Compact Data Transmission Protocol for Electric Utility Meters

• US 20080052019A1
• Filed: 08/25/2006
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Neptune Technology Group Incorporated (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Neptune Technology Group Incorporated (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cely, Joe, Brennan, W. J.
• Application Number:
  US11/467,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20080052019A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/64
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/063 related to remote communication
• 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

A communication protocol for compacting data transmissions from electric utility meters has been developed. The present invention is a method of transmitting the utility meter data using the protocol. The protocol includes collecting electric usage data and a voltage level at the utility meter. The usage data and the voltage level are then transmitting in synchronous order the utility receiving station.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting electric utility data, comprising;

collecting electric usage data at a utility meter;

collecting a voltage level at the utility meter; and

transmitting the voltage level to a utility receiving station synchronous to the transmission of the electric usage data to a utility receiving station, where the voltage level and electric usage data are electronically stored in a computer readable storage device as historical data.

2. The method of claim 1, where the voltage level is a root mean square value.

3. The method of claim 1, where the voltage level is a peak value.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collecting supplemental utility information at the utility meter.

5. The method of claim 1, where the supplemental utility information is combined with the voltage level to form a combined data message.

6. The method of claim 1, where the electric usage data is combined with the voltage level to form a combined data message.

7. The method of claim 6, where the combined data message is transmitted via a radio signal.

8. The method of claim 7, where the combined data message is transmitted to single piece of reading equipment.

9. The method of claim 8, where reading equipment is a fixed receiver.

10. The method of claim 8, where reading equipment is a mobile receiver.

11. The method of claim 1, where the voltage level in the combined data message is 8 bits long.

12. The method of claim 1, where the voltage level is measured over a range of 0-552 volts.

13. The method of claim 1, where the utility receiving station maintains a historical record of the voltage level.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collecting a supplemental status indicator at the utility meter; and

combining the supplemental status indicator into the combined data message.

15. The method of claim 14, where the supplemental status indicator comprises an error indicator for the meter.