In this paper, a smart metering system for domestic water flow
meters is presented. The system comprises front-end readers that
are attached to the legacy mechanical flow meters, and a cloudbased
back-end system for data collection, monitoring and
control. The paper focuses on the difficulties and challenges
associated with the front-end segment, where tough requirements
are imposed by utility companies. Careful firmware-hardware codesign
is presented, with a main focus on the energy constraint.
The processor selection and the architecture of the embedded
firmware which achieves a system lifetime of 5 years yet allows
daily communication is also demonstrated. Finally, the roadmap
for mass production and deployment is considered.