System and method for connecting electrical devices using fiber optic serial communication
First Claim
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1. An electrical metering device for measuring an amount of electrical power usage of a power distribution system comprising:
- an input channel for receiving a master message, the master message being in the form of a light signal;
light to voltage converter (LVC) circuitry for receiving the master message from the input channel and converting the form of master message into a voltage signal;
at least one processor for determining electrical power usage data from power measured by the electrical metering device, the power being supplied remotely from the electrical metering device, the at least one processor for receiving the master message from the LVC circuitry, processing the master message and outputting a reply message in the form of a voltage signal, the reply message including at least a portion of the electrical power usage data;
voltage to light converter (VLC) circuitry for receiving the reply message from the at least one processor and the master message and converting the form of the reply message and master message to a light signal; and
an output channel for outputting the reply message and master, wherein the reply message and master message are propagated along a fiber-optic connection.
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Abstract
A system and method for communicating between serially connected electrical devices of a network is provided. The network includes a series of electrical devices, and fiber optic connectors between electrical devices of the series of electrical devices forming a closed communication ring in which output of each electrical device is communicatively connected to input of a subsequent electrical device of the series of electrical devices.
41 Citations
31 Claims
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1. An electrical metering device for measuring an amount of electrical power usage of a power distribution system comprising:
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an input channel for receiving a master message, the master message being in the form of a light signal; light to voltage converter (LVC) circuitry for receiving the master message from the input channel and converting the form of master message into a voltage signal; at least one processor for determining electrical power usage data from power measured by the electrical metering device, the power being supplied remotely from the electrical metering device, the at least one processor for receiving the master message from the LVC circuitry, processing the master message and outputting a reply message in the form of a voltage signal, the reply message including at least a portion of the electrical power usage data; voltage to light converter (VLC) circuitry for receiving the reply message from the at least one processor and the master message and converting the form of the reply message and master message to a light signal; and an output channel for outputting the reply message and master, wherein the reply message and master message are propagated along a fiber-optic connection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An electrical metering assembly for measuring an amount of electrical power usage of a power distribution system comprising:
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a single housing; at least one processor coupled to a power distribution system supplying power remotely from the electrical metering assembly, the at least one processor configured to determine electrical power usage data measured by the electrical metering assembly, the at least one processor being responsive to an input signal and generating an output signal, the output signal including at least a portion of the electrical power usage data, wherein the at least one processor is configured to communicate using at least one protocol selected from Modbus TCP, DNP and Modbus RTU; and interface circuitry for interfacing between the at least one processor and at least one input and one output fiber optic connector, wherein the at least one processor and the interface circuitry are disposed in the single housing. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A network of a plurality of serially connected electrical metering devices, wherein the plurality of serially connected electrical devices form a closed communication ring in which an output of a respective electrical device of the plurality of serially connected electrical devices is communicatively connected to an input of a subsequent electrical device of the plurality of serially connected electrical devices, the network comprising:
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at least one master device comprising; an input channel for receiving a reply message; at least one processor for generating a master message and processing the reply message; gate circuitry having a first input for receiving the reply message, a second input for receiving the master message from the at least one processor and circuitry for generating repeating the messages received at the first and second inputs; and an output channel for outputting the master message and reply message, wherein the master message and reply message are propagated along a fiber-optic connection; and at least one slave device comprising; an input channel for receiving the master message; at least one processor for determining electrical power usage data from power measured by the at least one slave device, the power being supplied remotely from the at least one slave device, the at least one processor for receiving the master message from the input channel, processing the master message and outputting the reply message, the replay message including at least a portion of the electrical power usage data; gate circuitry having a first input for receiving the master message, a second input for receiving the reply message from the at least one processor and circuitry for generating repeating the messages received at the first and second inputs; and an output channel for outputting the master message and reply message, wherein the master message and reply message are propagated along the fiber-optic connection. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of communicating between an electrical metering device and other electrical metering devices of a series of electrical metering devices comprising the steps of:
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providing at least one electrical metering device of the series of electrical metering devices configured in a closed communication ring in which an output channel of respective electrical metering devices of the series of electrical metering devices is communicatively connected by a fiber optic connector to an input channel of a subsequent electrical metering device of the series of electrical metering devices; measuring by the at least one electrical metering device electrical power usage data of power being supplied remotely from the at least one electrical metering device; transmitting a master message to at least one electrical metering device along the fiber optic connector; processing the master message by the at least one electrical metering device to generate a reply message, the reply message including at least a portion of the electrical power usage data; and transmitting both the master message and reply message by the at least one electrical metering device along the fiber optic connector. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification