A communication module acquires consumption data from a meter, in particular consumption quantities of electricity, gas, water or heat. The communication module serves to receive consumption data from the meter and to enable the transmission of the consumption data of the meter to a superordinate data collection device. The module has a housing, a control apparatus, its own energy source, an antenna, a first communication interface using which the consumption data can be transmitted from the meter to the communication module, and a second communication interface using which the consumption data can be further transmitted from the communication module to the data collection device. The first communication interface is a standardized close-range interface which supports a plurality of standardized transmission protocols as options and/or the second communication interface is a standardized long-range interface which supports a plurality of standardized transmission protocols as options.

A meter reader is provided. The meter reader includes a meter having an indicator for indicating a usage amount of fluid in numbers, a camera, a memory device, and a control circuit. The control circuit causes the camera to capture an image of the indicator and stores a captured indicator image in the memory device in response to a first interrupt generated at a first time every month, checks whether a day belongs to a meter reading period in response to a second interrupt generated at a second time every day, and transmits the indicator image stored in the memory device to a mobile device when the day belongs to the meter reading period and a connection signal transmitted from the mobile device is detected.

A method collects data during operation of a local sensor as a component of a supply network for distributing a consumable. The supply network contains a master in communication with the local sensor via a primary communication path. The sensor contains a measuring element which supplies, as raw measurement data, elementary measurement units. A wired primary communication path is provided between the sensor and the master. To define the measurement resolution of the sensor, the conditions for generating time stamps are defined in advance using a correlation model. The time stamps of successive items of raw measurement data are generated in the sensor on the basis of the correlation model. The time stamps are transmitted via the primary communication path so that the raw measurement data acquired by the measuring element is reconstructed using the correlation model on the basis of the time stamps received by the master, and analyzed.

A system for resource monitoring includes: resource monitors, each disposed within radio range of corresponding resource meters that transmit corresponding radio signals indicative of corresponding meter identifiers and current readings, where the each of the resource monitors receive and decode one or more of the corresponding radio signals to obtain one or more of the corresponding meter identifiers and current readings, and where the each of the resource monitors transmit the one or more of the corresponding meter identifiers and current readings over the internet cloud; and a resource server, operatively coupled to the resource monitors via the internet cloud, configured to receive the one or more of the corresponding meter identifiers and current readings from the each of the resource monitors, and configured to employ the corresponding current readings to detect unusual patterns of resource consumption, and configured to send alerts corresponding to the unusual patterns of resource consumption.

A system for resource monitoring includes: a resource server that monitors use of a resource, the server including: a meter reading processor, that communicates with resource monitors disposed within radio range of resource meters, where the resource meters transmit radio signals indicative of meter identifiers and current readings, and where the each of the resource monitors receives and decodes one or more of the radio signals to obtain one or more of the meter identifiers and current readings, and where the each of the resource monitors transmits the one or more of the meter identifiers and current readings over the internet cloud, and where the meter reading processor updates corresponding records in a resource database that indicate resource consumption of corresponding facilities; and an engagement processor, that causes alerts to be transmitted to client devices based on analyses of resource consumption that notify users of the unusual patterns of consumption.

A technique is described for mobile metering of a communication network. As an example, a server may receive, from one or more mobile devices, one or more data packets and extract one or more power measurements, determine a distribution protocol associated with the one or more power measurements, identify a geolocation associated with the one or more power measurements, and determine signal quality data based on the geolocation and the one or more power measurements, and store the signal quality data at a server.

Communication between a terminal, such as a consumption meter, installed at a fixed location and a mobile data collector, by way of Wireless M-Bus, via a short-range radio receiver. Data from the terminal is forwarded to the data collector via a bidirectional WPAN interface. The terminal sends a message periodically and unprompted for the communication set-up and subsequently opens a reception window after a period of time. In response, a command or a command sequence is conveyed from the mobile data collector to the receiver and to the terminal in one or more reception windows. The receiver determines the reception time at which the message arrives at the receiver, and the receiver stipulates the time at which the command or command sequence is transmitted onward to the terminal, so that the command or command sequence is received by the terminal within one reception window or multiple reception windows.

Parties having different responsibilities and interests at a monitored location can be given a partial view of the totality of the sensor channels of data generated by the various sensors installed at the monitored location. The partial views deliver customized sets of data streams to customers. The selective distribution of sensor information accommodates the divergent interests and needs of parties responsible for tracking the various characteristics of a monitored location.

The presentation of sensor network information can be provided to a user via a customized dashboard web interface. The dashboard web interface can be based on customized transformation and alert functions that can be applied to one or more sensor channels of data produced from sensors at a monitored location. The customized alerts can provide real-time monitoring of targeted conditions at the monitored location.

The systems of the present invention provide monitoring and recording means for monitoring and maintaining a history of one or more parameters associated with a building or a particular location. The system can be preset with default actions to be conducted as a result of certain events or changes in certain parameters being detected. For example, the water and/or gas utilities can be programmed to shut down if smoke is detected, indicating the possible presence of a fire, or if the temperature drops below freezing temperature. All utilities, including gas, and water can be programmed to shut down in the event that a potentially significant change in a monitored parameter is detected.