Patent ID: 8217804
Filing Date: 2012-07-10
Classification: G01D,H04Q,Y02B,Y04S

Abstract:
1. A water meter transmitter unit for use in an automatic meter reading network to communicate with a mobile network receiver, the water meter transmitter unit comprising: a meter signal input section for receiving a plurality of signals representing meter reading data from a water metering signal source within a local area; an arithmetic section for determining water usage data over data intervals from the plurality of signals received through the meter signal input section; a storage section for storing the water usage data corresponding to a data interval within a longer data profiling interval; a port for reading out the water usage data corresponding to a data profiling interval; transmitter circuitry configured for transmitting a first plurality of radio frequency meter reading signals at a power level that is greater than 1 milliwatt to the mobile network receiver; and wherein the transmitter is operated at a power level that is within a range from greater than 1 milliwatt up to and including one watt, with power being received from a power source that is self-contained within the water meter transmitter unit.