Wireless intelligent electronic device

• US 10,048,088 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2016
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EI Electronics LLC (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Electro Industries/Gaugetech
• Inventors: Spanier, Joseph, Banhegyesi, Tibor, Martinez, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Leon-Viet
• Application Number:
  US15/218,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20160370204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

An intelligent electronic device (IED) is provided. The IED includes a metering sub-assembly and an input base module sub-assembly. The metering sub-assembly is hinged to the input base module sub-assembly, where when in an open position, various cables, connectors, and input/output cards/modules are accessible. Various input/output cards/modules are interchangeable to add/change functionality and/or communication capabilities to the IED. In one embodiment, a communication card is provided with at least one antenna disposed internal or external to a housing of the IED.

Claims

1. A socket based revenue meter comprising:

a generally cylindrical housing including an outer surface, the housing including at least one louver that dissipates heat from inside the housing;

at least one antenna;

at least one antenna holder configured to be coupled to the outer surface of the housing and retain the at least one antenna, the at least one antenna holder configured to conform to at least a portion of the outer surface of the housing, the antenna holder including at least one tab configured to interact with the at least one louver to retain the at least one antenna holder to the outer surface of the housing;

a base coupled to the housing including at least one terminal mateable with matching jaws of a detachable meter mounting device for connecting the meter to a power line of a power distribution system;

at least one sensor disposed in the housing and coupled to at least one terminal, the at least one sensor measures at least one parameter of the power line and generates at least one analog signal indicative of the at least one parameter;

at least one analog to digital converter disposed in the housing and coupled to the at least one sensor, the at least one analog to digital converter receives the at least one analog signal and converts the at least one analog signal to at least one digital signal;

at least one processor disposed in the housing, the at least one processor receives the at least one digital signal and calculates at least one power parameter of the power line; and

a communication device coupled to the at least one antenna and disposed in the housing that receives the calculated at least one power parameter and wirelessly transmits the calculated at least one power parameter to a remote computing device via the at least one antenna.

2. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 1, further comprising at least one second antenna holder and at least one second antenna, the at least one second antenna holder configured to be coupled to the outer surface of the housing and retain the at least one second antenna, wherein the at least one first antenna is configured as a main antenna and the at least one second antenna is configured as a diversity antenna.

3. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 2, wherein the at least one first antenna holder is disposed at a first position on the outer surface of the housing and the at least one second antenna holder is disposed at a second position on the outer surface of the housing, the second position opposite the first position.

4. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 1, wherein the at least one antenna holder further comprises a mounting plate and a cover to retain the at least one antenna therebetween.

5. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 1, wherein the at least one antenna is disposed on a flexible substrate, the flexible substrate retained by the at least one antenna holder.

6. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 5, wherein the at least one antenna holder and the flexible substrate conform to the at least a portion of the outer surface of the housing.

7. A socket based revenue meter comprising:

a generally cylindrical outer housing including an inner surface;

at least one antenna;

an antenna holder that supports the at least one antenna and conforms to the inner surface of the outer housing;

a base coupled to the housing including at least one terminal mateable with matching jaws of a detachable meter mounting device for connecting the meter to a power line of a power distribution system;

at least one sensor disposed in the outer housing and coupled to at least one terminal, the at least one sensor measures at least one parameter of the power line and generates at least one analog signal indicative of the at least one parameter;

at least one analog to digital converter disposed in the housing and coupled to the at least one sensor, the at least one analog to digital converter receives the at least one analog signal and converts the at least one analog signal to at least one digital signal;

at least one processor disposed in the housing, the at least one processor receives the at least one digital signal and calculates at least one power parameter of the power line; and

a communication device coupled to the at least one antenna and disposed in the outer housing that receives the calculated at least one power parameter and wirelessly transmits the calculated at least one power parameter to a remote computing device via the at least one antenna.

8. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 7, wherein the at least one antenna is disposed on a flexible substrate, the flexible substrate conforming to a surface of the antenna holder.

9. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 8, wherein the at least one antenna includes a main antenna and a diversity antenna, the main antenna and the diversity antenna being disposed on the flexible substrate.

10. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 7, further comprising an inner housing that supports the communication device, wherein the antenna holder is coupled to the inner housing and conforms to an outer surface of the inner housing.

11. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 8, wherein the at least one antenna is printed onto the flexible substrate using conductive ink.

12. A socket based revenue meter comprising:

a generally cylindrical housing;

a base coupled to the housing including at least one terminal mateable with matching jaws of a detachable meter mounting device for connecting the meter to a power line of a power distribution system;

a generally cylindrical cover having an open end and a closed end, the cover being disposed over the housing and the open end being mateable with the base, wherein at least one antenna is disposed on an inner surface of the cover;

at least one sensor disposed in the housing and coupled to the at least one terminal, the at least one sensor measures at least one parameter of the power line and generates at least one analog signal indicative of the at least one parameter;

at least one analog to digital converter disposed in the housing and coupled to the at least one sensor, the at least one analog to digital converted receives the at least one analog signal and converts the at least one analog signal to at least one digital signal;

at least one processor disposed in the housing, the at least one processor receives the at least one digital signal and calculates at least one power parameter in the electrical circuit; and

a communication device coupled to the at least one antenna and disposed in the housing, the communication device receives the calculated at least one power parameter and wirelessly transmits the calculated at least one power parameter to a remote computing device via the at least one antenna.

13. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 12, wherein the at least one antenna is configured to conform to the inner surface of the cover.

14. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 12, wherein the at least one antenna is configured to substantially cover the entire surface area of the inner surface of the cover.

15. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 12, wherein the open end of the cover includes a rim, the rim including at least one contact coupled to the at least one antenna and the base including at least one complementary contact coupled to the communication device, wherein when the cover is disposed over the housing to mate the rim to the base, the at least one contact is coupled to the at least one complementary contact to couple the antenna to the communication device.

16. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 12, wherein the at least one antenna is coupled to the communication device via at least one electrical trace.

17. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 16, wherein the electrical trace is printed on the inner surface of the cover.

18. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 17, wherein the electrical trace is printed with transparent conductive ink.

19. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 12, wherein the at least one antenna is made of transparent conductive ink.

20. An intelligent electronic device for monitoring power usage of an electrical circuit comprising:

a housing;

at least one sensor coupled to the electric circuit, the at least one sensor measures at least one parameter of the electrical circuit and generates at least one analog signal indicative of the at least one parameter;

at least one analog to digital converter coupled to the at least one sensor, the at least one analog to digital converter receives the at least one analog signal and converts the at least one analog signal to at least one digital signal;

at least one processor that receives the at least one digital signal and calculates at least one power parameter of the electrical circuit; and

a communication device coupled to the at least one processor, the communication device receives the calculated at least one power parameter and wirelessly transmits the calculated at least one power parameter to a remote computing device via a first main antenna and a second, separate diversity antenna, wherein the first main antenna is disposed at a first position on the housing and the second, separate diversity antenna is disposed at a second position on the housing, the second position opposite the first position.

21. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 20, wherein each of the first, main antenna and second, separate diversity antenna is disposed on an inner surface of the housing.

22. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 20, wherein each of the first, main antenna and second, separate diversity antenna is disposed on an outer surface of the housing.

23. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 20, wherein the housing is selected from the group consisting of a panel meter type housing, a switchboard type meter housing and a A-base type meter housing.

24. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 20, wherein the communication device includes at least one second processor, the at least one second processor determines which of the first, main antenna and the second, separate diversity antenna is receiving the strongest signal and selects the antenna with the strongest received signal for a communication link.

25. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 20, wherein the communication device includes at least one second processor, the at least one second processor combines received signals of the first, main antenna and the second, separate diversity antenna to produce a single signal.

26. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 20, further comprising at least one memory that stores a IP stack with TCP and/or UDP protocols.

27. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 20, wherein the first main antenna has a working frequency in a range from about 698 MHz to about 3000 MHz.

28. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 20, wherein each of the first, main antenna and second, separate diversity antenna is disposed in a channel on an outer surface of the housing.

29. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 20, wherein the housing is configured to be generally cylindrical and the first and second positons are diametrically opposite each other.

30. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 29, wherein each of the first, main antenna and second, separate diversity antenna is disposed on an inner surface of the housing.

31. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 29, wherein each of the first, main antenna and second, separate diversity antenna is disposed on an outer surface of the housing.