Automated meter reading power line communication system and method
View Patent ↗An automated meter reading power line communications system is provided, which may include measuring the utility usage of a first customer premises to provide first utility usage data, storing the first utility usage data in memory of a first device, wirelessly transmitting the first utility usage data from the first device, receiving the wirelessly transmitted first utility usage data at a second device coupled to a medium voltage power line, and transmitting the first utility usage data over the medium voltage power line.
1. A method of providing communicating utility usage data, comprising:
receiving first utility usage data of a first customer premises;
storing the first utility usage data in memory of a first device;
wirelessly transmitting the first utility usage data from the first device;
receiving the wirelessly transmitted first utility usage data at a second device coupled to a medium voltage power line;
transmitting the first utility usage data over the medium voltage power line;
measuring the utility usage of a second customer premises to provide second utility usage data;
storing the second utility usage data in memory of a third device;
wirelessly transmitting the second utility usage data from the third device;
receiving the wirelessly transmitted second utility usage data at the second device; and
transmitting the second utility usage data over the medium voltage power line.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first utility usage data comprises power usage data.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first utility usage data comprises water usage data.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first utility usage data comprises gas usage data.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second device is further coupled to a low voltage power line.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second device is configured to provide communication services over the low voltage power line.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second device includes a router and is configured to route data received wirelessly and data received via the low voltage power lines.
8. The method of claim 6 , where the second device is configured to assign a priority to at least some data received via the low voltage power lines that is higher than data received wirelessly.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first utility usage data and second utility usage data are different types of utility usage data.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first device and second device are coupled to different low voltage power lines.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first utility usage data is wirelessly received in a frequency range of about 902-928 megahertz.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising measuring the utility usage of the first customer premises to provide the first utility usage data.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first device comprises a utility meter.
14. A method of using a device coupled to a medium voltage power line, comprising:
wirelessly receiving first utility usage data from a first device;
wirelessly receiving second utility usage data from a second device;
receiving user data from a consumer device; and
transmitting the first utility usage data, the second utility usage data, and the user data over the medium voltage power line.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first utility usage data comprises power usage data.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second utility usage data comprises gas usage data.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first utility usage data comprises water usage data.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first utility usage data comprises gas usage data.
19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising according a priority to the user data that is higher than that of the first utility usage data.
20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first utility usage data and the second utility usage data are different types of utility data.
21. The method of claim 14 , where in the first utility usage data is wirelessly received in frequency range of about 902-928 megahertz.
22. The method of claim 14 , wherein the user data is received via a low voltage power line.
23. The method of claim 14 , wherein the user data is received wirelessly.
24. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user data includes voice data.
25. A method of using a device coupled to a medium voltage power line, comprising:
wirelessly receiving first utility usage data from a first device;
wirelessly receiving second utility usage data from a second device;
receiving first user data from a first consumer device;
receiving second user data from a second consumer device; and
transmitting the first utility usage data, the second utility usage data, the first user data, and the second user data over the medium voltage power line.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the first utility usage data comprises power usage data.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the second utility usage data comprises gas usage data.
28. The method of claim 25 , wherein the first utility usage data comprises water usage data.
29. The method of claim 25 , wherein the first utility usage data comprises gas usage data.
30. The method of claim 25 , further comprising according a priority to the first user data and the second user data that is higher than that of the first utility usage data and the second utility usage data.
31. The method of claim 25 , wherein the first utility usage data and the second utility usage data are different types of utility data.
32. The method of claim 25 , wherein the first user data is received via a low voltage power line.
33. The method of claim 25 , wherein the first user data is received wirelessly.
34. The method of claim 25 , wherein the first user data includes voice data.
35. The method of claim 25 , wherein the first consumer device and the second consumer device are located in different customer premises.