Water meter system

Abstract

There is provided a water meter system, comprising: a water meter 6 for measuring a consumption of water and for generating consumption data indicative of the consumption of water; a meter box 10 comprising a frame 8 which at least partially surrounds a periphery of the water meter 6 and a cover 9 for covering the frame; and a passive repeater 4 attached to the cover 9 of the meter box 10, wherein the passive repeater comprises a first antenna 1 and a second antenna 2 which are in wired communication with one another, and wherein the passive repeater is configured such that, when the cover covers the frame, the first antenna 1 is located within an interior of the meter box 10 and the second antenna 2 is exposed to an exterior of the meter box 10; wherein the water meter 6 is wirelessly connected through the passive repeater 4 to a recipient device remote from the water meter system, and is configured to transmit data to the recipient device, the transmitted data comprising the consumption data.

Description

[0001] Water Meter System

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a water meter system, a passive repeater, a method of operating a passive repeater, and a method of installing a passive repeater for use with a smart water meter. More specifically but no exclusively, the present disclosure relates to the use of a passive repeater to improve the wireless connectivity of a smart water meter to cellular / RF networks.

[0004] Background

[0005] Generally, a water meter measures the consumption of water and is installed at or near premises to measure consumption of water on that premises. A water meter is typically provided by a service provider, which manages the water meter as needed to ensure that the water meter is fully operational and that accurate consumption measurements are taken. In some cases, a water meter has an integrated wireless module and can connect to a wireless network. Such a water meter is often called a smart water meter. Through the wireless network, the water meter reports consumption to a remote, centralized headend system that is in communication with and is responsible for services across a plurality of water meters. A high level of accuracy is required in the measuring and reporting of consumption because consumers are billed based on their consumption, as measured at the water meter.

[0006] Some of the smart water meters are installed in challenging locations where cellular / RF signal strengths are very low. Figure 1 illustrates an example of such smart water meters 6. The smart water meters 6 are housed within a meter box 10 having a frame 8 and a cover or lid 9. The frame 8 is typically installed in the ground (e.g., land or pavement) to protect the smart water meters 6. The cover 9 is typically exposed, thereby allowing maintenance personnel to access the meters 6 within the meter box 10. Due to poor strength of cellular / RF signals, those smart water meters 6 are not able to establish a wireless connection to nearly cellular / RF base station or gateway 12, and thus are not able to report the consumption data to a remote headend system (not illustrated). Consequently, the service provider would often need to instruct personnel to visit the actual sites of the water meters 6 in order to read the consumption data from the meters 6.

[0007] While it may be possible to install external antennas for those smart water meters 6 with connectivity problems, those external antennas are generally very expensive to install and have a bulky size. In particular, each of those external antennas stands on the ground near an associated smart water meter or is attached to a structure (e.g., building) close to the smart water meter, with an antenna cable running between the external antenna and the water meter to connect them to each other. In an installation scenario (such as Figure 1 ) with multiple smart meters 6 inside the meter box 10, it would be too expensive and not practically possible to equip each of the smart meters 6 with an external antenna. It is also challenging and time consuming to install / route the individual antenna cabling to all of the smart meters 6, and this further increases the overall installation costs.

[0008] It is an object of the present disclosure, among others, to provide an improved solution, which solves the connectivity problem of smart water meters, whether identified herein or otherwise.

[0009] Summary

[0010] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a water meter system comprising: a water meter for measuring a consumption of water and for generating consumption data indicative of the consumption of water; a meter box comprising a frame which at least partially surrounds a periphery of the water meter and a cover for covering the frame; and a passive repeater attached to the cover of the meter box, wherein the passive repeater comprises a first antenna and a second antenna which are in wired communication with one another, and wherein the passive repeater is configured such that, when the cover covers the frame, the first antenna is located within an interior of the meter box and the second antenna is exposed to an exterior of the meter box; wherein the water meter is wirelessly connected through the passive repeater to a recipient device remote from the water meter system, and is configured to transmit data to the recipient device, the transmitted data comprising the consumption data. The term “passive repeater” means that the repeater does not require any power supply (e.g., either mains power or battery). The passive repeater does not include any active components, such as, amplifier modulator / demodulator, and / or oscillator that requires a source of electric power.

[0011] It would be understood that the water meter is a smart water meter. Smart water meters are sometimes installed in challenging locations where cellular / RF signal strengths are very low, and thus may struggle to transmit consumption data to a remote recipient device. Advantageously, the use of the passive repeater provides a cost effective solution to improve the wireless connectivity of the water meter to the recipient device, thereby negating the needs of instructing human operators to read the water meter’s consumption data. The passive repeater does not require any power supply, and thus can be installed quickly and easily at relatively low costs and do not require any maintenance.

[0012] The recipient device may include a computer server and / or a data management platform.

[0013] The first antenna may comprise: a first printed circuit board, PCB; at least one first antenna element associated with the first PCB; and a first housing enclosing the first PCB and the at least one first antenna element.

[0014] It would be understood that the “antenna element” is the core antenna component (i.e. , a transducer that converts electric current into electromagnetic (EM) waves or vice versa). The first “antenna” may be referred to as a first “antenna module” while the at least one first “antenna element” may be referred to as at least one first “antenna”.

[0015] The at least one antenna element may be formed using the conductive traces of the PCB, or may be a discrete antenna component mounted on the PCB.

[0016] The first antenna may further comprise a reflective plate enclosed by the first housing, and wherein the reflective plate is configured to redirect electromagnetic waves towards the at least one first antenna element. The reflective plate may be arranged between the at least one first antenna element and an inner surface of the cover.

[0017] It would be understood that in the present disclosure, an “inner surface” of the cover faces the water meter, while an “outer surface” of the cover faces away from the water meter.

[0018] The at least one first antenna element may comprise an omni-directional antenna element.

[0019] The omni-directional antenna element may be circularly polarised.

[0020] The at least one first antenna element may be optimised for at least one frequency range, respectively.

