Patent ID: 7725270

Claim:
An apparatus for measuring a parameter of a fluid flowing within a pipe, the apparatus comprising: a sensing device having a sensor for sensing a characteristic of the fluid flow, wherein the sensing device generates sensor data responsive to the characteristic; a processing device in communication with the sensing device, wherein the processing device is operable to receive and process the sensor data to generate meter data indicative of a first parameter of the fluid; and at least one digital interface in communication with the processing device, wherein the at least one digital interface includes an accessible data port configured to receive a portable external digital storage device for transferring information between the apparatus and the portable external digital storage device; wherein the processing device is further operable to incorporate the information from the portable external digital storage device, in a manner such that, after the incorporation, the processing device is reprogrammed to generate meter data indicative of a second parameter of the fluid, which second parameter is of a different type than the first parameter.