Electric power meter including a temperature sensor and controller

• US 7,068,184 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2004
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zucarelli, Philip John, Wallis, David Richard, Keller, Theodore Woolley, Yee, David Moon
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US11/008,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20050104575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.02, 340/870.16, 340/870.05, 702/62, 324/110, 324/113, 235/382, 235/382.5, 705/40
• US Class Current: 340/870.05
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/08 with provision for safeguarding the apparatus, e.g. against abnormal operation, against breakdown
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/30 using a wired 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 9/02 Automatically-operated arrangements

Abstract

An electric power meter (102) includes a temperature sensor (114) and a controller (112). The controller (112) is operable, based on the temperature reported from the temperature sensor (114), to generate alarm(s) when the temperature exceeds certain alarm threshold(s) (307, 507, 508) and to activate a power disconnect switch (104), thereby shutting off power to a customer premises, when the temperature exceeds a shut off threshold (309, 509). The controller (112) is operable to activate the power disconnect switch (104) for non-payment of electricity cost, subject to secondary criteria based on regulatory requirements. A customer terminal (103) may be used to notify a customer of an alarm condition, to provide information regarding electrical power usage or to provide information regarding disconnection of electrical power.

Claims

1. A method, performed by an electric metering system, comprising:

determining, by the metering system, that a customer premises is eligible for disconnection of power under a primary criteria wherein the primary criteria is based on non-payment of electricity cost by the consumer;

checking, by the metering system, that the customer meets a secondary criteria for disconnection of power wherein the secondary criteria is based on one or more of;

an outdoor temperature of the customer premises, a time of day, a calendar day after which disconnection of power is restricted, and an amount of outdoor light outside the customer premises; and

disconnecting power to the customer premises only if the primary and secondary criteria are satisfied.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if the customer is determined to be eligible for disconnection of power under the primary and secondary criteria, alerting the customer of the determination.