SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A CONNECTION OF A METER TO A POWER LINE

• US 20120126994A1
• Filed: 11/22/2011
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corinex Communications Corporation
• Original Assignee: Corinex Communications Corporation
• Inventors: SOBOTKA, Peter, Shi, Xiao Ming, Long, Yan
• Granted Patent: US 9,116,013 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• 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: G01R 19/0007 Frequency selective voltage or current level measuring measuring frequency G01R23/00; testing attenuation in line transmission systems H04B3/48; monitoring testing in transmission systems H04B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/165 Indicating that current or voltage is either above or below a predetermined value or within or outside a predetermined range of values
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/42 AC power supplies
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5433 Remote metering
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/546 Combination of signalling, telemetering, protection circuits for remote indication of supply or distribution network condition H02J13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• 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: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a meter for monitoring usage of power provided by a power transmission system to a site. The meter comprises: a communication module to generate communications carried over the system; a request manager module to process messages received from a head end of the system; a meter module connected to a power feed of the system; a connection manager module to evaluate readings and data and to generate connection signals for the meter in view of the readings; and a relay having a first position where the power is connected to the site and a second position where the power is disconnected, the relay being controlled by the connection signals. The connection manager module generates a first signal for the relay to disconnect the power when an over-voltage condition or an over-current condition on the system has been detected.

Claims

1. A meter for monitoring usage of power provided by a power transmission system to a site, said meter comprising:

a communication module to generate communications carried over said power transmission system;

a request manager module to process messages received through said communication module from a head end associated with said power transmission system;

a meter module connected to a power feed associated with said power transmission system to provide readings relating to said power used at said site;

a connection manager module to evaluate said readings and data relating to past power usage at said site and to generate connection signals for said meter to said power transmission system in view of said readings; and

a relay having a first position where said power is connected to said site and a second position where said power is disconnected from said site, said relay being controlled by said connection signals,

wherein

said connection manager module generates a first signal for said relay to disconnect said power when an over-voltage condition or an over-current condition on said power transmission system has been detected by or reported to said meter.

2. The meter for monitoring usage of power as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said over-voltage condition includes a threshold of voltage value over a period of time.

3. The meter for monitoring usage of power as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said threshold of voltage value is provided to said meter from a message received through said transmission system.

4. The meter for monitoring usage of power as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said connection manager module generates a second signal for said relay to connect said power to said site when a reset condition has been detected by said meter module.

5. The meter for monitoring usage of power as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said connection manager module also generates said first signal for said relay to connect said power to said site when a disconnect condition has been detected by said meter module.

6. The meter for monitoring usage of power as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said relay further has a third position between said first and said second positions, where for said third position a fraction of available power for said site is provided to said site.

7. The meter for monitoring usage of power as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an event manager module to evaluate new events queued in a message queue received by said meter.

8. The meter for monitoring usage of power as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a schedule manager module to schedule obtaining a plurality of readings from said meter module and to provide results of said plurality of readings to said connection manager module.

9. The meter for monitoring usage of power as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said plurality of readings is made according to a schedule provided by said schedule manager module.

10. The meter for monitoring usage of power as claimed in claim 8, wherein said schedule manager module:

updates a usage rate for readings made by said meter module a schedule.

11. The meter for monitoring usage of power as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said request manager module processes a broadcast message received from said head end relating to a cluster command for meters in a subnet that include said meter.

12. The meter for monitoring usage of power as claimed in claim 1, wherein said schedule manager module:

synchronizes a clock of said meter with a system time managed at said head end.

13. A method for monitoring usage of power provided by a power transmission system to a site through a meter, said method comprising:

obtaining and storing readings for a power feed associated with said site;

evaluating said readings and data relating to past power usage at said site;

generating connection signals for said meter to said power transmission system in view of said readings;

controlling a relay having a first position where said power is connected to said site and a second position where said power is disconnected from said site by said connection signals,

wherein

a first connection signal of said connection signals is to disconnect said power when an over-voltage condition or an over-current condition on said power transmission system has been detected by or reported to said meter.

14. The method for monitoring usage of power provided by a power transmission system to a site through a meter as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

a second connection signal of said connection signals is to connect said power to said site is generated when a reset condition has been detected.