A diverse spectrum of technologies is being used today to collect data from remote devices. Data and intelligence from Electric meters, gas meters, water meters, instrumentation, and other consumption and quantification measurement devices that convey data or intelligence, is conveyed by means of a diversity of systems. This data or intelligence is alternately conveyed by means of Radio Frequency carrier wave (RF transmitted), by means of telephony, satellite, wire and cabled telecommunications systems both analog and digital, optically transmitted either via fiber optic cable or across open areas, by induction either with electric or magnetic field through adjacent separate coils or a transformer, and in many cases, through a combination of such technologies. The data or intelligence is often relayed from source to destination, sometimes across great distances, sometimes locally as in a building where RF, wired networks, and computer systems all work in conjunction to receive information (e.g. consumption data, data from a thermostat, etc.).
Invariably such systems employ two basic “systems”: (1) devices that are configured with some means of transmitting data and intelligence to a specific reading system in a specific and often proprietary format or protocol which is specific to the vendor of the device; and (2) at least one device that intercepts/receives the transmitted data or intelligence. Simply put, a transmitter and receiver.
Embodiments of the disclosed technology seek to address the problem of collecting/receiving consumption data, statistical data, instrumentation data, environmental data, or any type data in a repetitive format that is conveyed either via a physical connection or wirelessly transmitted with a Radio Frequency (RF) carrier, and in conjunction with communications technologies including wired connections, fiber optic cables, satellite links, cellular links, acoustic links as in underwater or subterranean applications, or any other available means. Using the disclosed technology data can be deciphered and collected that is any repetitive or consistent format regardless of source, whether physically connected or from wireless devices, or any other type of data transmitting wireless device (transmitter) or a plurality of devices (transmitters). Restated, while the main communication system may comprise a plurality of transmitters and associated communication languages, using the disclosed technology only one receiver will be required to receive the data.
Notably, RF transmissions from utility metering devices occur in urban and rural settings which often require different types of transmitters. Such transmitters are each designed by their manufacturer to be read by specific proprietary equipment. One problem with such systems is that they can effectively limit the future market of the owner of such equipment, (i.e. a municipality, a coop, a utility district, a private utility provider, etc.), for future upgrades as most owners do not wish to deal with the headache of a mixed technology proprietary system.
Consider this analogy. Owner purchases a Source-X video main system that can be upgraded with three subsystems; sound, recording, communications subsystems. Further, Source-X, Source-Y, and Source-Z all make such subsystems. Assume Source-Y makes far superior and lower cost sound and recording systems and Source-Z makes superior and lower cost communications systems. Unfortunately, if the Source-Y and Source-Z subsystems are purchased, each will come with its own controller requiring the owner to have Source-X, Source-Y and Source-Z controllers (which is very undesirable). In contrast, if the owner purchases the higher cost and lower quality Source-X subsystems, only a Source-X controller would be needed. What is needed is a universal controller.
Similarly, when it comes to the issue of collecting/receiving remotely transmitted data (as described above), the disclosed technology seeks to solve this dilemma by providing a means to read the consumption and serial number data from many different utility RF systems regardless of hardware or protocol differences. The novel technology includes a radio/receiver designed that works in conjunction with various route software and can be used with drive by systems or fixed base systems and controlled locally or remotely over the internet, or as part of a private network serving as a collector device. In short, a Universal Radio.
The disclosed technology will automatically detect AMR and AMI broadcasts by utilizing known parameters, and then going through an algorithm that includes a series of RF parameter detection, signal characterizations, signal decoding, and data qualifying techniques with minimal involvement of the user.