SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING UNIVERSAL ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONALITY FOR POWER METERS

• US 20110231121A1
• Filed: 05/31/2011
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EI Electronics LLC (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Electro Industries/Gaugetech
• Inventors: Kagan, Erran
• Granted Patent: US 9,410,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/62
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/04 Resetting-mechanisms, e.g. for indicating members
• 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

A system and method for providing an additional option function to existing functionality of a meter device configured for measuring parameters of energy is provided. The meter device is coupled with an option device for exchanging data between the meter and the option devices along at least one data path, including exchanging initialization data provided by the option device between the meter device and the option device, wherein the initialization data is useable by the meter device for configuring the meter device to be in condition to operate with the option device. The data exchanged between the meter device and the option devices are processed by at least one processor. Upon the coupling of the devices and the exchanging of the initialization data, the meter device is operated with the option device for adding the option function to existing functionality of the meter device.

Claims

1. A method for providing an additional option function to existing functionality of a meter device configured for measuring parameters of energy, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting an option device from at least one option device;

coupling the meter device of the type configured for measuring parameters of energy with the selected option device providing an option function;

exchanging data between the meter and the selected option devices along at least one data path, comprising the step of;

exchanging initialization data provided by the selected option device between the meter device and the selected option device, wherein the initialization data is useable by the meter device for configuring at least one of the meter device and the selected option device to be in condition to operate with the at least one of the meter device and the selected option device;

processing the data exchanged between the meter and the selected option device; and

operating the meter device with the selected option device for adding the option function to existing functionality of the meter device upon exchanging initialization data and coupling the meter device with the selected option device.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

uncoupling the meter device and the selected option device;

coupling the meter device with another option device from the at least one option device providing another option function;

exchanging data between the meter and the another option device along at least one data path, comprising the step of;

exchanging initialization data provided by the another option device between the meter device and the another option device, wherein the initialization data is useable by the meter device for at least one of the meter device and the another option device to be in condition to operate with the at least one of the meter device and the another option device;

processing the data exchanged between the meter and the another option device; and

operating the meter device with the another option device for adding the another option function to the existing functionality of the meter device upon exchanging initialization data and coupling the meter device with the another option device.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of operating the meter device before performing the coupling step.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the initialization data includes identification data identifying the selected option device and the configuring step includes using the identification data to configure the meter device to operate with the selected option device for adding the option function to the existing functionality of the meter device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the initialization data includes at least one gain factor corresponding to the gain of the selected option device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the initialization data includes executable instructions for execution by a processor of the meter device, and the configuring step includes using the executable instructions.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of converting data exchanged from at least one of data having a serial format into data having a parallel format, and data having a parallel format into data having a serial format.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of electrically isolating the meter device from the selected option device along at least one data path of the at least one data path.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of electrically isolating the meter device from the selected option device comprises the step of providing isolator circuitry along a path established between at least one processor and circuitry of the meter device.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

coupling the meter device with another option device providing another option function;

exchanging data between the meter and the another option device along at least one data path, comprising the step of;

exchanging initialization data provided by the another option device between the meter device and the another option device, wherein the initialization data is useable by the meter device for configuring the at least one of the meter device and the another option device to be in condition to operate with the at least one of the meter device and the another option device;

processing the exchanged data; and

operating the meter device with the another option device for adding the another option function to the existing functionality of the meter device upon exchanging initialization data and coupling the meter device with the another option device.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of exchanging data along the at least one data path provides for exchanging data via one of a wired and wireless communication medium using a communication protocol.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the communication protocol is selected from at least the group consisting of Modbus RTU, Modbus ASCII, DNP, serial, parallel, Ethernet, and Internet communication protocols.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selected option device is selected from the group consisting of a fiber optic port, an Ethernet card, a digital I/O card, and an analog output option device.

14. A method for providing an additional option function to existing functionality of a meter device configured for measuring parameters of energy, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting an option device from a plurality of option devices;

coupling the meter device of the type configured for measuring parameters of energy with the selected option device providing an option function;

exchanging data between the meter and the selected option device along at least one data path, comprising the step of;

exchanging initialization data provided by the selected option device between the meter device and the selected option device, wherein the initialization data is useable by the meter device for configuring at least one of the meter device and the selected option device to be in condition to operate with the at least one of the selected option device and meter device;

electrically isolating the meter device from the selected option device along at least one data path of the at least one data path;

processing the data exchanged between the meter and the selected option device; and

operating the meter device with the selected option device for adding the option function to existing functionality of the meter device upon the exchanging of the initialization data and coupling the meter device with the selected option device.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of exchanging data along the at least one data path provides for exchanging data via one of a wired and wireless communication medium using a communication protocol.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the communication protocol is selected from at least the group consisting of Modbus RTU, Modbus ASCII, DNP, serial, parallel, Ethernet, and Internet communication protocols.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the selected option device is selected from the group consisting of a fiber optic port, an Ethernet card, a digital I/O card, and an analog output option device.