Metering device with control functionality and method thereof

• US 7,899,630 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2008
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EI Electronics LLC (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Electro Industries/Gaugetech
• Inventors: Kagan, Erran
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosimano; Edward R
• Application Number:
  US12/036,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20080147334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 324/76.11, 324/103.R, 324/103.P, 324/115, 324/140.R, 324/140.D, 324/141, 324/142, 324/500, 324/509, 324/510, 324/511, 327/1, 327/50, 327/100, 340/500, 340/540, 340/635, 340/637, 340/638, 340/646, 340/649, 340/650, 340/652, 340/653, 340/660, 340/662, 361/1, 361/18, 361/23, 361/30, 361/31, 361/35, 361/38, 361/42, 361/56, 361/57, 361/62, 361/78, 361/79, 361/86, 361/87, 361/88, 361/90, 361/600, 361/601, 361/602, 361/603, 361/659, 361/673, 700/1, 700/11, 700/22, 700/90, 700/286, 700/292, 700/293, 700/294, 700/297, 700/298, 702/1, 702/57, 702/58, 702/60, 702/61, 702/64, 702/127, 702/187, 702/189, 705/400, 705/412
• US Class Current: 702/60
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/10 using digital techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

A metering device of a power substation and method are provided for operating on a secondary analog waveform output by a transformer assembly receiving a primary waveform. The method includes stepping down the secondary waveform and generating a corresponding output signal; operating on the corresponding output signal for generating a corresponding first digital signal having a value proportional to the corresponding output signal and within a first range; and operating on the corresponding output signal for generating a corresponding second digital signal having a value proportional to the corresponding output signal and within a second range. The method further includes processing the first digital signal and outputting a corresponding first output signal; processing the second digital signal and outputting a corresponding second output signal; processing the first and second output signals; and generating output corresponding to the processing of the first and second output signals.

Claims

1. A metering device operating on a secondary analog waveform output by an external transformer assembly receiving a primary waveform, the metering device comprising:

an internal transformer, wherein the internal transformer receives the secondary waveform and generates a stepped-down output signal;

first biasing circuitry, wherein the first biasing circuitry receives the output signal from the internal transformer and generates a first digital signal within a first range, the first digital signal having a value proportional to the output signal;

second biasing circuitry, wherein the second biasing circuitry receives the output signal from the internal transformer and generates a second digital signal within a second range, the second digital signal having a value proportional to the output signal; and

a processor assembly in communication with the first biasing circuitry and the second biasing circuitry, wherein the processor assembly executes first operational software for performing a first function having first biasing requirements using the first digital signal to generate a first output and wherein the processor assembly executes second operational software for a second function having second biasing requirements using the second digital signal to generate a second output, the first operational software operating within the first range and the second operational software operating within the second range.

2. The metering device according to claim 1, wherein the first function includes performing a metering function for measuring energy of the secondary waveform.

3. The metering device according to claim 1, wherein the first function includes performing a revenue metering function for measuring energy usage.

4. The metering device according to claim 1, wherein the second function includes performing a condition detection operation for detecting abnormal properties of the secondary waveform.

5. The metering device according to claim 1, wherein the second range is more than two times the first range.

6. The metering device according to claim 1, wherein:

the first operational software includes software for monitoring the second operational software and resetting the second operational software if an abnormal condition is detected; and

the second operational software includes software for monitoring the first operational software and resetting the first operational software if an abnormal condition is detected.

7. The metering device according to claim 1, wherein the transformer, the first biasing circuitry, second biasing circuitry and processor assembly are disposed in one housing.

8. The metering device according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second biasing circuitry includes an amplifier and analog to digital converter, wherein the amplifier biases the output signal received from the internal transformer to be within the full expected range of the analog to digital converter.

9. The metering device according to claim 8, wherein the first range is about 0 amps to about 10 amps.

10. The metering device according to claim 9, wherein the second range is about 0 amps to about 100 amps.

11. The metering device according to claim 1, wherein the first operational software is executed by a first processor in the processor assembly and the second operational software is executed by a second processor in the processor assembly.

12. The metering device according to claim 11, wherein the first function includes performing a revenue metering function for measuring energy usage and the second function includes performing a condition detection operation for detecting abnormal properties of the secondary waveform.

13. The metering device according to claim 12, wherein each of the first and second biasing circuitry includes an amplifier and analog to digital converter, wherein the amplifier biases the output signal received from the internal transformer to be within the full expected range of the analog to digital converter.

