Automatic Meter Reading

Automatic meter reading, or AMR, is the technology of automatically collecting
data from water meter or energy metering devices (water, gas, and electric) and
transferring that data to a central database for billing and/or analyzing. This saves
employee trips, and in the case of estimates, billing can be based on actual
consumption rather than on an estimate based on previous consumption, giving
customers better control of their use of electric energy, gas usage, or water
consumptionIn this all meters are connected serially to a central computer where the
meter reading is received & saved in its database. Moreover if the bill is not paid in
time the power can be cut off from the central computer & upon receiving the bill the
power can be restored within a minute. The circuit consists of a current transformer
for sensing the current, whose o/p is given to ADC the digital data from the ADC is
read by the controller, the controller then calculates the current consumed &
accordingly increases the meter reading. This is displayed on LCD. The controller is
also connected to the central computer using MAX 232 & can switch ON & OFF the
power of the house using a relay. An EEPROM is used to save the last meter reading
in case of power failure.