Abstract: An electronic electric meter for use in a networked automatic meter reading environment. The meter includes a meter microcontroller, a measurement microcontroller, a communication microcontroller and spread spectrum processor, and a plurality of other communication interface modules for communicating commodity utilization and power quality data to a utility. The meter measures electricity usage and monitors power quality parameters for transmission to the utility over a spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located gateway node. The gateway node transmits this data to the utility over a commercially available fixed wide area network (WAN). The meter also provides direct communication to the utility over a commercially available network interface that plugs into the meter's backplane or bus system, bypassing the local area network communication link and gateway node.

Abstract: A commodity meter. The meter includes a power/meter circuit board, a communication circuit board, and an antenna. The power/meter circuit board is configured to electrically sense a plurality of parameters of electricity flowing through terminals of the meter. The communication circuit board is configured to transmit one or more commodity parameters received from the power/meter circuit board. The antenna is coupled to the communications circuit board and positioned within the meter.

Abstract: An electronic electric meter for use in a networked automatic meter reading environment. The meter includes a meter microcontroller, a measurement microcontroller, a communication microcontroller and spread spectrum processor, and a plurality of other communication interface modules for communicating commodity utilization and power quality data to a utility. The meter measures electricity usage and monitors power quality parameters for transmission to the utility over a spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located gateway node. The gateway node transmits this data to the utility over a commercially available fixed wide area network (WAN). The meter also provides direct communication to the utility over a commercially available network interface that plugs into the meter's backplane or bus system, bypassing the local area network communication link and gateway node.

Abstract: An electronic electric meter for use in a networked automatic meter reading environment. The electric meter retrofits into existing meter sockets and is available for new meter installations for both single phase and three phase electric power connections. The meter utilizes an all electronic design including a meter microcontroller, a measurement microcontroller, a communication microcontroller and spread spectrum processor, and a plurality of other communication interface modules for communicating commodity utilization and power quality data to a utility. The electric meter utilizes a modular design which allows the interface modules to be changed depending upon the desired communication network interface. The meter measures electricity usage and monitors power quality parameters for transmission to the utility over a two-way 900 MHz spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located gateway node.

Abstract: An electronic electric meter for use in a networked automatic meter reading environment. The electric meter retrofits into existing meter sockets and is available for new meter installations for both single phase and three phase electric power connections. The meter utilizes an all electronic design including a meter microcontroller, a measurement microcontroller, a communication microcontroller and spread spectrum processor, and a plurality of other communication interface modules for communicating commodity utilization and power quality data to a utility. The electric meter utilizes a modular design which allows the interface modules to be changed depending upon the desired communication network interface. The meter measures electricity usage and monitors power quality parameters for transmission to the utility over a two-way 900 MHz spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located gateway node.

Abstract: An electronic electric meter for use in a networked automatic meter reading environment. The meter includes a meter microcontroller, a measurement microcontroller, a communication microcontroller and spread spectrum processor, and a plurality of other communication interface modules for communicating commodity utilization and power quality data to a utility. The meter measures electricity usage and monitors power quality parameters for transmission to the utility over a spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located gateway node. The gateway node transmits this data to the utility over a commercially available fixed wide area network (WAN). The meter also provides direct communication to the utility over a commercially available network interface that plugs into the meter's backplane or bus system, bypassing the local area network communication link and gateway node.

Abstract: An electronic electric meter for use in a networked automatic meter reading environment. The meter includes a meter microcontroller, a measurement microcontroller, a communication microcontroller and spread spectrum processor, and a plurality of other communication interface modules for communicating commodity utilization and power quality data to a utility. The meter measures electricity usage and monitors power quality parameters for transmission to the utility over a spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located gateway node. The gateway node transmits this data to the utility over a commercially available fixed wide area network (WAN). The meter also provides direct communication to the utility over a commercially available network interface that plugs into the meter's backplane or bus system, bypassing the local area network communication link and gateway node.

Abstract: An electronic electric meter for use in a networked automatic meter reading environment. The meter includes a meter microcontroller, a measurement microcontroller, a communication microcontroller and spread spectrum processor, and a plurality of other communication interface modules for communicating commodity utilization and power quality data to a utility. The meter measures electricity usage and monitors power quality parameters for transmission to the utility over a spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located gateway node. The gateway node transmits this data to the utility over a commercially available fixed wide area network (WAN). The meter also provides direct communication to the utility over a commercially available network interface that plugs into the meter's backplane or bus system, bypassing the local area network communication link and gateway node.

Abstract: An electronic electric meter for use in a networked automatic meter reading environment. The meter includes a meter microcontroller, a measurement microcontroller, a communication microcontroller and spread spectrum processor, and a plurality of other communication interface modules for communicating commodity utilization and power quality data to a utility. The meter measures electricity usage and monitors power quality parameters for transmission to the utility over a spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located gateway node. The gateway node transmits this data to the utility over a commercially available fixed wide area network (WAN). The meter also provides direct communication to the utility over a commercially available network interface that plugs into the meter's backplane or bus system, bypassing the local area network communication link and gateway node.

Abstract: An electronic electric meter for use in a networked automatic meter reading environment. The electric meter retrofits into existing meter sockets and is available for new meter installations for both single phase and three phase electric power connections. The meter utilizes an all electronic design including a meter microcontroller, a measurement microcontroller, a communication microcontroller and spread spectrum processor, and a plurality of other communication interface modules for communicating commodity utilization and power quality data to a utility. The electric meter utilizes a modular design which allows the interface modules to be changed depending upon the desired communication network interface. The meter measures electricity usage and monitors power quality parameters for transmission to the utility over a two-way 900 MHz spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located gateway node.

