GB2345566A

GB2345566A - Automatic meter reading device

Info

Publication number: GB2345566A
Application number: GB9911439A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Katsunori Chihara; Kenichi Shimbo; Kageyasu Miyahara; Kyosuke Yoshimoto
Original assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Current assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Priority date: 1999-01-05
Filing date: 1999-05-17
Publication date: 2000-07-12
Anticipated expiration: 2019-05-17
Also published as: GB9911439D0; GB2345566B; JP2000200322A

Abstract

A meter reading device 2a reads an integrated-amount meter 1 every day and compares the present meter value with a previous meter value recorded in a recording section 20 to assess probability. If it is judged that the present meter value is probable, the meter value within the recording section 20 is updated. Also, the meter value within the recording section 20 is outputted to a host machine 45, for example once a month.

Description

AUTOMATIC METER READtNG DEVICE The present invention relates to an automatic meter reading device that reads a meter value of a meter for an integrated-amount such as gas, electricity or water-line to output the meter value, and more particularly to an automatic meter reading device which is capable of outputting the meter value with more accuracy.

Up to now, a manner of fuie amount of electric power, gas, water-line or the like consumed by each user is generally made by viewing an integrated-amount meter located in user's bouse ay a meter-reaai (meter reader). According to this manner, the meter reader must directiy go to the front of the integrated-amount meter to actually view the meter value for confirmation, This leads to such a problem that it takes time to read each integrated-amount meter because the meter reader must visit the user's house again when the user may be at home, which means two cr mme visits case where the user is absent or in the case where the premises cannot be be entered because of a ferocious dog or the like.

As one countermeasure of solving the above problem, there is a meter radin method using a meter device with an automatic functicn. However, the meter device with an automatic reading function must be substituted for an existing meter. This substitution causes a large-scaled engineering work such that gas or water-line in the house is suspende. In addition, there arises such a problem that the meter per se is considerably expensive so that the large costs arise.

Also, as another countermeasure, there is a meter meting an attachment type automatic meter reading device which involves less -engineering wark, which is inexpensive, and which is attachable to the conventional integrated-amount meter. However, the automatic meter reading device uf the attachment type suffers from such a problem that there is the possibility that the meter value is erroneously read because it optically images a meter indication value and recognizes the imaging information in the form of characters by a character recognizing section to produce read data.

Hereinafter, a specific structure of the above method will be described.

In the attached drawings Fig. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of a conventional meter reading method. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a conventional integrated-amount meter indicative of the consumed amount such as an electric power, 40 is a hand held computer, 41 is a reading notification which is printed out, and 42 is a meter reader.

Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the conventional reading method using the meter device having an automatic-reading runctton.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 a denotes a meter device having an automatic reading function indicative of the consumed amount such as an electric power into which an exterior transmitting function (not shown) for converting a meter value into digital data to transmit the digital data to the exterior is installe. Also, reference numeral 43 denotes a modem that transmit and receives the meter value from the meter device 1 a having the automatic reading function on a telephone line, 44 is a public line network, and 45 is a host machine that conducts tabulation of the inputted meter value, etc.

Fig. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the conventional meter reading metbod. using the automatic meter reading device. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a conventional integrated-amount meter indicative of the consumed amount such as an electric power as shown in Fig. 8, and 2 is an automatic meter reading device of the attachment type. The automatic meter reading device 2 is made up of an imaging section 3, a character recognizing section 4, an I/F section 5, a power supply section 6 and a control section 7. Also, reference numeral 8 denotes a line, and 9 is a host-side I/F section.

Subsequently, the operation of the automatic meter reading device 2 shown in Fig. 10 will be described. The control section 7 instructs the imaging of the integrated-amount meter 1 to the imaging section 3, for example, when reading date comes. In response to this, the imaging section 3 optically images the meter value of the integrated-amount meter 1 to output imaging information to the character recognizing section 4. The character recognizing section 4 recognizes the inputted imaging information in the form of characters and converts the recognized information into digital data representative of the meter value to output the digital data to the I/F section 5. The I/F section 5 outputs the inputted meter value to the host machine 45 through the line 8 and the host-side I/F section 9. The power supply section 6 supplies an electric power to the imaging section 3, the character recognizing section 4, the I/F section 5 and the control section 7, respectively.

