Localization of orphan utility meters based on spatio-temporal signature information

As utilities convert from manual meter reading to automated systems, a new set of operation challenges arise in the day-to-day operation of the metering system. One of the most significant problems occurs when a meter is installed, but the physical location of the meter has not been properly recorded by the utilitiespsila system of record. This condition is commonly referred to as an ldquoorphanrdquo meter. Current methods of locating orphan meters are manual and time intensive. This paper presents a new method for electronically locating orphan meters. The technique leverages spatio-temporal correlations between the reference meters and the orphan meter. Additional information, such as the received signal power, is also used to provide more robust location estimation performance. Ray-tracing simulation and field measurement results have shown promising localization results of the orphan meters.