The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 26, 2002
Filed:
Jul. 31, 2000
Yongping Xia, Torrance, CA (US);
Joshua S. Zhu, Torrance, CA (US);
FirstPoint Energy Corp., Portland, OR (US);
Abstract
A telephone-based automatic meter reading (AMR) system includes a telemetry device through which a host computer can collect meter readings remotely. So that the telemetry device does not interfere with customer usage of other telephone devices on the telephone line, an apparatus and method is provided which enables the telemetry device to sense both the static off-hook status and the dynamic off-hook status of the telephone line. Numerous circuit components in the telemetry device are shared in sensing both the static and the dynamic off-hook status. Whenever it is determined that a telephone device is, or has become, off-hook, the telemetry device is prevented from using the telephone line. Isolation between the telephone line and the meters is ensured using a transformer and optocouplers.