Electronic revenue meter with automatic service sensing

• US 20050194962A1
• Filed: 03/02/2005
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1993
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles Craig Hyder, Christophe Jean Andre Fouquet, Coy Stephen Lowe, Forrest Wayne Briese, John Murray Schlarb
• Original Assignee: Charles Craig Hyder, Christophe Jean Andre Fouquet, Coy Stephen Lowe, Forrest Wayne Briese, John Murray Schlarb
• Inventors: Lowe, Coy Stephen, Hyder, Charles Craig, Fouquet, Christophe Jean Andre, Briese, Forrest Wayne, Schlarb, John Murray
• Granted Patent: US 7,298,135 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/142
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 18/00 Testing or calibrating apparatus or arrangements provided for in groups G01D1/00 - G01D15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/08 with provision for safeguarding the apparatus, e.g. against abnormal operation, against breakdown
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• 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 21/1335 Tariff switching circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/00 Arrangements for measuring time integral of electric power or current, e.g. electricity meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/10 using digital techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 35/04 of instruments for measuring time integral of power or current
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• 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 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 apparatus for electronically measuring electrical energy, comprising:

at least one analog-to-digital converter connected to phases of an electrical service, said analog-to-digital converter configured to provide digital representations of said electrical service;

memory, said memory storing electrical service reference information relating to at least one type of electrical service; and

a microprocessor interfaced with said at least one analog-to-digital converter and said memory, said microprocessor configured to determine the type of electrical service from said digital representations and from said electrical service reference information.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1, further including a display, said apparatus configured to display a message representative of said determined electrical service type.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said at least one analog-to-digital converter is selected from the group consisting of (a) a Successive Approximation Converter;

(b) a Dual Slope Integrating Converter;

(c) a Charge Balancing Converter;

(d) a Flash Converter; and

(e) a Sigma-Delta Converter.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said apparatus includes a revenue meter configured to attach into a meter socket.

5. An apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said revenue meter has a meter form selective of 5S, 6S, 9S, 12S, 16S and 26S.

6. An apparatus as in claim 5, wherein said apparatus includes a power supply for supplying power to said microprocessor, said power supply operative over the entire range of standard service voltages for said meter form.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1, said apparatus storing an electrical service type identifier representative of said determined electrical service type.

8. An apparatus as in claim 7, said apparatus further storing a plurality of power consumption formulas.

9. An apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said microprocessor is further configured to use said electrical service type identifier to automatically select at least one of said power consumption formulas and wherein said microprocessor is further configured to use said at least one of said power consumption formulas to calculate power consumption.

10. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said memory is programmable to allow reprogramming of said electrical service reference information.

11. An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said memory is non-volatile memory.

12. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said microprocessor is configured to automatically determine the type of electrical service upon the occurrence of a predetermined event, wherein said predetermined event is at least one event from a group including:

(a) upon power up of said apparatus, (b) periodically at set intervals, (c) periodically at varying intervals;

(d) upon reconfiguration of said apparatus;

(e) upon manual request; and

(f) upon receiving an command to determine the electrical service type and wherein said command comes from a remote computer in communication with said apparatus.

13. An apparatus as in claim 12, wherein said manual request is one of a local request and a remote request.

14. An apparatus as in claim 1, said at least one analog-to-digital converter configured to provide at least one digital representation of said voltage component and said current component, said apparatus operative for standard electrical service voltages ranging from about 96 Vrms to about 528 Vrms.

15. An apparatus as in claim 14, further including a display, said apparatus configured to display a message representative of said determined electrical service type.

16. An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said at least one analog-to-digital converter is selected from the group consisting of (a) a Successive Approximation Converter;

(b) a Dual Slope Integrating Converter;

(c) a Charge Balancing Converter;

(d) a Flash Converter; and

(e) a Sigma-Delta Converter.

17. An apparatus as in claim 14, said apparatus storing an electrical service type identifier representative of said determined electrical service type.

18. An apparatus as in claim 17, wherein said apparatus is a revenue meter and wherein said revenue meter has a meter form selective of 5S, 6S, 9S, 12S, 16S, 26S, 5A, 6A, 8A and 10A.

