INTERNET BASED ENERGY CONTROL SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method for providing power usage information by an electric power meter that measures and reports power usage of at least one of a plurality of electrical loads connected into an electrical power network, wherein the electric power meter is synchronized to measure power usage at a particular time, and is further configured and operable to communicate over a first data network that is communicatively coupled to a second data network, and further wherein at least one firewall is positioned between the first and second data networks, the method comprising:
- synchronizing a real time clock provided with the electric power meter with a first computing device wherein the first computing device is provided with an accurate timestamp from outside the firewall;
reading, by the electric power meter, an amount of power used by the at least one load at a particular point in time; and
transmitting, by the electric power meter via a first communication session between the electric power meter and the first computing device, usage information that represents the amount of electricity used by the at least one load device at the particular point in time, wherein the particular point in time is accurately represented as a function of the synchronized real time clock.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for providing power usage information by an electric power meter. The meter measures and reports power usage of at least one of a plurality of electrical loads connected into an electrical power network, wherein the electric power meter is synchronized to measure power usage at a particular time, and is further configured and operable to communicate over a first data network that is communicatively coupled to a second data network, and further wherein at least one firewall is positioned between the first and second data networks.
81 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for providing power usage information by an electric power meter that measures and reports power usage of at least one of a plurality of electrical loads connected into an electrical power network, wherein the electric power meter is synchronized to measure power usage at a particular time, and is further configured and operable to communicate over a first data network that is communicatively coupled to a second data network, and further wherein at least one firewall is positioned between the first and second data networks, the method comprising:
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synchronizing a real time clock provided with the electric power meter with a first computing device wherein the first computing device is provided with an accurate timestamp from outside the firewall; reading, by the electric power meter, an amount of power used by the at least one load at a particular point in time; and transmitting, by the electric power meter via a first communication session between the electric power meter and the first computing device, usage information that represents the amount of electricity used by the at least one load device at the particular point in time, wherein the particular point in time is accurately represented as a function of the synchronized real time clock. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for updating software that executes on an electric power meter that measures and reports power usage of at least one of a plurality of electrical loads connected into an electrical power network, wherein the electric power meter is synchronized to measure power usage at a particular time, and is further configured and operable to communicate over a first data network that is communicatively coupled to a second data network, and further wherein at least one firewall is positioned between the first and second data networks, the method comprising:
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transmitting by the electric power meter a first request to a first computing device, wherein the request relates to whether a software update is due; receiving by the electric power meter a first response to the first request from the first computing device, wherein the first response includes at least one detail for updating the software; and updating the software as a function of the at least one detail. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for configuring an electric power meter that measures and reports power usage of at least one of a plurality of electrical loads connected into an electrical power network, wherein the electric power meter is synchronized to measure power usage at a particular time, and is further configured and operable to communicate over a first data network that is communicatively coupled to a second data network, and further wherein at least one firewall is positioned between the first and second data networks, the method comprising:
providing a graphical user interface via a first computing device over the second data network, wherein the graphical user interface provides controls for a user to configure the electric power meter to measure power usage at the particular time, and further to configure the electric power meter to request a software upgrade at predetermined time intervals. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for updating software that executes on an electric power meter that measures and reports power usage of at least one of a plurality of electrical loads connected into an electrical power network, the system comprising:
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a first data network; a first computing device communicatively coupled to the first data network; and the electric power meter, wherein the electric power meter is programmed and configured to; transmit a first request over the first data network to the first computing device, wherein the request relates to whether a software update is due; receive a first response to the first request from the first computing device, wherein the first response includes at least one detail for updating the software; and update the software as a function of the at least one detail. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A system for configuring an electric power meter that measures and reports power usage of at least one of a plurality of electrical loads connected into an electrical power network, the system comprising:
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a first data network; the electric power meter, wherein the electric power meter is synchronized to measure power usage at a particular time; a computing device that is communicatively coupled to the first data network and at least one other data network; and a graphical user interface provided via the computing device that includes controls for configuring the electric power meter to measure power usage at the particular time, and further to configure the electric power meter to request a software upgrade at least one predetermined time interval. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification