Electronic revenue meter with automatic service sensing

• US 7,298,135 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2005
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Lowe, Coy Stephen, Hyder, Charles Craig, Fouquet, Christophe Jean Andre, Briese, Forrest Wayne, Schlarb, John Murray
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Vinh P.
• Application Number:
  US11/070,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20050194962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 324/76.77, 324140 R-142, 324126-127, 324/103.R, 702 57- 65
• US Class Current: 324/142
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 18/00 Testing or calibrating apparatus or arrangements provided for in groups G01D1/00 - G01D15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/08 with provision for safeguarding the apparatus, e.g. against abnormal operation, against breakdown
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/1331 Measuring real or reactive component, measuring apparent energy
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/1335 Tariff switching circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/00 Arrangements for measuring time integral of electric power or current, e.g. electricity meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/10 using digital techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 35/04 of instruments for measuring time integral of power or current
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• 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 integral electronic revenue meter system diagnostics package including a microprocessor, storage memory, preselect series of system diagnostic tests, and recording any results which exceed predefined programmable thresholds, and display means for displaying error and/or diagnostic messages identifying selected diagnostic data and/or errors discovered in the meter tests during a predefined period is included as part of an electricity revenue meter of the type used for collecting metering data for a utility which uses such data for billing purposes. The system automatically senses the type of electrical service in which the revenue meter is installed when the revenue meter is installed in a socket at the customer'"'"'s premises.

Claims

1. An apparatus for electronically measuring or distributing electrical energy, said apparatus comprising:

at least one analog-to-digital converter connected to phases of an electrical service, said converter configured to obtain digital samples of the voltage component and the current component of said electrical service;

memory for storing reference information for at least one type of electrical service;

a microprocessor interfaced with said at least one analog-to-digital converter and said memory; and

wherein said microprocessor is configured to calculate a voltage phase angle value relative to a base voltage phase for the voltage component for at least one phase of said electrical service by use of said digital samples.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said apparatus is a revenue meter configured to attach to a meter socket on a substantially permanent basis.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1, said apparatus operative without modification for at least three standard electrical service voltages, wherein said standard electrical service voltages are selected from the group consisting of 120 Vrms, 208 Vrms, 240 Vrms, 272 Vrms and 480 Vrms.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1, said apparatus operative for electrical service voltages inclusive of the entire range from about 98 Vrms to about 528 Vrms.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1, said microprocessor further configured to use said digital samples to calculate a current phase angle value for said current component for at least one phase of said electrical service.

6. An apparatus as in claim 5, wherein said microprocessor is further configured to use said voltage phase angle value and said current phase angle value to perform a Polarity, Cross Phase and Energy Flow check.

7. An apparatus as in claim 6, said microprocessor is configured to count of number of Polarity, Cross Phase and Energy Flow error conditions detected, and is configured to store said count in said memory.

8. An apparatus as in claim 6, said apparatus further comprising a display, said microprocessor configured to generate an error message displayed on said display if said microprocessor detects a Polarity, Cross Phase or Energy Flow error condition.

9. An apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said error message is one of (a) an error message that is locked on said display until said apparatus is manually reset and (b) an error message that is cleared if said microprocessor determines that a Polarity, Cross Phase or Energy Flow error condition no longer exists.

10. An apparatus as in claim 1, said microprocessor further configured to use said digital samples and said reference information to perform a Phase Voltage Deviation check.

11. An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said microprocessor is configured to store in said memory a count of the number of Phase Voltage Deviation error conditions detected.

12. An apparatus as in claim 10, said apparatus further comprising a display, said microprocessor configured to generate an error message on said display if said microprocessor detects a Phase Voltage Deviation error condition.

13. An apparatus as in claim 12, wherein said error message is one of (a) an error message that is locked on said display until said apparatus is manually reset and (b) an error message that is cleared if said microprocessor determines that a Phase Voltage Deviation error condition no longer exists.

14. An apparatus as in claim 1, said microprocessor further configured to use said digital samples and said reference information to perform a Current Waveform Distortion check.

15. An apparatus as in claim 1, said reference information including a phase-voltage-angle-upper-threshold value and a phase-voltage-angle-lower-threshold value.

16. An apparatus as in claim 15, wherein said microprocessor is configured to compare said voltage phase angle value to said phase-voltage-angle-upper-threshold, said microprocessor configured to generate a phase-voltage-angle-error if said voltage phase angle value exceeds said phase-voltage-angle-upper-threshold.

17. An apparatus as in claim 16, wherein said apparatus further comprises a display, said apparatus configured to generate an error message on said display if said phase-voltage-angle-error is generated.

18. An apparatus as in claim 16, said apparatus storing a count of number of phase-voltage-angle-errors generated.

19. An apparatus as in claim 15, wherein said microprocessor is configured to compare said voltage phase angle value to said phase-voltage-angle-lower-threshold and wherein said microprocessor is configured to detect a phase-voltage-angle-error if said voltage phase angle value falls below said phase-voltage-angle-lower-threshold.

