| 摘要 |
PCT No. PCT/US87/01509 Sec. 371 Date Jun. 19, 1987 Sec. 102(e) Date Jun. 19, 1987 PCT Filed Jun. 19, 1987 PCT Pub. No. WO87/07993 PCT Pub. Date Dec. 30, 1987.Automatic meter readers are arranged for connection to customers' telephone lines and for automatic dialing for transmission of meter data to a computer of a utility control center, communications being effected through a call collection module which includes a plurality of call collection units connected to separate telephone lines for handling of a large number of calls. Each meter reader is battery-operated and includes a microprocessor which is powered up periodically for a short time interval to store data, to determine whether the number of power-ups since the last meter data transmission is such that a call to the utility control center should be instituted, and to determine whether leakage, tamper or other conditions require an immediate call. An operator at the utility control center can control and receive data from a very large number of meter readers and readily obtain, display and print out a variety of types of data including cumulative consumption, peak rate and time-of-day data and data with respect to leakage conditions and tampering with a reader.
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