With the above structure, if the automatic meter reading device 2 shown in Fig.

10 is used, the digital data representative of the data value can be outputted to the host machine 45 while the conventional integrated-amount meter 1 is used, thereby obviating the meter reader and inexpensively calibrating the meter value by using the conventional integrated-amount meter 1 as it is.

However, the conventional automatic meter reading device thus structured suffers from the problem that since the imaging information of the integrated-amount meter 1 is recognized in the form of characters to output the digital data representative of the meter value, there is a case in which there occurs a character recognition error (for example, an error in recognition of similarly shaped numerals such as 3 and 8, or 5 and 6) depending on the imaging condition to make it impossible to output an accurate meter value.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and therefore an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic meter reading device which detects a character recognition error, thereby making it possible to output a meter value high in accuracy.

In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic meter reading device, comprising imaging section for imaging a display section of an integrated-amount meter; a character recognizing section for recognizing the contents of the display section which are imaged by the imaging section in the form of characters to output numerical data; a recording section for recording the numerical data; and control means for starting the imaging section and the character recognizing section at a given time interval to make the character recognizing section output the numerical data, wherein the control means compares the numerical data within the recording section with the numerical data from the character recognizing section, and updates the numerical data within the recording section if the control means judges that the numerical data from the character recognizing section is probable.

The control means may record a recording time of the numerical data in the recording section and calculate a predicted value as a judgement reference for probability of the numerical datafromthe numerical data and the recording time. Further, the automatic meter reading device may have output means for outputting the numerical data and the recording time which are recorded in the recording section to the exterior.

The character recognizing section may output plural pieces of numerical data, and the control means compare the plural pieces of numerical data with the predicted value in order to retrieve probable numerical data.

According to another-aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic meter reading device, comprising an imaging section for imaging a display section of an integrated-amount meter ; a character recognizing section for recognizing the contents of the display section which are imaged by the imaging section in the form of characters to output numerical data; a storage table for storing the numerical data of plural pieces; and control means for starting the imaging section and the character recognizing section at a given time interval to make the character recognizing section output the numerical data, wherein the control means compares the numerical data within the storage table with the numerical data from the character recognizing section in order, and stores the numerical data from the character recognizing section in the storage table if the control means judges that the numerical data from the character recognizing section is probable.

In this aspect the control means may store the numerical data from the character recognizing section until the numerical data within the storage table reaches a predetermined number. Further, the control means may compare the numerical data within the storage table with the numerical data from the character recognizing section in order and discard all of the numerical data within the storage table if the control means judges that the numerical data unprobable.

The invention will be further described by way of {limitative example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a structural diagram showing an automatic meter reading device in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing a meter value comparing operation which is conducted by a control section shown in Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 is a structural diagram showing an automatic meter reading device in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the meter value comparing operation which is conducted by the control section shown in Fig, 3; Fig. 5 is a structural diagram showing an automatic meter reading device in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 6 is a structural diagram showing a storage table and a storage counter which are recorded in the recording section shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the meter value comparing operation which is conducted by the control section shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of a conventional calibrating method through a calibrating persons'viewing ; Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the conventional calibrating method using a meter device having an automatic calibrating function ; and Fig. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the conventional calibrating method using an automatic meter reading device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a structural diagram showing an automatic meter reading device in accordance with a first embodiment, and reference numerals identical with those in Fig. 10 denote the same or equivalent functions, and their description will be omitted. In the figure, reference numeral 2a denotes a meter reading device, 4a is a character recognizing section, 7a is a control section, and 20 is a recording section. Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing a meter value comparing operation of the integrated-amount meter 1 which is conducted by the control section 7a. In the recording section 20, the meter value of the integrated-amount meter 1 (hereinafter, referred to as"meter value") and the number of non-updated dates which will be described later are recorded. In this example, it is assumed that at a time point where the automatic meter reading device 2a starts up, a predetermined value (for example, OxFF) indicative of the start-up is set on the meter value which is recorded in the recording section 20.

