Multiple virtual meters in one physical meter

• US 20020077729A1
• Filed: 12/20/2000
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Landis and Gyr LLC (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Landis+Gyr Inc. (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Inventors: Anderson, Larry W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,738,693 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/291
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

A utility meter which provides multiple concurrent registering of commodity consumption data includes a source of commodity consumption signals, a measurement circuit, and a registering circuit. The source of commodity consumption signals is coupled to provide commodity consumption signals to the measurement circuit. The measurement circuit is operable to generate commodity consumption data from the commodity consumption signals. The register circuit is operably coupled to the measurement circuit to receive the commodity consumption data therefrom. To this end, the register circuit includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores a first set of parameters corresponding to a first metering mode, and a second set of parameters corresponding to a second metering mode. The processor is operable to generate first metering information by performing a metering routine a first time using the first set of parameters and the commodity consumption data, generate second metering information by performing the metering routine a second time using the second set of parameters and the commodity consumption data, such that the processor generates the first metering information and the second metering information on a concurrent basis.

Claims

1. A utility meter which provides multiple concurrent registering of commodity consumption data, the utility meter comprising:

a) a source of commodity consumption signals;

b) a measurement circuit operably coupled to the source of commodity consumption signals to receive the commodity consumption signals therefrom, the measurement circuit operable to generate commodity consumption data from the commodity consumption signals; and

c) a register circuit operably coupled to the measurement circuit to receive the commodity consumption data therefrom, the register circuit including

a memory storing a first set of parameters corresponding to a first metering mode, and a second set of parameters corresponding to a second metering mode,

a processor operable to

generate first metering information by performing a metering routine a first time using the first set of parameters and the commodity consumption data,

generate second metering information by performing the metering routine a second time using the second set of parameters and the commodity consumption data.

2. The utility meter of claim 1, wherein the source of commodity consumption signals includes at least one source of electrical energy consumption signals.

3. The utility meter of claim 2, further comprising a display device operably coupled to the processor to receive first metering information therefrom, the display device operable to display at least a part of the first metering information.

4. The utility meter of claim 3, wherein the display is further operably coupled to the processor to receive second metering information therefrom, the display device operable to display at least a part of the second metering information.

5. The utility meter of claim 1, wherein:

the first set of parameters comprises a first set of tables having a predefined configuration, the first set of tables populated by data representative of the first set of parameters; and

the second set of parameters comprises a second set of tables having the predefined configuration, the second set of tables populated by data representative of the second set of parameters.

6. The utility meter of claim 1, wherein the first set of parameters includes one or more user-defined values implemented within an energy-related calculation in the metering routine.

7. The utility meter of claim 1, wherein the first set of parameters includes one or more user-defined preferences regarding whether a particular metering calculation in the metering routine should be performed.

8. The utility meter of claim 1, further comprising a communication circuit operably coupled to the processor to receive first metering information therefrom, the communication circuit operable to effectuate communication of at least a part of the first metering information to a remote device.

9. The utility meter of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit is further operably coupled to the processor to receive second metering information therefrom, the communication circuit operable to effectuate communication of at least a part of the second metering information to the remote device.

10. The utility meter of claim 1, wherein the source of commodity consumption signals includes a voltage sensor and a current sensor.

11. The utility meter of claim 1, wherein the measurement circuit includes a digital signal processor.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

c) displaying at least a part of the first metering information.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

d) receiving user input identifying a request for at least a part of the second metering information; and

e) displaying at least the part of the second set metering information responsive to the user input.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

c) communicating at least a part of the first metering information to an external device.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein step a further comprises performing the metering routine the first time using at least one user-defined value in an energy calculation in the metering routine, the at least one user-defined value included as at least one of the first set of parameters.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein step a further comprises performing the metering routine the first time using one or more user-defined preferences regarding whether a particular metering calculation in the metering routine should be performed, said one or more user-defined preferences included as one or more of the first set of parameters.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein step a) further comprises performing a set of threshold measurements within the metering routine, the set of threshold measurements defined by the first set of parameters.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein step a) further comprises performing a set of threshold measurements within the metering routine, each threshold measurement of said set including a threshold defined by the first set of parameters.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein

step a) further comprises performing the metering operation using the first set of parameters, the first set of parameters comprising a first set of tables having a predefined configuration, the first set of tables populated by data representative of the first set of parameters;

and

step b) further comprises performing the metering operation using the second set of parameters, the second set of parameters comprising a second set of tables having the predefined configuration, the second set of tables populated by data representative of the second set of parameters.

12. In a utility meter having a source of commodity consumption data, a method of providing multiple concurrent registration of commodity consumption data in a utility meter, the method comprising the steps of:

a) performing a metering routine a first time using a first set of parameters and the commodity consumption data in order to generate first metering information; and

b) performing the metering routine a second time using a second set of parameters and the commodity consumption data in order to generate second metering information.