Utility meter power arrangements and methods

• US 6,995,685 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2002
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Landis+Gyr AG (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Landis+Gyr Inc. (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Inventors: Randall, Bruce E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jenkins, Kimberly
• Application Number:
  US10/256,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20030087615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.39, 340/870.02, 340/870.17, 702/62
• US Class Current: 340/870.39
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2233 used in consumption-meter devices, e.g. electricity, gas or water meters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/04 Circuits
• 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 2209/88 Providing power supply at the sub-station
• 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: 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

An arrangement for providing power in a utility meter includes a power conversion circuit and a bank of capacitors. The power conversion circuit is operable to provide power to metering circuitry within the utility meter, the power conversion circuit having a maximum output current. The bank of capacitors is operably coupled to a power supply input of the radio frequency transmitter, the bank of capacitors configured to provide current in excess of the maximum output current during transmission by the radio frequency transmitter to supply power to the radio frequency transmitter.

Claims

1. An arrangement for providing power in a utility meter, the utility meter including a radio frequency transmitter, the arrangement comprising:

a power conversion circuit operable to provide power to metering circuitry within the utility meter, the power conversion circuit having a maximum output current;

a bank of capacitors operably coupled to a power supply input of the radio frequency transmitter, the bank of capacitors configured to provide current in excess of the maximum output current during transmission by the radio frequency transmitter to supply power to the radio frequency transmitter.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the power conversion circuit is further operably coupled to provide a charging current to the bank of capacitors.

3. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the bank of capacitors include ultracapacitors.

4. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein the ultracapacitors comprise double-layer capacitors having metal carbon electrodes and a non-aqueous electrolytic solution.

5. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the power supply further comprises a temperature sensor disposed proximate the bank of capacitors, the temperature sensor operable to generate a temperature output signal having temperature information therein.

6. The arrangement of claim 5 further comprising a processing circuit coupled to receive the temperature information of the temperature output signal, the processing circuit operable to inhibit transmission by the radio frequency transmitter based on the temperature information.

7. The arrangement of claim 5 further comprising:

a heat generating element disposed proximate the bank of capacitors, the heat generating element configured to increase the ambient temperature of the bank of capacitors above a threshold operating temperature;

a processing circuit coupled to receive the temperature information of the temperature output signal, the processing circuit operable to cause operation of the heat generating element based on the temperature information.

8. The arrangement of claim 1 further comprising a heat generating element disposed proximate the bank of capacitors, the heat generating element configured to increase the ambient temperature of the bank of capacitors above a threshold operating temperature.

9. An arrangement for transmitting information from a utility meter, the arrangement comprising:

a radio frequency transmitter operable to transmit metering information;

an energy storage circuit operably coupled to a power supply input of the radio frequency transmitter, the energy storage circuit configured to provide power the radio frequency transmitter;

a temperature sensor disposed proximate the energy storage circuit, the temperature sensor operable to generate a temperature output signal having temperature information therein; and

processing circuitry operably coupled to receive the temperature information, the processing circuitry operable to inhibit operation of the radio frequency transmitter based at least in part on the temperature information.

10. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to inhibit operation of the radio frequency transmitter when the temperature information is indicative of a temperature in the proximity of the energy storage circuit below a predetermined threshold.

11. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein the radio frequency transmitter comprises a pager radio.

12. The arrangement of claim 9 further comprising a heat generating element disposed proximate the bank of capacitors, and wherein the processing circuitry is further operably connected to activate the heat generating element responsive to the temperature information.

13. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein the energy storage circuit further comprises a plurality of capacitors.

14. The arrangement of claim 13 wherein the plurality of capacitors includes ultracapacitors.

15. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein the processing circuitry includes elements of a pager radio integrated circuit and elements of a voltage regulator integrated circuit.

16. An arrangement for operating a circuit in a utility meter, the arrangement comprising:

a first circuit performing an operation in a utility meter; and

a heat generating element disposed proximate the first circuit, the heat generating element configured to be controllably activated to increase the ambient temperature proximate the first circuit.

17. The arrangement of claim 16 further comprising a processing circuit operably coupled to controllably activate the heat generating element.

18. The arrangement of claim 17 wherein the processing circuit is further operable to controllably activate the heat generating element based on temperature information.

19. The arrangement of claim 16 further comprising:

a temperature sensor disposed proximate the first circuit, the temperature sensor operable to generate a temperature output signal having temperature information therein; and

processing circuitry operably coupled to receive the temperature information, the processing circuitry operable to controllably activate the heat generating element based at least in part on the temperature information.

20. The arrangement of claim 16 wherein the first circuit further comprises an energy storage element.

21. A method of controlling a transmission operation in a utility meter, comprising:

a) obtaining temperature information representative of a sensed temperature proximate an energy storage element;

b) inhibiting operation of a first circuit, the first circuit performing an operation in the utility meter responsive to the temperature information;

c) activating a heater element proximate the first circuit;

d) obtaining subsequent temperature information after activating the heater element, the subsequent temperature information representative of a subsequent sensed temperature proximate the energy storage element.

e) enabling operation of the first circuit responsive to the subsequent temperature information.