Integrated metrology systems and information and control apparatus for interaction with integrated metrology system

• US 8,639,390 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2012
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: EnergyCite, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MGT Gaming Incorporated (MGT Capital Investments Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tamarkin, Tomer D., Block, Robert S., Fine, Phillip M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shechtman, Sean
• Assistant Examiner(s): GARLAND, STEVEN R
• Application Number:
  US13/668,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20130057413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 700/286
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/002 with telemetering systems telemetering in general G08C
• 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

Abstract

A system is disposed at a location of a utility commodity subscriber for informing the subscriber of and controlling utility commodity usage. The system includes utility meters, an information and control apparatus, and a first and second data communication link. The meters measure usage and generate usage signals. The information and control apparatus includes a microprocessor, a memory, a clock, and a user interface. The first data communication link is between the utility meters and the information and control apparatus, and the second data communication link is between the information and control apparatus and one or more central locations. The second communication link also provides rate information to the information and control apparatus and utility commodity usage data to the one or more central locations. The microprocessor computes an accumulated cost of utility commodity for a predetermined period of time. Information related to the accumulated cost is output to the subscriber.

Claims

1. A utility commodity rate and usage system, comprising:

one or more meters for (i) calculating rate and usage of a respective subscriber utility commodity, (ii) producing one or more commodity usage signals representative of the calculated rate and usage of the respective utility commodity, and (iii) transmitting the one or more commodity usage signals;

a control module operably coupled to the one or more meters and configured to (i) receive the transmitted one or more commodity usage signals, (ii) receive utility commodity data from each of the one or more meters related to the respective utility commodity, and (iii) control operation of a subscriber utility commodity consuming device based upon at least one from the group including the received one or more commodity usage signals, the received data, and an device utility usage signal from the device; and

one or more remote computers, each being (i) responsive to a respective one of the subscriber utility commodities, (ii) configured to transmit the respective utility commodity data, and (iii) configured to receive at least one of the one or more commodity usage signals.

2. The utility commodity rate and usage system, according to claim 1, wherein the control module is operably coupled to one or more subscriber utility commodity consuming devices.

3. The utility commodity rate and usage system, according to claim 2, wherein the operative coupling occurs via at least one from the group including a wireless communications network, radio frequency transmission, and a power line carrier.

4. The utility commodity rate and usage system, according to claim 3, wherein the device utility usage signal is transmitted to the control module and the one or more remote computers.

5. The utility commodity rate and usage system of claim 1, further comprising a display coupled to the control module.

6. The utility commodity rate and usage system of claim 5, wherein the data includes subscriber billing information;

and

wherein the billing information is presented on the display.

7. The utility commodity rate and usage system of claim 6, wherein a subscriber can remit payment for usage of at least one of the respective utility commodities via the utility commodity rate and usage system based upon the billing information.

8. The utility commodity rate and usage system of claim 1, wherein the one or more meters includes an electrical meter.

9. The utility commodity rate and usage system of claim 1, wherein the control module is coupled to a switching device;

and

wherein the switching device facilitates control of the control of the operation of the subscriber utility commodity consuming device.

10. The utility commodity rate and usage system of claim 1, wherein the utility commodities includes at least one from the group including electricity, gas, and water.

11. The utility commodity rate and usage system of claim 10, further comprising at least one subscriber utility supply controller operably connected to the control module via a local area network, the subscriber utility supply controller being configured to modulate supply of at least one of the respective utility commodities to a subscriber.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein utility commodity consuming devices include at least one from the group including appliances, HVAC thermostats, and electric vehicle charging and reporting mechanisms.

13. A utility commodity rate and usage system, comprising:

one or more meters for (i) calculating rate and usage of a respective subscriber utility commodity, (ii) producing one or more subscriber utility usage signals representative of the calculated rate and usage of the respective utility commodity, and (iii) transmitting the one or more subscriber utility usage signals;

a control module operably coupled to the one or more meters and to one or more subscriber utility commodity consuming devices;

wherein the control module is configured to receive (i) the one or more subscriber utility usage signals, (ii) data from each of the one or more meters related to the respective utility commodity, and (iii) one or more device utility usage signals from the devices; and

one or more remote computers, each being (i) responsive to a respective one of the subscriber utility commodities, (ii) configured to transmit data from the respective utility commodity, and (iii) configured to receive at least one of the one or more subscriber utility usage signals;

wherein the control module is configured to control operation of the devices based upon at least one from the group including the one or more subscriber utility usage signals, the device utility usage signals, and the data.

14. The utility commodity rate and usage system of claim 13, wherein the device utility usage signals are transmitted to the control module and one of the remote computers.

15. The utility commodity rate and usage system of claim 13, further comprising a display coupled to the control module.

16. The utility commodity rate and usage system of claim 15, wherein the data includes subscriber utility commodity billing information;

and

wherein the billing information is presented on the display.

17. The utility commodity rate and usage system of claim 16, wherein a subscriber can remit payment for usage of at least one of the respective utility commodities via the utility commodity rate and usage system based upon the billing information.

18. The utility commodity rate and usage system of claim 17, wherein the control module is coupled to a switching device;

and

wherein the switching device facilitates control of the operation of a subscriber utility commodity consuming device.

19. The utility commodity rate and usage system of claim 18, wherein the utility commodities includes at least one from the group including electricity, gas, and water.

20. The utility commodity rate and usage system of claim 13, wherein the one or more meters includes an electrical meter.

21. The utility commodity rate and usage system of claim 13, further comprising at least one subscriber utility supply controller operably connected to the control module via a local area network, the at least one utility supply controller being configured to modulate supply of at least one of the respective utility commodities to a subscriber.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the utility commodity consuming devices include at least one from the group including appliances, HVAC thermostats, and electric vehicle charging and reporting mechanisms.

23. A method for controlling utility commodity rate and usage, comprising:

calculating rate and usage of a respective subscriber utility commodity via one or more meters, (ii) producing one or more commodity usage signals representative of the calculated rate and usage of the respective utility commodity, and (iii) transmitting the one or more commodity usage signals;

receiving, via a control module operably coupled to the one or more meters, the transmitted one or more commodity usage signals, receiving utility commodity data from each of the one or more meters related to the respective utility commodity, and controlling operation of a subscriber utility commodity consuming device based upon at least one from the group including the received one or more commodity usage signals, the received data, and a device utility usage signal from the device; and

transmitting, via one or more remote computers, respective utility commodity data;

wherein each remote computer is (i) responsive to a respective one of the subscriber utility commodities, and (ii) configured to receive at least one of the one or more commodity usage signals.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising presenting the data to a subscriber via a display operative coupled to the control module.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the data includes billing information;

and

wherein a subscriber can remit payment for usage of at least one of the respective utility commodities via a utility commodity rate and usage system based upon the billing information.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the utility commodities includes at least one from the group including electricity, gas, and water.