Patent ID: 8157160

Claim:
A retrofit meter register compatible with a plurality of utility meter types to replace a pre-existing meter register operating with a pre-existing utility meter type of a type included in the plurality of types, the pre-existing meter register having a measuring system and the pre- existing utility meter having a moveable measuring element mounted in a flow chamber of a body of the pre-existing utility meter, wherein the measuring element of the pre-existing utility meter moves as a volume of utility material moves through the flow chamber past the measuring element of the pre-existing utility meter and movement of the measuring element of the pre-existing utility meter acts on the measuring system of the pre-existing meter register to generate a signal defined as a first signal having information regarding the volume of utility material passing through the flow chamber of the pre-existing utility meter, wherein the body and the measuring element of the pre-existing utility meter have identifying physical and performance characteristics that are used in determining the volume flow of utility material through the flow chamber of the pre-existing utility meter, the retrofit meter register comprising: a retrofit meter register measuring system operable to be connected to the measuring element of the pre-existing utility meter, the retrofit meter register measuring system generating a signal defined as a second signal having information regarding the volume of utility material passing through the flow chamber, the second signal being generated as the volume of material moves the measuring element as the material flows through the chamber of the pre-existing utility meter past the measuring element of the pre-existing utility meter; a microprocessor capable of emulating signals from a predefined group of different types of meter registers, wherein each of the meter registers of the group is associated with a type of utility meter of a group of different types of utility meters, wherein the pre-existing utility meter having the pre-existing meter register being replaced is one of the utility meters of the group of different types of utility meters; and a signal receiver to receive a predetermined signal from outside the retrofit meter register, wherein the predetermined signal identifies the pre-existing meter register, and wherein the microprocessor, upon receipt of the predetermined signal, configures the retrofit meter register using physical and performance characteristics of the pre-existing utility meter stored within the microprocessor to function as the pre-existing meter register, and wherein the retrofit meter register, upon being configured, generates a second signal having information regarding the volume of utility moving through the flow chamber past the measuring element of the pre-existing utility meter, which emulates the first signal, and wherein the volume of utility is determined using the second signal upon replacement of the pre-existing meter register with the configured retrofit meter register.