METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REMOTE METERING THE CONSUMPTION OF ELECTRICITY, WATER OR GAS

• US 20110063125A1
• Filed: 02/02/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gridspertise Srl
• Original Assignee: e-distribuzione SpA (ENEL SPA)
• Inventors: Labate, Diego, Giubbini, Paolo
• Granted Patent: US 9,523,587 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• 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

The method and devices for remote metering the consumption, of utilities according to the present invention provide the possibility to retrieve a specific amount of data, i.e. consumption data and/or additional data, from remote meters of a remote metering system. The retrieved data provide a data profile in a given time interval than the entire buffer, for example indicative of the consumption characteristics over time at the location of a remote meter or, in the case of a distribution network for electric energy, indicative of a ratio of active and reactive energy consumption at the location of a remote meter over time.

Claims

1. A method of remote metering the consumption of utilities distributed through a public distribution network (HV, MV, LV) to a plurality of consumers (H1, H2, . . . , Hn), each consumer being associated with at least one remote meter (RM), wherein

each of the plurality of remote meters (RM) measures a consumption of said utilities and stores consumption related data for reporting such data to a concentrator (C) associated with said plurality of remote meters (RM),

said concentrator (C) communicates with said plurality of remote meters (RM) in order to collect consumption related data and perform tasks concerning the administration of its associated remote meters, and

each of said remote meters (RM) comprises a program memory (PM), a controller (MCM) executing programs stored in said program memory (PM) and a data element memory (CB) for storing data elements related to the consumption of said utilities and at least indicative of the consumption of said utilities;

characterized by

a remote meter transmitting an amount (L) of consumption related data (MV1, MV2 . . . MV(L)) to said concentrator upon a request from said concentrator, said request indicating the amount (L) of consumption related data, said amount (L) being determined on the basis of status data (TV, ID, NV) of said remote meter.

2. Method according to claim 1 further characterized in that

said concentrator (C) performs the operation of requesting status data (TV, ID, NV) from a selected one of said remote meters (RM);

said selected remote meter (RM) performs the operation of transmitting said status data (TV, ID, NV) to said concentrator (C);

said concentrator (C) performs the further operations of determining an amount (L) of consumption related data to be requested and received from said selected remote meter (RM) on the basis of said status data (TV, ID, NV) and requesting said amount (L) of consumption related data from said selected remote meter (RM), and

said remote meter (RM) performs the further operation of transmitting said requested amount (L) of consumption related data to said concentrator (C).

3. Method according to claim 1 further characterized in that said concentrator (C) determines the amount (L) of consumption related data also on the basis of parameters, especially a time interval, previously stored in said concentrator (C) from a centralized management facility (AMM).

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the status data comprise one or more of a time value

(TV) indicating date and time of last measured consumption related data, an indicator (ID) indicating a storage location (Nx) in which last measured consumption related data have been stored at the remote meter (RM), and a numeric value (NM) indicating the number of stored consumption related data at the remote meter (RM).

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the concentrator (C) transmits a start time and an end time to the remote meter (RM) requesting transmission of consumption related data from said start time to said end time.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the concentrator (C) transmits a number (L) of storage locations to the remote meter (RM) requesting transmission of consumption related data stored in respective L storage locations at the remote meter (RM).

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein the concentrator (C) transmits values indicating storage locations to the remote meter (RM) requesting transmission of consumption related data stored in the storage locations indicated by said values.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein the concentrator (C) determines on the basis of said status data whether sufficient consumption related data are stored at the remote meter (RM).