[0021] The at least one frequency range may comprise one or more of: a first frequency range of 703 MHz to 803 MHz, a second frequency range of 824 MHz to 894 MHz, a third frequency range of 880 MHz to 960 MHz, a fourth frequency range of 1710 MHz to 1880 MHz, and a fifth frequency range of 865 MHz to 928 MHz.

[0022] The second antenna may comprise: a second PCB; at least one second antenna element associated with the second PCB; and a second housing enclosing the second PCB and the at least one second antenna element.

[0023] The second antenna may be referred to as a second antenna module. The components of the second antenna may have similar characteristics to their counterparts in the first antenna.

[0024] The second housing may rise above an outer surface of the cover by no more than about 30mm. More preferably, the second housing may rise above the outer surface of the cover by no more than about 20mm.

[0025] The term “about” or “approximately” used in the present disclosure indicate a degree of variability (e.g., 20%) in the stated numerical values. The second housing may have an arcuate surface that faces away from the cover. Advantageously, with the arcuate surface, the second antenna is unlikely to obstruct an object (e.g., a lawn mower) moving from the outer surface of the cover to the outer surface of the second antenna.

[0026] The second housing may have a flat surface that faces the cover, wherein the flat surface is proximate to or in touch with an outer surface of the cover.

[0027] The second housing may have a circular profile when it is viewed along a direction which is perpendicular to the cover. A diameter of the second housing may be no greater than about 200mm. More preferably, a diameter of the second housing may be no greater than about 150mm.

[0028] A housing of the first antenna may be spaced apart from an inner surface of the cover.

[0029] The housing of the first antenna has a surface which faces the water meter when the cover covers the frame. A distance between the surface of the housing of the first antenna and the inner surface of the cover is less than about 60mm. More preferably, a distance between the surface of the housing of the first antenna and the inner surface of the cover is less than about 50mm.

[0030] A wired connection between the first antenna and the second antenna is arranged within a gap between the housing of the first antenna and the inner surface of the cover. It would be understood that the wired connection allows for the wired communication between the first and second antennas.

[0031] The first antenna may be in wireless communication with the water meter. Advantageously, the first antenna being in wireless communication with the water meter means that there is no need to install or route any antenna cabling between the water meter and the first antenna, thereby further reducing the installation and maintenance costs of the passive repeater. It would be understood that the second antenna is in wireless communication with the recipient device. The first and second antennas may be configured to enable bi-directional wireless communication between the water meter and the recipient device.

[0032] The first antenna and the second antenna may be ground plane independent.

[0033] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of operating a passive repeater for use with a water meter, comprising: wirelessly receiving, by a first antenna of the passive repeater, first data from the water meter, wherein the passive repeater is attached to a cover of a meter box which houses the water meter and the first antenna is located within an interior of the meter box, and wherein the first data comprises consumption data indicative of a consumption of water as measured by the water meter; receiving, by a second antenna of the passive repeater, the first data from the first antenna, wherein the second antenna is exposed to an exterior of the meter box, and the first and second antennas are in wired communication with one another; and wirelessly transmitting, by the second antenna, the first data to a recipient device that is remote from the water meter, the meter box and the passive repeater.

[0034] The method may further comprise: wirelessly receiving, by the second antenna, second data from the recipient device; receiving, by the first antenna, the second data from the second antenna; and wirelessly transmitting, by the first antenna, the second data to the water meter.

[0035] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a passive repeater for attaching to a meter box of a smart water meter, comprising: a first antenna and a second antenna which are operable to establish a wired communication with one another; wherein: the first and second antennas are for positioning at opposite sides of a cover of the meter box; and the first antenna is for establishing a wireless communication with the smart water meter, and the second antenna is for establishing a wireless communication with a recipient device remote from the smart water meter.

[0036] The first antenna may be operable to wirelessly receive first data from the smart water meter and to send the first data to the second antenna for wireless transmission to the recipient device. The first data may comprise consumption data indicative of a consumption of water as measured by the smart water meter. The second antenna may be operable to wirelessly receive second data from the recipient device and to send the second data to the first antenna for wireless transmission to the smart water meter. The second data may comprise command data and / or control data, which are for controlling an operation of the smart water meter.

[0037] The first antenna may comprise: a first PCB; at least one first antenna element associated with the first PCB; and a first housing enclosing the first PCB and the at least one first antenna element.

[0038] The first antenna may further comprise a reflective plate enclosed by the first housing, and wherein the reflective plate is configured to redirect electromagnetic waves towards the at least one first antenna element.

[0039] The at least one first antenna element may comprise a circularly-polarised omnidirectional antenna element.

[0040] The at least one first antenna element is optimised for at least one frequency range that comprises one or more of: a first frequency range of 703 MHz to 803 MHz, a second frequency range of 824 MHz to 894 MHz, a third frequency range of 880 MHz to 960 MHz, a fourth frequency range of 1710 MHz to 1880 MHz, and a fifth frequency range of 865 MHz to 928 MHz.

[0041] The second antenna may comprise: a second PCB; at least one second antenna element associated with the second PCB; and a second housing enclosing the second PCB and the at least one second antenna element.

[0042] The second housing may have a thickness of no more than about 20mm.

[0043] The second housing may have a flat surface and an arcuate surface opposite to the flat surface. The thickness may be along a direction that is perpendicular to the flat surface.

[0044] A maximum dimension (e.g., diameter) of the second housing may be no greater than 200mm. The first antenna may further comprise: a first connector; and a first cable connecting the at least one first antenna element with the first connector. The second antenna may further comprise: a second connector; and a second cable connecting the at least one second antenna element with the second connector. The first antenna and the second antenna may be operable to establish a wired communication with one another by connecting the first connector and the second connector.

[0045] The first and second connectors may be SubMiniature version A, SMA, connectors.

[0046] The first antenna may further comprise a first protrusion extending from a surface of the first housing. The second antenna may further comprise: a second protrusion extending from a surface of the second housing. The first antenna and the second antenna may be operable to be mechanically coupled to one another by mechanically engaging the first protrusion with the second protrusion.

[0047] The first antenna may be dimensioned so that it can be fitted within an interior of the meter box.

