Method and apparatus for collecting data from automatic meter reading for smart power grid
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A communication network system, comprising:
- a solid-state meter configured to convert a measurement into serial binary single-ended data, and having a serial communication interface capable of forwarding the serial binary single-ended data;
a meter network management device coupled to the solid-state meter via a serial binary transmission cable configured to transmit serial binary single-ended data and configured to receive the serial binary single-ended data from the solid-state meter via the serial binary transmission cable, wherein the meter network management device includes a converter configured to convert electrical signals representing the serial binary single-ended data into optical signals and forwards the optical signals via an optical network; and
an optical line terminal (“
OLT”
) based device coupled to the meter network management device via the optical network and capable of receiving the optical signals from the meter network management device and subsequently converting the optical signals to electrical signals which represent the measurement.
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Abstract
A communication network system includes a solid-state meter, an optical line terminal (“OLT”) based device, and a meter network management device. In one embodiment, the solid-state meter, which can be an electricity meter or a gas meter, provides a measurement, and has a serial communication interface. The OLT based device transfers the information between network devices via a communication network. The meter network management device, which may be an optical network terminal (“ONT”), is capable of communicating with the solid-state meter using the serial communication interface via an RS-232 port.
7 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A communication network system, comprising:
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a solid-state meter configured to convert a measurement into serial binary single-ended data, and having a serial communication interface capable of forwarding the serial binary single-ended data; a meter network management device coupled to the solid-state meter via a serial binary transmission cable configured to transmit serial binary single-ended data and configured to receive the serial binary single-ended data from the solid-state meter via the serial binary transmission cable, wherein the meter network management device includes a converter configured to convert electrical signals representing the serial binary single-ended data into optical signals and forwards the optical signals via an optical network; and an optical line terminal (“
OLT”
) based device coupled to the meter network management device via the optical network and capable of receiving the optical signals from the meter network management device and subsequently converting the optical signals to electrical signals which represent the measurement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for reading a meter, comprising:
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initiating a command for retrieving a load measurement in accordance with predefined syntax of a meter; sending the command from an optical network terminal (“
ONT”
) to a serial communication interface of the meter via a serial connection cable which is capable of transmitting information in a serial binary data format;converting the load measurement to serial binary single-ended data representing an output of the load measurement; receiving the output of the load measurement from the serial communication interface of the meter to a serial port of the ONT via the serial connection cable; converting the output of the load measurement from electrical signals to optical signals; and transmitting the optical signals of the output of the load measurement from the ONT to an optical line terminal (“
OLT”
) based device via an optical communications network. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A communication network system, comprising:
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a solid-state meter capable of measuring usage of electricity by a premise, wherein the solid-state meter includes a serial binary communication port for facilitating a serial binary communication, wherein the solid-state meter is able to generate serial binary single-ended data to represent measured usage of electricity; an optical network terminal (“
ONT”
) coupled to the solid-state meter via a serial connection cable which transmits data in a serial binary single-ended data format, and configured to receive the serial binary single-ended data from the solid-state meter via the serial connection, wherein the ONT includes a converter able to convert electrical signals representing the serial binary single-ended data to optical signals and forward the optical signals via an optical network; andan optical line terminal (“
OLT”
) based network device coupled to the solid-state meter and capable of receiving the optical signals from the ONT and subsequently converting the optical signals to electrical signals which represent the measured usage of electricity. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification