Patent ID: 7400904

Claim:
In a utility meter reading system having multiple utility meters wirelessly transmitting utility meter data to a data collection unit, a data collection system comprising: a utility data encoder-transmitter connected to each of the utility meters, wherein the encoder-transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit AM or FM utility metering data, wherein the transmitted AM or FM utility metering data includes differing AM or FM preambles, respectively; and a data collection unit comprising a dual-mode receiver configured to demodulate and decode the wirelessly transmitted AM, FM, or AM and FM utility metering data signal, wherein the mobile data collection unit is configured to: receive the transmitted AM or FM signal; sample and quantize the received signal; compute a frequency spectrum from the received signal; demodulate the received signal by both an AM demodulator and an FM demodulator that both use the computed frequency spectrum; check both demodulated signals for either the AM preamble or the FM preamble; select and route the demodulated signal having either the AM preamble or the FM preamble to be decoded in a decoder; and decode the routed demodulated signal.