Apparatus and method for receiving and transporting real time AMR meter data

1. An apparatus for receiving and transporting real time resource usage data, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of narrowband receivers, deployed geographically within a grid, wherein each of said plurality of narrowband receivers is configured to receive transmissions from a least one of a plurality of automated meter reading (AMR) meters, and wherein each of said plurality of AMR meters transmits identical data on each of a plurality of frequency bands that are hopped according to a hopping sequence, and wherein said hopping sequence is initially unknown to said plurality of narrowband receivers; and

a controller, coupled to said plurality of narrowband receivers, configured to control said plurality of narrowband receivers such that said each of said plurality of AMR meters is identified, and configured to control said plurality of narrowband receivers such that corresponding data from said each of said AMR meters is received on at least one of said plurality of frequency bands, wherein said controller determines an identification for said each of said plurality of AMR meters by initially setting all of said plurality of said receivers to the same one of said plurality of frequency bands and receiving identification data from those of said plurality of AMR meters that transmit on said same one of said plurality of frequency bands.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein said controller steps said all of said plurality of receivers through all remaining ones of said plurality of frequency bands to receive identification data from said those of said plurality of AMR meters that that transmit on said all remaining ones of said plurality of frequency bands.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 , wherein, for one of said plurality of AMR meters, said controller directs a set of said plurality of receivers that can receive data from said one of said plurality of AMR meters to receive on different ones of said plurality of frequency bands, and wherein transmissions from said one of said plurality of transmitters are time stamped to generate a corresponding hopping sequence.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein said controller determines a corresponding signal quality for each of said all of said plurality of receivers.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein said controller determines a corresponding probable location for said each of said all of said plurality of receivers.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 , wherein, for said each of said plurality of receivers, said controller selects said corresponding hopping sequence for each of said those of said plurality of AMR meters, and wherein said controller selects channels for said each of said plurality of receivers that are employed by a largest number of said those of said AMR meters to provide optimal coverage.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

a network operations center (NOC), operatively coupled to said controller via an existing infrastructure, configured to receive the real time resource usage data from said controller.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein said plurality of frequency bands and said hopping sequence are in accordance with the Encoded Receiver Transmitter (ERT) protocol.

9. An apparatus for receiving and transporting real time resource usage data, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of narrowband receivers, deployed geographically within a grid, wherein each of said plurality of narrowband receivers is configured to receive transmissions from a least one of a plurality of automated meter reading (AMR) meters, and wherein each of said plurality of AMR meters transmits identical data on each of a plurality of frequency bands that are hopped according to a hopping sequence, and wherein said hopping sequence is initially unknown to said plurality of narrowband receivers;

a controller, coupled to said plurality of narrowband receivers, configured to control said plurality of narrowband receivers such that said each of said plurality of AMR meters is identified, and configured to control said plurality of narrowband receivers such that corresponding data from said each of said AMR meters is received on at least one of said plurality of frequency bands, wherein said controller determines an identification for said each of said plurality of AMR meters by initially setting all of said plurality of said receivers to the same one of said plurality of frequency bands and receiving identification data from those of said plurality of AMR meters that transmit on said same one of said plurality of frequency bands; and

a network operations center (NOC), operatively coupled to said controller via an existing infrastructure, configured to receive the real time resource usage data from said controller.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 9 , wherein said controller steps said all of said plurality of receivers through all remaining ones of said plurality of frequency bands to receive identification data from said those of said plurality of AMR meters that that transmit on said all remaining ones of said plurality of frequency bands.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein, for one of said plurality of AMR meters, said controller directs a set of said plurality of receivers that can receive data from said one of said plurality of AMR meters to receive on different ones of said plurality of frequency bands, and wherein transmissions from said one of said plurality of transmitters are time stamped to generate a corresponding hopping sequence.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein said controller determines a corresponding signal quality for each of said all of said plurality of receivers.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 12 wherein said controller determines a corresponding probable location for said each of said all of said plurality of receivers.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13 , wherein, for said each of said plurality of receivers, said controller selects said corresponding hopping sequence for each of said those of said plurality of AMR meters, and wherein said controller selects channels for said each of said plurality of receivers that are employed by a largest number of said those of said AMR meters to provide optimal coverage.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 9 , wherein said plurality of frequency bands and said hopping sequence are in accordance with the Encoded Receiver Transmitter (ERT) protocol.

16. A method for receiving and transporting real time resource usage data, the method comprising:

deploying a plurality narrowband receivers within a grid, wherein each of the plurality of narrowband receivers is configured to receive transmissions from a least one of a plurality of automated meter reading (AMR) meters, and wherein each of the plurality of AMR meters transmits identical data on each of a plurality of frequency bands that are hopped according to a hopping sequence, and wherein the hopping sequence is initially unknown to said plurality of narrowband receivers; and

controlling the plurality of narrowband receivers such that the each of the plurality of AMR meters is identified, and that corresponding data from the each of the AMR meters is received on at least one of the plurality of frequency bands, said controlling comprising:

first determining an identification for the each of the plurality of AMR meters by initially setting all of the plurality of the receivers to the same one of the plurality of frequency bands and receiving identification data from those of the plurality of AMR meters that transmit on the same one of the plurality of frequency bands.

17. The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the controller steps the all of the plurality of receivers through all remaining ones of the plurality of frequency bands to receive identification data from the those of the plurality of AMR meters that that transmit on the all remaining ones of the plurality of frequency bands.

18. The method as recited in claim 17 , wherein said controlling further comprises:

for one of the plurality of AMR meters, directing a set of the plurality of receivers that can receive data from the one of the plurality of AMR meters to receive on different ones of the plurality of frequency bands, and wherein transmissions from the one of the plurality of transmitters are time stamped to generate a corresponding hopping sequence.

19. The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein said controller determines a corresponding signal quality for each of the all of the plurality of receivers.

20. The method as recited in claim 19 , wherein said controller determines a corresponding probable location for the each of the all of the plurality of receivers.

21. The method as recited in claim 20 , wherein said controlling further comprises:

for the each of the plurality of receivers, first selecting the corresponding hopping sequence for each of the those of the plurality of AMR meters, and second selecting channels for the each of the plurality of receivers that are employed by a largest number of the those of the AMR meters to provide optimal coverage.

22. The method as recited in claim 16 , further comprising:

transmitting the real time resource usage data to a network operations center (NOC) over an existing infrastructure.

23. The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the plurality of frequency bands and the hopping sequence are in accordance with the Encoded Receiver Transmitter (ERT) protocol for AMR meters.