19. An apparatus as in claim 18, said apparatus storing a plurality of power consumption formulas and wherein said microprocessor is further configured to use said electrical service type identifier to automatically select at least one of said power consumption formulas thereby automatically configuring said apparatus to meter power consumption in said electrical service.

20. An apparatus as in claim 19, wherein said memory is reprogrammable to allow reprogramming of said electrical service reference information and said plurality of power consumption formulas.

70. An apparatus as in claim 1,

said analog-to-digital converter connected to selected phases of an electrical service, said converter configured to provide digital samples of the voltage component and the current component of said electrical service,

said microprocessor configured to calculate a phase voltage angle value and a phase voltage magnitude value for the voltage component of at least one phase of said electrical service;

and

wherein said microprocessor is further configured to calculate a phase current angle value and a phase current magnitude value for the current component of at least one phase of said electrical service.

71. An apparatus as in claim 70, wherein said microprocessor is further configured to performed at least one electrical service diagnostic test from the group consisting:

(a) Polarity, Cross Phase and Energy Flow Check;

(b) Phase Voltage Deviation Check;

(c) Current Transformer Check; and

(d) Per-Phase Power Factor Check.

72. An apparatus as in claim 70, wherein said apparatus further comprises a display configured to display at least one from the group consisting of:

(a) said phase voltage angle value;

(b) said phase current angle value;

(c) said phase voltage magnitude value; and

(d) said phase current magnitude value.

73. An apparatus as in claim 72, wherein said display further configured to display at least one from the group consisting of:

(a) a phase voltage rotation value;

(b) a phase power factor value;

(c) error messages; and

(d) electrical service diagnostic test error counter values.

74. An apparatus as in claim 72, wherein said apparatus is configured to perform meter self checks and wherein said display is further configured to display the results of said meter self checks.

75. An apparatus as in claim 70, wherein said apparatus includes a toolbox display.

76. An apparatus as in claim 75, wherein said toolbox display is accessed by actuating a magnetic reed switch using a magnet.

77. An apparatus as in claim 76, wherein said toolbox display remains active until a predefined event occurs and wherein said predefined event is at least one event from the group of events consisting of (a) a predetermined set of time elapses, (b) the toolbox display has scrolled through all toolbox display items, and (c) said magnet is removed from the proximity of the magnetic reed switch.

21. An apparatus for electronically measuring or distributing electrical energy, said apparatus comprising:

at least one analog-to-digital converter connected to phases of an electrical service, said converter configured to obtain digital samples of the voltage component and the current component of said electrical service;

memory for storing reference information for at least one type of electrical service;

a microprocessor interfaced with said at least one analog-to-digital converter and said memory; and

wherein said microprocessor is configured to calculate a voltage phase angle value for the voltage component for at least one phase of said electrical service by use of said digital samples.

22. An apparatus as in claim 21, wherein said apparatus is a revenue meter configured to attach to a meter socket on a substantially permanent basis.

23. An apparatus as in claim 21, said apparatus operative without modification for at least three standard electrical service voltages, wherein said standard electrical service voltages are selected from the group consisting of 120 Vrms, 208 Vrms, 240 Vrms, 272 Vrms and 480 Vrms.

24. An apparatus as in claim 21, said apparatus operative for electrical service voltages inclusive of the entire range from about 98 Vrms to about 528 Vrms.

25. An apparatus as in claim 21, said microprocessor further configured to use said digital samples to calculate a current phase angle value for said current component for at least one phase of said electrical service.

26. An apparatus as in claim 25, wherein said microprocessor is further configured to use said voltage phase angle value and said current phase angle value to perform a Polarity, Cross Phase and Energy Flow check.

27. An apparatus as in claim 26, said microprocessor is configured to count of number of Polarity, Cross Phase and Energy Flow error conditions detected, and is configured to store said count in said memory.

28. An apparatus as in claim 26, said apparatus further comprising a display, said microprocessor configured to generate an error message displayed on said display if said microprocessor detects a Polarity, Cross Phase or Energy Flow error condition.

29. An apparatus as in claim 28, wherein said error message is one of (a) an error message that is locked on said display until said apparatus is manually reset and (b) an error message that is cleared if said microprocessor determines that a Polarity, Cross Phase or Energy Flow error condition no longer exists.

30. An apparatus as in claim 21, said microprocessor further configured to use said digital samples and said reference information to perform a Phase Voltage Deviation check.

31. An apparatus as in claim 30, wherein said microprocessor is configured to store in said memory a count of the number of Phase Voltage Deviation error conditions detected.

32. An apparatus as in claim 30, said apparatus further comprising a display, said microprocessor configured to generate an error message on said display if said microprocessor detects a Phase Voltage Deviation error condition.

33. An apparatus as in claim 32, wherein said error message is one of (a) an error message that is locked on said display until said apparatus is manually reset and (b) an error message that is cleared if said microprocessor determines that a Phase Voltage Deviation error condition no longer exists.

34. An apparatus as in claim 21, wherein said microprocessor is further configured to use said digital samples and said reference information to perform a Current Transformer check.

35. An apparatus as in claim 34, wherein said microprocessor is configured to store in said memory a count of the number of Current Transformer error conditions detected.

36. An apparatus as in claim 34, said apparatus further comprising a display, said microprocessor configured to generate an error message on said display if said microprocessor detects a Current Transformer error condition.

37. An apparatus as in claim 36, wherein said error message is one of (a) an error message that is locked on said display until said apparatus is manually reset and (b) an error message that is cleared if said microprocessor determines that a Current Transformer error condition no longer exists.

38. An apparatus as in claim 21, said microprocessor further configured to use said digital samples and said reference information to perform a Current Waveform Distortion check.

39. An apparatus as in claim 21, said reference information including a phase-voltage-angle-upper-threshold value and a phase-voltage-angle-lower-threshold value.

40. An apparatus as in claim 39, wherein said microprocessor is configured to compare said voltage phase angle value to said phase-voltage-angle-upper-threshold, said microprocessor configured to generate a phase-voltage-angle-error if said voltage phase angle value exceeds said phase-voltage-angle-upper-threshold.

41. An apparatus as in claim 40, wherein said apparatus further comprises a display, said apparatus configured to generate an error message on said display if said phase-voltage-angle-error is generated.

42. An apparatus as in claim 40, said apparatus storing a count of number of phase-voltage-angle-errors generated.

43. An apparatus as in claim 39, wherein said microprocessor is configured to compare said voltage phase angle value to said phase-voltage-angle-lower-threshold and wherein said microprocessor is configured to detect a phase-voltage-angle-error if said voltage phase angle value falls below said phase-voltage-angle-lower-threshold.

44. An apparatus as in claim 43, wherein said apparatus further includes a display and wherein said apparatus is configured to generate an error message on said display if said phase-voltage-angle-error is detected.

45. An apparatus as in claim 43, said apparatus configured to store in said memory a count of number of phase-voltage-angle-errors detected.

46. An apparatus as in claim 21, wherein said microprocessor is configured to use said digital samples to calculate a voltage phase angle value for the voltage component of at least two phases of said electrical service;

and wherein said microprocessor is configured to use the voltage phase angle values to determine the phase rotation of said electrical service.

47. An apparatus as in claim 46, wherein said microprocessor is configured to generate a phase-rotation-warning if the phase rotation of said electrical service cannot be determined and store in said memory a count of number of phase-rotation-warnings generated.

48. An apparatus as in claim 46, wherein said apparatus further includes a display and wherein said apparatus is configured to display with said display a message that is representative of the determined phase rotation.

49. An apparatus as in claim 48, wherein said apparatus is configured to display a message indicating that the phase rotation of said electrical service cannot be determined if a phase-rotation-warning is generated.

50. An apparatus as in claim 21, wherein said microprocessor is configured to use said digital samples to calculate a current phase angle value for said current component and wherein said reference information includes a phase-current-angle-upper-threshold value and a phase-current-angle-lower-threshold value.

51. An apparatus as in claim 50, wherein said microprocessor is configured to compare said current phase angle value to said phase-current-angle-upper-threshold and wherein said microprocessor is configured to generate a phase-current-angle-error if said current phase angle value exceeds said phase-current-angle-upper-threshold.

52. An apparatus as in claim 51, wherein said apparatus further includes a display and wherein said apparatus is configured to generate an error message displayed on said display if said phase-current-angle-error is generated.

53. An apparatus as in claim 51, said apparatus configured to store in said memory a count of number of phase-current-angle-errors generated.

