Method and apparatus for multiple rate metering of electrical energy

• US 4,465,970 A
• Filed: 02/10/1984
• Issued: 08/14/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Resource Management Services Incorporated (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Johnson, Brian C., May, John B., DiMassimo, Donald V., Cooper, Jeffrey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Karlsen, Ernest F.
• Application Number:
  US06/578,315
• Time in Patent Office: 186 Days
• Field of Search: 324/116, 324/103 R, 364/483, 364/492
• US Class Current: 324/116
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/1333 adapted for special tariff measuring

Abstract

A programmable time-of-use metering system is disclosed for metering electrical energy consumption at multiple rates depending on the time of day, time of week and time of year in which the energy is being consumed. A method for registering total energy consumed by a metered system as well as energy consumed during preselected time intervals is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A programmable multiple rate electrical metering system for registering electrical energy consumed by a monitored load, said system comprising:

a. input means adapted to receive and count electrical pulses which are representative of electrical energy consumption by said load;

b. means for detecting the beginning and end of at least one season;

c. first register means for accumulating the count of electrical pulses received during said season;

d. means for detecting the beginning and end of at least one calendar event within each said season;

e. means for detecting the beginning and end of at least one predetermined time of use period within each said calendar event;

f. second register means for accumulating the count of electrical pulses received during said time of use period;

g. means for detecting the beginning and end of at least one preselected demand interval within each said time of use period;

h. third register means for accumulating the count of electrical pulses received during said demand interval; and

i. means for selectively displaying the contents of said first, second and third register means in units of electrical energy consumption.

2. A programmable multiple rate electrical metering system in accordance with claim 1 additionally comprising:

a. means for dividing said preselected demand interval into N equal rolling demand sub-intervals, where N is an integer number greater than zero;

b. fourth register means for accumulating the count of electrical pulses received during the most recent N sub-intervals; and

c. means for comparing, at the end of each rolling demand sub-interval, the contents of said fourth register means with the contents of said third register means and replacing the contents of said third register means with the contents of said fourth register means whenever the contents of said fourth register means is greater than the contents of said third register means.

3. A programmable multiple rate electrical metering system in accordance with claim 2 wherein N comprises a range of integer numbers from and including 1 to and including 10.

4. A programmable multiple rate electrical metering system in accordance with claim 2 additionally comprising a plurality of register means at least equal in number to said first, second and third register means for storing data accumulated during a previous season.

5. A programmable multiple rate electrical metering system in accordance with claim 4 wherein said display means additionally comprises means for selectively displaying the contents of said additional registers in units of electrical energy consumption.

6. A metering system in accordance with claim 5 wherein said means for displaying of the contents of said registers is selectively activated manually.

7. A programmable multiple rate electrical metering system in accordance with claim 6 wherein said manual activation comprises manually activating a switch by means of a magnetic wand.

8. A programmable multiple rate electrical metering system in accordance with claim 7 additionally comprising an optical communication link interface for communicating information between the metering system and an external programmer tester.

9. A programmable multiple rate electrical metering system in accordance with claim 8 additionally comprising load control means for selectively turning a load on and off during a preselected time of use interval.

10. A multiple rate electrical metering system in accordance with claim 9 additionally comprising alert means for alerting a consumer of the existance of a preselected time of use period being in effect.

11. A programmable multiple rate electrical metering system in accordance with claim 10 additionally comprising an internal power source for providing power to the metering system during power outages.

12. A programmable multiple rate electrical metering system in accordance with claim 11 additionally comprising means for delaying the turning on of a load for a preselected time interval following a power outage in the monitored system.

13. A programmable multiple rate electrical metering system in accordance with claim 12 additionally comprising means for preventing accumulation of the count of electrical pulses in said third and fourth register means for a predetermined time period following a power outage of predetermined duration in the monitored system.

14. A method for registering electrical energy consumed by a monitored load, said method comprising:

a. receiving and counting electrical pulses which are representative of electrical energy consumption by said load;

b. detecting the beginning and end of at least one season;

c. accumulating the count of electrical pulses received during said season in first register means;

d. detecting the beginning and end of at least one calendar event within each said season;

e. detecting the beginning and end of at least one predetermined time of use period within each said calendar event;

f. accumulating the count of electrical pulses received during said time of use period in second register means;

g. detecting the beginning and end of at least one preselected demand interval within each said tme of use period;

h. accumulating the count of electrical pulses received during said demand interval in third register means; and

i. selectively displaying the contents of said first, second and third register means in units of electrical energy consumption.