Electronic revenue meter with automatic service sensing

• US 20030178985A1
• Filed: 03/10/2003
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1993
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron Electricity Metering, Inc. (Itron, Inc.)
• Inventors: Andre Fouquet, Christophe Jean, Lowe, Coy Stephen, Hyder, Charles Craig, Briese, Forrest Wayne, Schlarb, John Murray
• Granted Patent: US 6,906,507 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/142
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/1331 Measuring real or reactive component, measuring apparent energy
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/00 Arrangements for measuring time integral of electric power or current, e.g. electricity meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 35/04 of instruments for measuring time integral of power or current

Abstract

An integral electronic revenue meter system diagnostics package including a microprocessor, storage memory, preselect series of system diagnostic tests, and recording any results which exceed predefined programmable thresholds, and display means for displaying error and/or diagnostic messages identifying selected diagnostic data and/or errors discovered in the meter tests during a predefined period is included as part of an electricity revenue meter of the type used for collecting metering data for a utility which uses such data for billing purposes. The system automatically senses the type of electrical service in which the revenue meter is installed when the revenue meter is installed in a socket at the customer'"'"'s premises.

Claims

1. An electronic revenue meter of the type which plugs into a meter socket and which is used to collect metering data, said revenue meter including:

(a) an electrical system diagnostics package including;

(i) a microprocessor;

(ii) storage memory suitably connected to the microprocessor;

(iii) logic for automatically periodically performing a preselected test of revenue meter checks and recording any errors detected therefrom;

(iv) logic for automatically periodically performing a preselected series of system diagnostics tests and recording any results which exceed predefined thresholds;

(v) display means for displaying error messages identifying one or more errors discovered as a result of the revenue meter checks performed during a predefined period; and

(vi) display means for displaying diagnostic messages identifying any errors discovered as a result of the system diagnostics tests performed during a predefined period; and

(b) means for storing revenue data representative of the usage of electricity at the location in which said revenue meter is installed.

2. The revenue meter of claim 1 further including means for connecting said revenue meter to a socket which has been installed at the site at which revenue data is to be collected.

3. The revenue meter of claim 2 wherein said means for connecting said revenue meter to a socket includes a base having plug type connectors attached thereto, and wherein said socket has means for receiving and retaining said connectors.

4. The revenue meter of claim 3 further including logic for automatically determining the type of electrical service connected to said socket in which said revenue meter has been installed.

5. The revenue meter of claim 4 wherein said logic for automatically determining the type of electrical service in which said revenue meter has been installed performs such determination during initialization of the revenue meter upon installation of said revenue meter into said socket.

6. The revenue meter of claim 5 wherein said logic for automatically determining the electrical service in which said revenue meter is installed performs such determination upon reconfiguration of said revenue meter while said revenue meter is installed in said socket.

7. The revenue meter of claim 4 wherein said logic for determining the electrical service in which said revenue meter is installed automatically periodically performs such determination during normal operation of the revenue meter while said revenue meter is collecting revenue data.

8. An electronic revenue meter of the type which plugs into a meter socket and which is used to collect metering data from a customer'"'"'s site, said electronic revenue meter comprising:

(a) electrical system diagnostics package including;

(i) a microprocessor;

(ii) storage memory suitably connected to the microprocessor; and

(iii) logic for automatically determining the type of electrical system in which the revenue meter is installed; and

(b) means for storing revenue data representative of the usage of electricity at the location in which said revenue meter is installed.

9. The revenue meter of claim 8 further including means for connecting said revenue meter into a socket which has been installed at a site wherein electricity service has been provided and from which revenue is to be derived based upon data collected and stored in said revenue meter.

10. The revenue meter of claim 9 wherein said means for connecting said revenue meter to a socket includes a base having plug type connectors attached thereto, and wherein said socket has means for receiving and retaining said connectors.

11. The electronic revenue meter of claim 10 further including logic for ascertaining voltage information from the electrical system revenue metered thereby.

12. The electronic revenue meter of claim 10 wherein the logic for ascertaining voltage information from the electrical system includes logic for determining the phase angle of at least one voltage phasor relative to a selected base voltage phasor, and wherein the logic for determining the type of electrical service includes logic for comparing the voltage phase angle of the at least one phasor relative to the selected base phasor to a set of preselected voltage phasor angles for different possible types of electrical services, and determining the type of electrical service, if any, as a function of the voltage phasor angle.

13. The electronic revenue meter of claim 12 wherein the logic for determining the type of electrical service makes such determination on the basis of the angle between the C phase voltage phasor, V_C and the A phase voltage phasor, V_a, as well as the predefined form factor of the revenue meter.

14. The electronic revenue meter of claim 13 wherein the logic for determining the phase angle of at least one phasor relative to a selected base phasor includes logic for storing accumulated digital values corresponding to the instantaneous voltage measured for the base phasor X_B, storing the accumulated digital values corresponding to the instantaneous value measured for another selected phasor, X_N, determining, for a predefined period, the RMS values for X_B and X_N denoted X_B(RMS) and X_N(RMS), respectively, determining the product, P, of X_B(RMS) and X_N(RMS), determining the average value, Q, of the product of the two sine waves corresponding to X_B and X_N, and determining the average value, Y, of the product of the two sine waves corresponding to a shifted version of X_B, denoted X_B(−

90).

15. The electronic revenue meter of claim 14 wherein the logic further includes logic for determining the magnitude of the phase angle of one phasor relative to the selected base phasor, 0, equal to arccos (Q/P).

16. The electronic revenue meter of claim 15 wherein the base phasor, X_B, is the A phase voltage phasor, and wherein the other selected phasor, X_N, is the C phase voltage phasor.