine what type of meter is interfaced to the smartcard reader and to a PC associated with the PC-based application; engaging a smartcard into the smartcard reader and activating a PC-based transfer application on the PC; performing external authentication between the smartcard and the PC; communicating between the PC and the meter to enable selected enhanced functional meter features; and decrementing a license counter provided in conjunction with the smartcard.