Utility meter with virtual shut-off function

• US 8,537,028 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2008
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Itron Networked Solutions, Inc. (Itron, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Silver Spring Networks, Inc. (Itron, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ehrke, Lance A., Nap, Kimbel A., Dresselhuys, Donn R.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US12/114,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20080204272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,964 Days
• Field of Search: 34087002-87003, 700/286, 324/113, 705/412
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/45 Utility meters networked together within a single building
• 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: G01D 4/008 Modifications to installed utility meters to enable remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• 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 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component

Abstract

An electronic electric meter for use in a networked automatic meter reading environment. The meter includes a meter microcontroller, a measurement microcontroller, a communication microcontroller and spread spectrum processor, and a plurality of other communication interface modules for communicating commodity utilization and power quality data to a utility. The meter measures electricity usage and monitors power quality parameters for transmission to the utility over a spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located gateway node. The gateway node transmits this data to the utility over a commercially available fixed wide area network (WAN). The meter also provides direct communication to the utility over a commercially available network interface that plugs into the meter'"'"'s backplane or bus system, bypassing the local area network communication link and gateway node.

Claims

1. A method for detecting unauthorized consumption of a metered commodity, comprising the following steps:

measuring, by means of a meter, the consumption of a commodity at a premises where service for the commodity is currently inactive;

receiving a command that is sent to the meter via a network, said command including a value for an amount of the commodity that is not authorized for consumption at the premises;

in response to receipt of said command, setting a threshold value in the meter that indicates unauthorized consumption of the commodity;

detecting, in the meter, whether the consumption of the commodity exceeds said threshold value, and

in response to said detection, sending a message from the meter, via said network, that the threshold value has been exceeded.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of sending a message comprises periodically sending the message via said network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said message is sent to a predetermined node on the network, and further including the step of sending a command from said node to the meter, via the network, to cancel sending of the message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sending a command comprises:

obtaining, at a node on the network, a current value for consumption of the commodity from the meter,

adding an offset value to the current value at said node, to produce the threshold value; and

transmitting the threshold value from said node to the meter as a component of the command.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said threshold value comprises an amount of the metered commodity.

5. A method for indicating unauthorized consumption of a metered commodity, comprising the following steps:

obtaining, at a node on a network, a current value for the amount of a commodity consumed at a premises where service for the commodity is inactive, as measured by a meter at such premises,

adding an offset value, which comprises an amount of the commodity that is not authorized for consumption at the premises, to the current value, at said node, to produce a threshold value that indicates unauthorized consumption of the commodity;

transmitting the threshold value from said node to the meter via said network;

detecting, in the meter, whether the consumption of the commodity exceeds said threshold value, and

in response to said detection, sending a message from the meter to said node that the threshold value has been exceeded.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of sending a message comprises periodically sending the message.

7. The method of claim 6, further including the step of sending a command from said node to the meter, via the network, to cancel sending of the message.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein said threshold value comprises an amount of the metered commodity.

8. A commodity-measuring network, comprising:

a plurality of meters associated with respective nodes on said network, each of said meters operating to measure consumption of a commodity at respective premises where the meters are located; and

at least one other node that is capable of communicating with the meters via said network, said node being operative to send a command to a meter located at a premises where service for the commodity is currently inactive, via said network, which command causes the meter to set a threshold value that indicates unauthorized consumption of the commodity at that premises;

wherein said meter further operates to detect whether the consumption of the commodity exceeds said threshold value, and in response to said detection, sends a message via said network that the threshold value has been exceeded.

9. The network of claim 8, wherein said meter periodically sends the message via said network.

10. The network of claim 9, wherein said other node sends a command to the meter, via the network, to cancel sending of the message.

11. The network of claim 8, wherein said other node obtains a current value for consumption of the commodity from the meter, adds an offset value to the current value to produce the threshold value, and transmits the threshold value to the meter as a component of the command.

14. The network of claim 8, wherein said threshold value comprises an amount of the metered commodity.