Itron Global Sarl

Actaris S.a.s.

Frédéric Droin

Laurent Demia

Michel Esteves

Rivory Philippe

Philippe Rivory

A method for detection of a utility meter having been tampered with, in particular a water or heat meter having been tampered with, and a meter for detecting such tampering are provided. The utility meter comprises a flow measurement portion in which the flow of water is measured. The method comprises detecting a presence of air in the flow measurement portion and evaluating a fraud condition, wherein the fraud condition comprises that air is present in the flow measurement portion for a first period of time or more. In response to the fraud condition being evaluated as met, an alert is generated.

Meter and method for detecton of a meter having been tampered with

A volumetric fluid meter has a cylindrical measuring chamber with a lateral wall, a bottom () and a lid (), a lower cylinder () and an upper cylinder (), having the same diameter, which is less than the diameter of the chamber. An inlet orifice and an outlet orifice () respectively admit fluid to and evacuate fluid from the chamber. A cylindrical piston () is disposed eccentrically and guided kinematically in the chamber and effects an oscillatory movement in the chamber as a result of the displacement of a volume of fluid. A fixed partition () between the inlet orifice and the outlet orifice, lies radially between the lateral wall and the lower and upper cylinders, and lies axially between the bottom and the lid. The meter further includes a vertical groove () extending at least partly along the lower and upper cylinders and is in communication with one of the inlet and outlet orifices, and is situated in the vicinity of said fixed partition.

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Liergues, France

Frédéric Droin