Utility companies that supply natural gas lose an estimated $2 billion each year in the United States because of delinquent customers. Turning off the gas supply to non-paying customers is expensive because it requires an on-site visit with possible legal and law enforcement backup. The ability to disable the gas supply remotely can save a lot of hassle and can also have a deterrent effect on potential non-paying customers. One of our customers, C&N Engineering, came up with such a device and sought our help in developing the electronics and software for it.

The resulting CNE GasGate prototype is installed in line with the gas supply and can be disabled from the street several hundred feet away with a wireless signal. This ultra-low power wireless device runs for 10 years on a single battery and uses a novel communication protocol to reduce power consumption yet provide rapid response to signals from a truck mounted communications device driving down the street. The prototype devices are in field trials and early feedback from utility companies has been very encouraging.