Gateway node

• US 8,760,854 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2012
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Florida Power & Light Company (NextEra Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Florida Power & Light Company (NextEra Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sterkel, Gary Wayne, Pantouris, George Alexander, Arias, Alfred F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Datskovskiy, Michail V
• Application Number:
  US13/492,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20120314341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 361/601, 361/622, 361/644, 361/659, 361/657, 361/641, 361/664, 340/870.02, 340/870.03, 340/870.4, 340/870.11, 340/870.12, 340/500, 340/506, 340/346, 340/662, 340/539.1, 343/702, 343/719, 343/720, 343/872, 343/873, 370/208, 370/389, 370/401, 370/229, 370/299, 370/437, 370/346, 174/37, 174/38, 174/39, 174/52.3, 174/58, 174/60
• US Class Current: 361/644
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/24 Housings ; Casings for instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/48 Mounting of devices therein
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 3/00 Apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture, assembly, or maintenance of boards or switchgear
• 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 29/4902 Electromagnet, transformer or inductor

Abstract

In accordance with one embodiment, a gateway node having a housing, a bracket mounted relay and wireless communication capabilities. The gateway node is connected to a pad mount transformer.

Claims

1. A gateway node for an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), the gateway node comprising:

a housing having a top, a bottom, and side walls defining a main chamber, wherein at least one of the top, the bottom, and the side walls is removably attached to the housing;

a relay configured to transmit and receive data over a wired or a wireless network;

an antenna cable, the antenna cable being operably connected at a first cable end to the relay and having an antenna element at a second cable end

a mounting bracket disposed within the main chamber and connecting the relay to the housing;

a pad mount transformer;

a conduit forming a passageway between the pad mount transformer and the housing; and

a power supply, the power supply electrically connecting the pad mount transformer and the relay.

2. The gateway node of claim 1, wherein the antenna is sealingly disposed through the top of the housing.

3. The gateway node of claim 1, further comprising an AMI meter enclosure and a second conduit, the second conduit forming a passageway between the second conduit and the AMI meter enclosure.

4. The gateway node of claim 3, wherein the first and second conduits are formed from a polyvinyl chloride material.

5. The gateway node of claim 4, wherein the power supply has a power cable, a second power cable, a ground cable, a neutral cable and an in-line fuse, the first power cable having one end connected to the relay and another end connected to the in-line fuse;

the second power cable having one end connected to the in-line fuse and the other end connected to a power terminal of the transformer;

the neutral cable having one end connected to the relay and the other end connected to a neutral terminal of the transformer; and

the ground cable having one end connected to the relay and the other end connected to a ground terminal of the transformer.

6. The gateway node of claim 5, wherein an identification tag is connected to at least one of the cables.

7. The gateway node of claim 1, wherein the bracket is L-shaped.

8. The gateway node of claim 1, wherein a portion of the top and the side walls is removably attached to the housing, thereby allowing a user to access the chamber by removing the portion of the top and the side walls that is removably attached to the housing.

9. The gateway node of claim 8, wherein the lid is selected from the group consisting of a cube, a rectangular prism, with an open side forming a cavity, the cavity configured to sealingly receive the chamber.

10. The gateway node of claim 1 further comprises a locking assembly, the locking assembly comprising a penta socket, standard lock, and a key, the key being configured to open the lock and allow removal of the at least one of the top, the bottom, and the side walls that is removably attached to the housing.

11. The gateway node of claim 1, further comprising a backup power supply electrically connected to the relay.

12. The gateway node of claim 9, wherein the backup power supply is a rechargeable battery.

13. The gateway node of claim 10, wherein the backup power supply is a photovoltaically charged battery.

14. A gateway node for an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), the gateway node comprising:

a housing having a top, a bottom, and side walls defining a main chamber, wherein at least one of the top, the bottom, and the side walls is removably attached to the housing;

a relay configured to transmit and receive data over a wired or a wireless network;

an antenna cable, the antenna cable being operably connected at a first cable end to the relay and having an antenna element at a second cable end, and being sealingly disposed through the top of the housing;

a mounting bracket disposed within the main chamber and connecting the relay to the housing;

an AMI meter;

a conduit forming a passageway between the AMI meter and the housing; and

a power supply, the power supply electrically connecting the AMI meter and the relay.

15. The gateway node of claim 14, wherein the power supply has a power cable, a second power cable, a ground cable, a neutral cable and an in-line fuse, the first power cable having one end connected to the relay and another end connected to the in-line fuse;

the second power cable having one end connected to the in-line fuse and the other end connected to a power terminal of the AMI meter;

the neutral cable having one end connected to the relay and the other end connected to a neutral terminal of the AMI meter; and

the ground cable having one end connected to the relay and the other end connected to a ground terminal of the AMI meter.