SAMR® Automatic Meter Reading
Automatic meter reading, or AMR, is the technology of automatically collecting consumption, diagnostic, and status data from water meter or energy metering devices (gas, electric) and transferring that data to a central database for billing, troubleshooting, and analyzing. This technology mainly saves utility providers the expense of periodic trips to each physical location to read a meter. Another advantage is that billing can be based on near real-time consumption rather than on estimates based on past or predicted consumption. This timely information coupled with analysis can help both utility providers and customers better control the use and production of electric energy, gas usage, or water consumption.
AMR technologies include handheld, mobile and network technologies based on telephony platforms (wired and wireless), radio frequency (RF), or powerline transmission.
Radio frequency based AMR can take many forms. The more common ones are handheld, mobile, satellite and fixed network solutions. There are both two-way RF systems and one-way RF systems in use that use both licensed and unlicensed RF bands.
In a two-way or "wake up" system, a radio transceiver normally sends a signal to a particular transmitter serial number, telling it to wake up from a resting state and transmit its data. The meter attached transceiver and the reading transceiver both send and receive radio signals and data. In a one-way “bubble-up” or continuous broadcast type system, the transmitter broadcasts readings continuously every few seconds. This means the reading device can be a receiver only, and the meter AMR device a transmitter only. Data goes one way, from the meter AMR transmitter to the meter reading receiver. There are also hybrid systems that combine one-way and two-way technologies, using one-way communication for reading and two way communication for programming functions.
RF based meter reading usually eliminates the need for the meter reader to enter the property or home, or to locate and open an underground meter pit. The utility saves money by increased speed of reading, has lower liability from entering private property, and has less chance of missing reads because of being locked out from meter access.
The technology based on RF is not readily accepted everywhere. In several Asian countries the technology faces a barrier of regulations in place pertaining to use of the radio frequency of any radiated power. For example in some countries the radio frequency which is generally in ISM band is not free to use even for low power radio of 10 mW. The majority of manufacturers of electricity meters have radio frequency devices in the frequency band of 433/868 MHz for large scale deployment in European countries. Initiatives in radio frequency AMR in such countries are being taken up with regulators wherever the cost of licensing outweighs the benefits of AMR.
PLC is a method where electronic data is transmitted over power lines back to the substation, then relayed to a central computer in the utility's main office. This would be considered a type of fixed network system—the network being the distribution network which the utility has built and maintains to deliver electric power. Such systems are primarily used for electric meter reading. Some providers have interfaced gas and water meters to feed into a PLC type system.
Benefits of advanced metering
Accurate meter reading, no more estimates
Improved billing
Accurate profile classes and measurement classes, true costs applied
Improved security and tamper detection for equipment
Energy management through profile data graphs
Less financial burden correcting mistakes
Less accrued expenditure
Transparency of “cost to read” metering
Improved procurement power though more accurate data - “de-risking” price
In cases of shortages, utility will be able to manage/allocate supply.
Open Metering System
The Open Metering System OMS stands for a manufacturer and utilities independent standardization for Meter-Bus based communication between utility meters (electricity, gas, water, district heat, heat cost allocators) and systems in the field of Smart meter.
With the starting point of the smart metering initiative driven by the European Union, several German multi utilities companies (public utility offering more than only one type of supply like electricity, gas, water and district heat) joined and asked international manufacturers of revenue meters to create a common standard. The goal was to have meters with standardized communication interfaces and systems in the future. On the side of meter manufacturers there were mainly the members of the technical associations in Germany FIGAWA (German Association for Gas and Water) and ZVEI (German Electrical and Electronics Industry Association), but also several other internationally operating companies joined to create a bundle of common definitions and specifications based on the European Meter-Bus standard (EN 13757) as well as the Dutch NTA 8130.
For further information about OMS please visit www.oms-group.org
AMR technologies include handheld, mobile and network technologies based on telephony platforms (wired and wireless), radio frequency (RF), or powerline transmission.
Radio frequency based AMR can take many forms. The more common ones are handheld, mobile, satellite and fixed network solutions. There are both two-way RF systems and one-way RF systems in use that use both licensed and unlicensed RF bands.
In a two-way or "wake up" system, a radio transceiver normally sends a signal to a particular transmitter serial number, telling it to wake up from a resting state and transmit its data. The meter attached transceiver and the reading transceiver both send and receive radio signals and data. In a one-way “bubble-up” or continuous broadcast type system, the transmitter broadcasts readings continuously every few seconds. This means the reading device can be a receiver only, and the meter AMR device a transmitter only. Data goes one way, from the meter AMR transmitter to the meter reading receiver. There are also hybrid systems that combine one-way and two-way technologies, using one-way communication for reading and two way communication for programming functions.
RF based meter reading usually eliminates the need for the meter reader to enter the property or home, or to locate and open an underground meter pit. The utility saves money by increased speed of reading, has lower liability from entering private property, and has less chance of missing reads because of being locked out from meter access.
The technology based on RF is not readily accepted everywhere. In several Asian countries the technology faces a barrier of regulations in place pertaining to use of the radio frequency of any radiated power. For example in some countries the radio frequency which is generally in ISM band is not free to use even for low power radio of 10 mW. The majority of manufacturers of electricity meters have radio frequency devices in the frequency band of 433/868 MHz for large scale deployment in European countries. Initiatives in radio frequency AMR in such countries are being taken up with regulators wherever the cost of licensing outweighs the benefits of AMR.
PLC is a method where electronic data is transmitted over power lines back to the substation, then relayed to a central computer in the utility's main office. This would be considered a type of fixed network system—the network being the distribution network which the utility has built and maintains to deliver electric power. Such systems are primarily used for electric meter reading. Some providers have interfaced gas and water meters to feed into a PLC type system.
Benefits of advanced metering
Accurate meter reading, no more estimates
Improved billing
Accurate profile classes and measurement classes, true costs applied
Improved security and tamper detection for equipment
Energy management through profile data graphs
Less financial burden correcting mistakes
Less accrued expenditure
Transparency of “cost to read” metering
Improved procurement power though more accurate data - “de-risking” price
In cases of shortages, utility will be able to manage/allocate supply.
Open Metering System
The Open Metering System OMS stands for a manufacturer and utilities independent standardization for Meter-Bus based communication between utility meters (electricity, gas, water, district heat, heat cost allocators) and systems in the field of Smart meter.
With the starting point of the smart metering initiative driven by the European Union, several German multi utilities companies (public utility offering more than only one type of supply like electricity, gas, water and district heat) joined and asked international manufacturers of revenue meters to create a common standard. The goal was to have meters with standardized communication interfaces and systems in the future. On the side of meter manufacturers there were mainly the members of the technical associations in Germany FIGAWA (German Association for Gas and Water) and ZVEI (German Electrical and Electronics Industry Association), but also several other internationally operating companies joined to create a bundle of common definitions and specifications based on the European Meter-Bus standard (EN 13757) as well as the Dutch NTA 8130.
For further information about OMS please visit www.oms-group.org