COMMODITY METER

• US 20110285543A1
• Filed: 06/15/2011
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Itron Networked Solutions, Inc. (Itron, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Itron Networked Solutions, Inc. (Itron, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nap, Kimbel A., Ehrke, Lance A., Dresselhuys, Donn R.
• Application Number:
  US13/161,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20110285543A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/45 Utility meters networked together within a single building
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/008 Modifications to installed utility meters to enable remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component

Abstract

A commodity meter. The meter includes a power/meter circuit board, a communication circuit board, and an antenna. The power/meter circuit board is configured to electrically sense a plurality of parameters of electricity flowing through terminals of the meter. The communication circuit board is configured to transmit one or more commodity parameters received from the power/meter circuit board. The antenna is coupled to the communications circuit board and positioned within the meter.

Claims

1. A commodity meter, the meter comprising:

a meter base;

a cover attached to the meter base; and

self-contained within an internal volume formed by the meter base and the cover,

a power/meter circuit board configured to electrically sense a plurality of

parameters of electricity flowing through terminals of the meter,

a communication circuit board configured to transmit one or more commodity

parameters received from the power/meter circuit board, and

an antenna coupled to the communications circuit board.

2. The commodity meter of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit board includes an RF transceiver sub-assembly.

3. The commodity meter of claim 2, wherein the RF transceiver sub-assembly includes a communication microcontroller, a spread spectrum processor, and an RF transceiver.

4. The commodity meter of claim 1 wherein the cover includes a transparent section.

5. The commodity meter of claim 4, further comprising an LCD sub-assembly having an LCD, wherein the LCD can be viewed through the transparent section of the cover.

6. The commodity meter of claim 4, further comprising a common backplane that couples the power/meter circuit board, the communication circuit board, and the LCD sub-assembly, wherein the position of each is interchangeable.

7. The commodity meter of claim 1, further comprising a pair of terminals extending from the base, the pair of terminals configured to complete a connection between a power line and the meter.

8. The commodity meter of claim 1, further comprising a network module.

9. The commodity meter of claim 8, wherein the network module is replaced with a second network module to change a data communication network.

10. A commodity meter, the meter comprising:

a meter base;

a cover attached to the meter base; and

self-contained within an internal volume formed by the meter base and the cover,

a power/meter circuit board configured to electrically sense a plurality of

parameters of electricity flowing through terminals of the meter,

a communication circuit board configured to transmit one or more commodity

parameters received from the power/meter circuit board,

an antenna coupled to the communications circuit board, and

means for receiving the power/meter circuit board and the communication circuit board, and for allowing interchangeability of position of the power/meter circuit board and communication circuit board.

11. The commodity meter of claim 10, further comprising an LCD sub-assembly and a network module.

12. The commodity meter of claim 11, wherein the receiving means is further for receiving the LCD sub-assembly and the network module.

13. The commodity meter of claim 12, further comprising means for replacing and interchanging the power/meter circuit board, communication circuit board, the LCD sub-assembly, and the network module.

14. A method of manufacturing a commodity meter, the method comprising:

inserting a communication circuit board in the meter;

inserting a power/meter circuit board, configured to electrically sense a plurality of parameters of electricity flowing through terminals of the meter, in the meter;

coupling an antenna to the communication circuit board; and

enclosing the power/meter circuit board, the communication board, and the antenna inside the meter.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the communication circuit board includes an RF transceiver sub-assembly.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising inserting an LCD sub-assembly having an LCD in the meter.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the enclosing act includes placing a top cover, including a transparent section through which the LCD can be viewed, over the power/meter circuit board, the communication board, and the antenna.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the power/meter circuit board and the communication board are inserted into a common backplane.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising inserting a network module in the meter.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising removing the network module from the meter and inserting a second network module in the meter to change a data communication network.