Patent ID: 7606732

Claim:
A system for monitoring one or more nodes of a distributed meter network, comprising: at least one flow meter device at each node for metering a liquid and for generating a signal representative of a corresponding metering rate of the liquid; a computation device at each node in communication with the at least one flow meter device for computing meter data based upon the generated signal, wherein the meter data comprises data selected from the group consisting of: a flow rate of the liquid and a flow total of the liquid; and an autonomous intelligent network interface module (AINIM) at each node and in communication with the computation device, wherein the AINIM comprises at least one microcontroller having firmware stored thereon that, when executed, causes the at least one microcontroller to: autonomously and continuously collect meter data from the computation device; during a first time period when the at least one microcontroller is unable to communicate with a remote computer via a communication network, buffer meter data collected from the computation device during the first time period; and during a second time period when the at least one microcontroller is able to communicate with the remote computer via the communication network, distribute to the remote computer via the communication network at least a portion of the meter data collected from the computation device during the second time period and at least a portion of the buffered meter data.