WO2005025264A1

WO2005025264A1 - Controlling utility supplies

Info

Publication number: WO2005025264A1
Application number: PCT/GB2004/003728
Authority: WO
Inventors: Neil Furmidge
Original assignee: Severn Trent Metering Services Limited
Priority date: 2003-09-06
Filing date: 2004-09-02
Publication date: 2005-03-17
Also published as: GB0320913D0

Abstract

A control system for controlling a utility supply to a property (2) includes a meter (5) and a cut-off valve (6) operated by the meter (5). The meter (5) stores information about consumption of the supply, and also has means (9) for transmitting the consumption information to a portable reader (10). The reader (10) receives the information, and stores it in a memory (13), which also holds data relevant to the meter (5). The reader (10) also has a processor (15) to determine from the data and the consumption information what the state of the cut-off valve (6) should be, and can transmit to the meter (5) a signal relating to the state of the cut-off valve (6), so that the meter operates the valve. This enables the cut-off valve (6) to be operated remotely, so that access to the property is not required.

Description

CONTROLLING UTILITY SUPPLIES

This invention relates to controlling the supply of utilities such as water to a property utilising a meter for the supply.

When water is supplied to a property the water company installs a cut-off valve in the pipe between the water main and the property, to control the supply. The valve will normally be adjacent any water meter that is fitted. Closing the valve shuts off the supply, and the water company may do this if the supply bill is not paid, or if credit runs out for a prepayment system. The valve may also be closed if the water company detects that it or a meter has been tampered with. There are two main systems for operating the valve. The first is manual operation, where an employee of the water company visits the property to close (or open) the valve. This has the disadvantages that the employee has to gain access to the property and that it is labour intensive. The second is a fully automated cut-off system where there is either a communications connection, such as a radio or physical connection, to the control valve, or a computerised payment device with a removable control device, such as a Smartcard. This system requires the customer to take the control device to a retail outlet to have the credit recharged and loaded into the control device. Both automated systems result in costly electronic hardware requirements for each shut-off valve. It is too sophisticated for some developing countries.

Where a meter is fitted this may be read using the two main systems described above, that is, manual operation or fully automatic operation, as appropriate. It is also known to read meters in a semi-automatic way. For this, the meter is connected to an inductive pad, and when a hand- held meter reader with a complementary inductive probe is placed on the pad, the probe is able to read and store the meter information. Information may also be fed to the meter from the reader via the probe and pad, for example if a pre-payment system is used, in order to put credit into the meter. Instead of the inductive pad and probe, a radio frequency system may be employed. In either case this semi-automatic system enables information to be gathered by "walking by" a property with a reader. The information is stored in the reader for subsequent loading into a database at a central host, thus making a manual operation easier and quicker.

According to the present invention, a control system for controlling a utility supply to a property comprises a meter and a cut-off valve operated by the meter, the meter including means for storing consumption information and means for transmitting the consumption information to a portable reader, the reader having receiving means for receiving information from the meter transmitting means, storage means for storing the information and data relevant to the meter, processing means for determining from the consumption information and the data what the state of the cut-off valve should be, and transmitting means for transmitting a signal relating to the state of the cut-off valve to the meter, for operation of the valve.

This system operates semi-automatically, in that it uses a portable reader to take the information from the meter, to work out the state of the valve and to signal the meter to operate the valve. The valve can therefore be operated (turned on or off) without requiring access to the property, but also without requiring the sophisticated fully automatic system. All that is required is a slightly more complex meter, having the means to operate the valve, and a slightly more sophisticated portable reader. Having the cut-off valve operated by the meter also makes it possible to increase the tamper-resistance of the valve and the meter, as the two items can be integrated.

The portable reader may be of the known meter reading type, which already has storage means for storing data relevant to the meter, and the consumption information. It is also adapted to include the processing means for calculating from the consumption information and the data what the state of the cut-off valve should be. For example, for a pre-payment system, the processing means determines the state of the valve on the basis of the current consumption information, together with the historical consumption information and the credit available on the meter, both of which are held at the central host, and downloaded to the reader for the meter being read.

