ELECTRICITY METER

• US 20090134863A1
• Filed: 11/20/2008
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Toko Meter Systems Co., Ltd. (Takaoka Toko Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Sakoyama, Mitsuhiro, Maoka, Tadanori, Kurokawa, Fuyuki, Sameda, Yoshito, Nakano, Kenji, TAKANOHASHI, Yukio
• Granted Patent: US 7,919,960 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/142
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/063 related to remote communication

Abstract

An electricity meter capable of minimizing a risk of data destruction in case of lightning or surge that involves improperly high voltage is provided. The electricity meter includes a measurement part, an operation part, and an insulation part. The measurement part includes a detection unit to detect electricity consumption of an objective system and a transmission unit to wirelessly transmit data representative of the detected electricity consumption. The operation part includes a reception unit to receive the wirelessly transmitted data and an operation unit to process the received data into data representative of electric energy consumed by the objective system. The insulation part electrically insulates the measurement part and operation part from each other.

Claims

1. An electricity meter comprising:

a measurement part including a detection unit and a transmission unit, the detection unit being configured to detect electricity consumption of an objective system, the transmission unit being configured to wirelessly transmit data representative of the detected electricity consumption;

an operation part including a reception unit and an operation unit, the reception unit being configured to receive the wirelessly transmitted data, the operation unit being configured to process the received data into data representative of electric energy consumed by the objective system; and

an insulation part configured to electrically insulate the measurement part and operation part from each other.

2. The electricity meter of claim 1, further comprising:

a monitor unit configured to monitor whether or not the reception unit receives no data for a predetermined period; and

a notification unit configured to notify an abnormality if the monitor unit determines that the reception unit has received no data for the predetermined period.

3. The electricity meter of claim 1, wherein:

the data transmitted from the transmission unit of the measurement part is in the form of a radio signal.

4. The electricity meter of claim 1, wherein:

the data transmitted from the transmission unit of the measurement part is in the form of an optical signal.

5. The electricity meter of claim 1, wherein:

the insulation part is made of air.

6. The electricity meter of claim 1, wherein:

the insulation part is made of insulating resin.

7. The electricity meter of claim 1, wherein:

the measurement part and operation part are arranged on separate printed boards, respectively.

8. An electricity meter comprising:

a measurement part including a detection unit and a transmission unit, the detection unit being configured to detect a current and voltage of an objective system, the transmission unit being configured to wirelessly transmit data representative of the detected current and voltage;

an operation part including a reception unit and an operation unit, the reception unit being configured to receive the wirelessly transmitted data, the operation unit being configured to process the received data into data representative of electric energy consumed by the objective system; and

an insulation part configured to electrically insulate the measurement part and operation part from each other.

9. The electricity meter of claim 8, further comprising:

a monitor unit configured to monitor whether or not the reception unit receives no data for a predetermined period; and

a notification unit configured to notify an abnormality if the monitor unit determines that the reception unit has received no data for the predetermined period.

10. The electricity meter of claim 8, wherein:

the data transmitted from the transmission unit of the measurement part is in the form of a radio signal.

11. The electricity meter of claim 8, wherein:

the data transmitted from the transmission unit of the measurement part is in the form of an optical signal.

12. The electricity meter of claim 8, wherein:

the insulation part is made of air.

13. The electricity meter of claim 8, wherein:

the insulation part is made of insulating resin.

14. The electricity meter of claim 8, wherein:

the measurement part and operation part are arranged on separate printed boards, respectively.

15. An electricity meter comprising:

a measurement part including a detection unit, an encoding unit, and a transmission unit, the detection unit being configured to detect a current and voltage of an objective system, the encoding unit being configured to convert analog data representative of the detected current and voltage into digital data, the transmission unit being configured to wirelessly transmit the converted digital data;

an operation part including a reception unit and an operation unit, the reception unit being configured to receive the wirelessly transmitted data, the operation unit being configured to process the received data into data representative of electric energy consumed by the objective system; and

an insulation part configured to electrically insulate the measurement part and operation part from each other.

16. The electricity meter of claim 15, further comprising:

a monitor unit configured to monitor whether or not the reception unit receives no data for a predetermined period; and

a notification unit configured to notify an abnormality if the monitor unit determines that the reception unit has received no data for the predetermined period.

17. The electricity meter of claim 15, wherein:

the data transmitted from the transmission unit of the measurement part is in the form of a radio signal.

18. The electricity meter of claim 15, wherein:

the data transmitted from the transmission unit of the measurement part is in the form of an optical signal.

19. The electricity meter of claim 15, wherein:

the insulation part is made of air.

20. The electricity meter of claim 15, wherein:

the insulation part is made of insulating resin.

21. The electricity meter of claim 15, wherein:

the measurement part and operation part are arranged on separate printed boards, respectively.