Meterfax

Meterfax is a distributed data collection and processing system encompassing a means for capturing the display on conventional, mechanical gauge, domestic utility meters. The system electronically forwards utility meter display images, in facsimile, to a central processing facility for interpretation, and thus virtually eliminates the requirement for manual meter reading inspection visits.

Overview

A facsimile image of a utility meter’s display is captured by an external, retrofitted, optical scanning device that is permanently mounted over the meter’s display window. An embedded micro-controller is configured to periodically capture images of the meter display and transmit compressed digital forms of the images along with system state information (e.g. battery health) to a pre-programmed e-mail address via existing national cellular telephone networks.

Software at the receiving address automatically un-compresses and process the images for inspection and interpretation. The ability to send command and control information to individual devices is also provided (e.g. to instruct a device to perform a non-scheduled read on the change of occupier or supplier). Previous automatic meter reading (AMR) systems have required expensive modification to, or the replacement of existing meter infrastructure. Other systems require an additional data collection device to be placed in-line with the existing meter to provide an independent digital output. All such systems require specialist fitting and are error prone. The Meterfax optical scanning device sits permanently over the meter’s display window and requires little or no training to fit and maintain.