Computer controlled energy monitoring system
First Claim
1. A data communications system comprising:
- at least one communications channel;
at least one group of remote stations connected to a respective communications channel, each remote station comprising a plurality of information channels and tone addressable means for selectively connecting one of said plurality of information channels to a respectively communications channel, said tone addressable means comprising a tone detector for detecting clock tones on a respective communications channel, counting means for counting the number of clock tones detected, means for connecting one of said information channels to the respective communications channel in accordance with the number of clock tones which are counted, and means for enabling said connecting means only when the number of clock tones detected falls within a predetermined numerical range;
a central station connected to each said communications channel and comprising means for sequentially supplying clock tones in common to each said communications channel to cause sequential connection of the information channels at said remote stations to a respective communications channel associated therewith, and means for transmitting a signal to or receiving a signal from an information channel which is connected to a respective communications channel.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a centralized data communications system incorporating a plurality of remote stations, each having a plurality of information channels associated therewith. A selected remote station and its associated information channels are tone addressed by a central station communicating with a group of remote stations over a respective communications channel. The remote stations may have a current sensor connected to one of the information channels for sending data corresponding to the amount of current sensed in an electrical path back to the central station upon being properly addressed. This data, together with data representative of the voltage on the monitored electrical path, is used by the central station to calculate energy consumption. The calculated energy consumption is retained at the central station and used for information and billing purposes. The central station may also send data to an addressed information channel at a remote station for controlling an operation thereat. The central station can also receive data from various parameter measuring sensors at a remote station, e.g. sensors measuring temperature, humidity, fluid flow, etc. which may be connected to other information channels and thus the system may be used as a general purpose data gathering or distributing communications system.
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Citations
84 Claims
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1. A data communications system comprising:
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at least one communications channel; at least one group of remote stations connected to a respective communications channel, each remote station comprising a plurality of information channels and tone addressable means for selectively connecting one of said plurality of information channels to a respectively communications channel, said tone addressable means comprising a tone detector for detecting clock tones on a respective communications channel, counting means for counting the number of clock tones detected, means for connecting one of said information channels to the respective communications channel in accordance with the number of clock tones which are counted, and means for enabling said connecting means only when the number of clock tones detected falls within a predetermined numerical range; a central station connected to each said communications channel and comprising means for sequentially supplying clock tones in common to each said communications channel to cause sequential connection of the information channels at said remote stations to a respective communications channel associated therewith, and means for transmitting a signal to or receiving a signal from an information channel which is connected to a respective communications channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A data communications system comprising:
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at least one central communications channel; at least one group of remote stations connected to a respective communications channel, each remote station comprising a plurality of information channels, addressable means for selectively connecting an addressed one of said plurality of information channels to said central communications channel, and at least one current sensor having an output connected to an associated information channel, said current sensor measuring the flow of current through an electrical path; a central station connected to each said central communications channel and comprising means for selectively addressing the information channels at said remote stations, means for receiving the output of said current sensor during the period said associated information channel is connected to a respective communications channel; and
means for computing the electrical power flowing through said electrical path, said computing means comprising;means for deriving a voltage corresponding to the voltage on said electrical path; means for multiplying a signal representative of said derived voltage by a signal representative of the output of said current sensor to provide a power value; a first analog to digital converter means for digitizing the power value output of said multiplying means; and processor means for storing the digitized output of said first converter means. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84)
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Specification