[0048] The first and second antennas may be operable to enable bi-directional wireless communication between the smart water meter and the recipient device.

[0049] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of installing a passive repeater for use with a smart water meter, comprising: attaching the passive repeater to a cover of a meter box such that a first antenna and a second antenna of the passive repeater are arranged at opposite sides of the cover, wherein the meter box comprises a frame which at least partially surrounds a periphery of the smart water meter, and the cover is for covering the frame; and establishing a wired communication link between the first antenna and the second antenna.

[0050] The smart water meter may be operable to measure a consumption of water and to generate consumption data indicative of the consumption of water. The smart water meter may be configured to wirelessly connect through the passive repeater to a recipient device that is remote from the smart water meter and the passive repeater, and may be configured to transmit data to the recipient device, the transmitted data comprising the consumption data.

[0051] The second antenna may comprise a second housing and a second protrusion which extends from a surface of the second housing. Attaching the passive repeater to the cover may comprise: passing the second protrusion of the second antenna through a mounting hole of the cover; and fastening the second antenna to the cover such that the surface of the second housing abuts against an outer surface of the cover.

[0052] The second housing may comprise a flat surface and an arcuate surface that are opposite to one another. The second protrusion may extend from the flat surface.

[0053] The first antenna may comprise a first housing and a first protrusion which extends from a surface of the first housing. Attaching the passive repeater to the cover may further comprise: fastening the first protrusion to the second protrusion.

[0054] The surface of the first housing may be spaced apart from an inner surface of the cover, after the first protrusion is fastened to the second protrusion.

[0055] The surface of the first housing may be a first surface, and the first housing may further comprise a second surface opposite to the first surface, and wherein a distance between the second surface and the inner surface of the cover may be less than about 50mm.

[0056] Establishing the wired communication link between the first antenna and the second antenna may comprise connecting a first connector of the first antenna to a second connector of the second antenna.

[0057] The second connector of the second antenna may pass through the mounting hole of the cover such that a joint of the first and second connectors is within an interior of the meter box.

[0058] It would also be understood that the terms “first”, “second” etc. are simply used in the present disclosure to label the relevant elements (“antenna”, “housing”, “PCB”, “frequency range” etc.) for the ease of description, and do not imply any limitations to the sequence or the total number of the relevant elements.

[0059] While the present disclose focuses upon smart water meters, it would be understood that the passive repeater could also be used with other types of smart meters to improve the connectivity thereof. Therefore, the terms “water meter system”, “water meter” and “smart water meter” referred to by the first to fourth aspects may be replaced with “utility meter system”, “utility meter” and “smart utility meter”, respectively. A utility meter measures a consumption of resource and generates consumption data indicative of the consumption of resource. The resource may comprise electricity, water, gas or thermal energy.

[0060] In any of the first to fourth aspects described above, the meter box may also be referred to as a meter enclosure or a meter housing, and may be made of any suitable material and be of any suitable shape. The cover may be along a horizontal plane parallel to a ground surface or be along a vertical plane perpendicular to the ground surface.

[0061] Where appropriate any of the optional features described above in relation to one of the aspects of the present disclosure may be applied to another one of the aspects of the disclosure. In particular, the optional features described in relation to one of the first to fourth aspects of the present disclosure may be applied to another one of the first to fourth aspects of the disclosure.

[0062] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0063] In order that the disclosure may be more fully understood, a number of embodiments of the disclosure will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0064] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a known water meter system;

[0065] Figure 2 schematically illustrates a water meter system according to an aspect of the present disclosure; Figure 3 shows an exemplary meter box for use with the water meters of Figure 2;

[0066] Figure 4 schematically illustrates a side view of a passive repeater according to an aspect of the present disclosure, when the passive repeater is installed on a cover of the meter box of Figure 3;

[0067] Figure 5 schematically illustrates a perspective view of an internal antenna of the passive repeater of Figure 4;

[0068] Figure 6 schematically illustrates a perspective view of the internal antenna of Figure 5, when a housing of the internal antenna is partially removed;

[0069] Figure 7 schematically illustrates a perspective view of an external antenna of the passive repeater of Figure 4;

[0070] Figure 8 schematically illustrates processing steps of a method of installing a passive repeater for use with a smart water meter, according to an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0071] Figures 9 to 14 schematically illustrate how the passive repeater shown by Figures 4 to 7 is attached to the cover of the meter box shown by Figure 3, according to the processing steps of Figure 8;

[0072] Figure 15 schematically illustrates processing steps of a method of operating a passive repeater, according to an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0073] Figure 16 shows the measured peak gains of the passive repeater shown by Figures 4 at different frequencies;

[0074] Figure 17 shows a table summarizing the measured signal levels of smart water meters before and after the installation of passive repeaters;

[0075] In the figures, like parts are denoted by like reference numerals. It will be appreciated that the drawings are for illustration purposes only and are not drawn to scale. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

[0076] Figure 2 shows a water meter system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The water meter system includes smart water meters 6 (“meters” hereinafter), a meter box 10 and a passive repeater 4. Each of the meters 6 measures a consumption of water by a respective user and generates consumption data indicative of the consumption of water. The meter box 10 includes a frame 8 which surrounds a periphery of the meters 6 and a cover 9 which removably covers the frame 8. The passive repeater 4 is attached to the cover 9 of the meter box 10, and includes a first antenna 1 and a second antenna 2 arranged at opposite sides of the cover 9. When the cover 9 covers the frame 8, the first antenna 1 is located within an interior of the meter box 10 and the second antenna 2 is exposed to an exterior of the meter box 10. Therefore, the first antenna 1 may also be referred to as an internal antenna 1 and the second antenna 2 may also be referred to as an external antenna 2.

[0077] Being a passive device, the passive repeater 4 does not require any power supply (e.g., either mains power or battery), and does not include any active components, such as, modulator / demodulator, oscillator and / or amplifier that requires a source of electric power. Therefore, the passive repeater 4 is easy to install (described below in more detail) and does not require any maintenance.

[0078] The antennas 1 , 2 of the passive repeater 4 are in wired communication with each other, and thus relay the wireless signals from the cellular / RF base station or gateway 12 (“gateway” hereinafter) to the meters 6, and vice versa. The antennas 1 , 2 are able to concentrate or strengthen the wireless signals between the gateway 12 and the meters 6 by capturing more radio waves as compared to a scenario where no antennas are used (e.g., Figure 1 ). Consequently, the passive repeater 4 is able to improve the connectivity of the meters 6 to the gateway 12, thereby allowing the meters 6 to transmit consumption data to a remote headend system via a cellular / RF wireless network supported by the gateway 12, even if the meters 6 are installed at locations where cellular / RF signals are relatively weak. In an example, the cellular network may comprise LTE / 4G cellular networks, and the RF network may comprise RF mesh or Wi- SUN network. A computer server and / or a data management platform at the remote headend system may be considered as a “recipient device” of the consumption data. In addition to the consumption data, the meters 6 may transmit other types of data (e.g., meter identification data, and / or event logs) to the recipient device.

[0079] Therefore, the passive repeater 4 can cost effectively and quickly make the meters 6 (that are struggling or unable to connect to the cellular / RF network) establish a connection to the cellular / RF network, thereby negating the need to pay personnel each time to go to the actual site of the water meter system in order to read the smart meter’s consumption data.

[0080] The passive repeater 4 enables bi-directional wireless communication between the meters 6 and the gateway 12. Therefore, the meters 6 are also able to receive command / control data from the remote headend system through the gateway 12. The command / control data is for controlling an operation of the meters 6, and may include, for example, software / firmware update, reconfiguration data etc.

[0081] Figure 3 shows perspective views of an exemplary meter box 10. In this example, the frame 8 of the meter box 10 comprises four sides for surrounding a periphery of meters, but does not comprise any bottom wall which joins the lower edges of the four sides. The cover 9 of the meter box 10 has a dimension of 415mm (Length) * 255mm (Width) * 35mm (Thickness). The meter box 10 is made of high density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic. In use, one water meter will be installed in this exemplary meter box 10. It would be understood that the meter box 10 may be made of a different material, have a different dimension, and / or house more than one water meters. It would further be understood that the frame 8 and cover 9 may be designed in any suitable manner and / or that the meter box 10 may be used in a different orientation such that the cover 9 generally extend vertically to the ground.

[0082] The passive repeater 4 has a relatively low profile and a slim design, as described below with reference to Figures 4 to 7. Figure 4 shows a side view of the passive repeater 4 when it is installed on the cover 9. The antennas 1 and 2 are located at opposite sides of the cover 9 and are joint together by central protrusions 16 and 32 thereof (described below in more detail). A perspective view of the first antenna 1 is shown in Figure 5. The internal structures of the first antenna 1 are shown in Figure 6. A perspective view of the second antenna 2 is shown in Figure 7. With reference to Figure 5, the first antenna 1 has a housing 14 and a protrusion (or shaft) 16 which is supported by the housing 14 and extends upwards from an upper surface of the housing 14. The housing 14 has an approximately cuboid shape but with round edges. The dimension of the housing 14 along a plane parallel to a surface of the cover may be no greater than about 300mm (length) * 300mm (width). The thickness of the housing 14 along a direction perpendicular to the surface of the cover may be no greater than 40 mm. In an example, the dimension of the housing 14 is 230mm (length) * 230mm (width) * 29 mm (thickness) as shown in Figure 4. The protrusion 16 sits in the centre of the upper surface of the housing 14, and is attached to the housing 14 by screws, although other arrangement is possible. In the present disclosure, the positional terms such as ‘upper’, ‘lower’, ‘upwards’, ‘downwards’, ‘vertical’, ‘horizontal’ etc. are made with reference to the particular orientation as shown in Figure 2. In particular, the upper surface of the housing 14 of the first antenna 1 refers to a surface which faces away from the meters 6 while the lower surface of the housing 14 refers to a surface which faces the meters 6.

[0083] Within the housing 14, there is a printed circuit board (PCB) 24 and a reflective plate 22 as shown by Figure 6. Five antenna elements 25 to 29 are mounted on the PCB 24, each optimised for a different frequency range. The antenna elements 25 to 29 may be optimised for NB-loT Band 3 (1710 MHz to 1880 MHz), Band 5 (824 MHz to 894 MHz), Band 8 (880 MHz to 960 MHz) and Band 28 (703 MHz to 803 MHz), and RF Mesh / Wi- SUN frequency band (865 MHz to 928 MHz), respectively. The frequency ranges cover both uplink band and downlink band, thereby supporting bi-directional wireless communication between the meters 6 and the gateway 12. In this example, the antenna elements are discrete components soldered on the PCB 24. It would be understood that the antenna elements may be integrally formed with the PCB 24 using conductive traces of the PCB 24, and / or that there may be less or more antenna elements associated with the PCB 24, and / or that the antenna elements may be optimised for different frequency ranges.

[0084] In an example, each of the antenna elements 25 to 29 is an omni-directional antenna that is circularly polarised. A circularly polarized omnidirectional antenna is insensitive to wave orientation. It would be appreciated that the orientation of the meter box 10 affects the position of the meters 6 relative to the position of the antennas 25 to 29 (which determines the wave orientation from the meters 6). For example, when the meter box is installed in an orientation as illustrated by Figure 2, the antennas 25 to 29 are located above the meters 6. However, when the meter box is installed in a different orientation such that the cover extends vertically to ground (commonly used for smart electricity meters), the antennas 25 to 29 would be located at the side of the meters 6. Thus, employing circularly polarized omnidirectional antennas as the antenna elements 25 to 29 provide particularly effective performance and antenna gain, regardless of the orientation of the meter box 10.

[0085] The antenna elements 25 to 29 may be ground plane independent. In other words, the antenna elements 25 to 29 may be floating antennas, and be independent of ground / earth. This further simplifies the installation of the passive repeater 4.

