Utility Meter Image Difference Processing for Data Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods for obtaining utility meter readings are labor-intensive and prone to human errors, lacking a physical record of actual readings for performance evaluation and bill verification.
Innovation Solution
A system that captures digital images of utility meters, processes them to produce difference digital images for reduced data storage and transfer, and reconstructs original images for accurate meter reading extraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional manual meter reading methods are used, then human errors and lack of physical records are avoided, but labor intensity increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses digital image copying to replace manual visual reading. The image acquisition unit captures digital images of utility meters, creating permanent physical records that can be stored and processed. This eliminates human error in reading while maintaining high productivity through automated image processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/manual process of visually reading meters and writing down readings with an automated digital imaging system. The image acquisition unit and processing system automatically capture, process, and extract meter information from digital images, eliminating manual labor while improving both accuracy and efficiency.
2Loss of information
If full digital images are stored and transferred, then complete record of meter readings is maintained, but data storage requirements and transfer time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential information from the full digital images by processing them to create difference digital images. The processor compares current images with reference images and extracts only the changes, creating a compressed representation that maintains complete record information while significantly reducing data volume for storage and transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the data representation parameters by transforming full images into difference images. This parameter transformation reduces the quantity of data while preserving the essential information needed for accurate meter reading records, optimizing the balance between data completeness and storage efficiency.
3Device complexity
If manual meter reading is used, then device complexity is low, but labor costs and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service automated system where the image acquisition unit automatically captures images of utility meters without requiring manual intervention for each reading. The system performs self-processing of images and extraction of meter information, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual reading operations while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular design.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for collecting images of monitored devices, such as utility meters for electricity, gas and water, captures a digital image of a monitored device and produces a difference digital image from the digital image using a reference digital image of the monitored device. The difference digital image has pixel values derived from differences between corresponding pixel values of the digital image and the reference digital image. The difference digital image is smaller in data size than the original digital image. The original digital image can be reconstructed from the difference digital image using the reference digital image.