Method and System for Managing Power Consumption of a Meter During Communication Activities

• US 20150227150A1
• Filed: 04/20/2015
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aclara Meters LLC (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Chamarti, Subramanyam Satyasurya, Manoosingh, Lane Leslie, Tomson, Bruce Joni, Glazebrook, Michael George
• Granted Patent: US 10,198,017 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• 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 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

Described herein are embodiments of methods and systems for detecting communications of a first meter board and using that detection as an indication to manage power consumption of the meter by a second meter board. In accordance with one aspect, a method is provided for detecting communications of a first meter board by a second meter board. In one embodiment, the method includes: receiving a signal, wherein the signal indicates a presence of communication activities between a first processor and another device over a network; and managing power consumption of the meter while the first processor is communicating with the other device over the network.

Claims

1. A utility meter, comprising:

a first board configured to perform communication functions of the utility meter, the first board comprising a first processor and a communication interface connected to the first processor;

a second board configured to perform metrology functions of the utility meter, the second board comprising a second processor and an electronic device;

an interface port connecting the first board and the second board;

wherein the first processor is configured to;

communicate with a network device over a network using the communication interface; and

provide an indicator signal to the second board via the interface port, wherein the indicator signal indicates an occurrence of a communication between the first board and the network device over the network; and

wherein the second processor is configured to reduce, responsive to receiving the indicator signal from the first board via the interface port, power consumption of the electronic device.

2. The utility meter of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is one of a display, a meter input, a filtering component, a user input interface, a memory, and the second processor.

3. The utility meter of claim 1, wherein the first processor is configured to discontinue the indicator signal when a communication between the first board and the network device over the network ends.

4. The utility meter of claim 1, wherein the second processor is further configured to determine, from the indicator signal, a communication type.

5. The utility meter of claim 4, wherein the indicator signal is a pulse-width modulated signal and the second processor is configured to determine the communication type based on the pulse-width of the indicator signal.

6. The utility meter of claim 4, wherein the second processor is configured to reduce power consumption of the electronic device based on a communication type.

7. The utility meter of claim 1, wherein the second board is further configured to perform data management functions.

8. The utility meter of claim 1, wherein metrology functions include measurement of consumption of a utility service provided by a utility distribution system.

9. The utility meter of claim 1, wherein the communication interface includes a means for at least one of transmitting data and receiving data.

10. The utility meter of claim 1, wherein the first board and the second board are separate electronic boards.

11. A method, comprising:

communicating, by a first processor of a utility meter, with a network device over a network using a communication interface, wherein a first board is configured to perform communication functions of the utility meter, the first board including the first processor, and the communication interface being connected to the first processor;

providing, by the first processor, an indicator signal to a second board via an interface port, wherein the indicator signal indicates an occurrence of a communication between the first board and the network device over the network, wherein the second board is configured to perform metrology functions of the utility meter, the second board including a second processor and an electronic device, the interface port connecting the first board and the second board; and

reducing, by the second processor, responsive to receiving the indicator signal from the first board via the interface port, power consumption of the electronic device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the electronic device is one of a display, a meter input, a filtering component, a user input interface, a memory, and the second processor.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising discontinuing, by the first processor, the indicator signal when a communication between the first board and the network device over the network ends.

14. The method of claim 11, comprising determining, by the second processor, a communication type based on the indicator signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the indicator signal is a pulse-width modulated signal and determining, by the second processor, the communication type is based on the pulse-width of the indicator signal.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein reducing, by the second processor, the power consumption of the electronic device is based on a communication type.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the second board is further configured to perform data management functions.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein metrology functions include measurement of consumption of a utility service provided by a utility distribution system.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication interface includes a means for at least one of transmitting data and receiving data.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the first board and the second board are separate electronic boards.