Electrical metering device and associated method for temporarily storing data during transmission of the data to a remote communications device
First Claim
1. An electrical metering device for measuring power consumption of an electrical load associated with the electrical metering device;
- the electrical metering device comprising;
meter register means for processing the measured power consumption of the associated electrical load to produce load profile data related thereto;
memory means for storing the processed load profile data;
buffer control means for copying at least a predetermined type of the load profile data from the memory means to a buffer, separate from the memory means, in response to a predetermined command from a remote communications device such that the copied load profile data is temporarily stored in the buffer and additional load profile data is stored by said meter register means in the memory means;
means for bidirectionally communicating between said meter register means and the remote communications device wherein said bidirectional communicating means includes means for transmitting load profile data, including the predetermined types of load profile data temporarily stored in the buffer, to the remote communications device, in response to the predetermined command from the remote communications device;
a timer for controlling a time period for which the predetermined portion of the load profile data is stored in the buffer wherein duration of said timer is set by the predetermined command from the remote communications device; and
means for unlocking the buffer prior to the expiration of the time period computed by said timer such that said buffer control means copies additional load profile data of at least the predetermined type from the memory means to the buffer in response to another predetermined command from the remote communications device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, the present invention is an algorithm implemented in a microprocessor-controlled system which, for example, is disposed within an energy meter housing. Particularly, the microprocessor is coupled to a communications interface which receives and transmits messages on a power line or some other external communications media. Upon receipt of a message, the commands contained in the message are read. If a command corresponds to a "buffer and lock" command, then a timer operated by the microprocessor starts to run. For example, if data to be retrieved from the system is data which is erased from system memory when read therefrom, just prior to reading such data, a buffer and lock command is transmitted by the external communication device. Upon receipt of such command, the microprocessor initiates running of a timer and the data is read from the meter. The data also is copied to a buffer, e.g., a RAM memory location. If the data is "lost" during transmission, and as long as the timer is running, the data can be copied from the designated buffer and re-transmitted. In this manner, data normally not saved in a meter subsequent to a read operation is saved and, if necessary, re-transmitted.
61 Citations
11 Claims
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1. An electrical metering device for measuring power consumption of an electrical load associated with the electrical metering device;
- the electrical metering device comprising;
meter register means for processing the measured power consumption of the associated electrical load to produce load profile data related thereto; memory means for storing the processed load profile data; buffer control means for copying at least a predetermined type of the load profile data from the memory means to a buffer, separate from the memory means, in response to a predetermined command from a remote communications device such that the copied load profile data is temporarily stored in the buffer and additional load profile data is stored by said meter register means in the memory means; means for bidirectionally communicating between said meter register means and the remote communications device wherein said bidirectional communicating means includes means for transmitting load profile data, including the predetermined types of load profile data temporarily stored in the buffer, to the remote communications device, in response to the predetermined command from the remote communications device; a timer for controlling a time period for which the predetermined portion of the load profile data is stored in the buffer wherein duration of said timer is set by the predetermined command from the remote communications device; and means for unlocking the buffer prior to the expiration of the time period computed by said timer such that said buffer control means copies additional load profile data of at least the predetermined type from the memory means to the buffer in response to another predetermined command from the remote communications device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
- the electrical metering device comprising;
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6. A method of transmitting load profile data from an electrical metering device, the load profile data being indicative of power consumption of an electrical load associated with the electrical metering device, the method comprising the steps of:
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measuring the power consumption of an electrical load associated with the electrical metering device; tabulating load profile data related to the measured power consumption of the associated electrical load; storing the tabulated load profile data in a memory means; receiving a predetermined command from a remote communications device requesting transfer of the load profile data stored in the memory means; copying at least a predetermined type of the load profile data from the memory means to a buffer, separate from the memory means, in response to the predetermined command, said copying step comprising a step of temporarily storing at least the predetermined type of load profile data in the buffer; transmitting load profile data, including the predetermined type of load profile data copied to the buffer, to the remote communications device in response to the predetermined command; storing additional tabulated load profile data of at least the predetermined type in the memory means during the transmission of the requested load profile data; initializing a timer in response to a command from the remote communications device which includes a time period for which the predetermined type of load profile data is to be temporarily stored in the buffer; controlling the time period with the timer; and unlocking the buffer prior to expiration of the time period computed by the timer such that load profile data of the predetermined type is copied from the memory means to the buffer in response to another predetermined command received from the remote communications device. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification