Method for remotely reading fluid meters, and meter and server associated with said method

1. A method for remotely reading fluid meters, wherein a meter has a module having a meter clock and a radio transmitter/receiver for transmitting a frame of time-stamped remote-reading information to a server which has a server clock and a radio transmitter/receiver, the method comprising:

every N frames transmitted, the module of the meter enters receiving mode (Rx) for a determined period of time (ΔRx), after transmission of the frame,

upon receiving a frame of time-stamped information, the server determines the discrepancy between the time information contained in the received frame and the time information provided by the server clock,

then, if the discrepancy is greater than a predetermined limit (ΔL), the server transmits a reset message to the meter,

upon receiving the reset message, the module of the meter updates the meter clock.

2. The remote-reading method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the number N of transmitted frames after which the meter module enters receiving mode is an integer number greater than 1.

3. The remote-reading method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the predetermined limit (ΔL) of the discrepancy for the transmission of a reset message is between 30 seconds and 2 minutes, in particular equal to 1 minute.

4. The remote-reading method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reset message has an immediate correction instruction for compensating for the determined discrepancy, and a periodical correction instruction for removing or reducing future discrepancies.

5. The remote-reading method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the meter module enters transmitting mode (Tx), if necessary followed by a receiving mode, according to a period (P), for returning to the quiescent state between transmissions in order to save energy.

6. The remote-reading method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the receiving mode (Rx) has two phases, a first phase (Rxa) of a duration (ΔRxa) being implemented by default, and when, during the course of this first phase, the meter module begins to receive a reset message, the meter module enters, in a second phase, receiving mode (Rxb), for a duration (ΔRxb) greater than that (ΔRxa) of the first phase.

7. The remote-reading method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the duration (ΔRxa) of the first phase of the receiving mode is between 2 and 5 ms, in particular equal to 3 ms.

8. The remote-reading method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the time (ΔRx) over which the meter module enters receiving mode is between 60 ms and 200 ms, in particular equal to 120 ms.

9. The remote-reading method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the meter has an identifier included in each frame of time-stamped information transmitted to the server.

10. The remote-reading method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein, following a consumption measurement, the transmission of the frame of time-stamped information is deferred in time according to a predefined program, the server using the identifier of the meter to identify the corresponding program and to take into account the deferred transmission of the frame in the calculation of the discrepancy.

11. A fluid meter, in particular a water or gas meter, comprising a metering device, a module with a meter clock, a radio transmitter, a radio receiver and a means for updating the meter clock, making it suitable for use according to the method as claimed in claim 1 .

12. A server comprising a transmitter and a receiver, a server clock and a means for measuring a discrepancy, making it suitable for use according to the method as claimed in claim 1 .