The processing means preferably comprises a programmable microprocessor.

The reader may be a portable computer with appropriate transmitting and receiving means.

The cut-off valve is preferably operated electrically in response to a signal from the meter. The cut-off valve may be operated directly by the meter. Alternatively, the cut-off valve may be operated via electronic means between the meter and the cut-off valve. The cut-off valve may be a solenoid-operated valve. The meter then includes the necessary power source and electronic controls for operating the valve. Preferably the meter and the cut-off valve are integrated into a single housing, to improve tamper-resistance. For a pre-payment system the meter may hold the credit in a register, the credit being reduced as the water or other utility supply is consumed. The meter may then also have processing means, which calculates the amount of credit, and then closes the cut-off valve when the credit runs out. When more credit is available at the central host, it is transferred to the reader and then to the meter. In this case, however, the arrangement is such that the meter is unable to open the valve simply on the basis of the credit information. A signal from the reader is required as well. This helps to avoid fraud.

The reader and/or the meter may be arranged to allow a delay between the determination that the cut-off valve should be closed, and the actual closing of the valve. This enables the consumer to have time to pay the bill or obtain more credit, and prevents unnecessary cutting off of the utility supply.

The information may be passed between the meter and the reader by an inductive or radio frequency system. Any other appropriate system may also used.

The control system is particularly useful for the supply of water, but may similarly be used to control the supply of gas or electricity.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, of which the single figure shows a schematic diagram of a control system for controlling a utility supply to a property.

The system shown in the drawings is for controlling the supply of water to a domestic property. The system described first is for a prepayment arrangement where a consumer buys credit for supply in advance. Other systems will be described later. The drawing shows a water main 1 supplying water to a house 2 through a supply pipe 3. Before the pipe 3 enters the house 2 it goes through a sealed unit 4 containing a meter 5 and a cut-off valve 6. The meter 5 and cut-off valve 6 are integrated into a single sealed unit 4 to prevent tampering, although it would be possible for them to be separate.

The valve 6 is solenoid-operated, and has two positions: a closed position in which the supply is cut off, and an open position allowing flow. The cut-off valve 6 is controlled by the meter 5. The meter 5 has a known type of metering arrangement, to monitor the amount of water flowing through it, and also includes a power source 7, such as a battery, together with control electronics 8, enabling the meter 5 to control power to the solenoid to close and open the valve 6. It will be appreciated that the valve 6 could be any other type of suitable valve, for example a motorised or electronically controlled valve. The meter 5 will, in the usual way, store information about the amount of water consumed.

The meter 5 is also connected by suitable leads to an induction touch pad 9 that may be located outside the boundary of the property. The touch pad 9 enables information about water consumption from the meter 5 to be captured by a portable reader 10, and for information from the reader 10 to be transmitted to the meter 5, in particular for control of the valve 6.

The reader 10 includes an inductive probe 11 for co-operating with the touch pad 9, and transmitting and receiving means 12, for transmitting information to and receiving information from the meter 5. The reader 10 also includes a memory 13 for storing data. The data will include information from the meter 5 received via touch pad 9 and probe 11, which is stored for downloading to a database in a remote central host 14, as well as data about the credit available to the meter 5, and historical consumption information downloaded from the central host 14 for that meter 5 and house 2.

The reader 8 also includes processor means 15 for determining from the data whether the cut-off valve 6 should be on or off. The processor means 15 then sends a signal from the reader 10 to the meter 5 via the probe 11 and touch pad 9 for control of the cut-off valve 6, either to open or close it.

Thus, for use, the reader 10 is loaded with data from the central host 14 relating to the credit available for a particular meter 5 (or in practice several meters) . The reader 10 is taken by an employee of the water company to the touch pad 9, for reading of the meter 5. The meter information is stored in the memory 13 for later downloading to the central host 14. The processor means 15 then calculates how much water has been consumed, based on the meter reading and the historical information, and thus how much credit is still available. If no credit is available, the reader 8 sends a signal to the meter 5, via the probe 9 and touch pad 7, to close the cut-off valve 6. If credit is still available, no such signal is sent.

