Patent ID: 7808938
Filing Date: 2010-10-05
Classification: G01D,H04B,H04J,Y02B,Y04S

Abstract:
1. An automatic meter reading system, comprising: a plurality of geographically distributed meters; each meter comprising a transmitter for transmitting communication signals comprising meter data via a communication protocol; at least one data collection device configured to receive the communication signals from the meters pursuant to the communication protocol; wherein the communication protocol comprises an operational frequency band divided into a plurality of main channels and application of an interference limiting hopping technique among the main channels; wherein each main channel is divided into a plurality of very narrow band sub-channels with frequency division multiplexing among the sub-channels; wherein the meters comprise hop meters and mesh meters, wherein the mesh meters communicate associated data to the hop meters, and the hop meters communicate associated data and the data received from the mesh meters to the data collection device; and wherein each hop meter is configured to communicate with one or more mesh meters via narrow band channels that are substantially wider than the very narrow band sub-channels used for communications between the hop meter and the data collection device.