[0086] The reflective plate 22 is for redirecting radio waves received from the meters 6 to the antenna elements 25 to 29, thereby increasing the antenna gain and further strengthening the wireless signals between the meters 6 and the gateway 12. The reflective plate 22 is attached to the upper part of the housing 14. The “upper part” refers to a part of the housing 14 that faces away from the meters 6 in the orientation of Figure 2, and is shown in Figure 6 as a lower part. Therefore, the PCB 24 and the antenna elements 25 to 29 are located between the reflective plate 22 and the meters 6. With reference to Figure 6, the reflective plate 22 has a dimension that is very similar to the dimension of the housing 14. More specifically, the reflective plate 22 comprises a flat plate parallel to the upper surface of the housing 14, and a plurality of tabs extending towards the meters 6 from a periphery of the flat plate. Therefore, the reflective plate 22 overlies the antenna elements 25 to 29 and substantially surrounds a periphery of the antenna elements 25 to 29. In this way, the radio waves from the meters 6 that are redirected to the antenna elements 25 to 29 can be maximised.

[0087] With reference to Figure 4, there is a gap between the upper surface of the housing 14 and the lower surface 11 of the cover 9. The gap has a size of around 18mm along the vertical direction, although other sizes are possible. As described below in more detail, the gap is for accommodating a wired connection between the antennas 1 , 2. In this example, the lower surface of the housing 14 of the first antenna 1 protrudes from the lower surface 11 of the cover 9 by around 47mm (i.e., 29mm+18mm). More generally, the lower surface of the housing 14 of the first antenna 1 may protrude from the lower surface 11 of the cover 9 by a distance of not greater than 60mm, and more preferably by a distance of not greater than 50mm. This relatively small protrusion ensures that the first antenna 1 is unlikely to touch the meters 6 when the cover 9 closes the frame 8 of the meter box 10. Therefore, an existing meter box 10 can be easily retrofitted with the passive repeater 4.

[0088] With further reference to Figure 5, the first antenna 1 also comprises a connector 20 for connecting the first antenna 1 to its environment, and a cable 18 connecting each of the antenna elements 25 to 29 with the connector 20. In an example, the connector 20 is a SubMiniature version A (SMA) connector.

[0089] The second antenna 2 is shown in Figures 4 and 7. The second antenna 2 has a housing 30 (Figure 7). With reference to Figures 4 and 7, the housing 30 has a flat lower surface and an arcuate / curved upper surface. The upper surface of the housing 30 refers to a surface which faces away from the cover 9 while the lower surface of the housing 30 refers to a surface which faces the cover 9, when the passive repeater 4 is attached to the cover 9 as shown in Figure 2. A protrusion (or shaft) 32 is supported by the housing 30 and extends from the flat lower surface of the housing 30 (Figure 4). The protrusion 32 sits in the centre of the flat lower surface of the housing 30, and may be attached to the housing 30 by any suitable means.

[0090] The housing 30 is of a disk shape. In particular, the housing 30 is circular when it is viewed along a direction perpendicular to the cover 9. The diameter of the housing 30 may be no greater than about 200mm. More preferably, the diameter of the housing 30 may be no greater than about 150mm. In the example of Figure 4, the housing 30 has a diameter of 140mm. A relatively small diameter of the housing 30 means that the external antenna 1 may appear inconspicuous when it is attached to the cover 9, and thus the passive repeater 4 installed on the meter box 10 is unlikely to attract attention. With reference to Figure 4, when the passive repeater 4 is attached to the cover 9, the flat lower surface of the housing 30 of the external antenna 1 is proximate to or in contact with the upper surface 13 of the cover, and the housing 30 rises above the upper surface 13 of the cover 9 by a maximum distance of 17mm. The ‘17mm’ is the thickness of the housing 30 along a vertical direction that perpendicular to the surface 13 of the cover 9. More generally, the housing 30 may rise above the upper surface 13 of the cover 9 by no more than about 30mm or, more preferably, no more than about 20mm. The low-rise of the housing 30 together with the arcuate upper surface of the antenna 2 ensure that the external antenna 2 is unlikely to obstruct an object (e.g., a lawn mower or a human being) moving from the cover 9 to the external antenna 2. It would be understood that the housing 30 may have a different shape or have a different dimension.

[0091] The internal structure of the second antenna 2 may be similar to that of the first antenna 1 as shown in Figure 6. In particular, within the housing 30, there may be a PCB and several antenna elements associated with the PCB and optimised for the same frequency ranges as the antenna elements 25 to 29. The housing 30 may further accommodate a reflective plate similar to the reflective plate 22 for redirecting radio waves received from the gateway 12 to the antenna elements of the second antenna 2, thereby increasing the antenna gain and further strengthening the wireless signals between the meters 6 and the gateway 12. The antenna elements housed within the housing 30 may also be circularly polarized omnidirectional antennas. Because the position of the gateway 12 relative to the antenna 2 is unknown, using circularly polarized omnidirectional antennas (which are insensitive to wave orientation) would provide satisfactory performance and antenna gain, regardless of the location of the gateway 12. Similar to the antenna elements 25 to 29, the antenna elements housed within the housing 30 may be ground plane independent.

[0092] With reference to Figure 7, the second antenna 2 also comprises a connector 36 for connecting the second antenna 2 to its environment, and a cable 34 connecting each of the antenna elements enclosed by the housing 30 with the connector 36. Similar to the connector 20, the connector 36 may also be an SMA connector.

[0093] The housing 30 of the external antenna 2 may be made of ultraviolet (UV) protected / stabilised material, which is beneficial for improving the life span of the external antenna 2. Further or alternatively, the materials of the housings 14, 30 may be made of robust, high impact, material so that the housings 14, 30 are rugged / vandal resistant. Preferably, the materials of the housings 14, 30 are vermin resistant as well.

[0094] Figure 8 schematically illustrates processing steps of a method of installing a passive repeater (e.g., the passive repeater 4) for use with a smart water meter (e.g., the meters 6). At step M1 , the passive repeater is attached to a cover (e.g., the cover 9) of a meter box (e.g., the meter box 10) such that a first antenna (e.g., the internal antenna 1) and a second antenna (e.g., the external antenna 2) of the passive repeater are arranged at opposite sides of the cover. The meter box comprises a frame (e.g., the frame 8) which at least partially surrounds a periphery of the smart water meter, and the cover is for covering the frame.