14. The metering device according to claim 13, wherein the first range is about 0 amps to about 10 amps.

15. The metering device according to claim 14, wherein the second range is about 0 amps to about 100 amps.

16. The metering device according to claim 11, wherein the processor assembly executes control software for processing the first output of the first function and the second output of the second function and generating a corresponding third output.

17. The metering device according to claim 16, further comprising a digital-to-analog converter for receiving the corresponding output generated by the control software and generating a corresponding analog retransmit signal.

18. The metering device according to claim 16, wherein the processor assembly executes handler software for providing the corresponding output to at least one communication device.

19. The metering device according to claim 16, wherein the third output generated by the control software is provided for controlling at least one external device.

20. The metering device according to claim 19, wherein the at least one external device is a circuit breaker.

21. The metering device according to claim 16, further comprising an integrated device for receiving the third output and controlling at least one external device based on the third output.

22. The metering device according to claim 21, wherein the integrated device is a relay.

23. A metering processor assembly for executing metering functions operating on different biasing conditions, comprising:

an input for receiving a single analog waveform from an external transformer;

first and second biasing circuitry coupled to the input, wherein each of the first and second biasing circuitry receives the same single analog waveform;

a first processor in communication with the first biasing circuitry operating within a first signal range, wherein the first processor receives an output from the first biasing circuitry, executes first operational software for performing a first function using the output from the first biasing circuitry and generates a first output; and

a second processor in communication with the second biasing circuitry operating within a second signal range, wherein the first processor receives an output from the second biasing circuitry, executes second operational software for performing a second function using the output from the second biasing circuitry and generates a second output, said second signal range is at least two times larger than the first signal range.

24. The metering processor assembly according to claim 23, further comprising a control processor, wherein the control processor executes control software for processing the first output and the second output and for generating a corresponding third output.

25. The metering processor assembly according to claim 23, wherein:

the first operational software includes software for monitoring at least one of the second operational software and the control software, detecting an abnormal condition, and resetting the at least one of the second operational software and the control software if the abnormal condition is detected;

the second operational software includes software for monitoring at least one of the first operational software and the control software, detecting an abnormal condition, and resetting the at least one of the first operational software and the control software if the abnormal condition is detected; and

the control software includes software for monitoring at least one of the first operational software and the second operational software, detecting an abnormal condition, and resetting the at least one of the first operational software and the second operational software if the abnormal condition is detected.

26. The metering processor assembly according to claim 23, wherein the first biasing circuitry, the second biasing circuitry, the first processor and the second processor are configured in a single physical unit.

27. The metering processor assembly according to claim 23, wherein the first operational software includes software for measuring an energy signal received by the first biasing circuitry.

28. The metering processor assembly according to claim 27, wherein the second operational software includes software for performing a condition detection operation for detecting abnormal properties of a waveform received by the second biasing circuitry.

29. The metering device according to claim 23, wherein the first function includes performing a revenue metering function for measuring energy usage and the second function includes performing a condition detection operation for detecting abnormal properties of the secondary waveform.

30. The metering device according to claim 29, wherein each of the first and second biasing circuitry includes an amplifier and analog to digital converter, wherein the amplifier biases the output signal received from the internal transformer to be within the full expected range of the analog to digital converter.

31. The metering device according to claim 30, wherein the first range is about 0 amps to about 10 amps.

32. The metering device according to claim 31, wherein the second range is about 0 amps to about 100 amps.

33. A method of outputting a signal through a metering device, comprising:

receiving a transformer output at first biasing circuitry and second biasing circuitry, the first biasing circuitry operating within a first signal range, the second biasing circuitry operating within a second signal range;

generating a first digital signal corresponding to the transformer output at the first biasing circuitry;

generating a second digital signal corresponding to the transformer output at the second biasing circuitry;

performing a first function on the first digital signal at a first processor using a first set of operational software;

performing a second function on the second digital signal at a second processor using a second set of operational software; and

generating an output corresponding to the performing a first function and performing a second function.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the first function is a function for measuring an energy signal corresponding to the transformer output.

35. The method according to claim 33, wherein the second function is a function for performing a condition detection operation for detecting abnormal properties of a waveform received by the second biasing circuitry.

36. The method according to claim 33, further comprising:

monitoring the first function and the second function;

detecting an abnormal condition;

resetting the first function if the abnormal condition is detected in the first function; and

resetting the second function if the abnormal condition is detected in the second function.

37. The method according to claim 33, wherein the second signal range is at least two times the first signal range.