Remote metering display with motion sensor

• US 20020126157A1
• Filed: 01/18/2001
• Published: 09/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Square D Company (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Square D Company (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Thurmond, M. Jason, Lutz, Eric M., Pyle, Michael W., McMahon, Ken L., Farago, Jeff J., McComas, Don T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,185,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/810
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/18 Remote displaying of utility meter readings
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/02 Automatically-operated arrangements
• 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

A remote metering display is used for displaying power-related information generated by a power meter linked to the display. The remote metering display comprises a display screen, a plurality of user interface buttons for navigating through menu options depicted on the display screen, and a motion sensor for activating the display screen in response to detection of a person'"'"'s presence within a predetermined distance of the motion sensor.

Claims

1. A remote metering display for displaying power-related information generated by a power meter linked to the display, the remote metering display comprising:

a display screen;

a plurality of user interface buttons for navigating through menu options depicted on the display screen; and

a motion sensor for activating the display screen in response to detection of a person'"'"'s presence within a predetermined distance of the motion sensor.

2. The display of claim 1, wherein the display screen is a vacuum florescent display screen.

3. The display of claim 1, wherein the display screen is deactivated in response to no motion being detected by the motion sensor and none of the user interface buttons being pressed for a predefined period of idle time.

4. The display of claim 3, wherein the predefined period of idle time is definable in one of the menu options using the user interface buttons.

5. The display of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor includes a plurality of selectable sensitivity levels for varying the predetermined distance, one of the sensitivity levels being selected in one of the menu options using the user interface buttons.

6. The display of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor senses infrared waves projected from a person'"'"'s body.

7. The display of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor includes a pyroelectric detector for sensing infrared waves projected from a person'"'"'s body, and includes a fresnel lens for focalizing the infrared waves to a window area of the pyroelectric detector.

8. The display of claim 7, wherein the pyroelectric detector generates an analog output signal, and wherein the motion sensor further includes an analog-to-digital converter for receiving and digitizing the analog output signal.

9. A remote metering display for displaying power-related information generated by a power meter linked to the display, the remote metering display comprising:

a processing unit;

a display screen coupled to the processing unit;

a plurality of user interface buttons, coupled to the processing unit, for navigating through menu options depicted on the display screen; and

a motion sensor, coupled to the processing unit, for activating the display screen in response to detection of a person'"'"'s presence within a predetermined distance of the motion sensor.

10. The display of claim 9, wherein the display screen is a vacuum florescent display screen.

11. The display of claim 9, wherein the display screen is deactivated by the processing unit in response to no motion being detected by the motion sensor and none of the user interface buttons being pressed for a predefined period of idle time.

12. The display of claim 9, wherein the predefined period of idle time is definable in one of the menu options using the user interface buttons.

13. The display of claim 9, wherein the motion sensor includes a plurality of selectable sensitivity levels for varying the predetermined distance, one of the sensitivity levels being selected in one of the menu options using the user interface buttons.

15. The display of claim 14, wherein the display screen is a vacuum florescent display screen.

16. The display of claim 14, wherein the display screen is deactivated in response to no motion being detected by the motion sensor and none of the user interface buttons being pressed for a predefined period of idle time.

17. The display of claim 14, wherein the predefined period of idle time is definable in one of the menu options using the user interface buttons.

18. The display of claim 14, wherein the motion sensor includes a plurality of selectable sensitivity levels for varying the predetermined distance, one of the sensitivity levels being selected in one of the menu options using the user interface buttons.

14. A power metering arrangement, comprising:

a power meter, coupled to a power line, for sensing power-related signals traveling through the power line and for generating power-related information based on the power-related signals; and

a remote metering display for displaying the power-related information, the remote metering display being linked to the power meter, the remote metering display including;

a display screen;

a plurality of user interface buttons for navigating through menu options depicted on the display screen; and

a motion sensor for activating the display screen in response to detection of a person'"'"'s presence within a predetermined distance of the motion sensor.