Patent attributes
An apparatus including narrowband receivers and a controller. The narrowband receivers are deployed geographically within a grid, where each of the narrowband receivers is configured to receive transmissions from a least one of a plurality of automated meter reading (AMR) meters, and where each of the plurality of AMR meters transmits identical data on each of a plurality of frequency bands that are hopped according to an unknown hopping sequence, but a known hop rate. The controller is coupled to the narrowband receivers, and is configured to control the narrowband receivers such that the each of the plurality of AMR meters is identified, and is configured to control the narrowband receivers such that corresponding data from the each of the AMR meters is received on at least one of the plurality of frequency bands.
