A Novel RF Coupler For SMART Utility Meter Remote Antenna Applications

By Norman Smith, Gopinath Gampala & CJ Reddy

In response to climate change nations across the globe have recognized the need for reducing their carbon emissions, and energy consumption.

Governments in the USA, Canada, China and Europe have jumped on the SMART Grid technology band-wagon, as a means of stimulating their depressed economies with green-tech jobs, by passing significant stimulus packages to subsidize utilities that are installing Wireless-enabled Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and SMART Utility Meters.

As deployment rates rise, into the tens of millions of units per year, it is now estimated that 5%-10% of SMART utility meters, with internal antennas, cannot be read remotely due to insufficient local wireless coverage, underground installations or their vandal proof metal enclosures.