Patent ID: 7688220

Claim:
A satellite communications device for processing meter data, comprising: an interface adapted to receive data from a plurality of remotely located utility meters of a selected meter type, the interface configurable to receive data from at least a first meter type and a second meter type, wherein the interface comprises: a plurality of communication ports operable to receive data from the utility meters, a first communication port configured to receive data from utility meters of the first meter type and a second communication port configured to receive data from utility meters of the second meter type; and a plurality of settings, each setting associated with a communication port and the setting is configurable according to a meter type, and the interface is further operable to: determine whether a selected one of the first and second communication ports receives data from the utility meters in a meter type different from the setting of the selected one of the first and second communication ports; and adjust the setting of the selected one of the first and second communication ports to receive the data of the meter type if the setting of the selected one of the first and second communication ports is not configured to receive the data of the meter type; a satellite modem coupled to the interface and operable to send the data received from the utility meters using a satellite link; and a plurality of software modules for execution in the satellite modem, a first software module adapted to process data from utility meters of the first meter type and a second software module adapted to process data from utility meters of the second meter type.