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Automated Meter Reading

An Advanced Technology
Automated Meter Reading (AMR) is widely accepted by many countries
due to many beneficial factors. The following article describes Automated
Meter reading technology and advantages.
D. MINAR

A
utomated Meter Reading (AMR) is an
established method used by electric
utilities for billing their large and
industrial customers. With advances in
solid-sate electronics, microprocessors
and Wireless technology, it is now possible to
design cost effective systems to overcome problems
associated with utility meter reading in commercial,
residential and manufacturing sectors. Automatic
Sub metering helps the consumer, the power
provider and energy services provider access to the
latest and accurate information from the metering
devices and also provides savings in time,
manpower, and helps efficiency and energy
management. Many countries have adopted this
technology for such numerous advantages.
An automatic meter reading installation can
provide following features to energy suppliers:
Ç Periodic electric, gas and water meter reading
Ç On-demand electric meter reading meter reads)
Ç Interval energy and demand meter reading Ç Load control and emergency load shed
Ç Tamper and Outage detection Ç Electric, gas, and water usage profiling
Ç Customer “connect” and “disconnect” (via Ç Time of use metering
Ç Detailed information on energy consumption
Ç Reduced meter reading costs
Ç Ability to access difficult-to-read meters
Ç Improved customer service
Ç Reduced percentage of estimated bills
Ç Improved meter reader safety
Ç Implementation of real-time pricing
Ç Reduced read-to-bill time
Ç Improved fraud detection

