Utility power meter

• US 7,020,566 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2002
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Elster Electricity LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Poweronedata Corporation
• Inventors: Worth, Stephen, Kholay, Satish C., Villicana, Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): PERT, EVAN T
• Application Number:
  US10/262,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20040061624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.02, 324/158.1, 702/188, 702/62
• US Class Current: 702/62
• 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 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

Abstract

A utility meter comprises an electromechanical metering portion connectable to a power drop to a premises and an electronic portion coupled to the electromechanical portion. The electromechanical portion comprises a rotating disk portion rotating at speeds proportional to power flow through said meter. The electronic portion comprises an interface coupled to the rotating disk, a controller coupled to the interface for accumulating power usage data over predetermined intervals, a memory coupled to the controller for storing power usage data, and a modem interface for coupling the controller to a public network. The controller is programmably operative to automatically establish a connection via the modem interface for uploading power usage data stored in the memory.

Claims

1. A utility meter, comprising:

an electromechanical metering portion connectable to a power drop to a premises; and

an electronic portion coupled to said electromechanical portion;

said electromechanical portion comprising a rotating disk portion, said disk rotating at speeds proportional to power flow through said meter;

said electronic portion comprising;

an interface coupled to said rotating disk;

a controller coupled to said interface for accumulating power usage data over predefined intervals;

a memory coupled to said controller for storing said power usage data;

a modem interface for coupling said controller to a public network;

said controller programmably operative to automatically establish a connection via said modem interface for uploading of said power usage data stored in said memory.

2. A meter in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said connection is an Internet connection.

3. A meter in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said connection is a TCP/IP connection.

4. A meter in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said electronic portion comprises rate software for determining a rate plan for use with said controller to provide said power usage data.

5. A meter in accordance with claim 4, wherein:

said rate plan is a time of use plan.

6. A meter in accordance with claim 4, wherein:

said rate plan is a flat rate plan.

7. A meter in accordance with claim 4, wherein:

said rate software is loaded into said electronic portion via said modem interface.

8. A meter in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said electronic portion comprises a unique electronic serial number embedded in said meter, said serial number being readable by said controller.

9. A meter in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said electronic portion comprises a real-time clock coupled to said controller.

10. A meter in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said interface coupled to said rotating disk comprises an optical coupler.

11. A meter in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said electronic portion comprises an infrared data interface coupled to said controller.

12. A meter in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said modem interface comprises a wide area network interface.

13. A meter in accordance with claim 12, wherein:

said wide area network interface comprises at least one of analog modem functionality, cellular telephone modem functionality, satellite communication functionality, 2 way paging functionality, and power line carrier functionality.

14. A meter in accordance with claim 13, wherein:

said connection is an Internet connection.

15. A meter in accordance with claim 13, wherein:

said connection is a TCP/IP connection.

16. A meter in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said electronic portion comprises a display module for providing electronically generated human readable outputs of energy consumption.

17. A meter in accordance with claim 16, wherein:

said display module comprises a display disposed within said meter.

18. A meter in accordance with claim 16, wherein:

said display module comprises a display physically remote from said meter.

19. A meter in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

a unique identification number displayed on said meter.

20. A meter in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said electronic portion comprises a non-volatile memory storing an initialization and self-test program;

said controller executing said initialization and self-test program under predetermined conditions.

21. A meter in accordance with claim 20, wherein:

said controller automatically establishing a TCP/IP connection via said modem interface to send a predetermined message after executing said initialization and self-test program.

22. A meter in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said controller is responsive to command information received via said modem interface to upload data from said meter.

23. A meter in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said controller downloads meter configuration information via said modem interface;

said controller being operable to utilize said configuration information to control at least power usage information obtained by said meter for uploading via said modem interface.

24. A meter in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said electronic portion comprises a communications interface.

25. A meter in accordance with claim 24, wherein:

said communications interface comprises an optical link.

26. A meter in accordance with claim 25, wherein:

said controller is responsive to information received via said communication interface to receive premise identification information.

27. A meter in accordance with claim 26, wherein:

said controller automatically transmits said premise identification information from said meter via said modem interface.

28. A meter in accordance with claim 25, wherein:

said controller downloads configuration information via said optical link.

29. A meter in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said electronic portion comprises memory storing at least one telephone number for an Internet service provider.

30. A method in accordance with claim 29, wherein:

said controller automatically utilizes said at least one telephone number to access a server via said modem interface.