Automatic calibration of time keeping for utility meters
First Claim
1. A utility meter, comprising:
- a) a source of commodity consumption information;
b) a timing circuit operable to generate timing signals;
c) a communication circuit operable to receive externally generated reference time values; and
d) a controller operably coupled to said source of commodity consumption information to receive commodity consumption information therefrom, operably coupled to said timing circuit to receive timing signals therefrom, and operably coupled to said communication circuit to obtain the externally generated reference time values therefrom, the controller operable to;
generate metering information based at least in part on said commodity consumption information;
generate a first real-time value based at least in part on an externally generated first reference time value;
derive a subsequent second real-time value, based at least in part on the first real-time value, the timing signals, and a timing circuit calibration value;
obtain an externally generated second reference time value;
determine a rate adjustment based at least in part on a difference between said second real-time value and said second reference time value; and
generate a subsequent real-time value based at least in part on said timing signals, the timing circuit calibration value, and the rate adjustment.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An arrangement for adaptive time keeping in a utility meter includes a timing circuit and a controller. The timing circuit is operable to generate timing signals. The controller is operably coupled to the timing circuit to receive timing signals therefrom. Further, the controller is operable to: generate a first real-time value based at least in part on an externally generated first reference time value; derive a subsequent second real-time value, based at least in part on the first real-time value, the timing signals, and a timing circuit calibration value; obtain an externally generated second reference time value; determine a rate adjustment based at least in part on a difference between the second real-time value and the second reference time value; and generate a subsequent real-time value based at least in part on the timing signals, the timing circuit calibration value, and the rate adjustment.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A utility meter, comprising:
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a) a source of commodity consumption information;
b) a timing circuit operable to generate timing signals;
c) a communication circuit operable to receive externally generated reference time values; and
d) a controller operably coupled to said source of commodity consumption information to receive commodity consumption information therefrom, operably coupled to said timing circuit to receive timing signals therefrom, and operably coupled to said communication circuit to obtain the externally generated reference time values therefrom, the controller operable to;
generate metering information based at least in part on said commodity consumption information;
generate a first real-time value based at least in part on an externally generated first reference time value;
derive a subsequent second real-time value, based at least in part on the first real-time value, the timing signals, and a timing circuit calibration value;
obtain an externally generated second reference time value;
determine a rate adjustment based at least in part on a difference between said second real-time value and said second reference time value; and
generate a subsequent real-time value based at least in part on said timing signals, the timing circuit calibration value, and the rate adjustment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An arrangement for adaptive time keeping in a utility meter, the arrangement comprising:
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a) a timing circuit operable to generate timing signals;
b) a controller operably coupled to said timing circuit to receive timing signals therefrom, the controller operable to;
generate a first real-time value based at least in part on an externally generated first reference time value;
derive a subsequent second real-time value, based at least in part on the first real-time value, the timing signals, and a timing circuit calibration value;
obtain an externally generated second reference time value;
determine a rate adjustment based at least in part on a difference between said second real-time value and said second reference time value; and
generate a subsequent real-time value based at least in part on said timing signals, the timing circuit calibration value, and the rate adjustment. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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17. A method of adaptively calibrating a real-time clock within a utility meter, the real-time clock generating real-time values based at least in part on timing signals generated by a timing circuit, the method comprising:
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a) generating a first real-time value based at least in part on an externally generated first reference time value;
b) deriving a subsequent second real-time value based at least in part on the first real-time value, the timing signals, and a timing circuit calibration value;
c) obtaining an externally generated second reference time value;
d) determining a rate adjustment based at least in part on a difference between said second real-time value and said second reference time value; and
e) generating a subsequent real-time value based at least in part on said timing signals, the timing circuit calibration value, and the rate adjustment.
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25. A method of generating metering information within a utility meter, the utility meter having a source of commodity consumption information and the utility meter having a real-time clock generating real-time values based at least in part on timing signals generated by a timing circuit, the method comprising:
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a) generating a first real-time value based at least in part on an externally generated first reference time value;
b) deriving a subsequent second real-time value based at least in part on the first real-time value, the timing signals, and a timing circuit calibration value;
c) obtaining an externally generated second reference time value;
d) determining a rate adjustment based at least in part on a difference between said second real-time value and said second reference time value;
e) generating a subsequent real-time value based at least in part on said timing signals, the timing circuit calibration value, and the rate adjustment; and
f) generating the metering information based at least in part on the commodity consumption information and said subsequent real-time value.
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Specification