METERING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATION

• US 20100100342A1
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• 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 8,170,699 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/62
• 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. 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.

2. The mobile metering device of claim 1 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.

3. The mobile metering device of claim 2 wherein said plurality of wireless communications devices includes a first communications device adapted to transmit and receive signals using a IEEE 802.11 protocol.

4. The mobile metering device of claim 3 wherein said first communications device is adapted to transmit and receive signals from a vehicle computer system.

5. The mobile metering device of claim 3 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.

6. The mobile metering device of claim 1 further comprising a battery electrically coupled to said meter and said controller.

7. The mobile metering device of claim 6 further comprising a housing, wherein said current transformer, said meter, said controller and said plurality of communications devices are mounted within said housing.

8. The mobile metering device of claim 7 wherein said housing is sized to fit in a trunk of a vehicle.

9. A method of providing mobile metering of a vehicle, said method comprising:

providing a current transformer;

coupling a meter to said current transformer;

coupling a controller having a memory device and a processor to said meter; and

,

coupling a plurality of communications devices to said controller.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of communicating using an OBD-II protocol with one of said plurality of communications devices.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of communicating wirelessly with at least one of said plurality of communications devices.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising transmitting and receiving signals with a vehicle computer system with one of said plurality of communications devices.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said plurality of wireless communications devices includes a first communications device, a second communications device and a third communications device.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

transmitting in a frequency range of 3 to 40 GHz with said first communications device;

transmitting in a frequency range of 30 kHz to 300 MHz with a second communications device; and

,

transmitting in a frequency range of 30 to 300 MHz with a third communications device.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising coupling a battery to said meter and said controller.

16. The mobile metering device of claim 15 further comprising mounting said current transformer, said meter, said controller and said plurality of communications devices within said housing.

17. The mobile metering device of claim 16 further comprising arranging said housing in a trunk of a vehicle.

18. A mobile metering device for a vehicle comprising:

a connector;

a current transformer operably coupled to said connector;

a meter electrically coupled to said current transformer;

a plurality of communications devices; and

,

a controller electrically coupled to said meter and said plurality of communications devices, said controller having a memory device and a processor responsive to executable computer instructions determine the availability of each of said plurality of communications devices to transmit data.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein said plurality of communications devices include at least one device compliant with IEEE 802.11 protocols, at least one device compliant with CDMA compliant cellular protocols, at least one device compliant with IEEE 802.15.4, and at least one device compliant with a Bluetooth protocol.

20. The device of claim 18 wherein at least one of said plurality of communications devices is a satellite communications device that transmits data on a frequency range of 3 to 40 gigahertz.