State of the art and problem

There are many reasons to consider automated
meter reading. With the implementation of AMR,
meter readers no longer have to enter patrons'
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properties or businesses on a monthly basis to
obtain readings. AMR can improve water meter
reading accuracy by removal of the meter to
remote issues, help eliminate patrons' use of
estimated bills, reduce meter reading cost, and
allow systems to provide timely and accurate
responses to billing questions. Many systems feel
AMR will pay for itself in reduced meter reading and
decreased water loss costs, with no charge to
existing customers and no rate increase to cover the
cost.
AMR can consist of a number of various methods.
They include radio transmission, use of existing
phone lines, use of existing power lines, internet,
and other means. Several of the types require some
coordination with other utilities in the area. Also,
with the changing face of technology, impacts on
certain approaches are sudden and possibly
unforeseen. For instance, the increased use of
cellular phone has, in some cases, resulted in
consumers no longer having active phone lines to
their location. This has created an issue with the use
of readings generated by phone lines. Increased
changes will be likely in the future.
One of the more popular AMR systems uses
miniature radio transmitters attached to the water
meter as the means of providing the use
information. The system is then able to collect the
readings from handheld radio receivers, from
moving vehicles, or through the use of a tower
based radio network. The transmitters on the
meters are basically dormant until activated by a
signal from the collection unit. The more common
approach uses a handheld device or truck-
mounted transmitter/receiver in combination with a
micro-processer based computer system to actively
poll the meters as the unit is brought within range.
The device then records the reading transmitted by
the meter and stores the reading. At the end of the
day, the meter reader unloads the information
collected to the billing system for the generation of
the bills. The system can also be coordinated with a
GIS system to allow verification of the meter
reading obtained which can avoid return trips. A
single employee in a computer-equipped van
driving the service area without having to stop at
each site and physically read the meter can do the
work of many door-to-door meter readers in a
fraction of the time.
Systems report multiple benefits to the
implementation of AMR: customers are more
satisfied, meter reading and the resulting billing
accuracy is increased, and water use data is more
current. Systems feel these items can allow the
system to profit from improved operations data,
increased revenue, and reduced operator/reader
costs. Also, they find access problems are reduced,
and employees enjoy improved safety. Leaks and
water theft can be more quickly identified by the
comparison of master system meters with actual
metered use. The readily available accurate
information allows the ready analysis of the
readings which can help improve distribution
system planning.
As with application of any new technology or
system there are up-front capital costs necessary to
implement the use AMR. Those costs include the
need for existing meters to be replaced or,
depending on age, fitted with the necessary
transmitters. Handheld or mobile reading units are
needed unless the data is transmitted directly to the
office. Readers may require a docking port to
download data, and systems may have to update
their billing software. Also needed is software
purchased for the interface with the reading system
and of course training for the staff involved. Still,
systems report the savings can be considerable.
Technical overview
Automatic meter reading systems consist of three
primary components, which are common to
electric, gas and water implementations.
Meter interface module
This module consist of power supply, meter sensors,
controlling electronics and a communication
interface that allows data to be transmitted from this
remote device to a central location. In many
instances, this communication interface is bi-
directional and allows central office signals to be
received by the remote unit as well. Every electric,
gas or water meter must have such an interface unit
to be remotely read.
Communication Module
This module is used for the transmission, or
telemetry, of data and control signals between the
meter interface module and the central office.
Typically, such communications take the form of
telephone, Power Line Carrier (PLC) or radio
frequency (RF). The system components in the
communications system depend on the
communication media used.
Central Host module
This module includes receivers, data concentrators,
controllers, and host computers. Many utilities have
for some time been taking advantage of electronic
meter reading systems using hand-held data
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terminals that communicate with a central
controller via phone lines. There is great similarity
between the host side electronic meter reading and
automatic meter reading system function.
Following figure shows a typical PLC
implementation.
Communication methods
There are several communication methods used for
meter reading, they have various strengths and
weaknesses. These communication methods
include
Ç Telephone lines (PSTN)
Ç Mobile data networks (GSM, etc.)
Ç Power line Carrier (PLC)
Ç Radio Frequency (RF)
Ç Satellite communication
In the following describe the most common
communication methods used in a AMR
deployment.
Telephone lines - Telephone lines are desirable
from an economic point of view since most
electricity users in the country have telephone
service. The telephone system provides an ideal
communication infrastructure for AMR systems due
to simplicity of operation, quality of data, high
noise immunity, reliability and low cost, both at the
remote site and the central station.
Power Line Carrier - Power line carrier
communications take place over the same lines
that deliver electricity. This technique involves
injecting a high frequency AC carrier onto the
power line and modulating this carrier with data
originating from the remote meter or central
station. Power line carrier techniques may be used
successfully and cost effectively for short distances;
i.e., from a customer's meter to a pole or surface-
mounted transformer. It is very expensive to pass
this data through a distribution transformer and
onto the primary distribution lines and the resulting
communications is slow due to the narrow
bandwidth and mono-directional meaning data is
transmitted from the meter to the utility but the utility
can not send data or control signals back to the
meter or associated devices at the subscriber side.
Radio Frequency - Radio frequency, or RF,
systems make use of small low power RF
transmitters or transceivers located at the controller.
These may take advantage of licensed or
unlicensed portions of the RF spectrum and the
effective radiated power of the transmitter. This
scheme employs a mobile unit operated in a van
that sends a wakeup signal and transmit command
to the remote meter units in its range. The remote
meter units picks up the signal and respond by
sending back requested data to the van's computer
for later uploading and billing. A variation of this
approach employs remote meter units that
regularly transmit every few seconds and a small
portable receiver connected to a hand-held data
terminal.
End Users
In all the aforementioned countries, AMR meters
have been deployed and pilot tested primarily in the
C&I segment. These are the heavy power users,
which include manufacturing industries such as
textiles, pulp and paper, and food and beverages.
The system is likely to facilitate accurate data
collection from the meters based on which the
utilities are expected to charge these users
appropriately. With increasing manufacturing
setups, the demand from this sector is likely to
increase. The market is growing in the residential
segment as well. The added advantage for the
utilities implementing the systems in this segment is
that the billing process is easier and payment of bills
is enforced effectively, which at present is a
profound predicament for the utilities. These
systems are also likely to help the citizens monitor
their electricity consumption and prevent illegal
electricity consumption.