[0095] Step M1 may comprise sub-steps M1-1 to M1-4 which are described below with reference to Figures 9 to 12. The first antenna comprises a first housing (e.g., the housing 14) and a first protrusion (e.g., the protrusion 16) which extends from a surface (e.g., the upper surface) of the first housing. The second antenna comprises a second housing (e.g., the housing 30) and a second protrusion (e.g., the protrusion 32) which extends from a surface (e.g., the flat surface) of the second housing.

[0096] At sub-step M1 -1 , a mounting hole is formed in the cover of the meter box. The mounting hole may be formed by any suitable methods, such as drilling. Figure 9 shows an example of the mounting hole 38 in the cover 9 of the meter box 10.

[0097] At sub-step M1-2, adhesive is applied around the mounting hole on an external surface of the cover that faces away from the smart water meter. Figure 10 shows an example of the adhesive 40 applied on the external surface 13 of the cover 9.

[0098] At sub-step M1-3, the second protrusion (e.g., the protrusion 32) of the second antenna (e.g., the external antenna 2) is inserted through the mounting hole (e.g., the mounting hole 38), and the second antenna is fastened to the cover such that the surface of the second housing abuts against an outer surface (e.g., the outer surface 13) of the cover.

[0099] The second antenna may be fastened to the cover by any suitable means. In the example of Figure 10, a set of flat washer, serrated washer and nut 42 are used to engage with the second protrusion 32, thereby fastening the second antenna 2 to the cover 9. Figure 11 shows the top and bottom perspective views of the cover 9 to which the second antenna 2 is fastened. It would be understood that the adhesive 40 would be placed between the surface of the second housing 30 and the outer surface 13 of the cover 9. In an example, the adhesive 40 is silicone sealant. Silicone sealant is weather resistant and can effectively seal the gap (if any) between the antenna 2 and the cover 9, thereby preventing water ingress into the meter box through the mounting hole 38. It would be appreciated that, before the second antenna 2 is fastened to the cover 9, the connector 36 and the cable 34 of the second antenna 2 are also inserted through the mounting hole 38 to achieve the result as shown by Figure 11 (b).

[0100] At sub-step M1-4, the first protrusion (e.g., the protrusion 16) of the first antenna (e.g., the internal antenna 1 ) is fastened to the second protrusion (e.g., the protrusion 32) of the second antenna (e.g., the external antenna 2).

[0101] The protrusions may be fastened by any suitable means, and Figure 12 illustrates an exemplary way of doing so. With reference to Figure 12, the internal antenna 1 is positioned on top of the inner surface 11 of the cover 9, and a screwdriver is then used to lock the protrusions 16 and 32 with each other by using a screw 44. Figure 12 shows that the screw 44 is a cross recessed pan head combination screw, although other types of screws may be used. It would be understood that the protrusions 16 and 32 are provided with through holes for the screw 44 to pass through, and that one of the protrusions 16 and 32 has a blind hole with internal thread for engaging with the threaded tip of the screw 44.

[0102] Once the protrusions 16 and 32 are fastened to one another, the upper surface of the housing 14 of the internal antenna 1 is spaced apart from an inner surface 11 of the cover 9 as shown in Figures 4 and 13. It would be understood that the sub-steps M1-1 and M1-2 may be omitted. The cover 9 supplied may be pre-formed with the mounting hole 38.

[0103] At step M2, a wired communication link is established between the first antenna and the second antenna. This may be achieved by connecting the metal connector 20 of the first antenna 1 to the metal connector 36 of the second antenna 2 as shown by Figure 13. Being SMA connectors, the connectors 20, 36 comprise matching threads that can be engaged by rotating one connector with respect to the other. In other words, one of the connectors 20, 36 is a SMA male-type connector while the other one is a SMA female-type connector. Alternatively, the connectors 20, 36 may be designed such that they form a frictional fit with one another and can be engaged by pushing one connector towards the other. After the connectors 20, 36 have been joined together, the connectors 20, 36 may be wrapped with waterproof mastic tape and then wrapped and sealed with lead-free electrical tape 46. Subsequently, ties 48, 50 may be used to tie both ends of the connectors 20, 36, thereby preventing the connectors 20, 36 from separation. The cables 18, 34 and the joined connectors 20, 36 may be placed in the gap between the internal antenna 1 and the internal surface of the cover 9. A part of the cables 18, 34 may be secured (e.g., by using a tape) to the internal surface of the cover 9.

[0104] Figure 15 schematically illustrates processing steps of a method of operating a passive repeater (e.g., the passive repeater 4).

[0105] At step S1 , a first antenna (e.g., the internal antenna 1) of the passive repeater wirelessly receives first data from a water meter (e.g., one or more of the meters 6). The passive repeater is attached to a cover (e.g., the cover 9) of a meter box (e.g., the meter box 10) which houses the water meter and the first antenna is located within an interior of the meter box. In other words, the first antenna is in wireless communication with the water meter. The wireless communication means that there is no need to install or route any antenna cabling between the water meter and the first antenna. This reduces the installation and maintenance costs of the passive repeater. The first data comprises consumption data indicative of a consumption of water as measured by the water meter.

[0106] The expression “wirelessly receives the first data” means that the first antenna of the passive repeater intercepts electromagnetic waves transmitted by the water meter and produces an electric current at terminals of the first antenna. The electromagnetic waves transmitted by the water meter comprises information indicative of the first data. Accordingly, the electric current produced at the terminals of the first antenna also comprises information indicative of the first data. Thus, it can be said that the first antenna wirelessly receives the first data. It would be appreciated that the first antenna does not comprise any modulator / demodulator and / or amplifier circuits that requires a source of electric power.

