External I/O and communications interface for a revenue meter
First Claim
1. A metering apparatus, said metering apparatus measuring the delivery of electrical energy from an energy supplier to a consumer through a first electric circuit, said metering apparatus comprising:
- a revenue meter enclosed within an enclosure;
an I/O device physically separate from said enclosure;
an interface link operative to couple said I/O device to said revenue meter;
said I/O device further comprising a processor;
said processor operative to provide at least one first timer value to said revenue meter; and
said I/O device further comprising at least one I/O port.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A revenue meter includes electronics for measuring the delivery of electrical energy from an energy supplier to a consumer through an electric circuit. An interface link connects to the revenue meter. An I/O and communications device connects through the interface link to the revenue meter. The I/O and communications device may also connect to a second electric circuit. The I/O and communications device uses a serial interface to communicate with the revenue meter. The I/O and communications device provides one or more of analog inputs and outputs, digital inputs and outputs, and communications ports.
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Citations
65 Claims
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1. A metering apparatus, said metering apparatus measuring the delivery of electrical energy from an energy supplier to a consumer through a first electric circuit, said metering apparatus comprising:
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a revenue meter enclosed within an enclosure;
an I/O device physically separate from said enclosure;
an interface link operative to couple said I/O device to said revenue meter;
said I/O device further comprising a processor;
said processor operative to provide at least one first timer value to said revenue meter; and
said I/O device further comprising at least one I/O port. - 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)
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36. A method of operating a metering apparatus, comprising:
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measuring the delivery of electrical energy from an energy supplier to a consumer through an electric circuit using a revenue meter, said revenue meter enclosed within an enclosure;
locating an I/O device external to said enclosure of said revenue meter;
providing at least one I/O port on said I/O device;
wherein the I/O device includes a processor; and
providing at least one first timer value from the processor to said revenue meter. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
accommodating connection of at least one communications signal from said revenue meter on said I/O device.
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41. The method of claim 40 further comprising:
communicating at least one communications signal from said revenue meter via an interface link.
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42. A method of operating a metering apparatus, comprising:
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measuring the delivery of electrical energy from an energy supplier to a consumer through an electric circuit using a revenue meter, said revenue meter enclosed within an enclosure;
locating an I/O device external to said enclosure of said revenue meter;
wherein the I/O device includes a processor;
wherein the I/O device comprises at least one I/O port;
connecting an interface link between said revenue meter and said I/O device;
communicating at least one I/O signal between said I/O device and said revenue meter via said interface link; and
providing at least one first timer value from the processor to said revenue meter. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
generating a signal level corresponding to said I/O signal.
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45. The method of claim 42 wherein said interface link comprises an RS-422 type serial communications link.
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46. The method of claim 42 further comprising:
accurately timestamping transition times of at least one input of said I/O device.
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47. The method apparatus of claim 42, wherein said enclosurre comprises.
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48. The method of claim 42 further comprising:
controlling the application of power to said I/O device with a second processor in said revenue meter.
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49. The method of claim 42 further comprising:
sending at least one second timer value from said processor on said I/O device to said revenue meter, said at least one first timer value indicative of the time of transition of at least one input of said I/O device, and said at least one second timer value indicative of a time of transmission of at least one communications packet from said I/O device to said revenue meter.
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50. The method of claim 42 wherein the at least one first timer value comprises a first free running timer value.
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51. The method of claim 42 wherein the at least one first timer value comprises a first free running counter value.
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52. The method of claim 42 wherein said interface link comprises a communications link.
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53. The method of claim 52 wherein said I/O device further comprises at least one input and wherein said I/O signal is indicative of the amount of current flowing into said at least one input.
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54. The method of claim 42 further comprising:
detecting errors in said communication.
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55. The method of claim 54 wherein said detecting comprises a cyclic redundancy check.
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56. The method of claim 42 further comprising:
receiving power by said I/O device from said revenue meter.
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57. The method of claim 56 further comprising:
accurately timestamping transition times of at least one input of said I/O device.
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58. The method of claim 56 further comprising:
controlling the application of power to said I/O device with a second processor in said revenue meter.
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59. The method of claim 42 further comprising:
expanding said interface link to couple to at least one additional I/O device.
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60. The method of claim 59 further comprising:
controlling the application of power to said I/O device with a second processor in said revenue meter.
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61. The method of claim 59 further comprising:
sending at least one second timer value from said processor on said I/O device to said revenue meter, said at least one first timer value indicative of the time of transition of at least one input of said I/O device, and said at least one second timer value indicative of a time of transmission of at least one communications packet from said I/O device to said revenue meter.
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62. A metering apparatus, said metering apparatus measuring the delivery of electrical energy from an energy supplier to a consumer through a first electric circuit, said metering apparatus comprising:
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a revenue meter enclosed within an enclosure;
an I/O device physically separate from said enclosure;
an interface link operative to couple said I/O device to said revenue meter;
said I/O device further comprising a processor;
said processor operative to provide at least one first timer value to said revenue meter;
wherein the revenue meter accurately timestamps transition times of at least one input of said I/O device.
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63. A method of operating a metering apparatus, comprising:
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measuring the delivery of electrical energy from an energy supplier to a consumer through an electric circuit using a revenue meter, said revenue meter enclosed within an enclosure;
locating an I/O device external to said enclosure of said revenue meter;
wherein the I/O device includes a processor connecting an interface link between said revenue meter and said I/O device;
communicating at least one I/O signal between said I/O device and said revenue meter via said interface link;
providing at least one first timer value from the processor to said revenue meter; and
generating a signal level corresponding to said I/O signal.
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64. A method of operating a metering apparatus, comprising:
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measuring the delivery of electrical energy from an energy supplier to a consumer through an electric circuit using a revenue meter, said revenue meter enclosed within an enclosure;
locating an I/O device external to said enclosure of said revenue meter;
wherein the I/O device includes a processor connecting an interface link between said revenue meter and said I/O device;
communicating at least one I/O signal between said I/O device and said revenue meter via said interface link; and
providing at least one first timer value from the processor to said revenue meter;
wherein said I/O signal is indicative of the amount of current flowing into at least one input of said I/O device.
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65. A method of operating a metering apparatus, comprising:
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measuring the delivery of electrical energy from an energy supplier to a consumer through an electric circuit using a revenue meter, said revenue meter enclosed within an enclosure;
locating an I/O device external to said enclosure of said revenue meter;
wherein the I/O device includes a processor connecting an interface link between said revenue meter and said I/O device;
communicating at least one I/O signal between said I/O device and said revenue meter via said interface link;
providing at least one first timer value from the processor to said revenue meter; and
sending at least one second timer value from said processor on said I/O device to said revenue meter, said at least one first timer value indicative of the time of transition of at least one input of said I/O device, and said at least one second timer value indicative of a time of transmission of at least one communications packet from said I/O device to said revenue meter.
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Specification