Patent ID: 8610594

Claim:
A transmitter associated with a utility meter and configured for transmitting resource consumption data to a remote location, said transmitter comprising: a processor, a memory, and transmitter circuitry electrically associated with an antenna; a RF scavenger circuit electrically associated with, and configured to supply power, to at least one of said processor, said memory and said transmitter, wherein said RF scavenger circuit is configured to receive ambient RF energy and convert such RF energy to a direct current (DC) voltage; wherein said processor is further electrically associated with a data-source containing utility-data; wherein a function-table is stored in said memory, said function-table comprising (i) a list of functions to be performed by said transmitter, (ii) the status-value for at least one function, and (iii) a function-power-value for at least one function, wherein said function-power-value represents the amount of power required to perform said function and wherein said status-value indicates if said function needs to be performed; and wherein said processor is further configured to (a) monitor the power level supplied by said RF scavenger circuit, (b) monitor the status-value of each function associated with a status-value, and (c) perform a required function when said function's status-value indicates said function needs to be performed and there is sufficient power to perform said function.