The complete issue [ 36 pages | 2.38MB ] - ST Electronics

A P P L I C A T I O NN O T E SAutomatic Meter Reading andAdvanced Metering InfrastructureAutomatic Meter Reading (AMR)developed by ST Electronics (Info-Comm Systems) deploys the latesttechnology to automatically collectdata from water, electricity or gasmeters and transfers the data toa central database for billing andanalysis. This solution helps reducefield trips required to collect dataand provides utility users with bettercontrol of their electricity and gasusage, and water consumption.Radio Frequency AMRST Electronics’ AMR operation isbased on Radio Frequency (RF) andis available in various forms to suitdifferent operational requirements.The more common types are thehandheld, mobile, and fixed networkbasedtypes of AMR. There are alsotwo-way and one-way RF systems thatcan use licensed and unlicensed RFbands.For the one-way “bubble-up” orcontinuous broadcasting type ofsystem, the transmitter broadcastsreadings continuously every fewseconds. This means the readingdevice can be a receiver only, and themeter AMR device a transmitter only.Data goes one-way, from the meterAMR transmitter to the meter readingreceiver.In a two-way or “wake up” system, aradio transceiver sends a signal to aparticular transmitter serial number,waking it up from a dormant state totransmit the data. The meter-attachedtransceiver and the reader transceiverboth send and receive radio signalsand data.There are also hybrid systems thatcombine the one-way and twowaytechnologies, using one-waycommunication for reading and twowaycommunication for programmingfunctions.RF-based meter reading usuallyeliminates the need for the meterreader to enter the property or home,or to locate and open an undergroundmeter pit. The utility agency enjoyscost efficiency through increasedspeed of reading, lower liability risksfrom entry into private properties,and also benefit from fewer missedreadings due to inaccessibility tometers.Fixed NetworkFixed Network AMR deploys a networkthat is permanently installed formeter reading. Through a seriesof antennas, towers, collectors,repeaters, or other permanentlyinstalled infrastructure, meterreadingdata is automaticallytransmitted through AMR-capablemeters to a central computer withoutthe need for personnel on the field.There are several types of networktopologies that are used to transmitthe meter data back to the centralcomputer. Utility agencies are ableto analyse the data to detect leakage,tampering and other abnormalitiesas the data is provided on a realtime,or near realtime basis. The FixedArea Network-based AMR uses thelatest technology in mesh networkswhere the meters act as repeaters totransmit data to nearby meters until itreaches the main data collector.Advanced Metering InfrastructureWith the technological developmentof Fixed Area Network-based AMRs,a new concept known as “AdvancedMetering Infrastructure” (AMI)was introduced. AMI combinescommunication networks with data(time-of-use and rate-of-usage)from smart meters for water orenergy usage profiling, time-of-usebilling, demand forecasting, demandresponse, rate-of-flow recording, leakdetection, flow monitoring, water andenergy conservation enforcement andremote shutoff. AMI is a new termcoined to represent the networkingtechnology of fixed network metersystems that go beyond AMR intoremote utility management. Themeters in an AMI system are oftenreferred to as smart meters since theyoften use the collected data based onprogrammed logic.30 ELECTRONICS REVIEW