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SmartConnect™ Integrated RF Mesh Network

AMR technology to match the power and accuracy of SmartFlow™ water meters. Several data collection methods including the next-generation SmartConnect™ network.

Integrated Wireless Mesh Network

SmartFlow™ is the first water meter to incorporate an RF transmitter. The RF transmitters within the meters operate as part of a wireless mesh network.

Like a fixed network system, this wireless mesh system transmits the much more detailed metering information to the Water Utility’s head quarters without the need for meter readers.

Each meter installation transmits information to the main base station, either directly or via repeaters and/or concentrators using the 2.4 Ghz frequency. The exact set-up is dependent upon geographic layout, but any network can be structured.

A Typical SmartConnect™ Network

Individual SmartFlow™ water meters transmit and receive data to and from local repeaters up to 200 meters away.

Each repeater includes a more powerful RF transceiver / antenna than a meter transmitter. Repeaters route messages from all meters and repeaters inside its range.

Receiver/Concentrators collect data and act as an access point for WAN and VLAN networks, back to the utility HQ.

As the system is fully integrated, the individual components offer not only complete flexibility, but are also highly cost competitive to even inductive touch pad setups, making SmartConnect™ the most economically viable RF AMR solution available.

The Integrated Meter Transmitter

• IP68 Sealed within meter
• Range is up to 200m
• Low power consumption
• Power supply based on lithium cells
• Battery life up to 10 years (depends on transmission rate and frequency)
• Local battery life monitoring
• Simple RF transceiver and antenna
• Configurable periodic data broadcast
• Channel and transmit power selection based on RSSI to enhance battery life
• Data messages are identified by an unique physical address for each transmitter

Repeater device

• More complex and powerful RF transceiver / antenna than a meter transmitter
• Range is up to 400m
• Repeats and routes messages from all meters and repeaters inside its range
• Enhances the range as well as the number of transmitters in the overall system, thus expanding the network
• Number of repeaters in an area or network is not limited
• Mesh structure, AODV (Ad hoc on distance vector) routing protocol
• Automatic network discovery and maintenance
• Alarm and network specific messages (repeater to repeater and concentrator to repeater)
• Low cost design
• Power: Power line, Solar cells or Batteries

Receiver/Concentrator

• Creates a local network of transmitters and repeaters
• Range is unlimited
• Message reception from all transmitters and repeaters in its area, channel and network
• Verifies duplicated messages, variables status, alarms, etc
• Communication failure log
• Local readout of all meter information (for example, using a notebook or PDA)
• Access point for WAN / VLAN networks, supplying AMR information directly for company software and database:
  • GPRS / CDMA / WCDMA, VPN or public
  • Private line (Ethernet) or ADSL, VPN or public, etc.
• Power: Power line, Solar cells or Batteries