Multi-utility energy control system

• US 6,311,105 B1
• Filed: 05/29/1998
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Powerweb Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Powerweb Incorporated
• Inventors: Budike, Lothar E. S. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr., Ronald D
• Application Number:
  US09/087,621
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.02, 700/291, 700/286, 702/60, 322/45
• US Class Current: 700/291
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• 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 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

The present invention involves multi-utility energy control system with at least one control center computer which is connected to various utility consuming systems and has specialized software that formats pertinent systems energy data, stores it, retrieves it, diagnoses it and acts in response to changes and includes a multi-utility master meter device and a plurality of sensors. The meter device and sensors monitor consumption of a plurality of different utilities meter and will generate selected information, including recognition of surges, of increase in usage versus historical data. The master meter has a central processing unit, visual display means, programming controls and a power source connection. The sensors connections transmit real time rates to the master meter central processing unit. The control center computer(s) identify consumption, changes in consumption, changes in facility individual system consumption and identify and correct for surges, gaps, peak demands and other parameters, with reports as desired.

Claims

1. A multi-utility energy control system for monitoring consumption, and cost of resource generation, for a plurality of different utility types with a single master meter and for monitoring and controlling individual utility systems within a facility, for determining possible utility cost adjustments to enhance cost effectiveness, which comprises:

(a) at least one central control computer being connected to a multi-utility master meter, said at least one central control computer having sufficient software adapted to receive utility consumption rate data from said master meter and for storing, presenting, analyzing and reporting from said data sufficient information to monitor consumption rates and to compare such information to theoretical and/or historical data to identify unexpected changes in consumption and to identify peak demands, surges and sags, said computer also being connected to a plurality of individual utility consuming systems within a facility, said software also being adopted to control said utility consuming systems by adjusting actual utility consumption in response to predetermined parameters set for each of said utility consuming systems, and further contains software adapted to receive and update alternative utility company competition pricing information;

(b) a multi-utility real time master meter for monitoring consumption of a plurality of different utility types with a single master meter, which includes a central processing unit, visual display means connected to the central processing unit, programming controls, a power source connection and a plurality of meter sensor connections; and

,

(c) a plurality of utility meter sensors connected to said master meter, at least a portion of said utility meter sensors being retrofit sensors attachable to existing utility meters for sensing real time rates from said existing utility meters, and transmitting said real time rates to said central processing unit of said master meter, said plurality of utility meter sensors including utility meter sensors having means to sense real time rates from electromechanical utility meters which are attachable to outside surfaces of electromechanical utility meters by measuring magnetic flux caused by motion within said electromechanical utility meters as said electromechanical utility meters move during consumption.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said multi-utility real time master meter central processing unit includes means for receiving real time utility meter consumption rates data from said sensors, means for storing said data, means for presenting said data on display via said visual display means in accordance with a preprogrammed sequence and in preprogrammed time frames, means for converting said data to averages over longer periods of time based on preprogrammed parameters, and means for presenting both real time consumption rate data and converted data to a computer in a predetermined computer language format.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said sensors is wired directly to said master meter central processing unit.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said sensors is wired to a signal transmission device for transmitting signals through an alternating current line to said master meter central processing unit and said master meter central processing unit includes a receiver for receiving said signals from said alternating current line and inputting said signals to said master meter central processing unit.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said meter sensors are current transformers which transmit from about 0 to about 5 milliamps to measure electricity characteristics.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said central control computer software is adapted to provide short term utility contracts for purchase of alternative utility company competitively priced utilities.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said master meter includes a main housing which is physically separate from said at least one central control computer.

8. A multi-utility energy control system for monitoring consumption, and cost of resource generation, for a plurality of different utility types with a single master meter and for monitoring and controlling individual utility systems within a facility, for determining possible utility cost adjustments to enhance cost effectiveness, which comprises:

(a) at least one central control computer being connected to a multi-utility master meter, said at least one central control computer having sufficient software adapted to receive utility consumption rate data from said master meter and for storing, presenting, analyzing and reporting from said data sufficient information to monitor consumption rates and to compare such information to theoretical and/or historical data to identify unexpected changes in consumption and to identify peak demands, surges and sags, said computer also being connected to a plurality of individual utility consuming systems within a facility, said software also being adopted to control said utility consuming systems by adjusting actual utility consumption in response to predetermined parameters set for each of said utility consuming systems;

