Literature Review About Meter Reading Techniques Computer Science Essay Example

It is a meter which counts the number of turns an aluminium disc does. The amount of electricity used is directly proportional to the number of revolutions of the aluminium disc. The electricity is measured in kilowatt-hours and the rate of charge remains constant all over the day. These types of meters are commonly used on single phase alternating current supply.

Electronic Meters: These meters have an electronic display and make use of wireless technologies like Bluetooth, GSM and GPRS to transfer information about electrical consumption. They have inbuilt automatic sensors which helps to detect electrical energy theft or meter tampering.

Prepaid meters: are like the standard meters; the only difference is that, instead getting a bill at the end of the month, it is a pay as you use service. I.e. the consumer pays in advance for the electricity consumption.

Smart meter: These meters record the amount of electricity consumption for a certain period of time. The recorded data is then sent to the utility company for monitoring and billing purposes. Smart meters can transfer data from and to the meter, i.e. it is a two way communication.

Meter reading

Electric meters measure electricity mostly in kilowatt hour (kWh). One kilowatt hour is equal to the amount of energy used by a load of one kilowatt over a period of one hour, or 3,600,000 joules. The meter reading process is done periodically, so that consumers can be billed for that period of time. There are different methods used by different companies for metering. There are two ways that can be identified. Namely: the traditional way and new techniques.

The traditional way, which uses the ‘standard meter’, can be described as:

The meter reader goes to the consumer’s place. There, the meter reader reads the current value on the meter and note it down on the bill for the previous electricity consumption period. The bill is then given to the consumer. The meter reader will then enter the current value in the company’s system, so that the consumer can be billed for that current period.

The new techniques, which uses, electronic and smart meter are as follows: The meter reader makes use of new technologies to read the meter value, and meters have an electronic display. There are many different new techniques used for meter reading, and they will be further elaborated below.

Automatic meter reading (AMR)

Automatic meter reading (AMR), is the technology where data about consumption and the status of the meter device is collected automatically. The data is sent to a central database for it to be analysed and billing purpose. Meters for water, gas, and electricity can use the AMR technique.

With the uses of AMR, there can be one way or two-way communication. In the one way communication, query is done only to know the reading value from the meter. Whereas in the two way communication; functions can also be implemented to the meter.

Techniques for automatic meter reading

There are several techniques for automatic meter reading; some of them are listed below.

Touch Technology

In the touch technology, a meter reader have a device, it may be a handheld computer or specialised data collection device. When the meter reader in close range to the meter; the latter press a button. A signal is sent firm the device to the meter and the reading of the meter is saved

on the device. That saved data is downloaded to a data collection computer for billing purpose. This technique is also referred as “on-site” AMR, as the meter reader needs to go on site to read the meter reading.

Radio Frequency Network

As its name suggest, the network uses radio wave to communicate with the meters. There are automatic reading systems which uses the radio based technology such Wi-Fi, ZigBee, Bluetooth and many others. Some of them are listed below.

Handheld: a meter reader collects meter reading from meters which support AMR system. The meter reader carries a portable computer with a radio frequency receiver and transceiver which reads the meter readings value. [2]

Mobile: it is also referred to as “drive-by” is a technique where the meter reading device is installed in a vehicle. The meter reader needs only to drive the vehicle along the path where the meters are found and the meter reading value is read automatically by the device installed in the vehicle. [2]

Fixed network: it is a method where there is a network which is installed permanently to read meter reading. The network consists of many repeaters, collectors and a lot of other equipments so that values read are transferred to a central database. This method does not need the intervention of any human to read the metering value.

Some time a hybrid AMR system is implemented so that when the fixed network goes down, the mobile system come into action. [2]