Interactive system for managing and remotely connecting customer utility loads

• US 7,561,681 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2005
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Landis+Gyr Innovations Incorporated (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Cellnet Innovations, Inc. (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Inventors: Steklac, Ivo, Booth, Derek
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
• Application Number:
  US11/104,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 37910201-10205, 379/106.01, 379/106.03, 379/106.08, 340/870.01, 340/870.02, 700291-295, 702 61- 62, 705 51- 52, 705/63, 455/557, 455/66.1
• US Class Current: 379/106.03
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/026 using e-messaging for transporting management information, e.g. email, instant messaging or chat
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

An interactive system for managing and remotely monitoring and effecting the connection status of a customer utility load network is disclosed. Preferred embodiments of the interactive system are utilized for customer loads that correspond to the distribution of electrical energy. The interactive system is preferably provided through a web-based application that offers a plurality of selectable services to a user. Security information is preferably required for a user to gain access to the system. Services provided may comprise a read service for providing metered customer utility data, a usage and/or demand notification service for alarming a user when utility usage and/or demand exceeds a defined threshold amount, and/or a connection service for setting a utility load as either connected or disconnected. A control system is preferably provided in conjunction with the web-based application to interface the application to other components involved in the interactive system. Such a control system preferably comprises at least a system controller for managing all nodes in the utility network and a database system for storing meter data and other system-related information. A wireless communications network is established for relaying information from the system controller and web-based utility application to any utility meters or other components linked to the system.

Claims

1. An interactive system for managing customer utility loads, comprising:

a plurality of utility meters for monitoring the distribution of a product at respective said customer utility loads;

a web-based application that offers a plurality of services to a user, wherein selected of said services provide data corresponding to product distribution at selected of said customer utility loads, wherein said plurality of services comprises;

a read service to remotely read metered data corresponding to selected of said customer utility loads and subsequently display data reports corresponding to said metered data; and

a usage notification service wherein a user inputs threshold amounts of utility consumption, utility demand, or combinations thereof, and receives a notification when selected of said customer utility loads exceeds said threshold amounts;

a control network linked to said web-based application for managing the interaction of selected elements of said system and for storing various system-related data; and

a communications network linking said control network to said utility meters and for relaying communications signals.

2. An interactive system as in claim 1, wherein said plurality of services further comprises a connection service for effecting the connection status of said customer utility load, wherein said connection status is connected or disconnected.

3. An interactive system as in claim 2, wherein access to said web-based application is effected upon a user inputting an identification element and a corresponding password element.

4. An interactive system as in claim 1, wherein said plurality of services comprises a connection service for effecting the connection status of said customer utility load, wherein said connection status is connected or disconnected.

5. An interactive system as in claim 4, wherein said connection status is established by a switch element located on the load side of each said utility meter.

6. An interactive system as in claim 5, wherein said switch element is a circuit breaker.

7. An interactive system as in claim 6, wherein said circuit breaker is capable of limiting currents up to about 200 Amperes.

8. An interactive system as in claim 1, wherein each of said utility meters comprises a communications component capable of transmitting and receiving radio frequency (RF) signals among said communications network.

9. An interactive system as in claim 1, wherein said product distribution comprises utility commodities selected from the group comprising water, gas, and electricity.

10. An interactive utility system for monitoring and effecting the distribution of a utility product to a plurality of utility loads, said interactive system comprising:

a plurality of utility meters provided in conjunction with an arrangement for measuring or distributing said utility product, wherein each of said utility meters incorporates a radio frequency (RF) communications device for relaying selected utility information;

a web-based platform providing selectable services to a user, wherein said selectable services comprise;

(i) gathering and displaying data that corresponds to information gathered by selected of said utility meters;

(ii) disconnecting or reconnecting product flow to selected of said utility loads; and

(iii) a usage notification service wherein a user inputs threshold amounts of utility consumption, utility demand, or combinations thereof, and receives a notification when selected of said customer utility loads exceeds said threshold amounts;

a communications network established among each of said utility meters and a system controller, for passing signaled information between selected of said utility meters and said system controller, and through any intermediate communication nodes thereof; and

a control network for managing the operation of said interactive utility system, wherein said control network is linked to said web-based platform.

11. An interactive utility system as in claim 10, wherein access to said web-based platform is effected upon a user inputting an identification element and a corresponding password element.

12. An interactive utility system as in claim 10, wherein said control network comprises databases for storing meter data corresponding to selected of said customer utility loads and for storing system information for said web-based platform.

13. An interactive utility system as in claim 10, wherein said utility product corresponds to electricity.

14. An interactive utility system as in claim 13, wherein said selectable service of disconnecting or reconnecting electricity flow can correspond to either physically disconnecting or reconnecting or virtually disconnecting or reconnecting the flow of electricity.

15. An interactive utility system as in claim 14, wherein said process of physically disconnecting or reconnecting said flow of electricity is effected by remotely toggling a connection element.

16. An interactive utility system as in claim 15, wherein said connection element corresponds to a circuit breaker capable of limiting currents up to about 200 Amperes.

17. A remote system for disconnecting and reconnecting the flow of electricity at a customer utility load, comprising:

a metering system corresponding to said customer utility load for monitoring the status of and providing consumption data corresponding to said customer utility load;

a connection element provided in conjunction with said metering system for toggling between connected or disconnected status of the electricity flow;

a web-based application for remotely controlling status of the electricity flow, wherein said status is characterized as either connected or disconnected, wherein said web-based application comprises a service for;

connecting the electricity flow by remotely toggling the connection element to connected status;

performing a series of rapid data reads to verify the connection status and to monitor instantaneous energy consumptiom; and

disconnecting the electricity flow by remotely toggling the connection element to disconnected status when the instantaneous energy consumption is above a predefined threshold; and

a radio frequency (RF) communications device provided in conjunction with said metering system for relaying information between said metering system and said web-based application.

18. A remote system as in claim 17, wherein said metering system comprises a solid-state electronic utility meter for measuring the flow of electricity at said customer utility load.

19. A remote system as in claim 17, wherein said web-based application farther comprises a remote read service for remotely collecting meter data after said connection element is toggled to disconnected status, thus ensuring that the disconnected status of the connection element.

20. A remote system as in claim 17, wherein access to said web-based application is effected upon a user entering an identification element and a corresponding password element.

21. A remote system as in claim 17, wherein said connection element comprises a circuit breaker capable of limiting currents up to about 200 Amperes.

22. A remote system as in claim 17, further comprising a control network linked to said web-based application and to said metering system for managing the operation of and communication among selected components of said remote system and for storing various system-related data.

23. A remote system as in claim 17, wherein said web-based application comprises a disconnection service for establishing a usage threshold amount that corresponds to a limit for the amount of demand energy at a selected customer utility load, for monitoring the amount of energy demand at said selected customer utility load, and for toggling said connection element to disconnection status when the amount of demand energy at selected said customer utility load exceeds said usage threshold amount.