Secondary power meter for quarter-cycle power measurement and invoicing method

• US 8,260,695 B1
• Filed: 07/14/2010
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steven Rosenberg
• Original Assignee: Steven Rosenberg
• Inventors: Rosenberg, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): OBAID, FATEH M
• Application Number:
  US12/835,798
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique

Abstract

The disclosed technology comprises a device and a method for accurately determining the amount of electrical energy utilized in a circuit with a quarter-cycle transformer and transducers operating off quarter-cycle power. The method allows for a primary power meter associated with an entity which provides a power source to remain in operation, without modification, and for a second power meter to be utilized which accurately measures consumption of quarter-cycle power usage. An adjustment to an invoice can then be made, based on the difference.

Claims

1. A device for measuring quarter-cycle load on a full cycle power circuit, comprising:

a single-phase power source connected inline to a first power meter provided by an electric company;

an adapter coupled to said single-phase power source which outputs one-quarter cycle alternating current to a transducer;

a voltage pickup between said single phase power source and said transducer coupled to a voltage-measuring device; and

a current-measuring device coupled after said transducer;

a second power meter recording said measurement of said quarter-cycle usage and exhibiting a difference in power usage between a measurement of power by said first power meter and said measurement of said quarter-cycle power usage.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein power usage is credited to an account holder of said first power meter based on said difference.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said measurement of said quarter-cycle based power is obtained by a computation of input voltage and a measurement of input current.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said current-measuring device is coupled to a neutral wire.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said current-measuring device is a current shunt resistor.

6. The measuring device of claim 4, wherein said current-measuring device is a Hall Effect transducer.

7. The measuring device of claim 4, wherein said measuring is carried out over at least one billing cycle and a difference in energy usage is transmitted to a provider of said power source corresponding to said billing cycle.

8. A method of measuring energy consumption comprising:

receiving single-phase electrical power via a power meter configured to measure usage of said single-phase electrical power;

transforming a portion of said single-phase electrical power to one-quarter-cycle current at a transformer;

electrically connecting a transducer to said transformer and powering said transducer via one-quarter-cycle power;

measuring one-quarter-cycle voltage usage via an electrical connection before said transformer and one-quarter-cycle current after said transducer;

wherein a result of said measuring is compared to a result measured at said power meter and a determination is made if said results demonstrate an offset or error in the comparison that differ greater than a pre-designated threshold.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a credit for billed power usage is sought if said offset results differ greater than said pre-designated threshold.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein a company providing said single phase electrical power is notified if said results differ greater than said pre-designated threshold.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said measurement of said quarter-cycle-based power is obtained by a computation of input voltage and input current.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein a current-measuring device is coupled to a neutral wire.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said current-measuring device is a current shunt resistor.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said current-measuring device is a Hall Effect transducer.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said measuring is carried out over at least one billing cycle, and said measurement over said billing cycle is transmitted to an electrical service provider for purposes of adjusting an invoice.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein said transducer comprises a plurality of low resistance light bulbs.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein said one-quarter cycle output voltage is estimated.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said measuring occurs at said power meter.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said measuring occurs in a second meter and both said power meter and said second meter reports energy usage to a provider of said single-phase electrical power.