20. An apparatus as in claim 19, wherein said apparatus further includes a display and wherein said apparatus is configured to generate an error message on said display if said phase-voltage-angle-error is detected.

21. An apparatus as in claim 19, said apparatus configured to store in said memory a count of number of phase-voltage-angle-errors detected.

22. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said microprocessor is configured to use said digital samples to calculate a voltage phase angle value for the voltage component of at least two phases of said electrical service;

and wherein said microprocessor is configured to use the voltage phase angle values to determine the phase rotation of said electrical service.

23. An apparatus as in claim 22, wherein said microprocessor is configured to generate a phase-rotation-warning if the phase rotation of said electrical service cannot be determined and store in said memory a count of number of phase-rotation-warnings generated.

24. An apparatus as in claim 22, wherein said apparatus further includes a display.

25. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said microprocessor is configured to use said digital samples to calculate a current phase angle value for said current component and wherein said reference information includes a phase-current-angle-upper-threshold value and a phase-current-angle-lower-threshold value.

26. An apparatus as in claim 25, wherein said microprocessor is configured to compare said current phase angle value to said phase-current-angle-upper-threshold and wherein said microprocessor is configured to generate a phase-current-angle-error if said current phase angle value exceeds said phase-current-angle-upper-threshold.

27. An apparatus as in claim 26, wherein said apparatus further includes a display and wherein said apparatus is configured to generate an error message displayed on said display if said phase-current-angle-error is generated.

28. An apparatus as in claim 26, said apparatus configured to store in said memory a count of number of phase-current-angle-errors generated.

29. An apparatus as in claim 25, wherein said microprocessor is configured to compare said current phase angle value to said phase-current-angle-lower-threshold and wherein said microprocessor is configured to generate a phase-current-angle-error if said current phase angle value falls below said phase-current-angle-lower-threshold.

30. An apparatus as in claim 29, wherein said apparatus further includes a display and wherein said apparatus is configured to generate an error message that is displayed on said display if said phase-current-angle-error is generated.

31. An apparatus as in claim 29, said apparatus configured to store in said memory a count of number of phase-current-angle-errors generated.

32. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said microprocessor is further configured to use said digital samples to determine a phase-voltage-magnitude-value for at least one phase of said electrical service and wherein said reference information includes at least one of a phase-voltage-magnitude-upper-threshold value and a phase-voltage-magnitude-lower-threshold value.

33. An apparatus as in claim 32, wherein said phase-voltage-magnitude-upper-threshold value is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a value that is a predetermined percentage of a typical phase voltage magnitude value for said electrical service;

(b) a value that is a predetermined percentage of a previously measured phase voltage magnitude for one of the phases of said electrical service; and

(c) a user-selectable value.

34. An apparatus as in claim 33, wherein said microprocessor is configured to generate a phase-voltage-magnitude-error if said phase-voltage-magnitude-value exceeds said phase-voltage-magnitude-upper-threshold.

35. An apparatus as in claim 34, said apparatus configured to store in said memory a count of the number of phase-voltage-magnitude-errors generated.

36. An apparatus as in claim 32, wherein said phase-voltage-magnitude-lower-threshold value is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a value that is a predetermined percentage of a typical phase voltage magnitude value for said electrical service;

(b) a value that is a predetermined percentage of a previously measured phase voltage magnitude value for one of the phases of said electrical service; and

(c) a user-selectable value.

37. An apparatus as in claim 36, wherein said microprocessor is configured to generate a phase-voltage-magnitude-error if said phase-voltage-magnitude-value drops below said phase-voltage-magnitude-lower-threshold.

38. An apparatus as in claim 37, said apparatus storing in said memory a count of the number of phase-voltage-magnitude-errors generated.

39. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said at least one analog-to-digital converter connected to selected phases of a polyphase electrical service, said microprocessor further configured to use said digital samples to calculate a voltage phase angle value for the voltage component of at least one phase of said polyphase electrical service;

and wherein said microprocessor is further configured to use said digital samples to determine a phase current magnitude value for each phase of said polyphase electrical service.

40. An apparatus as in claim 39, wherein said reference information includes a phase-current-magnitude-lower-threshold value and a phase-current-magnitude-upper-threshold value.

41. An apparatus as in claim 40, wherein said phase-current-magnitude-lower-threshold value is one of (a) 0.05% of current class and (b) a user selectable value.

42. An apparatus as in claim 41, wherein said microprocessor is configured to generate a phase-current-magnitude-error if said microprocessor determines that said phase current magnitude value for at least one phase exceeds said phase-current-magnitude-lower-threshold value when the phase current magnitude value for a different phase is determined to be less than said phase-current-magnitude-lower-threshold value.

43. An apparatus as in claim 42, said apparatus storing in said memory a count of the number of phase-current-magnitude-errors generated.

44. An apparatus as in claim 43, wherein said apparatus further comprises a display and wherein said microprocessor is configured to generate a message on said display if a phase-current-magnitude-error is generated.