Wireless area network communications module for utility meters

• US 6,650,249 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2001
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elster Electricity LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Elster Electricity LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Hemminger, Rodney C., Loy, Garry M., Cunningham, Charles Jr., Meyer, Peter R., Dunn, David F.
• Primary Examiner(s): EDWARDS JR, TIMOTHY
• Application Number:
  US09/905,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20010038343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.02, 340/870.11, 700/286, 700/291, 375/222
• US Class Current: 340/870.28
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/00 Arrangements for measuring time integral of electric power or current, e.g. electricity meters
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/002 with telemetering systems telemetering in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• 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 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A communications module that permits remote meter reading of a utility meter via a wireless modem that communicates using data packet networks along a communications system, such as ARDIS. The communications module is a microprocessor-based transmitter/receiver which receives data collection requests from a system server, initiates data collection from a utility meter, and reports the data back to a host computer system residing, for example, at a central office. Preferably, session-based communication using the meter protocol is implemented between the communications module and the meter, and packet switching is used between the communications server and the communications module through the network.

Claims

1. A meter comprising:

a communications module comprising;

a connector coupled to the meter for receiving meter data from the meter and providing said meter data to a controller;

a controller for controlling the operation of the communications module and for converting said meter data into a host protocol representing said meter data and host data and for providing said data to a radio modem;

said radio modem for transmitting and receiving signals representing said meter data and host data to and from the host using packet-based wireless transmission along a public wireless packet switching network;

an antenna coupled to said radio modem;

a display for displaying radio modem status information comprising at least one of signal strength, signal quality, and module location suitability, at predetermined intervals.

2. The meter of claim 1, further comprising a wide area network option board having a power supply, a current limiter coupled to the power supply, a header coupled to the current limiter, and a serial communications device coupled to the header, wherein the communications module is connected to the option board.

3. The meter of claim 2, wherein the communications module is external to the wide area network option board.

4. The meter of claim 2, wherein the wide area network option board further comprises a plurality of KYZ relays.

5. The meter of claim 2, wherein the header comprises an isolated output power supply pin.

6. The meter of claim 2, wherein the wide are network option board is removable from the meter.

7. The meter of claim 2, wherein the power supply is an isolated step-up converter.