The outline of the operation of the automatic meter reading device 2a shown in Fig. 1 is described below.

The control section 7a outputs the meter value, which is recorded in the recording section 20, for example, when a calibrating date comes, to the host machine 45.

Also, the control section 7a reads the meter value of the integrated-amount meter 1 every predetermined period of time and updates the meter value within the recording section 20 in the case where the read meter value is probable.

Further, the control section 7a judges that the meter value of the integrated-amount meter 1 is probable if it is larger than the meter value within the recording section 20 and smaller than the sum of the meter value within the recording section 20 and the predicted amount most used during a period from a previous calibrating time to a present calibrating time.

Herein, the following definitions are made for giving a description more specifically and simply.

A calibrating date is once per month, and the control section 7a outputs the meter value within the recording section 20 to the host machine 45 at the calibrating date.

In this example, a predetermined period of time is one day.

The number of non-updated dates is recorded in the recording section 20. The number of non-updated dates means the number of dates at which updating was not made among the number of dates from a recording date of the meter value within the recording section 20 to a present meter reading date.

The maximum amount which is useable in one day is called"predicted amount".

Then, the operation of comparing the meter value of the integrated-amount meter 1 by the control section 7a will be described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

The control section 7a instructs the imaging operation of the integrated-amount meter 1 to the imaging section 3 at a given time once per day. In response to this, the imaging section 3 outputs imaging information to the character recognizing section 4a. The character recognizing section 4a recognizes the inputted imaging information in the form of characters and converts the information into digital data representative of a meter value to output the digital data to the control section 7a.

The character recognizing section 4a matchingly compares the imaging information with template patterns prepared in the interior thereof to conduct character recognition so as to select a numeral which is the highest in similarity.

With the above operation, the control section 7a inputs the digital data from the character recognizing section 4a as a present meter value in step S1 shown in Fig.

2, and shifts the operation to step S2. In step S2, the control section 7a inputs the meter value recorded in the recording section 20, and shifts the operation to step S3.

The control section 7a judges in step S3 whether the meter value is identical with a predetermined value, or not, and shifts the operation to step S4 if identical, and shifts the operation to step S6 if not identical. Also, the control section 7a writes the present meter value to the meter value within the recording section 20 in step S4, and shifts the operation to step S5. The control section 7a sets the number of non-updated dates within the recording section 20 at 1 in step S5, thus completing the operation.

Also, the control section 7a inputs the number of non-updated dates within the recording section 20 in step S6 and shifts the operation to step S7. Also, in step S7, the control section 7a shifts the operation to step S8 if the present meter value is larger than the meter value and smaller than (meter value + the number of non-updated dates x predicted amount), but to step S10 if not. In step S8, the control section 7a writes the present meter value to the meter value within the recording section 20 and then shifts the operation to step S9. In step S9, the control section 7a sets the number of non-updated dates within the recording section 20 at 1 to complete the operation. Also, in step S10, the control section 7a makes an increment on the number of non-updated dates within the recording section 20 (adds 1 to the number of non-updated dates) to complete the operation.

With the above operation, the automatic meter reading device 2a shown in Fig.

1 outputs the meter value within the recording section 20 which has been updated by only a probable value to the host machine 45 through the I/F section 5 when a calibrating date comes, resulting in that a more probable meter value can be outputted to the host machine 45, to thereby improve the reliability. Also, in the case where the number of non-updated dates exceeds a predetermined number of dates, it is acceptable that the processing of steps S4 and S5 are executed, and the meter value within the recording section 20 is reset.

Also, in the case where the control section 7a outputs the meter value within the recording section 20 to the host machine 45, if it outputs the number of non-updated dates together with the meter value thereto, it can be presumed when the meter value inputted at the host machine 45 side has been recorded, to thereby make various adaptations at the host machine 45 side possible. The flowchart of the operation shown in Fig. 2 shows one example, and it is needless to say that the definitions of the number of non-updated dates recorded in the recording section 20, etc., may be altered, or the contents of the flowchart may be altered.

