Patent ID: 7310052
Filing Date: 2007-12-18
Classification: G01D,H04Q,Y02B,Y04S

Abstract:
1. A wireless meter-reading system having at least one consumer site and at least one utility provider site, comprising, in combination: (a) at least one utility meter having a housing and a face; (b) at least one recording device coupled to said housing, said at least one recording device adapted to read and convert data located on a portion of said face to wirelessly transmittable data, said at least one recoding device capturing visual images of the data located on a portion of said face; (c) a power source coupled to the recording device for powering said at least one recording device; and (d) a communication device for wirelessly receiving and transmitting data between said at least one consumer site and said at least one utility provider site to facilitate monitoring of said face of said at least one utility meter by said at least one consumer site and by said at least one utility provider site, said communication device relaying the visual images of said face of said at least one utility meter from said at least one recording device to said at least one consumer site, and said secured network hub facilitating e-mail transmission between said at least one utility provider site and said at least one consumer site, wherein said email transmission including a billing statement and visual images confirming said billing statement.