Plextek Ltd - Domestic Utility Meter Reading

Plextek's experience of wireless utility meter reading system and product design includes: System defenition, architecture design, remote utility meter transmitter design, basestation transceiver design, radio channel propagation measurement and analysis, link budget analysis, basestation DSP receiver design, low cost CPE design, wireless meter reading system trails.

Domestic Utility Meter Reading

Plextek was approached by a Californian company who was providing remote utility meter reading services throughout various parts of North America. The company wished to be able to offer such services in the UK as it perceived the increasing market liberalisation would accelerate the adoption of such technology. The hardware used in the American system operated in the 902-926MHz ISM band. This band is not available in the UK so it was necessary to redevelop the meter endpoint technology and basestation transceiver to operate in the 183.5-184.5MHz band which is a licensed band specifically for automatic metering.

Given the very high potential volumes, which correspond to significant price pressures, the unusually small data rates involved and the need to operate in the 183.5-184.5MHz band no established standard was a particularly good fit. This necessitated the development of a custom radio system.

A similar radio system development philosophy was used as for the Formula One Telemetry system and broadband Mesh system. The work commenced with an initial theoretical analysis of the likely implementations specifically given the need to achieve a very aggressive cost target, the likely radio linkbudgets,building penetration losses, background noise levels and required system capacity. Following the theoretical analysis a small quantity of trials equipment was developed and an extensive field trials program undertaken.

The field trails measurement results were then analysed in detail to enable the system definition and individual hardware component specifications to be completed. In summary the process again being:-

Theoretical analysis

Field measurements

Computer based system simulation

Product specification

Product development

Plextek's client carried out the largest ever UK trial of automatic domestic utility meter reading using this system. The trial was undertaken in collaboration with British Gas and involved around 50,000 homes in the Manchester and North London areas. Plextek also supplied all of the basestation transceivers for the trial under our design and supply of electronic products service.

For further information please contact us.