(b) a multi-utility real time master meter for monitoring consumption of a plurality of different utility types with a single master meter, which includes a central processing unit, visual display means connected to the central processing unit, programming controls, a power source connection and a plurality of meter sensor connections; and

,

(c) a plurality of utility meter sensors connected to said master meter, at least a portion of said utility meter sensors being retrofit sensors attachable to existing utility meters for sensing real time rates from said existing utility meters, and transmitting said real time rates to said central processing unit of said master meter, said plurality of utility meter sensors including utility meter sensors having means to sense real time rates from electromechanical utility meters which are attachable to outside surfaces of electromechanical utility meters by measuring magnetic flux caused by motion within said electromechanical utility meters as said electromechanical utility meters move during consumption;

and further wherein said multi-utility real time master meter central processing unit includes means for receiving real time utility meter consumption rates data from said sensors, means for storing said data, means for presenting said data on display via said visual display means in accordance with a preprogrammed sequence and in preprogrammed time frames, means for converting said data to averages over longer periods of time based on preprogrammed parameters, and means for presenting both real time consumption rate data and converted data to a computer in a predetermined computer language format.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein at least one of said sensors is wired directly to said master meter central processing unit.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein at least one of said sensors is wired to a signal transmission device for transmitting signals through an alternating current line to said master meter central processing unit and said master meter central processing unit includes a receiver for receiving said signals from said alternating current line and in master meter putting said signals to the central processing unit.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein at least a portion of said meter sensors are current transformers which transmit from about 0 to about 5 milliamps to measure electricity characteristics.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein said master meter includes a main housing which is physically separate from said at least one central control computer.

13. A multi-utility energy control system for monitoring consumption of a plurality of different utility types with a single master meter and for monitoring and controlling individual utility systems within a facility, which comprises:

(a) at least one central control computer being connected to a multi-utility master meter, said at least one central control computer having sufficient software adapted to receive utility consumption rate data from said master meter and for storing, presenting, analyzing and reporting from said data sufficient information to monitor consumption rates and to compare such information to theoretical and/or historical data to identify unexpected changes in consumption and to identify peak demands, surges and sags, said computer also being connected to a plurality of individual utility consuming systems within a facility, said software also being adopted to control said utility consuming systems by adjusting actual utility consumption in response to predetermined parameters set for each of said utility consuming systems;

(b) a multi-utility real time master meter for monitoring consumption of a plurality of different types with a single master meter, which includes a central processing unit, visual display means connected to the central processing unit, programming controls, a power source connection and a plurality of meter sensor connections; and

,

(c) a plurality of utility meter sensors connected to said master meter, at least a portion of said utility meter sensors being integrally connected to utility meters for sensing real time rates from said utility meters, and transmitting said real time rates to said central processing unit of said master meter, said plurality of utility meter sensors including utility meter sensors having means to sense real time rates from electromechanical utility meters which are attachable to outside surfaces of electromechanical utility meters by measuring magnetic flux caused by motion within said electromechanical utility meters as said electromechanical utility meters move during consumption;

and further wherein said master meter central processing unit includes means for receiving real time utility meter consumption rates data from said sensors, means for storing said data, means for presenting said data on display via said visual display means in accordance with a preprogrammed sequence and in preprogrammed time frames, means for converting said data to averages over longer periods of time based on preprogrammed parameters, and means for presenting both real time consumption rate data and converted data to a computer in a predetermined computer language format.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein at least one of said sensors is wired directly to said central processing unit.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein at least one of said sensors is wired to a signal transmission device for transmitting signals through an alternating current line to said central processing unit and said central processing unit includes a receiver for receiving said signals from sid central processing unit includes a receiver for receiving signals from said alternating current line and inputting said signals to the central processing unit.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein at least one of said sensors is wired to a signal transmission device for transmitting signals through an alternating current line to said central processing unit and said central processing unit includes a receiver for receiving said signals from said alternating current line and inputting said signals to the central processing unit.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein at least a portion of said utility meter sensors are located within said utility meters.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein said at least one central control computer contains software adapted to receive and update alternative utility company competitive pricing information.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said central control computer software is adapted to provide short term utility contracts for purchase of alternative utility company competitively priced utilities.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein said master meter includes a main housing g which is physically separate from at least one central control computer.