Test pulses for enabling revenue testable panel meters

• US 20060170409A1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EI Electronics LLC (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Electro Industries/Gaugetech
• Inventors: Kagan, Erran, Banhegyesi, Tibor
• Granted Patent: US 7,508,190 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/74
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 35/04 of instruments for measuring time integral of power or current

Abstract

A panel meter including an energy test pulse device that enables the panel meter to be used for revenue applications and eliminates the need for two separate meters, one for panel indication, and the other for energy and revenue applications. The electrical panel meter including at least one sensor configured for measuring an electrical parameter; at least one analog-to-digital converter coupled to the at least one sensor for converting the measured electrical parameter to a digital signal; a display for continuously displaying at least one electrical parameter; a processor configured to receive the digital signal and calculate an amount of energy consumed; and a test pulse circuit configured to receive the calculated amount and generate a plurality of pulses equal to the calculated amount, wherein each of the plurality of pulses is equal to a predetermined amount of energy.

Claims

1. An electrical panel metering device including a housing, the panel metering device comprising:

at least one sensor configured for measuring an electrical parameter;

at least one analog-to-digital converter coupled to the at least one sensor for converting the measured electrical parameter to a digital signal;

a display for continuously displaying at least one electrical parameter;

a processor configured to receive the digital signal and calculate an amount of energy consumed; and

a test pulse circuit configured to receive the calculated amount and generate a plurality of pulses equal to the calculated amount, wherein each of the plurality of pulses is equal to a predetermined amount of energy.

2. The panel metering device of claim 1, wherein the at least one analog-to-digital converter has 24 bit resolution.

3. The panel metering device of claim 1, wherein the at least one analog-to-digital converter has a sampling rate of 400 samples per cycle.

4. The panel metering device of claim 1, further comprising three current sensors and three voltage sensors, each current and voltage sensor being coupled to an individual analog-to-digital converter.

5. The panel metering device of claim 1, wherein the test pulse circuit includes an LED disposed on a face of the housing to generate infrared pulses.

6. The panel metering device of claim 5, wherein the test pulse circuit further comprises a divider for receiving the calculated amount from the processor, generating the plurality of pulses and transmitting the pulses to the LED.

7. The panel metering device of claim 1, wherein the at least one analog-to-digital converter, the processor, and the test pulse circuit are disposed on a single integrated circuit.

8. The panel metering device of claim 1, wherein the display is configured to continuously and simultaneously display at least three electrical parameters.

9. The panel metering device of claim 8, wherein the display further comprising a % load bar display.

10. An electrical panel metering device including a housing having a front face, the panel metering device comprising:

at least one sensor configured for measuring an electrical parameter;

at least one analog-to-digital converter coupled to the at least one sensor for converting the measured electrical parameter to a digital signal;

a display disposed on the front face for continuously displaying at least one electrical parameter;

a processor configured to receive the digital signal and calculate an amount of energy consumed;

a test pulse circuit configured to receive the calculated amount and generate a plurality of pulses equal to the calculated amount, wherein each of the plurality of pulses is equal to a predetermined amount of energy; and

a light emitting diode disposed on the front face and coupled to the test pulse circuit for receiving the plurality of pulses and generating a plurality of infrared pulses.

11. The panel metering device of claim 10, wherein the at least one analog-to-digital converter has 24 bit resolution.

12. The panel metering device of claim 10, wherein the at least one analog-to-digital converter has a sampling rate of 400 samples per cycle.

13. The panel metering device of claim 10, further comprising three current sensors and three voltage sensors, each current and voltage sensor being coupled to an individual analog-to-digital converter.

14. The panel metering device of claim 10, wherein the test pulse circuit further comprises a divider for receiving the calculated amount from the processor, generating the plurality of pulses and transmitting the pulses to the LED.

15. An electrical panel metering device including a housing having a front face, the panel metering device comprising:

three current sensors configured for measuring current on each of three phases of an electrical distribution system;

three voltage sensors configured for measuring voltage on each of three phases of an electrical distribution system;

six analog-to-digital converters for converting the measured electrical parameters to digital signals, each analog-to-digital converter coupled to one of the three current sensors and three voltage sensors;

a display disposed on the front face for continuously displaying at least three electrical parameters;

a processor configured to receive the digital signals and calculate an amount of energy consumed;

a test pulse circuit configured to receive the calculated amount and generate a plurality of pulses equal to the calculated amount, wherein each of the plurality of pulses is equal to a predetermined amount of energy; and

a light emitting diode disposed on the front face and coupled to the test pulse circuit for receiving the plurality of pulses and generating a plurality of infrared pulses.