System and method for reading power meters
First Claim
1. A power meter reader system for automatically reading a power meter unit mounted on a structure that is consuming power, the power meter unit including an indication with a cyclical property having a period that varies at a rate indicative of power consumption of the structure, the system comprising:
- a) a detection unit mounted on the power meter unit for monitoring the power consumption, the detection unit comprising;
i) a sensor unit disposed adjacent to the power meter for monitoring the cyclical property of the indication and generating a consumption detection signal;
ii) a processing unit connected to the sensor unit for receiving the consumption detection signal and generating an information signal, the processing unit further generating a sensor enable signal to enable the sensor unit for only a portion of the cyclical property of the indication, the portion coinciding with a time interval indicating the completion of one period of the cyclical property, the time interval being shorter than the period of the cyclical property; and
, iii) a transmitter connected to the processing unit for receiving the information signal and transmitting a transmission signal; and
, b) a display unit located remotely with respect to the detection unit, the display unit receiving the transmission signal and displaying the power consumption.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A power meter reader system for automatically reading an indication on a power meter unit having a cyclical property that varies at a rate indicative of power consumption. The system comprises a detection unit that includes a sensor unit for monitoring the cyclical property of the indication and generating a consumption detection signal, a processing unit for generating an information signal based on data related to the consumption detection signal, and a transmitter for transmitting a transmission signal based on the information signal. The processing unit also generates a sensor enable signal to enable the sensor unit for only a portion of the cyclical property of the indication. The system further includes a display unit located remotely with respect to the detection unit for receiving the transmission signal and displaying the power consumption. The detection unit may also employ a prediction model for reducing power consumption in the detection unit.
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Citations
85 Claims
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1. A power meter reader system for automatically reading a power meter unit mounted on a structure that is consuming power, the power meter unit including an indication with a cyclical property having a period that varies at a rate indicative of power consumption of the structure, the system comprising:
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a) a detection unit mounted on the power meter unit for monitoring the power consumption, the detection unit comprising;
i) a sensor unit disposed adjacent to the power meter for monitoring the cyclical property of the indication and generating a consumption detection signal;
ii) a processing unit connected to the sensor unit for receiving the consumption detection signal and generating an information signal, the processing unit further generating a sensor enable signal to enable the sensor unit for only a portion of the cyclical property of the indication, the portion coinciding with a time interval indicating the completion of one period of the cyclical property, the time interval being shorter than the period of the cyclical property; and
,iii) a transmitter connected to the processing unit for receiving the information signal and transmitting a transmission signal; and
,b) a display unit located remotely with respect to the detection unit, the display unit receiving the transmission signal and displaying the power consumption. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A power meter reader system for automatically reading a power meter unit mounted on a structure that is consuming power, the power meter unit including an indication with a cyclical property having a period that varies at a rate indicative of power consumption of the structure, the system comprising:
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a) a detection unit mounted on the power meter unit for monitoring the power consumption, the detection unit comprising;
i) a sensor unit disposed adjacent to the power meter unit for monitoring the cyclical property of the indication and generating a consumption detection signal;
ii) a processing unit connected to the sensor unit for receiving the consumption detection signal and generating an information signal, the processing unit including a prediction unit for generating values for prediction model parameters for predicting data in the consumption detection signal and incorporating the values of the prediction model parameters into the information signal; and
,iii) a transmitter connected to the processing unit for receiving the information signal and transmitting a transmission signal;
b) a display unit located remotely with respect to the detection unit, the display unit receiving the transmission signal and displaying the power consumption of the structure based on the prediction model parameters. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A housing for a detection unit for automatically reading a power meter unit mounted on a structure that is consuming power, the power meter unit including a indication with a cyclical property having a period that varies at a rate indicative of power consumption of the structure, the housing comprising:
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a) a main body for housing internal electronics;
b) an extension member connected to the main body, the extension member having a head region for housing a sensor unit; and
,c) an attachment means connected to the main body for mounting the main body on the power meter. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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40. A detection unit for use with a power meter unit mounted on a structure that is consuming power, the power meter unit including a indication with a cyclical property having a period that varies at a rate indicative of power consumption of the structure, the detection unit mounted on the power meter unit for monitoring the power consumption, the detection unit comprising:
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a) a sensor unit disposed adjacent to the power meter unit for monitoring the cyclical property of the indication and generating a consumption detection signal; and
,b) a processing unit connected to the sensor unit for receiving the consumption detection signal and generating an information signal, the processing unit further generating a sensor enable signal to enable the sensor unit for only a portion of the cyclical property of the indication, the portion coinciding with a time interval indicating the completion of one period of the cyclical property, the time interval being shorter than the period of the cyclical property. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A detection unit for use with a power meter unit mounted on a structure that is consuming power, the power meter unit including a indication with a cyclical property having a period that varies at a rate indicative of power consumption of the structure, the detection unit mounted on the power meter unit for monitoring the power consumption, the detection unit comprising:
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a) a sensor unit disposed adjacent to the power meter unit for monitoring the cyclical property of the indication and generating a consumption detection signal; and
,b) a processing unit connected to the sensor unit for receiving the consumption detection signal and generating an information signal, the processing unit including a prediction unit for generating values for prediction model parameters for predicting power consumption data derived from the consumption detection signal and incorporating the values of the prediction model parameters into the information signal. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A method for automatically reading a power meter unit mounted on a structure that is consuming power, the power meter unit including an indication with a cyclical property having a period that varies at a rate indicative of power consumption of the structure, the method comprising:
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a) sensing a variation of the cyclical property of the indication using a sensor unit and generating a consumption detection signal;
b) generating an information signal based on data from the consumption detection signal; and
,c) generating a sensor enable signal to enable the sensor unit for only a portion of the cyclical property of the indication, the portion coinciding with a time interval indicating the completion of one period of the cyclical property, the time interval being shorter than the period of the cyclical property. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
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74. A method for automatically reading a power meter unit mounted on a structure that is consuming power, the power meter unit including an indication with a cyclical property having a period that varies at a rate indicative of power consumption of the structure, the method comprising:
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a) sensing a variation of the cyclical property of the indication using a sensor unit and generating a consumption detection signal; and
,b) generating an information signal based on data from the consumption detection signal by generating values for prediction model parameters to predict power consumption data derived from the consumption detection signal and including the values of the prediction model parameters in the information signal. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85)
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Specification