Cerny et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,298,894, discloses a mobile automatic meter reading (AMR) system. In such a system, a utility meter transmitter receives signals from a signal transducer installed on a utility meter. The transmitter then transmits radio frequency (RF) meter data signals to an RF collection unit in a drive-by vehicle. In these mobile AMR systems, either a vehicle or a person on foot with an RF collection unit (a walk-by collection system) can move through a neighborhood and collect a large number of readings per hour without entering any of the property of the customers.
In systems providing GPS/GIS information, it has been the practice to determine the GPS/GIS location of each transmitter. In some cases, it has been necessary to stop at each transmitter to collect such information.
Hoiness, U.S. Pat. Pub. No. US 2006/0022841, discloses a computer system for directing a vehicle along a predetermined route. The computer system reads GPS/GIS data and also displays a current, predetermined route, with location information being collected for endpoints not included in the predetermined route. When a data file, called an endpoint file, is uploaded to a server, the server that will calculate an optimized route for future collections and compare it to the current route and provide displayable data for making a comparison. Hoiness, U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2006/0074601 and Angelis, U.S. Pat. No. 7,109,882, describe further details of this system. This system is fairly sophisticated in utilizing both software and servers in carrying out its operations. There remains a need to provide an easy-to-use, smaller and less costly system for accomplishing the goals of collecting readings from customers not on a route listing.
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