DEMAND METERING SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC ENERGY

• US 3,683,343 A
• Filed: 07/27/1970
• Issued: 08/08/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Resource Management Services Incorporated (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Stephen Feldman, Williard Graves
• Inventors: Feldman, Stephen, Graves, Williard
• Primary Examiner(s): John W. Caldwell
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robert J. Mooney
• Application Number:
  US05/058,597
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 340/178,179,310 235/151.31,151.21 324/103,115,116
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 11/56 Special tariff meters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00009 using pulsed signals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission

Abstract

Disclosed is a variable rate electric metering system including electric meters selectively operable at three or more speeds, and a meter remote control system having a control signal generator at the power station to transmit a multi-tone control code reflective of overall system demand over the powerlines and receiving means associated with each meter responsive to the tones to adjust the meter speed. A consumer cost display unit is provided to give an indication of both overall system demand and actual customer power consumption in terms of dollars per hour spent. Wired-in and portable cost display units are disclosed.

Claims

1. Metering apparatus for an electrical energy distribution system having a power generating station and a plurality of consumer stations interconnected by a power line, said metering apparatus comprising:

an electric meter at each consumer station, said meter including means for recording consumption of electricity in units of energy, control circuit means for adjusting the meter operating speed to vary the relationship between the number of energy units recorded by said meter and the number of energy units actually used by the associated consumer station;

control signal generating means associated with said system said control signal generating means comprising means for measuring the aggregate power demand of the consumer stations in the system, means for generating control signals representative of said power demand and means for coupling said control signals into said power line;

control signal detector means at each consumer station including coupling means connected to said power line, means connected to said coupling means and responsive to said control signal for operating said control circuit means to adjust said meter operating rate in a predetermined relationship to the overall level of power demand in the system; and

display means for indicating both the level of overall system demand and the rate at which units of electrical energy are being recorded by said electric meter.

2. Metering apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said meter comprises a stator and a rotor, first coil means on said stator for connection to said power line to produce a magnetic field in said stator as a function of the power line voltage, second coil means on said stator for connection to said power line to produce a magnetic field in said stator as a function of the current in said power line, and switching means connected to said control circuit means for controlling the intensity of the stator magnetic field resulting from a given power line voltage and current.

3. Metering apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said second coil means comprises at least three separate coils, and wherein said switching means is arranged selectively to connect said coils in a series circuit with said power line.

4. Metering apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said three separate coils are connected in series, and wherein said switching means comprises two switch elements, respectively, shunting two of said separate coils.

5. Metering apparatus as defined in claim 2 including means for inductively coupling said second coil means to said power line, said coupling means comprising three separate coils, and said switching means being arranged selectively to connect said three coils in a series circuit.

6. Metering apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said control signal generating means comprises means for generating at least two different control signals in response to two ranges of power demand in the system and wherein said control signal detector comprises means for recognizing said two control signals, and actuator means for establishing first and second meter operating rates corresponding to said first and second signals, and a third operating rate in the absence of either of said first and second signals.

7. Metering apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said means for generating said first and second signals comprise means for producing said signals at two spaced frequencies different from the frequency of AC power distributed by the system.

8. Metering apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said electric meter comprises a rotary electromechanical energy converter, and wherein said display means comprises means to measure the rotaTional speed of said meter, and means to display an analog of said rotational speed in terms of electricity cost per unit of time.

9. Metering apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said control signal generating means comprises means for generating at least two different control signals at different frequencies in response to two ranges of power demand in the system and wherein said control signal detector comprises first means responsive to one of two frequencies, second means responsive to the other of said two frequencies, and actuator means for establishing first and second meter operating rates in response to the presence of signals at said first and second frequencies, and a third operating rate in the absense of signals at either of said first and second frequencies, and wherein said display means includes first and second indicators operable in response to respective ones of said first and second signals.

10. Metering apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including means coupled to said control signal detector for generating an information signal identifying different ranges of overall power system demand, means for modifying said information signal to reflect the rate at which energy is being used at said consumer station, and means for coupling said modified information signal into the power line at said consumer station.

11. Metering apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said information signal is generated at different frequencies to reflect said different ranges of demand, and wherein said means for modifying said signal comprises means for varying the amplitude thereof in accordance with the actual rate of operation of said meter.