Second Embodiment Fig. 3 is a structural diagram showing an automatic meter reading device in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, and reference numerals identical with those in Fig. 1 denote the same or equivalent functions, and their description will be omitted. In the figure, reference numeral 2b denotes an automatic meter reading device, 4b is a character recognizing section, and 7b is a control section. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the meter value comparing operation of the integrated-amount meter 1 which is conducted by the control section 7b.

The automatic meter reading device 2b shown in Fig. 3 is different from the automatic meter reading device shown in Fig. 1 in that the character recognizing section 4b outputs a plurality of meter values including a first present meter value, a second present meter value,... and an n-th present meter value. Also, the above difference accompanies the different operation of the control section 7b.

Subsequently, the operation of the automatic meter reading device 2b shown in Fig. 3 will be described. The control section 7b outputs the meter value recorded in the recording section 20 to the host machine 45 through the I/F section 5, for example, when a calibrating date comes once a month. Also, the control section 7b executes the operation of reading the meter value every predetermined period of time to update a meter value recorded in the recording section 20, for example, between the calibrating dates that arrive once per month. Similarly to the first embodiment, for the purpose of simplification, it is set that the calibrating date arrives once per month, the predetermined period of time is one day, thus the following description is made.

The control section 7b instructs the imaging operation of the integrated-amount meter 1 to the imaging section 3 at a predetermined time once a day. In response to this, the imaging section 3 outputs imaging information to the character recognizing section 4b. Also, the character recognizing section 4b recognizes the inputted imaging information in the form of characters and converts it into digital data to output the digital data to the control section 7b. The character recognizing section 4b matchingly compares the imaging information with template patterns prepared in the interior thereof to output, to the control section 7b, n-kinds of present meter values including the first present meter value, the second present meter value,... and the n-th present meter value in the order higher in similarity as the digital data.

As a result, the control section 7b inputs a pl urality of present meter values and the number n of the present meter values from the character recognizing section 4b in step S21 shown in Fig. 4, and shifts the operation to step S22. In step S22, the control section 7b inputs the meter value from the recording section 20, and shifts the operation to step S23. AJso, the control section 7b judges whether the meter value is identical with the predetermined value, or not, in step S23. If identical, the control section 7b shifts the operation to step S24, and if not identical, the control section 7b shifts the operation to step S26. In step S24, the control section 7b writes the first present meter value to the meter value within the recording section 20 and shifts the operation to step S25, and in step S25, the control section 7b sets 1 on the number of non-updated dates within the recording section 20 to complete the operation.

The control section 7b inputs the number of non-updated dates within the recording section 20 in step S26, and shifts the operation to step S27. In step S27, the control section 7b sets a parameter i at 1 and shifts the operation to step S28.

In step S28, the control section 7b judges whether the parameter i is equal to or less than the number n of the present meter values, or not. If it is equal to or less than n, the control section 7b shifts the operation to step S29 whereas if not, the control section 7b shifts the operation to step S34. Also, the control section 7b sets the i-th present meter value on the present meter value in step S29, and shifts the operation to step S30. In step S30, the control section 7b shifts the operation to step S31 if the present meter value is larger than the meter value and smaller than (meter value + the number of non-updated dates x predicted amount), but to step S33 if not. In step S33, the control section 7b makes an increment on the parameter i, and shifts the operation to step S28.

In step S31, the control section 7b writes the present meter value to the meter value within the recording section 20 and then shifts the operation to step S32. In step S32, the control section 7b sets the number of non-updated dates within the recording section 20 at 1 to complete the operation. AJso, in step S34, the control section 7b makes an increment on the number of non-updated dates within the recording section 20 (adds 1 to the number of non-updated dates) to complete the operation. Further, the control section 7b outputs the meter value within the recording section 20 to the host machine 45 through the I/F section 5 when a calibrating date comes.