[0107] At step S2, a second antenna (e.g., the external antenna 2) of the passive repeater receives the first data from the first antenna. The second antenna is exposed to an exterior of the meter box, and the first and second antennas are in wired communication with one another. At step S3, the second antenna wirelessly transmits the first data to a recipient device that is remote from the water meter, the meter box and the passive repeater.

[0108] By “wirelessly transmits the first data”, it is meant that the second antenna supplies an electric current to its terminals so as to radiate the energy from the electric current as electromagnetic waves. The electric current supplied by the second antenna is from the first antenna through a wired connection between the first and second antennas. Thus, the electric current supplied by the second antenna comprises information indicative of the first data. Accordingly, the electromagnetic waves radiated by the second antenna comprises information indicative of the first data, and it can be said that the second antenna wirelessly transmits the first data. It would be appreciated that the second antenna does not comprise any modulator, amplifier and / or oscillator that requires a source of electric power.

[0109] The recipient device may include a computer server and / or a data management platform used within a remote headend system of a water service provider.

[0110] The method of Figure 15 may comprise the following optional steps S4 to S6.

[0111] At step S4, the second antenna wirelessly receives second data from the recipient device.

[0112] At step S5, the first antenna receives the second data from the second antenna.

[0113] At step S6, the first antenna wirelessly transmits the second data to the water meter.

[0114] The second data may comprise command data and / or control data, which are for controlling an operation of the water meter

[0115] Due to the passive nature of the passive repeater 4, the passive repeater 4 does not require any power supply and can be deployed quickly with low costs. Further, with reference to Figure 14, it can be seen that the passive repeater 4 is easy to install and does not require any maintenance after initial installation. Known solutions to solve the general problem of lack of cellular / RF coverage involve the use of cellular access points, mini-active repeaters, cellular signal boosters, Yagi antenna installation / high mast-tower, RFI directional couplers, Femto cells etc.. All of the known solutions would struggle to yield a positive business case for use with a smart water meter. Some of the involved devices have a device cost of the order of AUD5000. Further, in most cases, the devices required by the known solutions would not be able to fit inside an existing meter box and the involved devices will require power supply and thus complex installation (which further adds to the overall costs).

[0116] Figure 16 shows the measured peak gains of the internal and external antennas 1 , 2 at different frequency ranges (i.e., NB-loT Band 3, Band 8 and Band 28). The lines labelled as “inside” show the peak gains of the internal antenna 1, while the lines labelled as “outside” show the peak gains of the external antenna 2. Antenna gain is the measure of an antenna’s ability to radiate a signal in any direction compared to the theoretical isotropic radiator. In this case, because the antennas 1 , 2 use omnidirectional antenna elements (e.g., 25 to 29), the peak gain is measured. It can be seen that the peak gain is always above 0 dBi, and in most cases above 3 dBi, and the highest peak gain can reach nearly 6dBi.

[0117] Generally speaking, larger antennas can capture more radio waves and thus have higher gains. In this case, the size of the antennas used in the passive repeater 4 is somewhat restricted by the meter box 10. As described above, the internal antenna 1 remains within the interior of the meter box 10 and thus is restricted by the empty space remaining in the meter box 10. The external antenna 2 is preferably dimensioned to minimise interruptions to human activities around the meter box 10 and to minimise visual impact caused thereby.

[0118] Figure 17 shows initial results demonstrating the effectiveness of the passive repeater 4. The results were obtained when the passive repeater 4 was used with Landis+Gyr W350 smart water meters. Figure 17 shows smart water signal levels obtained from 5thApril 2024 to 25thApril 2024. It can be seen that the meters with serial numbers “LG2103952B”, “LG2110620B”, “LG2200617B” and “LG2200618B” were unable to connect to any cellular network until 19thApril 2024. The passive repeater 4 was installed on the 19th of April 2024, and immediately signal levels were obtained from those meters. Consequently, those meters were able to connect to cellular network(s) from 20thApril 2024 onwards.

[0119] The terms “having”, “containing”, “including”, “comprising” and the like are open and the terms indicate the presence of stated structures, elements or features but not preclude the presence of additional elements or features. The articles “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural as well as the singular, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Although the disclosure has been described in terms of preferred embodiments as set forth above, it should be understood that these embodiments are illustrative only and that the claims are not limited to those embodiments. Those skilled in the art will be able to make modifications and alternatives in view of the disclosure which are contemplated as falling within the scope of the appended claims. Each feature disclosed or illustrated in the present specification may be incorporated in the disclosure, whether alone or in any appropriate combination with any other feature disclosed or illustrated herein.

Claims

CLAIMS:1 . A water meter system, comprising: a water meter for measuring a consumption of water and for generating consumption data indicative of the consumption of water; a meter box comprising a frame which at least partially surrounds a periphery of the water meter and a cover for covering the frame; and a passive repeater attached to the cover of the meter box, wherein the passive repeater comprises a first antenna and a second antenna which are in wired communication with one another, and wherein the passive repeater is configured such that, when the cover covers the frame, the first antenna is located within an interior of the meter box and the second antenna is exposed to an exterior of the meter box; wherein the water meter is wirelessly connected through the passive repeater to a recipient device remote from the water meter system, and is configured to transmit data to the recipient device, the transmitted data comprising the consumption data.

2. The water meter system of claim 1 , wherein the first antenna comprises: a first printed circuit board, PCB; at least one first antenna element associated with the first PCB; and a first housing enclosing the first PCB and the at least one first antenna element.

3. The water meter system of claim 2, wherein the first antenna further comprises a reflective plate enclosed by the first housing, and wherein the reflective plate is configured to redirect electromagnetic waves towards the at least one first antenna element.

4. The water meter system of claim 3, wherein the reflective plate is arranged between the at least one first antenna element and an inner surface of the cover.

5. The water meter system of any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the at least one first antenna element comprises an omni-directional antenna element.

6. The water meter system of claim 5, wherein the omni-directional antenna element is circularly polarised.

7. The water meter system of any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the at least one first antenna element is optimised for at least one frequency range, respectively.