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein the concentrator (C) determines whether a remote meter (RM) is enabled to perform the operation of transmitting an amount (L) of consumption related data

(MV1, MV2 . . . MV(L)) to said concentrator upon a request

from said concentrator, said request indicating the amount (L) of consumption related data, said amount (L) being determined on the basis of status data (TV, ID, NV) of said remote meter (Load Profile Procedure)

10. A system for remote metering the consumption of utilities distributed through a public distribution network (HV, MV, LV) to a plurality of consumers (H1, H2, . . . , Hn), the system comprising

a plurality of remote meters (RM) measuring a consumption of utilities, each of said remote meters (RM) having a controller (MCM) and a program memory (PM), said controller (MCM) executing programs stored in said program memory (PM), and a data element memory (CB) for storing data elements related to the consumption of said utilities and at least indicative of the consumption of said utilities;

and

a concentrator (C) communicating with said plurality of remote meters (RM) in order to collect consumption data and perform tasks related to the administration of associated remote meters;

wherein said remote meters (RM) of the system are adapted to perform the operation of transmitting an amount (L) of consumption related data (MV1, MV2 . . . MV(L)) to said concentrator upon a request from said concentrator, and wherein said concentrator (C) said is adapted to request the amount (L) of consumption related data and to determine said amount (L) on the basis of status data (TV, ID, NM) of said remote meter.

11. System according to claim 10, wherein the concentrator (C) is adapted to perform the operations of

receiving status data (TV, ID, NV) from a selected one of said remote meters (RM);

and

computing an amount (L) of consumption data to be requested and received from said selected remote meter (RM) on the basis of said status data (TV, ID, NV); and

to request said amount (L) of consumption data from said selected remote meter (RM); and

wherein said remote meters (RM) of the system are adapted to perform the operations of

transmitting said status data (TV, ID, NV) to said concentrator (C); and

transmitting said amount (L) of consumption data to said concentrator (C).

12. System according to claim 10, wherein said concentrator (C) is adapted to perform the operation of determining the amount (L) of consumption related data also on the basis of parameters, especially a time interval, previously stored in said concentrator (C) from a centralized management facility (AMM).

13. System according to any claim 10, wherein the status data comprise one or more of a time value (TV) indicating date and time of last measured consumption related data, an indicator (ID) indicating a storage location (Nx) in which last measured consumption related data have been stored at the remote meter (RM), and a numeric value (NM) indicating the number of stored consumption related data at the remote meter (RM).

14. System according to claim 10, wherein the concentrator (C) is adapted to perform the operation of transmitting a start time and an end time to the remote meter (RM) requesting transmission of consumption related data from said start time to said end time.

15. System according to claim 10, wherein the concentrator (C) is adapted to perform the operation of transmitting a number (L) of storage locations to the remote meter (RM) requesting transmission of consumption related data stored in respective L storage locations at the remote meter (RM).

16. System according to claim 10, wherein the concentrator (C) is adapted to perform the operation of transmitting values indicating storage locations to the remote meter (RM) requesting transmission of consumption related data stored in the storage locations indicated by said values.

17. System according to claim 10, wherein the concentrator (C) is adapted to perform the operation of determining on the basis of said status data whether sufficient consumption related data are stored at the remote meter (RM).

18. System according to any claim 10, wherein the concentrator (C) is adapted to perform the operation of determining whether a remote meter (RM) is enabled to perform the operation of transmitting an amount (L) of consumption related data (MV1, MV2 . . . MV(L)) to said concentrator upon a request from said concentrator, said request indicating the amount (L) of consumption related data, said amount (L) being determined on the basis of status data (TV, ID, NV) of said remote meter (Load Profile Procedure).

19. A concentrator for collecting data regarding the consumption of utilities from a plurality of remote meters (RM), each having a controller (MCM) and a program memory (PM), said controller (MCM) executing programs stored in said program memory (PM), and a data element memory (CB) for storing data elements related to the consumption of said utilities and at least indicative of the consumption of said utilities, said concentrator (C) comprising

a communication interface (CIC) for communicating with said plurality of remote meters (RM);

a controller (MCC) for processing data received from said remote meters (RM) through said communication interface (CIC);

wherein said concentrator (C) is adapted to perform the operations of

requesting status data (TV, ID, NV) from a selected one of said remote meters (RM);

computing an amount (L) of consumption related data to be requested and received from said selected remote meter (RM) on the basis of said status data (TV, ID, NV); and

receiving said amount (L) of consumption related data from said selected remote meter (RM).