With the above operation, the automatic meter value reading device 2b shown in Fig. 3 outputs the meter value within the recording section 20 which has been updated by only a probable value to the host machine 45 through the IJF section 5 when a calibrating date comes, resulting in that a more probable meter value can be outputted to the host machine 45, to thereby improve the reliability. Also, since the meter values within the recording section 20 is updated by a plurality of present meter values outputted by the character recognizing section 4b, the updatable ratio is heightened as compared with that in the first embodiment. That is, the meter value within the recording section 20 is higher in probability at which updating can be made than that in the first embodiment so that more accurate metervalue can be outputted to the host machine 45.

Third Embodiment Fig. 5 is a structural diagram showing an automatic meter reading device in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, and reference numerals identical with those in Fig. 1 denote the same or equivalent functions, and their description will be omitted. In the figure, reference numeral 2c denotes an automatic meter reading device, 7c is a control section and 20a is a recording section. Fig. 6 is a structural diagram showing a storage table 30 and a storage counter 31 which are recorded in the recording section 20a, and Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the meter value comparing operation of the integrated-amount meter 1 which is conducted by the control section 7c.

The automatic meter reading device 2c shown in Fig. 5 is different from the automatic meter reading device 2a shown in Fig. 1 in that the structure where the meter value and the number of non-updated dates are recorded in the recording section 20a is replaced by the provision of the storage table 30. Also, the above difference accompanies the different operation of the control section 7c. For simplification, in this example, it is assumed that the number of storage tables 30 is m.

Subsequently, the operation of the automatic meter reading device 2c shown in Fig. 5 will be described. The control section 7c initializes the storage table 30 (for example, cleared to 0) at a time where the automatic meter reading device 2c starts, and inserts 1 in the storage counter 31. Also, the control section 7c instructs the imaging operation of the integrated-amount meter 1 to the imaging section 3 at a predetermined time once a day. As a result, the imaging section 3 outputs the imaging information to the character recognizing section 4a. Also, the character recognizing section 4a recognizes the inputted imaging information in the form of characters and converts the information into digital data to output the digital data to the control section 7c.

As a result, the control section 7c inputs the present meter value from the character recognizing section 4a in step S41 shown in Fig. 7, and shifts the operation to step S42. In step S42, the control section 7c judges whether the storage counter 31 is equal to or more than m, or not. If equal to or more than m, the control section 7c shifts the operation to step S45, and if not, it shifts the operation to step S43. In step S43, the control section 7c records the present meter value at a position indicated by the storage counter 31 in the storage table 30, and shifts the operation to step S44. In step S44, the control section 7c makes an increment on the storage counter 31 to complete the operation.

In step S45, the control section 7c sets a parameter i at m, sets the number of non-updated dates which is a parameter at 1 and shifts the operation to step S46.

In step S46, if the present meter value is larger than the i-th value of the storage table 30 and smaller than (the i-th value of the storage table 30 + the number of non-updated dates x predicted amount), the control section 7c shifts the operation to step S50 and if not, it shifts the operation to step S47. Also, the control section 7c makes a decrement on the parameter i and an increment on the number of non-updated dates in step S47, and shifts the operation to step S48. In step S48, the control section 7c judges whether the parameter i is 0 or less, or not. If 0 or less, the control section 7c shifts the operation to step S49, and if not, it shifts the operation to step S46.

The control section 7c initializes the storage table 30 and sets the storage counter 31 at 1 to complete the operation in step S49. In step S50, the control section 7c updates the storage table 30 to complete the operation. The process of updating the storage table 30 is processing in which the oldest meter value stored in the storage table 30 is discarded, and the present meter value is stored in the storage table 30. A specific process will be described below.

The first meter value of the storage table 30 is discarded.

The second meter value is shifted to the first one, the third meter value is shifted to the second one,... the m-th meter value is shifted to the (m-1)-th one.

The present meter value is recorded at the m-th meter value of the storage table 30.

As a result, the automatic meter reading device 2c shown in Fig. 5 is furnished with the storage table 30 for storing the past meter value in the recording section 20a, and the probability of the present meter value is confirmed by a plurality of meter values recorded in past. As a result, because the degree to which the present meter value is judged to be probable increases, the present meter value can be more effectively used. In the state of step S49, if all the data is discarded, the meter value can be re-canceled, to thereby improve the reliability.

