Automated Meter Reader (AMR) Retrofit Module

With increasing demands for automated meter reading (AMR) capabilities in water, heat, and gas meters, many utilities are opting for MID-certified "plug-and-play" retrofit modules for existing mechanical meters. This approach offers a viable alternative to completely replacing them with electronic meters before their lifespan ends.

The following concept was developed for a mechanical water retrofit module, but its operation is media-agnostic (applicable to heat and gas) and fully compatible with electronic direct drive meters (without a mechanical gearbox).

System Benefits:

• The flexible low-power MCU options reduce BOM, enabling single-chip functionality for various meter types:
  • Mechanical/retrofitting meters: run both metrology (measuring energy, water, or gas) and application (communication protocol, data processing) functions in a simplified, retrofit design with a low-cost MCU.
  • Meters with electronic display: provide a meter interface for an improved user experience with reduced external components, using an MCU with an on-chip LCD controller.
• The flexible design supports the use of other Renesas MCUs to adapt to future market trends, especially for complex communication schemes.
• The buck-boost DC/DC converter enhances RF transceiver operability and significantly extends the system's lifetime by efficiently utilizing the battery's capacity.