20. Concentrator according to claim 19, further adapted to perform the operation of determining the amount (L) of consumption related data also on the basis of parameters, especially a time interval, previously stored in said concentrator (C) from a centralized management facility (AMM).

21. Concentrator according to claim 19, wherein the status data comprise one or more of a time value (TV) indicating date and time of last measured consumption related data, an indicator {ID} indicating a storage location (Nx) in which last measured consumption related data have been stored at the remote meter (RM), and a numeric value (NM) indicating the number of stored consumption related data at the remote meter (RM).

22. Concentrator according to claim 19, further adapted to perform the operation of transmitting a start time and an end time to the remote meter (RM) requesting transmission of consumption related data from said start time to said end time.

23. Concentrator according to claim 19, further adapted to perform the operation of transmitting a number (L) of storage locations to the remote meter (RM) requesting transmission of consumption related data stored in respective L storage locations at the remote meter (RM).

24. Concentrator according to claim 19, further adapted to perform the operation of transmitting values indicating storage locations to the remote meter (RM) requesting transmission of consumption related data stored in the storage locations indicated by said values.

25. Concentrator according to claim 19, further adapted to perform the operation of determining on the basis of said status data whether sufficient consumption related data are stored at the remote meter (RM).

26. Concentrator according to claim 19, further adapted to perform the operation of determining whether a remote meter (RM) is enabled to perform the operation of transmitting an amount (L) of consumption related data (MV1, MV2 . . . MV(L)) to said concentrator upon a request from said concentrator, said request indicating the amount (L) of consumption related data, said amount (L) being determined on the basis of status data (TV, ID, NV) of said remote meter (Load Profile Procedure).

27. A remote meter for measuring the consumption of utilities, comprising

a communication interface (CIM) for transmitting data concerning the measured consumption of utilities to a concentrator (C);

a consumption related data element storage means (CB) comprising a plurality of storage locations (Nx, Nx+1} for storing data elements related to the consumption of said utilities and at least indicative of the consumption of said utilities, measured at the time of storing a respective one of said data elements;

a time value storage means (TVSM) for storing a time value (TV) corresponding to the date/time of storing of said most recent consumption related data element; and

a controller (MCM) being arranged to control the operation of the remote meter (RM) relating to

the measuring of the consumption of utilities such that periodically, indicated by a stored time parameter (T),

a data element corresponding to the measured consumption of utilities is stored in a respective subsequent one of said storage locations of said circular storage means (CSM), and

the time value (TV) stored in said time value storage means (TVSM) is updated to correspond to the date/time of storing of said most recent data element;

and

the transmitting of data concerning the measured consumption of utilities to said concentrator (C) via said communication interface (CIM) such that upon a respective request from said concentrator (C)

said time value (TV) is transmitted to said concentrator (C), and

a number of data elements stored in said storage locations is transmitted to said concentrator (C), said number being determined by said concentrator (C).

28. Remote meter according to claim 27, further comprising an identifier storage means (IDSM) for storing an identifier (ID) identifying the storage location of said plurality of storage locations in which the most recent data element has been stored;

and

said controller (MCM) being further arranged to control the operation of the remote meter (RM) relating to

the measuring of the consumption of utilities such that periodically the identifier (ID) stored in said identifier storage means (IDSM) is updated to identify said subsequent one of said storage locations as the one containing the most recent data element,

and

the transmitting of data concerning the measured consumption of utilities to said concentrator (C) via said communication interface (CIM) such that upon a respective request from said concentrator (C) the identifier (ID) is transmitted to said concentrator (C).

29. Remote meter according to claim 28, characterized in that said consumption related data element storage means (CB) is a circular buffer.

30. Remote meter according to claim 27, further adapted to perform the operation of transmitting consumption related data from a start time to an end time received from the concentrator (C).

31. Remote meter according to claim 27, further adapted to perform the operation of transmitting consumption related data stored in L storage locations at the remote meter (RM) said number (L) of storage locations received from the concentrator (C).

32. Remote meter according to claim 27, further adapted to perform the operation of transmitting of consumption related data stored in the storage locations indicated by values received from the concentrator (C).