Reading meters by radio

Journal Article · Sat Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Pipeline Gas J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6840920

Frauenhofer, V H

Interruptions by meter readers and estimated bills for homeowners and businesses in Connecticut Natural Gas Corp.'s service area will soon be a thing of the past. More than 10 years of research and testing at CNG has resulted in the development of the DataBeam Automatic Meter Reading System, designed to promote energy- and cost-savings as well as enhance operating efficiencies. The DataBeam AMR system uses radio telemetry for the transmission of natural gas consumption data by microwave radio. Other systems rely on telephone lines for transmission of such data. The radio approach has a significant advantage over telephone and cable television alternatives because it provides a guaranteed cost-cap to utility users vs changing rates when using communication services provided by common-carrier utilities. First of its kind in the nation, the DataBeam AMR system operates using a digital encoder, microprocessor, transmitter, and antenna, all housed in a device attached to each customer's meter. Gas consumption data is transmitted via radio waves to an antenna network linked to the central receiving site at CNG's headquarters in downtown Hartford. The received data is time-stamped and processed into computer-readable form on magnetic tape that is stored in CNG's mainframe computer for billing purposes. Exact figures on gas usage by each customer will be available at any time.

• Research Organization: Connecticut Natural Gas Corp., Hartford, CT
• OSTI ID: 6840920
• Journal Information: Pipeline Gas J.; (United States), Journal Name: Pipeline Gas J.; (United States) Vol. 213:11; ISSN PLGJA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
032000* -- Natural Gas-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290200 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Economics & Sociology
294003 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Natural Gas
ANTENNAS
COMMUNICATIONS
COMPUTERIZED CONTROL SYSTEMS
COMPUTERS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
COST
DATA PROCESSING
DATA TRANSMISSION
DIGITAL SYSTEMS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUIPMENT
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GAS METERS
GAS UTILITIES
GASES
MAGNETIC STORAGE DEVICES
MAGNETIC TAPES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MEMORY DEVICES
METERING
METERS
MICROELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
MICROPROCESSORS
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
NATURAL GAS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PROCESSING
PUBLIC UTILITIES
RADIO EQUIPMENT
RATE STRUCTURE
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
TELEMETRY
TELEPHONES
TELEVISION
TESTING