Disclosed is remote meter-reading technology that can be used for remote meter-reading of gas, electricity, tap water, etc. Technology and an apparatus or system capable effectively measuring a battery level with low power consumption is provided. A remote meter-reading terminal unit calculates the level of a battery while obtaining power consumption in an operation mode of an MCU using current output from the battery and obtaining power consumption in a sleep mode using a predetermined current value.

An electric utility meter including a Hall Effect sensor configured to sense a magnetic field proximate the electric utility meter. The electric utility meter also includes a controller having an electronic processor, the controller configured to receive a signal indicative of a magnitude of the magnetic field proximate the electric utility meter from the sensor, determine whether the magnitude of the magnetic field exceeds a first magnitude threshold and whether a threshold flag has been set, set the threshold flag when the threshold flag has not been set and the magnitude exceeds the first magnitude threshold, determine an amount of time for which the magnitude has exceeded the first magnitude threshold when the threshold flag has been set, and generate an alert indicative of a magnetic tamper event when the amount of time exceeds a time threshold.

The present disclosure describes smart meter modules. A smart meter module may include a support frame and an outer cover. The support frame includes a top mounting plate, a bottom mounting plate, and an inner bracket between the top and bottom mounting plates and coupled thereto. The top mounting plate is spaced apart a distance from the bottom mounting plate to form an interior space of the module. The inner bracket has a central aperture that is generally perpendicular relative to the top and bottom mounting plates and configured to receive and secure a smart meter within the interior space of the module. The outer cover is configured to be secured to the inner bracket and sized to extend circumferentially around the interior space of the module. One or more elongated mounting apertures in the bottom mounting plate are configured such that the smart meter module can be secured to the top of a mounting pole. Smart meter module assemblies are also provided.

An electronic sensing and allocation system is provided for a distributed water infrastructure containing a plurality of differing appliances. The system may receive, from at least one sensor upstream of the plurality of differing appliances, a plurality of signals indicative of water usage within the distributed water infrastructure. The system may output a first indication of a first volume of water together with an indicator attributing the first volume of water to a first rate schedule, and output a second indication of a second volume of water together with an indicator attributing the second volume of water to a second rate schedule. The system may enable billing of the first and second volumes of water to a consumer at differing rates based on differing uses.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a hinge nut apparatus for a meter coupling. In an embodiment of the invention, the hinge nut includes at least two portions attached to each other by a hinge pin adjacent a distal end of each portion and the two portions are configured to be moved between an open position and a closed position. The closed position forms an outer surface and an opening forming an inner surface. The inner surface includes a first interior diameter adjacent a distal end of the opening and a second interior diameter adjacent the first interior diameter. The second interior diameter is greater than the first interior diameter and forms a lip and at least a portion of the second interior diameter includes threading.

A computer-implemented data management system for sensor-centric data management is shown. The management system includes a metering analytics system configured to receive and store meter data received from sensors in or in proximity with utility meters, the meter data being generated by the sensors. The management system further includes a sensor-centric database for storing sensor data according to a sensor identifier, the sensor data describing the sensor associated with the sensor identifier. The database includes a data exchange interface configured to receive a transaction for storage in the sensor-centric database including a record of sensor data and an “assert” or “retract” operation type.

Provided are a meter reading device, an attachment member, and a remote meter reading system. The meter reading device includes a recognition unit configured to recognize a measurement value measured by a meter device from an image picked up by a camera and generate numerical data indicating the recognized measurement value, a transmission unit configured to transmit the numerical data generated by the recognition unit to a storage device installed on a network, a mirror arranged so as to be opposed to a display surface at a given angle, and other components. The attachment member enables attachment of the meter reading device to the meter device. The remote meter reading system allows the measurement value displayed on an existing meter device to be checked at a remote location.

A parking meter detects an object in proximity, based on a change in a proximity measurement at the meter, activates a directional sensor in response to detecting the object, receives sensor data at a meter processor from the directional sensor, wherein the received sensor data indicates a predetermined direction to the detected object relative to the meter. The parking meter determines a presence of the object, or lack thereof, in the predetermined direction based on the sensor data, and upon a positive determination of the presence of the object, stores an indication of the presence of the object along with a time of the positive determination.

An aerial utility meter read system and a custom utility meter read equipment carrying case are disclosed. The custom utility meter read equipment carrying case is configured to attach to a drone while securely carrying operable wireless radio-based utility meter read equipment used to conduct aerial utility meter reads.

Systems and methods for charging vehicles includes at least one mobile device and a utility network management center (“NMC”). The at least one mobile device is configured as an electronic utility device and includes a network interface card (“NIC”). The at least one mobile device is also associated with a utility billing account and at least one utility commodity meter. The utility NMC is configured to communicate with the at least one mobile device and the at least one utility commodity meter over a network, locate the at least one mobile device, and monitor a state of the at least one utility commodity meter. The utility NMC is also configured to determine a usage of a commodity based on the state of the at least one utility commodity meter and bill the utility billing account associated with the mobile device for the usage of the commodity.