8. The water meter system of claim 7, wherein the at least one frequency range comprises one or more of: a first frequency range of 703 MHz to 803 MHz, a second frequency range of 824 MHz to 894 MHz, a third frequency range of 880 MHz to 960 MHz, a fourth frequency range of 1710 MHz to 1880 MHz, and a fifth frequency range of 865 MHz to 928 MHz.

9. The water meter system of any preceding claim, wherein the second antenna comprises: a second PCB; at least one second antenna element associated with the second PCB; and a second housing enclosing the second PCB and the at least one second antenna element.

10. The water meter system of claim 9, wherein the second housing rises above an outer surface of the cover by no more than about 30mm.

11. The water meter system of claim 9 or 10, wherein the second housing has an arcuate surface that faces away from the cover.

12. The water meter system of any one of claims 9 to 11 , wherein the second housing has a flat surface that faces the cover, wherein the flat surface is proximate to or in touch with an outer surface of the cover.

13. The water meter system of any preceding claim, wherein a housing of the first antenna is spaced apart from an inner surface of the cover.

14. The water meter system of claim 13, wherein a wired connection between the first antenna and the second antenna is arranged within a gap between the housing of the first antenna and the inner surface of the cover.

15. The water meter system of any preceding claim, wherein the first antenna is in wireless communication with the water meter.

16. The water meter system of any preceding claim, wherein the first and second antennas are configured to enable bi-directional wireless communication between the water meter and the recipient device.

17. The water meter system of any preceding claim, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are ground plane independent.

18. A method of operating a passive repeater for use with a water meter, comprising: wirelessly receiving, by a first antenna of the passive repeater, first data from the water meter, wherein the passive repeater is attached to a cover of a meter box which houses the water meter and the first antenna is located within an interior of the meter box, and wherein the first data comprises consumption data indicative of a consumption of water as measured by the water meter; receiving, by a second antenna of the passive repeater, the first data from the first antenna, wherein the second antenna is exposed to an exterior of the meter box, and the first and second antennas are in wired communication with one another; and wirelessly transmitting, by the second antenna, the first data to a recipient device that is remote from the water meter, the meter box and the passive repeater.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: wirelessly receiving, by the second antenna, second data from the recipient device; receiving, by the first antenna, the second data from the second antenna; and wirelessly transmitting, by the first antenna, the second data to the water meter.

20. A passive repeater for attaching to a meter box of a smart water meter, comprising: a first antenna and a second antenna which are operable to establish a wired communication with one another; wherein: the first and second antennas are for positioning at opposite sides of a cover of the meter box; andthe first antenna is for establishing a wireless communication with the smart water meter, and the second antenna is for establishing a wireless communication with a recipient device remote from the smart water meter.21 . The passive repeater of claim 20, wherein the first antenna comprises: a first PCB; at least one first antenna element associated with the first PCB; and a first housing enclosing the first PCB and the at least one first antenna element.

22. The passive repeater of claim 21 , wherein the first antenna further comprises a reflective plate enclosed by the first housing, and wherein the reflective plate is configured to redirect electromagnetic waves towards the at least one first antenna element.

23. The passive repeater of claim 21 or 22, wherein the at least one first antenna element comprises a circularly-polarised omni-directional antenna element.

24. The passive repeater of any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein the at least one first antenna element is optimised for at least one frequency range that comprises one or more of: a first frequency range of 703 MHz to 803 MHz, a second frequency range of 824 MHz to 894 MHz, a third frequency range of 880 MHz to 960 MHz, a fourth frequency range of 1710 MHz to 1880 MHz, and a fifth frequency range of 865 MHz to 928 MHz.

25. The passive repeater of any one of claims 20 to 24, wherein the second antenna comprises: a second PCB; at least one second antenna element associated with the second PCB; and a second housing enclosing the second PCB and the at least one second antenna element.

26. The passive repeater of claim 25, wherein the second housing has a thickness of no more than about 20mm.

27. The passive repeater of claim 25 or 26 as dependent from claim 21 , wherein: the first antenna further comprises: a first connector; and a first cable connecting the at least one first antenna element with the first connector; the second antenna further comprises: a second connector; and a second cable connecting the at least one second antenna element with the second connector; and the first antenna and the second antenna are operable to establish a wired communication with one another by connecting the first connector and the second connector.

28. The passive repeater of any one of claims 25 to 27 as dependent from claim 21 , wherein: the first antenna further comprises a first protrusion extending from a surface of the first housing; the second antenna further comprises: a second protrusion extending from a surface of the second housing; the first antenna and the second antenna are operable to be mechanically coupled to one another by mechanically engaging the first protrusion with the second protrusion.

29. The passive repeater of any one of claims 20 to 28, wherein the first antenna is dimensioned so that it can be fitted within an interior of the meter box.

30. The passive repeater of any one of claims 20 to 29, wherein the first and second antennas are operable to enable bi-directional wireless communication between the smart water meter and the recipient device.

31. A method of installing a passive repeater for use with a smart water meter, comprising: attaching the passive repeater to a cover of a meter box such that a first antenna and a second antenna of the passive repeater are arranged at opposite sides of the cover, wherein the meter box comprises a frame which at least partially surrounds a periphery of the smart water meter, and the cover is for covering the frame; and establishing a wired communication link between the first antenna and the second antenna.

32. The method of claim 31 , wherein the second antenna comprises a second housing and a second protrusion which extends from a surface of the second housing, and wherein attaching the passive repeater to the cover comprises: passing the second protrusion of the second antenna through a mounting hole of the cover; and fastening the second antenna to the cover such that the surface of the second housing abuts against an outer surface of the cover.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the first antenna comprises a first housing and a first protrusion which extends from a surface of the first housing, and wherein attaching the passive repeater to the cover comprises: fastening the first protrusion to the second protrusion.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the surface of the first housing is a first surface, and the first housing further comprises a second surface opposite to the first surface, and wherein a distance between the second surface and the inner surface of the cover is less than about 50mm.

35. The method of any one of claims 31 to 34, wherein establishing the wired communication link between the first antenna and the second antenna comprises connecting a first connector of the first antenna to a second connector of the second antenna.

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