Abstract: An electronic electric meter for use in a networked automatic meter reading environment. The electric meter retrofits into existing meter sockets and is available for new meter installations for both single phase and three phase electric power connections. The meter utilizes an all electronic design including a meter microcontroller, a measurement microcontroller, a communication microcontroller and spread spectrum processor, and a plurality of other communication interface modules for communicating commodity utilization and power quality data to a utility. The electric meter utilizes a modular design which allows the interface modules to be changed depending upon the desired communication network interface. The meter measures electricity usage and monitors power quality parameters for transmission to the utility over a two-way 900 MHz spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located gateway node.

Abstract: An object locating system includes a transmitter unit for activating a plurality of electronic tags to assist in locating keys, remote control devices, cordless phones, eyeglasses, articles of clothing, etc. to which the tags have been attached. The tags are self-contained, battery powered devices that signal their presence, when activated, by an audible and/or visual indication to get the attention of the user. In one embodiment for locating objects in a user's residence, a telephone interface unit responds to DTMF signals transmitted to a multi-frequency receiver over a communication link from a telephone at a location remote from or in the user's residence to produce an RF activating signal for activating a tag associated with an object to be located. The system can be used for identifying baggage, luggage, sporting equipment, and packages being dispensed from an airport baggage carousel.

Abstract: An electronic electric meter for use in a networked automatic meter reading environment. The electric meter retrofits into existing meter sockets and is available for new meter installations for both single phase and three phase electric power connections. The meter utilizes an all electronic design including a meter microcontroller, a measurement microcontroller, a communication microcontroller and spread spectrum processor, and a plurality of other communication interface modules for communicating commodity utilization and power quality data to a utility. The electric meter utilizes a modular design which allows the interface modules to be changed depending upon the desired communication network interface. The meter measures electricity usage and monitors power quality parameters for transmission to the utility over a two-way 900 MHz spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located gateway node.

Abstract: An electronic electric meter for use in a networked automatic meter reading environment. The electric meter retrofits into existing meter sockets and is available for new meter installations for both single phase and three phase electric power connections. The meter utilizes an all electronic design including a meter microcontroller, a measurement microcontroller, a communication microcontroller and spread spectrum processor, and a plurality of other communication interface modules for communicating commodity utilization and power quality data to a utility. The electric meter utilizes a modular design which allows the interface modules to be changed depending upon the desired communication network interface. The meter measures electricity usage and monitors power quality parameters for transmission to the utility over a two-way 900 MHz spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located gateway node.

Abstract: An electronic electric meter for use in a networked automatic meter reading environment. The electric meter retrofits into existing meter sockets and is available for new meter installations for both single phase and three phase electric power connections. The meter utilizes an all electronic design including a meter microcontroller, a measurement microcontroller, a communication microcontroller and spread spectrum processor, and a plurality of other communication interface modules for communicating commodity utilization and power quality data to a utility. The electric meter utilizes a modular design which allows the interface modules to be changed depending upon the desired communication network interface. The meter measures electricity usage and monitors power quality parameters for transmission to the utility over a two-way 900 MHz spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located gateway node.

Abstract: An electronic electric meter including a transducer for measuring commodity utilization; a microcontroller coupled to the transducer for interpreting the commodity utilization data; and a two-way wireless transceiver coupled to the microcontroller for transmitting commodity utilization data from the meter to a remote gateway node, and for receiving data requests from the remove gateway mode.

Abstract: An electronic electric meter for use in a networked automatic meter reading environment. The electric meter retrofits into existing meter sockets and is available for new meter installations for both single phase and three phase electric power connections. The meter utilizes an all electronic design including a meter microcontroller, a measurement microcontroller, a communication microcontroller and spread spectrum processor, and a plurality of other communication interface modules for communicating commodity utilization and power quality data to a utility. The electric meter utilizes a modular design which allows the interface modules to be changed depending upon the desired communication network interface. The meter measures electricity usage and monitors power quality parameters for transmission to the utility over a two-way 900 MHz spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located gateway node.

Abstract: An object locating system includes at least one control unit, which is used to activate at least one electronic locator circuit to assist in locating an object to which the locator circuit is attached. The objects to be located can be a key assembly or generally any item which can be hand-carried by a person and is prone to misplacement. When activated, the locator circuit produces an audible and/or visual indication for getting the attention of the user. The locator circuit can be contained in a fob to which is attached a key, or the locator circuit can be molded into the head of a key. In another embodiment, the locator circuit is supported by a carrier which is retrofitted to a key by a securing mechanism which can include one or more fasteners, mating snap catches, or a strapping device such as a cable tie and the like. Alternatively, the carrier can be secured to the key by friction or by an interference fit between the carrier and the key.

Abstract: An automatic meter reading data communication system having an integrated digital encoder and two-way wireless transceiver that is attachable to a wide variety of utility meters for meter data collection and information management. The integrated encoder and transceiver communicates commodity usage information over a two-way 900 MHz spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located communication node. The communication node transmits this data to a utility service provider over a commercially available fixed wide area network (WAN). The utility service provider may also request data from the communication node over the same fixed wide area network.

Abstract: Disclosed is a meter for mounting in flow-sensing relationship to a pipeline conductor or electrical line having a commodity such as water, natural gas or electricity flowing through it. In one embodiment, the meter has a transceiver inductively-coupled to a remote signal-radiating device such as a repeater antenna for sending an encoded signal to a remote receiver. Another embodiment of the meter includes a rechargeable device such as a nickel-cadmium battery for storing meter-powering electricity and a charging generator coupled to such device. The generator has a turbine driven "bootstrap fashion" by the commodity flowing through the conductor. Preferably, solid state digital technology is used for minimizing power consumption during meter operation.