System for Measuring and Reporting Resource Usage

• US 20160011007A1
• Filed: 02/20/2014
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sunil Gopinath
• Original Assignee: Sunil Gopinath
• Inventors: Gopinath, Sunil
• Granted Patent: US 9,702,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: 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

Abstract

A system and method for measuring and reporting the renewable and non-renewable resources usage in an automated manner is provided. The system includes an AMI Meter for measuring resources usage and communicates to an AMI Server through multiple inbuilt communication facility. The AMI Server stores and process the data received from the AMI Meter for producing billing and control information. The informational messages are sent to the corresponding consumer AMI Meters and get updated in payment nodes by the AMI Server. The AMI Meter is also facilitated with auto registration (registering with server) and bi-directional metering features

Claims

1. A complete automated system (100) for measuring and reporting resource usage comprising:

a single or a set of bi-directional AMI Meters (11), wherein said AMI Meter (11) includes (i) a resource usage measuring component (1), said component calculates the resource usage information, (ii) a resource control unit (2), said unit controls the resource usage by either disconnecting or reconnecting the resource to the consumer premise, (iii) an user interface (3), said interface enables the consumer to interact with said AMI Meter (11), (iv) a communication module (4), (v) a data storage module (5), said module stores configuration and operational information data pertaining to said AMI Meter (11), and (vi) a processor (6), said processor processes said resource usage and communicates to the consumer through said user interface (3);

a single or a set of AMI Servers (10), wherein said AMI Server (10) supporting cross platform interoperability includes (i) a transmitter/receiver (7), said transmitter/receiver sends control and informational messages to said AMI Meter (11) and receives said resource usage information from said AMI Meter (11), (ii) a software application (8) for processing and controlling the received data and (iii) a database (9) for storing processed consumer related data received from said AMI Meter (11);

a communication medium;

an auxiliary support system for data management; and

a payment node.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said AMI Meter provides an inbuilt bi-directional communication channel between said AMI Meter and said AMI Server.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said AMI Meter provides inbuilt bi directional communication channels between said AMI Meters.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said AMI Meter provides for multiple inbuilt bi directional communication channels between

I. said AMI Meter and said AMI Server;

II. between said AMI Meter and another AMI Meter and

III. simultaneously in the same said AMI meter.

5. The system according to claim 2, wherein said AMI Meter provides inbuilt bi-directional communication systems on networks like GSM, CDMA GPRS, WIFI, PLC, Telephone line, LPRF, LAN etc.

6. The system according to claim 2, wherein said AMI meter is capable of performing bi-directional metering/net metering.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said AMI meter is capable of sending bi-directional/Net metering data to said AMI Server.

8. The system according to claim 2, wherein said AMI meter is capable of Connecting and disconnecting the resource to the consumer as per the instruction from said AMI Server.

9. The AMI Meter according to claim 1, the same AMI meter can be used as both prepaid and post paid meter without changing the meter.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processor further communicates said resource usage information to said AMI Server through said communication module.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said processor receives control information and billing information from said AMI Server.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processor downloads any software upgrades and restarts automatically.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said AMI Meter includes an auto-registration facility with said AMI Server.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter/receiver further communicates data to one or more said AMI Server for data synchronization.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter/receiver sends billing and payment details to said payment node through LAN connection with a unique advanced compression techniques and unique encryption methods.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter/receiver sends billing and payment details to consumers communication device such as mobile phone, email, secondary display which is kept inside the customer premises, etc., in human readable format automatically.

17. The system according to claim 1, further transferring data from said AMI Meter to said AMI server and from there on, the consumer can be billed at preset intervals without any manual intervention during the whole process.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein said software application (8) further processes the stored data to generate billing details.

20. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processor receives control information and billing information from said AMI Server.

19. A method for measuring and reporting resource usage using a complete automated system comprising the steps of:

(i) auto registering a single or set of AMI Meters (11) with single or set of AMI Servers (10) in the network (ii) measuring the resource usage information by the resource usage measuring component (1);

(iii) communicating the resource usage information and operational information to said AMI Server (10) via a communication module (4);

(iv) processing the data by software application (8) residing in said AMI Server (10);

(v) storing the processed data in a database (9);

(vi) transmitting control and information messages to said AMI Meter (11); and

updating the data in the payment node through a secure channel.