12. Metering apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said display means includes plug in means for connection to a power outlet in said consumer station, means to measure the amplitude of said information signal, means to display an analog of said amplitude in terms of cost of power consumption per unit of time, means to identify the frequency of said information signal and means to display the identity of said frequency in terms of the corresponding range of system demand.

13. A variable rate electric meter for a demand metering system comprising a stator, a rotor, first coil means on said stator for connection to a power line to produce a magnetic field in said stator as a function of the power line voltage, second coil means on said stator for connection to said power line to produce a magnetic field in said stator as a function of the current in said power line, and control means including switch means for controlling the intensity of the stator magnetic field resulting from a given power line voltage and current.

14. Metering apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said second coil means comprises at least three separate coils, and wherein said switching means is arranged selectively to connect said coils in a series circuit with said power line.

15. Metering apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said three separate coils are connected in series, and wherein said switching means comprises two switch elements, respectively, shunting two of said separate coils.

16. Metering apparatus as defined in claim 13 including means for inductively coupling said second coil means to said power line, said coupling means comprising three separate coils, and said switching means being arranged selectively to connect said three coils in a series circuit.

17. Metering apparatus for an electrical energy distribution system having a power generating station and a plurality of consumer stations interconnected by a power line, said metering apparatus comprising:

an electric meter at each consumer station, said meter including means for recording consumption of electricity in units of energy, control means at each consumer station for adjusting the meter operating speed to vary the relationship between the number of energy units recorded by the meter and the number of energy units actually used by the consuMer station;

control signal generating means associated with said system, said control signal generating means comprising means for measuring the aggregate power demand of the consumer stations in the system, means for generating control signals representative of said demand;

means for providing said control signals to each consumer station;

control signal detector means at each consumer station responsive to said control signal for operating the control means at said consumer station to adjust said meter operating rate in a predetermined relationship to the overall level of power demand in the system; and

display means for indicating both the level of overall system demand and the rate at which units of electrical energy are being recorded by said electric meter.

18. Metering apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said meter comprises a stator and a rotor, first coil means on said stator for connection to said power line to produce a magnetic field in said stator as a function of the power line voltage, second coil means on said stator for connection to said power line to produce a magnetic field in said stator as a function of the current in said power line, and means in said control means for adjusting the intensity of the stator magnetic field resulting form a given power line voltage and current.

19. Metering apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein said second coil means comprises at least three separate coils, and wherein said control means is selectively operable to connect said coils in a series circuit with said power line.

20. Metering apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein said three separate coils are connected in series, and wherein said control means includes switching means comprising two switch elements, respectively shunting two of said separate coils.

21. Metering apparatus as defined in claim 18 including means for inductively coupling said second coil means to said power line, said coupling means comprising three separate coils, and wherein said control means includes switching means selectively operable in response to said control signal to connect said three coils in a series circuit.

22. A variable rate electric meter for a demand metering system comprising a stator;

a rotor;

first coil means on said stator for connection to a power line to produce a magnetic field in said stator as a function of the power line voltage;

second coil means on said stator for connection to said power line to produce a magnetic field in said stator as a function of the current in the power line;

control mean responsive to a remotely generated control signal indicative of the overall level of system energy demand for controlling the intensity of the stator magnetic field resulting from a given power line voltage and current; and

display means for indicating both the level of overall system demand and the rate of usage of electrical energy recorded by said electric meter.

23. The variable rate of electric meter of claim 22 further including means coupled to said control means for generating an information signal identifying different ranges of overall system energy demand;

means for modifying said information signal to reflect the rate of usage of electrical energy recorded by said meter; and

means for coupling said modified information signal into the power line.

24. The meter of claim 23 wherein said information signal is generated at different frequencies to reflect said different ranges of demand, and wherein said means for modifying said signal comprises means for varying the amplitude thereof in accordance with the actual rate of operation of said meter.

25. The meter of claim 24 wherein said display means includes plug-in means for connection to a power outlet;

means to measure the amplitude of said information signal;

means to display an analog of said amplitude in terms of cost of power consumption per unit of time;

means to identify the frequency of said information signal; and

means to display the identity of said frequency in terms of the coRresponding range of system demand.