Automatic Meter Reading – AMR

Automatic Meter Reading Unit
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Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) Modem

SANDS make of AMR Modem SAM-1101 is a smart electric meter reading device that can be connected to any make of electronic energy meter by means of an optical/ RS232 port, which is compliant with DLMS – IEC 62056-21 standard. The electric meters measuring energy consumption can be located in either consumer premises or in distribution transformers. The modem draws its power from the meter terminal block and connects to the communication port of the meter. Thus this add-on electric meter reading system is non-intrusive and can be retrofitted easily to any meter. The Electric Meter Reading units use GSM/GPRS communication technology and have built-in intelligence to talk to the DLMS meter. AMR system is compatible with a 4G network to push the power consumption-billing data, load survey data, and event data to a cloud-based server, with fallback options to 3G & 2G.

The AMR solutions can push the following data from the meter at predefined periodicity – hourly/daily/weekly/monthly, based on the requirements, and the same can be configured dynamically. The Data Concentrator Unit (also called Gateway) receives the metering data and sends it back to the billing system. And when you’re ready to upgrade to Advanced Metering Infrastructure, our wireless automated meter reading device allows you to easily migrate your Automatic Electric Meter Reading Infrastructure to our fixed-base communication network. The AMI infrastructure allows for Real-time Demand Prediction and planning.

Typical profiles are:

  • Instantaneous parameters, at the time of reading
  • Billing data, present & last 12 months’ histories
  • Load survey, 30 days/ complete no. of days stored
  • Tamper data, Settings/Configuration data
  • Transaction events

Key Features of ELECTRIC METER READING SYSTEM

  • Compatible with any make of DLMS meter also it can detect and read all the profiles.
  • The modem has a built-in DLMS Client stack, as a result the modem can read and Push the data to any designated server, in a secure manner.
  • It can interface with the meters either through an optical port or RS-232 or RS-485 communication medium, as available in the meter.
  • The modem draws its power from the meter terminals and does not require any separate power source. In order to keep the VA burden on the metering circuit low (if used for HT applications), and to add redundancy, the modem has a built-in three-phase SMPS, capable of operating in the voltage range of 90 V to 312 AC – phase to neutral at 50 Hz.
  • In the event of phase failures, the meter reading unit is capable of operating even in a single-phase voltage. The average power consumption of the modem is less than 15 Watts during data transmission periods and less than 2 Watts during idle periods. Also, it is rugged and can withstand surges up to 6kV.
  • The modem is capable of initiating the data transfer within 5 minutes of establishing the connection with the network.
  • The modem is provided with a sealable SIM cardholder, to prevent unauthorized access.
  • It also supports a wide range of standards across the globe.
  • The modem is provisioned to fit an external flexible antenna (6dBi Spiral) to provide better signal strength and improve the data transfer performance.
  • The intelligent modem provides meter data read, store, and forward (transfer) functions. It can also check and transmit the network signal strength, to help the management to assess the performance of the service provider in that area.
  • The automatic meter reading unit can be controlled and firmware upgraded remotely with a secure password.
  • The modem can operate reliably in the temperature range of -25°C to +60°C, and can be stored at -40°C to +80°C
System Architecture
Various GPRS features supported by the modem
  • Multi Slot Class 12 or Multi Slot Class 10
  • Mobile Station Class B
  • Modulating and Coding Schemes: MCS 1 to 9
  • Packet Channel Support: PBCCH
  • Dual Band GSM/GPRS 900/1800 MHz
  • GPRS between modem and data centre should be more than 40kbps
The Modem meets the following EMI/EMC specifications
  • Electrostatic Discharge IEC61000-4-2
  • Fast Transient Burst IEC61000-4-4
  • Surges Immunity IEC61000-4-5
  • Conducted emission as per CISPR 22
  • Radiated emissions as per CISPR 22
  • Radiated susceptibility as per IEC61000-4-3
Remote operations and functions

The modem has a special Program Over the Air (POTA) feature to facilitate the programming of the modem remotely from the server, using security channels and procedures. The automatic electric meter reading system also provides the following remote / auto operations and functions:

  • Remote Start/ Stop and Restart feature.
  • Auto recover feature in case modem / network hanging
  • Comprehensive self-diagnosis feature with log file with all at a periodicity and link check for communication.
  • On demand SMS request for Instantaneous Parameters
  • Real time outages and alarms as alerts can be sent to the server
  •  Automatic pushing of meter data at configured regular intervals