INTELLIGENT COUPLER DEVICE FOR UTILITY METER AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THEREOF

• US 20140292538A1
• Filed: 10/07/2011
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Viraj Kumar Pathi
• Original Assignee: Viraj Kumar Pathi
• Inventors: Pathi, Viraj Kumar, Sadhu, Vamsi Krishna, V Prasad, Vamsi, Maddela Babu, Satish, Vangala, Anil Kumar, Vangala, Ramakoteshwarudu
• Application Number:
  US14/343,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20140292538A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.39
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/00 Tariff metering apparatus in taximeters G07B13/00; apparatus actuated by coins, cards or the like with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas, or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/25 using a mesh network, e.g. a public urban network such as public lighting, bus stops or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• 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 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• 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

Abstract

An intelligent coupler device for utility meters comprising a communication module to maintain a two-way communication with its network gateway and other neighboring devices through respective communication channels; a control unit configured for processing and flow control of any communication events; an oscillator in connection with the control unit via interface to maintain the instruction clock; a memory unit for storing and processing the incoming and outgoing data; a Real Time Clock (RTC) in connection with control unit to fetch and/or set current date, time and the like; a primary power port configured for supplying power to all components.

Claims

1. An intelligent coupler device for utility meters comprising:

a communication module to maintain a two-way communication with a network gateway and other neighboring devices through respective communication channels;

a control unit configured for processing and flow control of any communication events;

an oscillator in connection with the control unit via an interface to maintain an instruction clock;

a memory unit for storing and processing incoming and outgoing data;

a real time clock in connection with the control unit to fetch and/or set current date, time and calendar information; and

a primary power port configured for supplying power to all components of the intelligent coupler device requiring power.

2. The intelligent coupler device for the utility meters as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is a microcontroller.

3. The intelligent coupler device for the utility meters as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication module is configured for an omnipotent communication network which is wired or wireless.

4. The intelligent coupler device for the utility meters as claimed in claim 1, further comprises auxiliary (secondary) power supplies to increase availability of the device even in an event of power failure at a mains (primary) power supply.

5. The intelligent coupler device for the utility meters as claimed in claim 1, further comprises of a plurality of various data ports configured for data acquisition and transfers compatible with data ports available at the utility meter and the communication module.

6. The intelligent coupler device for the utility meters as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit converts obtained data from the utility meter to a common standard data format or a custom protocol per an end-user for further processing after retrieval.

7. The intelligent coupler device for the utility meters as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication module is configured to integrate with a variety of communication modules of different modes of communication communicating on low power ISM band frequencies.

8. The intelligent coupler device for the utility meters as claimed in claim 1, wherein the memory unit is configured for limiting a data collection cycle to a very minimum numbers by storing all meter transactions into the memory unit and transmitting the meter transactions if an explicit data request is received over the communication channel.

9. The intelligent coupler device for the utility meters as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is programmed to schedule for events including communication activities, utility meter interaction, and device health check-up, the check-up including vital system performance parameters which include system voltage, peripheral controls, and data ports at planned-intervals.

10. The intelligent coupler device for the utility meters as claimed in claim 1, wherein a duty cycle can be reduced by putting the device at dormant state for longer periods and only allowing priority events by limiting utility meter transactions and making the transactions purely request based for reducing power consumption.

11. A method for operating a coupler device comprising the steps of:

energizing through main power supply upon availability of power;

checking for performance by reading device performance parameters into ON_BOARD_VITAL_PARAMETERS;

fetching the data related to ON_BOARD_VITAL_PARAMETERS and validating the received values and raising a flag for SYSTEM_READY; and

deciding a process path based on a status of the SYSTEM_READY flag.

12. The method for operating a coupler device as claimed in claim 11, wherein in an event of the device being not ready, further comprising the steps of:

generating a DEVICE_DIAGNOSIS message;

storing the message into an ON_BOARD_MEMORY; and

sending the device into a SLEEP_MODE.

13. The method for operating a coupler device as claimed in claim 11, wherein in an event of the device being ready, further comprising the steps of:

entering into a state of IDLE awaiting event occurrence wherein

under condition of any occurrence off an event, initiating a TRIGGER_PROCESS;

maintaining a dual path for DELAY_PROCESS and other events for identifying a type of event that occurred on the device.

14. The method for operating a coupler device as claimed in claim 12, wherein in the events are classified based on their priority as POWER FAILURE, UTILITY_METER_EVENT, and COMM_EVENT respectively.

15. The method for operating a coupler device as claimed in claim 13, wherein in the events are classified based on their priority as POWER FAILURE, UTILITY_METER_EVENT, and COMM_EVENT respectively.