Patent ID: 7847707

Claim:
A data collector for use in collection of items of meter reading data from respective transmitters in a geographic area that are identified on a route list or route map and meter reading data from at least one out-of-route transmitter that is not included in the route list or route map, the data collector comprising: a radio portion for receiving signals representing meter reading data from transmitters within range of the data collector as the data collector travels through the geographic area; a geographic portion for determining a location of the out-of-route transmitter based on a geographic location of the data collector as the data collector receives an item of meter reading data from the out-of-route transmitter; and the geographic portion determines a geographic location of the data collector from a plurality of items of meter reading data received from the out-of-route transmitter by detecting a highest value of a received strength signal indicator that is associated with one of the plurality of items of meter reading data an identification portion for identifying the out-of-route transmitter by association of each item of meter reading data with a respective transmitter identification number.