Abstract: Redundant pulses generated by independently operable pulse sources in an electricity meter are accumulated as pulse counts in a pair of channels of a multi-channel recorder. The pulse counts are compared to verify the accuracy of the pulses counted by each channel. If the difference between the values of the pulse counts exceeds a predetermined threshold value, a trouble indicator is turned on and a telephone call is initiated by the recorder to notify a data center that a system malfunction has occurred which is disrupting the accumulation of pulses in one of the channels of the recorder. The pulse counts are stored in the recorder as substantially duplicate independent measures of energy usage by a load connected to the electricity meter, to be thereafter retrieved from the recorder to obtain energy survey and billing data. The recorder also maintains a system status error log which records the time and date of each malfunction and the identification of the channel pair where the malfunction occurred.

Abstract: A solid state electronic pulse scaler uses the ratio of two integers to control a ratio of its input and output frequencies. In one embodiment, the pulse scaler is used as a calibration device to adjust for manufacturing tolerances in an electric metering device. In another embodiment, the pulse scaler is used to provide a pulse-initiator output to external circuits. A further embodiment includes both of the above functions in a single device. A switch-selectable control is provided to determine the consequences of input pulses generated during reverse rotation of a meter disk. The reverse pulses may be used to generate output pulses on the same, or a separate, channel as that employed for forward pulses, ignored, or temporarily stored and subtracted from ensuing forward pulses.

Abstract: A remote automatic utility reading system includes a reading control center for transmitting commands to and receiving measurement data from remote terminal units via a command responsive control unit. The control unit is characterized by a computer having a stored program of subroutines, one of which is an interrupt subroutine. The interrupt subroutine is periodically entered as commands are received by the control unit from the reading control center and directs entry into other ones of the subroutines for execution thereof to effect the simultaneous interlacing of the commands and measurement data being transferred between the reading control center and the remote terminal units.

Abstract: A self-contained meter register optical encoder including electronic signal generation, surge protection and power supply circuitry is remotely readable to supply timing and data signals to an external device when energized from an external power source.

Abstract: An automatic meter reading and control system for communicating with remote terminal points includes a central station which selectively communicates with a transponder controller unit at each terminal point via a plurality of distribution units, each serving several transponder controller units. The distribution controller units are responsive to various commands issued by the central station to selectively route the commands to specified transponder controller units to direct the transponder controller units to selectively carry out a load control operation, a meter reading operation or transfer of previously stored meter data from the transponder units to the central station in accordance with functions specified by the various commands.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in a communication system of the type including a plurality of message generating units for simultaneously transmitting messages to a control center. A plurality of receivers are provided for receiving the messages and means for compensating for inherent system message transmission delays to ensure against the loss of data transferred to the control center.