Electrical power metering system

• US 7,463,986 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2006
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hudson Bay Wireless, LLC
• Original Assignee: Hudson Bay Wireless, LLC
• Inventors: Hayes, Paul V
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Desta; Elias
• Application Number:
  US11/447,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20060271314A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 702/57, 702 60- 62, 702189-190, 340/870.01, 340/870.02, 340/870.03, 340/870.11, 375/220, 375/222, 375/295, 375/316, 709/217, 379/106.03, 379/114.28, 700/1, 700/73, 700/90, 700/286, 700/291
• US Class Current: 702/62
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/063 related to remote communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• 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 20/242 Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A wireless electrical power metering system is provided. A processor having a multichannel power line transceiver, a wireless transceiver, and a power meter attached thereto measures power consumption information at a location. The processor converts the power consumption information into IP-based data, and transmits same over the wireless transceiver. The information can be wirelessly received by a remote monitoring station or transmitted across the Internet for storage, analysis, and billing. The processor can remotely control appliances in response to power consumption trends. The processor can relay information between a wired or wireless network and a power line network, to allow multiple dwellings to be networked using power lines, and households to be connected to the Internet via a power line network. The electrical power metering system also includes Global Positioning System (GPS), biometric scanning, emergency alert reception, and environmental monitoring capabilities.

Claims

1. An electrical power metering system comprising:

a plurality of power meters for measuring power consumption data at a plurality of, locations, each of the power meters connected to a branch power line circuit supplying power to one of the plurality of locations from a common power line, the branch power line circuit forming an internal power line network within one of the plurality of locations;

a processor connected to the plurality of power meters for converting the power consumption data measured by the plurality of power meters into Internet Protocol (IP) power consumption data; and

a plurality of transceivers connected to the processor for transmitting and receiving data between the internal power line networks of the plurality of locations and an external power line network connected to the common power line, at least one of the plurality of transceivers transmitting the IP power consumption data to a remote destination over the external power line network.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensors in the plurality of locations connected to the processor for monitoring environmental conditions in the plurality of locations.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise smoke detectors.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise carbon monoxide detectors.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise video cameras.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise motion detectors.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor encapsulates data generated by the plurality of sensors into IP format and transmits the data to a remote destination.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical power metering system further comprises a wireless transceiver for allowing wireless communications with one or more computers in one or more of the plurality of locations.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the wireless transceiver comprises a meshnet transceiver.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the wireless transceiver comprises a Bluetooth transceiver.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor communicates with a remote computer system using Internet Protocol version 6 (Ipv6).

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor measures power quality information and transmits the power quality information to a power utility company.

43. The electrical power metering system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of power meters measure direct current (DC) power consumption at a plurality of locations.

44. The electrical power metering system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of power meters measure alternating current (AC) power consumption at the plurality of locations.

13. An electrical power metering system comprising:

a power meter for measuring power consumption information at a location, the power meter coupled with a power line at the location and dividing the power line to form an internal network within the location and an external power line network;

a processor connected to the power meter for convening the power consumption information into Internet Protocol (IP) power consumption information, the processor storing power consumption information measured over a period of time for subsequent transmission to a remote destination, the processor allowing data communications between the internal network and the external power line network;

means for transmitting the IP power consumption information to a remote destination over the external power line network; and

a sensor connected to the processor for monitoring an environmental condition at a location corresponding to the electrical power metering system.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor converts data generated by the sensor into IP format and transmits the data to a remote destination.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor comprises one of a smoke detector, a motion detector, a video camera, a radiation sensor, a seismometer, a barometer, an inertial measurement unit, an altimeter, a thermometer, a humidity sensor, a wind speed detector, a microphone, an oxygen sensor, or a hydrogen sensor.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a wireless transceiver connected to the processor.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the wireless transceiver comprises a Bluetooth transceiver.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the wireless transceiver comprises a meshnet transceiver.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor communicates with a remote computing system using Internet Protocol version 6 (Ipv6).

20. The system of claim 13, further comprising a mass storage device connected to the processor for storing data generated by the processor.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the mass storage device comprises a removable flash memory.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor measures power quality information and transmits the power quality information to a power utility company.

23. The system of claim 13, further comprising an emergency alert receiver connected to the processor for receiving an emergency alert signal.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the emergency alert receiver comprises an Emergency Alert System (EAS) signal receiver.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the emergency alert signal is transmitted over the power line to the EAS signal receiver.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the processor generates a local alert signal within a dwelling.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the local alert signal is wirelessly transmitted by the processor to a computer system in wireless communication with the electrical power metering system.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the local alert signal comprises an audible signal generated by a speaker connected to the electrical power metering system.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the audible signal comprises synthesized speech.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the EAS signal receiver comprises a digital television (DTV) receiver.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein the EAS signal receiver comprises a high-definition television (HDTV) receiver.

32. The system of claim 13, farther comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver connected to the processor for determining (GPS coordinates of the electrical power metering system.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the processor periodically transmits the GPS coordinates to a remote computer system.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the GPS receiver further comprises a transmitter for transmitting location information to one or more receivers.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the processor calculates a difference between a received GPS coordinate and a known coordinate, and transmits the difference using the transmitter.

36. The system of claim 13, further comprising a biometric scanner connected to the processor for controlling access to the electrical power metering system.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the biometric scanner comprises a thumbprint scanner.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the biometric scanner comprises a retinal scanner.

39. The system of claim 13, further comprising a housing for protecting the electrical power metering system from damage.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the housing protects against nuclear, chemical, or biological attacks.

41. The system of claim 13, wherein the power meter measures excess power at a location.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the processor transmits information about the excess power to a utility company for determining a credit to be applied to an account.

45. The electrical power metering system of claim 13, wherein the power meter measures direct current (DC) power consumption at a location.

46. The electrical power metering system of claim 13, wherein the power meter measures alternating current (AC) power consumption at a location.

47. The electrical power metering system of claim 13, wherein the system is installed in a mobile environment for measuring power consumption at the mobile environment.

48. The electrical power metering system of claim 47, wherein the mobile environment comprises a vehicle.