Fault Tolerant Service Switch Operation in a Utility Meter

• US 20110121664A1
• Filed: 10/25/2010
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Landis+Gyr AG (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Landis+Gyr Inc. (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Inventors: Voisine, John T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,810,077 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/143
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 11/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00019 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries

Abstract

An arrangement for controllably disconnecting a utility power service from a load includes a meter housing, a service switch, an electrically-powered source of motive force, and energy storage device, and a charging circuit. The meter housing includes metrology circuitry configured to generate metering information regarding electrical power provided to the load. The service switch is configured to controllably interrupt a connection between the utility power service and the load. The electrically-powered source of motive force is configured to cause the service switch to controllably interrupt the connection between the utility power service and the load. The energy storage device is operably connected to provide power to the electrically-powered source of motive force. The charging circuit is configured to provide charging energy to the energy storage device. The energy storage device is configured to provide sufficient power to the electrically-power source of motive force after being at least partially charged by the charging circuit. The arrangement further includes a control circuit configured to provide a first signal to a first switch operably connecting the energy storage device to the electrically powered source of motive force, and to provide a second signal to a second switch operably connecting the charging circuit to the energy storage device. The control circuit is configured to receive a disconnect command signal, and to provide the second signal and the first signal in sequence responsive to receiving the disconnect command signal.

Claims

1. An arrangement for controllably disconnecting a utility power service from a load, comprising:

a utility meter housing including metrology circuitry configured to generate metering information regarding electrical power provided to the load;

a service switch configured to controllably interrupt a connection between the utility power service and the load;

an electrically-powered source of motive force configured to cause the service switch to controllably interrupt the connection between the utility power service and the load;

an energy storage device configured to provide power to the electrically-powered source of motive force;

a charging circuit configured to provide charging energy to the energy storage device, wherein the energy storage device is configured to provide sufficient power to the electrically-power source of motive force after being at least partially charged by the charging circuit.

a control circuit configured to provide a first signal to a first switch operably connecting the energy storage device to the electrically powered source of motive force, and to provide a second signal to a second switch operably connecting the charging circuit to the energy storage device, wherein the control circuit is configured to receive a disconnect command signal, and to provide the second signal and the first signal in sequence responsive to receiving the disconnect command signal.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the charging circuit comprises a voltage doubler circuit.

3. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first switch is a first transistor, and wherein the second switch is a second transistor.

4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the electrically-powered source of motive force comprises a DC motor.

5. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein control circuit is further configured to perform energy metering calculations.

6. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the metrology circuit includes voltage and current sensors.