METERING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATION

• US 20090184689A1
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Consolidated Edison Company of New York Incorporated (Consolidated Edison Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Consolidated Edison Company of New York Incorporated (Consolidated Edison Incorporated)
• Inventors: Barna, Anthony F., Kressner, A. Arthur, Feldman, Charles, Chen, Chi Yao
• Granted Patent: US 7,917,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/162
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/063 related to remote communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1308 Power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1313 Metering, billing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A metering system for measuring the electrical power used to charge a vehicle is provided. The metering system includes an electrical meter operably coupled to a conductor connected to the vehicle and an electrical outlet. A controller receives signals from the meter to record the measured electrical consumption. The controller includes a plurality of communications devices for communicating with different communications carriers. In one embodiment, the controller selects one of the communications devices based on availability and a desired criterion. The selected communications device then transmits the measured electrical power consumption to a utility provider. In one embodiment, the metering system is mobile.

Claims

1. An electrical metering device comprising:

an electrical power input;

an electrical power output electrically coupled to said input, said output being adapted to operably couple with a vehicle;

a meter operably coupled between said input and said output;

a controller electrically coupled to said meter;

a first communications device electrically coupled to said controller, said first communications device being adapted to transmit data using a first wireless carrier; and

,

a memory device electrically coupled to said meter;

wherein said controller includes a processor responsive to executable computer instructions for storing data indicative of electrical power consumption by said vehicle in said memory device in response to a first signal from said meter.

2. The electrical metering device of claim 1 wherein said processor is further responsive to executable computer instructions for determining if said first wireless carrier is available and retrieving an electrical consumption data from said memory device and transmitting a second signal indicating said electrical consumption data in response to said first wireless carrier being available.

3. The electrical metering device of claim 2 further comprising a second communications device electrically coupled to said controller, said second communications device being adapted to transmit data using a second wireless carrier.

4. The electrical metering device of claim 3 wherein said processor is further responsive to executable computer instructions to determine if said first wireless carrier and said second wireless carrier is available and selecting one of said first communications device or said second communications device in response to receiving a signal from said meter.

5. The electrical metering device of claim 4 further comprising a housing sized to fit in a trunk of a vehicle, wherein said meter, said controller, said memory device, said first communications device and said second communications device are mounted within said housing.

6. The electrical metering device of claim 5 wherein said first wireless carrier is a radio frequency carrier and said second wireless carrier is a cellular carrier.

7. The electrical metering device of claim 5 wherein said first wireless carrier is selected from a group comprising:

radio frequency, satellite, CDMA cellular and GSM cellular.

8. The electrical metering device of claim 6 wherein said first communications device uses an IEEE 802.11 protocol, IEEE 802.15.4 protocol or IEEE 802.15.1 protocol.

9. The electrical metering device of claim 6 wherein said radio frequency carrier operates in a frequency band of 30 kHz to 40 GHz.

10. A mobile metering device for vehicles comprising:

a current transformer;

a meter electrically coupled to said current transformer;

a controller electrically coupled to said meter, said controller having a memory device;

a plurality of communications devices electrically coupled to said controller.

11. The mobile metering device of claim 10 wherein said plurality of communications devices include a plurality of wireless communications devices and at least one device adapted to communicate using an OBD-II protocol.

12. The mobile metering device of claim 11 wherein said plurality of wireless communications devices includes a first communications device adapted to transmit and receive signals using a IEEE 802.11 protocol.

13. The mobile metering device of claim 12 wherein said first communications device is adapted to transmit and receive signals from a vehicle computer system.

14. The mobile metering device of claim 12 wherein said plurality of wireless communications devices includes a first communications device adapted to transmit in a frequency range of 3 to 40 GHz, a second communications device adapted to transmit in a frequency range of 30 kHz to 300 MHz, a third communications device adapted to transmit in a frequency range of 30 to 300 MHz.

15. The mobile metering device of claim 10 further comprising a battery electrically coupled to said meter and said controller.

16. The mobile metering device of claim 14 further comprising a housing, wherein said current transformer, said meter, said controller and said plurality of communications devices are mounted within said housing.

17. The mobile metering device of claim 15 wherein said housing is sized to fit in a trunk of a vehicle.

18. A method of charging a vehicle having batteries, said method comprising:

coupling a meter between said vehicle and an electrical outlet;

measuring an amount of electrical power provided to said vehicle;

storing data indicative of said measured amount of electrical power;

determining a first wireless communications carrier is available; and

,

transmitting said stored data on said first wireless communications carrier.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the steps of:

determining a second wireless communications carrier is available; and

,

transmitting said stored data on said second wireless communications carrier when said first wireless communications carrier is not available.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of communicating with an onboard vehicle diagnostic system associated with said vehicle.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of communicating with an in-vehicle computer system.