The process is then repeated for other meters. On completion of all the meters, the reader 10 is taken back to the central host 14, for downloading of the information from the meters.

A similar process is carried out if a cut-off valve 6 is to be opened again to restore the supply, following the purchase of more credit by the consumer. The reader 10 is loaded with the credit information from the central host 14, and is then applied to the touch pad 9, to send a signal to the meter 5 to open the valve 6. In a modification (not shown) of the pre-payment system the meter 5 includes memory means for storing the credit available. The memory means is a credit register. The value of the credit held in the register reduces as water is used. The meter 5 also includes a processor for monitoring the credit value, so that when the credit value held in the register is zero the meter 5 itself closes the valve 6. However, in order to open the valve 6 again, the meter 5 must be loaded with credit again, and this must be done via the reader 10, which also sends the signal to the meter 5 to open the valve 6. The meter 5 can therefore close the valve 6 automatically, but not open it automatically, as this requires the reader 10.

The system may also be used for a post-payment system, that is, one where the consumer pays for the supply after it has been used. In this case, there is no need for the meter to have a credit register. The reader 10 will download from the central host 14 the state of the consumer's account, and use this in determining what the state of the valve 6 should be. Thus, if necessary, the supply can be cut-off without gaining access to the property.

In a further modification, for either a pre-payment or post-payment system, the meter 5 may be arranged to delay the closing of the valve 6 for a predetermined period. This can allow the consumer to purchase more credit or pay their bill, to prevent interruption to the supply.

It will be appreciated that the means for transmitting and receiving information between the meter and the reader could be different; for example a radio frequency system or any other appropriate system. The reader 10 may be a modified version of a known reader, or a portable computer connected to a suitable probe. It will also be appreciated that the location of the meter 5, cut-off valve 6 and touch pad 9 may be different, according to the property involved. The important feature of the invention however, is that the meter 5 can be read and the valve 6 closed or opened, on a "walk by" basis, using the reader 10, without needing access to the property 2.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling a utility supply to a property (2) comprising a meter (5) and a cut-off valve (6) operated by the meter, the meter including means for storing consumption information and means (9) for transmitting the consumption information to a portable reader (10) , the reader having receiving means (12) for receiving information from the meter transmitting means, storage means (13) for storing the information and data relevant to the meter, processing means (15) for determining from the consumption information and the data what the state of the cut-off valve (6) should be, and transmitting means (12) for transmitting a signal relating to the state of the cut-off valve (6) to the meter (5) , for operation of the valve (6) .

2. A control system as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the portable reader (10) is of the known meter reading type, which already has storage means (13) for storing data relevant to the meter (5), and the consumption information, and is adapted to include the processing means (15) for calculating from the consumption information and the data what the state of the cut-off valve (6) should be.

3. A control system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the processing means (15) comprises a programmable microprocessor.

4. A control system as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the cut-off valve (6) is operated electrically in response to a signal from the meter (5) .

5. A control system as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the cut-off valve (6) is operated directly by the meter (5) .

6. A control system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the cut-off valve (6) is operated by electronic means (8) located between the meter (5) and the valve (6) .

7. A control system as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the cut-off valve (6) is a solenoid-operated valve.

8. A control system as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the meter (5) and the cut-off valve (6) are integrated into a single housing.

9. A control system as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the meter (5) has a register for holding credit.

10. A control system as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that the meter (5) has processing means for calculating the amount of credit and closing the cut-off valve (6) when the credit runs out.

11. A control system as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the reader (10) and/or the meter (5) are arranged to allow a delay between the determination that the cut-off valve (6) should be closed, and the actual closing of the valve.

12. A control system as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the information is passed between the meter (5) and the reader (10) by an inductive or radio frequency system.

13. A control system as claimed in any preceding claim, for use in the supply of water.