Patent ID: 7174260

Claim:
A power meter reader system for automatically reading a power meter unit mounted on a structure that is consuming power, the power meter unit including an indication with a cyclical property having a period that varies at a rate indicative of power consumption of the structure, the system comprising: a) a detection unit mounted on the power meter unit for monitoring the power consumption, the detection unit comprising: i) a sensor unit disposed adjacent to the power meter for monitoring the cyclical property of the indication and generating a consumption detection signal; ii) a processing unit connected to the sensor unit for receiving the consumption detection signal and generating an information signal, the processing unit including a tracking unit for tracking the cyclical property of the indication and for generating a sleep period, the processing unit generates a sensor enable signal to enable the sensor unit for only a portion of the cyclical property of the indication, the portion coinciding with a time interval indicating the completion of one period of the cyclical property, the time interval being shorter than the period of the cyclical property, otherwise the sensor unit being disabled during the sleep period; and, iii) a transmitter connected to the processing unit for receiving the information signal and transmitting a transmission signal; and, b) a display unit located remotely with respect to the detection unit, the display unit receiving the transmission signal and displaying the power consumption.