54. An apparatus as in claim 50, wherein said microprocessor is configured to compare said current phase angle value to said phase-current-angle-lower-threshold and wherein said microprocessor is configured to generate a phase-current-angle-error if said current phase angle value falls below said phase-current-angle-lower-threshold.

55. An apparatus as in claim 54, wherein said apparatus further includes a display and wherein said apparatus is configured to generate an error message that is displayed on said display if said phase-current-angle-error is generated.

56. An apparatus as in claim 54, said apparatus configured to store in said memory a count of number of phase-current-angle-errors generated.

57. An apparatus as in claim 21, wherein said microprocessor is further configured to use said digital samples to determine a phase-voltage-magnitude-value for at least one phase of said electrical service and wherein said reference information includes at least one of a phase-voltage-magnitude-upper-threshold value and a phase-voltage-magnitude-lower-threshold value.

58. An apparatus as in claim 57, wherein said phase-voltage-magnitude-upper-threshold value is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a value that is a predetermined percentage of a typical phase voltage magnitude value for said electrical service;

(b) a value that is a predetermined percentage of a previously measured phase voltage magnitude for one of the phases of said electrical service; and

(c) a user-selectable value.

59. An apparatus as in claim 58, wherein said microprocessor is configured to generate a phase-voltage-magnitude-error if said phase-voltage-magnitude-value exceeds said phase-voltage-magnitude-upper-threshold.

60. An apparatus as in claim 59, said apparatus configured to store in said memory a count of the number of phase-voltage-magnitude-errors generated.

61. An apparatus as in claim 57, wherein said phase-voltage-magnitude-lower-threshold value is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a value that is a predetermined percentage of a typical phase voltage magnitude value for said electrical service;

(b) a value that is a predetermined percentage of a previously measured phase voltage magnitude value for one of the phases of said electrical service; and

(c) a user-selectable value.

62. An apparatus as in claim 61, wherein said microprocessor is configured to generate a phase-voltage-magnitude-error if said phase-voltage-magnitude-value drops below said phase-voltage-magnitude-lower-threshold.

63. An apparatus as in claim 62, said apparatus storing in said memory a count of the number of phase-voltage-magnitude-errors generated.

64. An apparatus as in claim 21, wherein said at least one analog-to-digital converter connected to selected phases of a polyphase electrical service, said microprocessor further configured to use said digital samples to calculate a voltage phase angle value for the voltage component of at least one phase of said polyphase electrical service;

and wherein said microprocessor is further configured to use said digital samples to determine a phase current magnitude value for each phase of said polyphase electrical service.

65. An apparatus as in claim 64, wherein said reference information includes a phase-current-magnitude-lower-threshold value and a phase-current-magnitude-upper-threshold value.

66. An apparatus as in claim 65, wherein said phase-current-magnitude-lower-threshold value is one of (a) 0.05% of current class and (b) a user selectable value.

67. An apparatus as in claim 66, wherein said microprocessor is configured to generate a phase-current-magnitude-error if said microprocessor determines that said phase current magnitude value for at least one phase exceeds said phase-current-magnitude-lower-threshold value when the phase current magnitude value for a different phase is determined to be less than said phase-current-magnitude-lower-threshold value.

68. An apparatus as in claim 67, said apparatus storing in said memory a count of the number of phase-current-magnitude-errors generated.

69. An apparatus as in claim 68, wherein said apparatus further comprises a display and wherein said microprocessor is configured to generate a message on said display if a phase-current-magnitude-error is generated.

78. An apparatus for electronically measuring electrical energy, said apparatus comprising:

a microprocessor configured to calculate voltage vector values and current vector values;

a display configured for displaying said voltage vector values and said current vector values.

79. An apparatus as in claim 78, wherein said microprocessor is further configured to perform meter self checks.

80. An apparatus as in claim 79, wherein said display is further configured to display the results of said meter self checks.

81. An apparatus as in claim 78, wherein said microprocessor is further configured to performed at least one electrical service diagnostic test from the group consisting of:

(a) Polarity, Cross Phase and Energy Flow Check;

(b) Phase Voltage Deviation Check;

(c) Current Transformer Check; and

(d) Per-Phase Power Factor Check.

82. An apparatus as in claim 81, wherein said display is further configured to display the results of said electrical service diagnostic test.