Although the character recognizing section 4a used in Fig. 5 outputs only one meter value, the control section 7c may be operated by the flowchart in combination with that of Fig. 4, using the character recognizing section 4b employed in Fig. 3 which can output a plurality of meter values. In the case where the control section 7c

Also, according to the present invention, in the automatic meter reading device, the control means records a recording time of the numerical data in the recording section and calculates a predicted value as a judgement reference for probability of the numerical data from the numerical data and the recording time. Accordingly, the probability can be surely judged.

Further, according to the present invention, in the automatic meter reading device, there is further provided output means for outputting the numerical data and the recording time which are recorded in the recording section to the exterior.

Accordingly, the worth of the numerical data can be judged according to the recording time by the exterior.

Still further, according to the present invention, in the automatic meter reading device, the character recognizing section outputs plural pieces of numerical data, and the control means compares the plural pieces of numerical data with the predicted value in order to retrieve probable numerical data. Accordingly, the probability that the numerical data can be updated is elevated, and the latest numerical data can be recorded in the recording section.

Yet still further, according to the present invention, in the automatic meter reading device, a character recognizing section recognizes the contents of the display section which are imaged by the imaging section in the form of characters to output numerical data, a storage table stores the numerical data of plural pieces, and control means starts the imaging section and the character recognizing-section at a given time interval to make the character recognizing section output the numerical data. Also, the control means compares the numerical data within the storage table with the numerical data from the character recognizing section in order, and stores the numerical data from the character recognizing section in the storage table if the control means judges that the numerical data from the character recognizing section is probable. Accordingly, an increase in numerical data that judges the probability heightens selectivity.

Yet still further, according to the present invention, in the automatic meter reading device, the control means stores the numerical data from the character recognizing section until the numerical data within the storage table reaches a predetermined number. Accordingly, the selectivity is heightened.

Yet still further, according to the present invention, in the automatic meter reading device, the control means compares the numerical data within the storage table with the numerical data from the character recognizing section in order and discards all of the numerical data within the storage table if the control means judges that the numerical data is unprobable. Accordingly, more probable numerical data can be stored in the storage table.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. An automatic meter reading device, comprising an imaging section for imaging a display section of an integrated-amount meter; a character recognizing section for recognizing the contents of the display section which are imaged by said imaging section in the form of characters to output numerical data ; a recording section for recording said numerical data; and control means for starting said imaging section and said character recognizing section at a given time interval to make said character recognizing section output the numerical data, wherein said control means compares the numerical data within said recording section with the numerical data from said character recognizing section, and updates the numerical data within said recording section if said control means judges that the numerical data from said character recognizing section is probable.
2. An automatic meter reading device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control means records a recording time of the numerical data in said recording section and calculates a predicted value as a judgement reference for probability of the numerical data from the numerical data and the recording time.
3. An automatic meter reading device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, further comprising output means for outputting the numerical data and the recording time which are recorded in said recording section to the exterior.
4. An automatic meter reading device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said character recognizing section outputs plural pieces of numerical data, and said control means compares the plural pieces of numerical data with the predicted value in order to retrieve probable numerical data.
5. An automatic meter reading device, comprising an imaging section for imaging a display section of an integrated-amount meter; a character recognizing section for recognizing the contents of the display section which are imaged by said imaging section in the form of characters to output numerical data; a storage table for storing the numerical data of plural pieces; and control means for starting said imaging section and said character recognizing section at a given time interval to make said character recognizing section outputthe numerical data, wherein said control means compares the numerical data within said storage table with the numerical data from said character recognizing section in order, and stores the numerical data from said character recognizing section in said storage table if said control means judges that the numerical data from said character recognizing section is probable.
6. An automatic meter reading device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said control means storesthe numerical datafrom said character recognizing section until the numerical data within said storage table reaches a predetermined number.
7. An automatic meter reading device as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein said control means compares the numerical data within said storage table with the numerical data from said character recognizing section in order and discards all of the numerical data within said storage table if said control means judges that the numerical data is unprobable.
8. An automatic meter reading device constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as-illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.