Intelligent electronic device for providing broadband internet access

• US 8,907,657 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2011
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EI Electronics LLC (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Electro Industries/Gaugetech
• Inventors: Kagan, Erran
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOAI AN D
• Application Number:
  US13/235,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20120029850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 324/142, 324/76.11, 324/156, 324/157, 324/140.R, 702/57, 702 60- 62, 340/870.02, 340/870.01
• US Class Current: 324/142
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/063 related to remote communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5466 using three phases conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2843 Mains power line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

An intelligent electronic device for monitoring and determining an amount of electrical power usage by a consumer, or end user, and for providing broadband Internet access to the consumer. The intelligent electronic device includes at least one sensor coupled to an electric circuit configured for measuring at least one power parameter of the electrical circuit and generating at least one analog signal indicative of the at least one power parameter; at least one digital to analog converter coupled to the at least one sensor configured for receiving the at least one analog signal and converting the at least one analog signal to at least one digital signal; a processor configured for receiving the at least one digital signal and calculating energy consumption in the electrical circuit; and a gateway configured for receiving data transmissions imposed on the electrical circuit and for demodulating the imposed data transmission for providing data communications.

Claims

1. An intelligent electronic device for providing broadband access to a network comprising:

a housing;

at least one sensor coupled to at least one utility power line of an electrical power distribution system and configured for measuring at least one power parameter of the at least one utility power line and generating at least one analog signal indicative of the at least one power parameter;

at least one analog to digital converter coupled to the at least one sensor, configured for receiving the at least one analog signal and converting the at least one analog signal to at least one digital signal;

at least one processor configured for receiving the at least one digital signal and calculating energy consumption in the electrical circuit; and

a gateway configured for receiving broadband data transmissions, demodulating the broadband data transmissions, and routing demodulated data to a computing device located downstream from the intelligent electronic device;

wherein the at least one sensor, the at least analog to digital converter, the at least one processor, and the gateway are disposed in the housing.

2. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the gateway further comprises a media access control (MAC) device configured for storing a physical and logical network address.

3. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the gateway further comprises a modem configured for demodulating the broadband data transmissions.

4. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 3, wherein the gateway further comprises a router for imposing the demodulated data onto an electrical circuit downstream of the intelligent electronic device.

5. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 4, wherein the broadband data transmissions are of a first frequency and the imposed demodulated data is of a second frequency.

6. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the gateway is further configured for broadcasting the demodulated data wirelessly.

7. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the gateway is further configured for receiving data transmissions from the computing device located downstream from the intelligent electronic device and routing the received data transmissions to the Internet.

8. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 1, further comprising a switch coupled to the at least one utility power line, the switch configured for interrupting power delivery to a load, wherein the switch is activated by a command signal imposed on the at least one utility power line.

9. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the gateway is further configured to receive power data from the at least one processor and transfer the data upstream to a remote computer.

10. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 1, further comprising an e-mail client configured to receive power data from the at least one processor and e-mail the data upstream to a remote server.

11. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the intelligent electronic device is one of a digital electrical power and energy meter, a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), a Remote Terminal Unit (RTU), a protective relay, or a fault recorder.

12. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the intelligent electronic device is one of a socket-type meter, a panel mounted meter, a switchboard mounted meter or a circuit breaker mounted meter.

13. A socket based revenue meter for providing broadband access to a network comprising:

a meter housing;

blade connections disposed on the meter housing, the blade connections being mateable with matching jaws of a detachable meter mounting device for connecting the meter housing to a power line of a power distribution system;

at least one sensor coupled to at least one blade connection, configured for measuring at least one power parameter of the power line and generating at least one analog signal indicative of the at least one power parameter;

at least one analog to digital converter coupled to the at least one sensor, configured for receiving the at least one analog signal and converting the at least one analog signal to at least one digital signal;

at least one processor configured for receiving the at least one digital signal and calculating energy consumption in the electrical circuit; and

a gateway disposed in the meter housing, the gateway configured for receiving broadband data transmissions, demodulating the broadband data transmissions, and broadcasting wirelessly demodulated data to a computing device located downstream from the socket based revenue meter.

14. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 13, wherein the gateway is configured to broadcast the demodulated data via a Bluetooth protocol.

15. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 13, wherein the gateway is configured to broadcast the demodulated data via a WiFi protocol.

16. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 13, wherein the gateway is configured to broadcast the demodulated data via a 802.11 networking protocol.

17. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 13, wherein the broadcasted data is encrypted.

18. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 17, wherein the gateway encrypts the broadcasted data by Wired Equivalency Privacy (WEP) encryption.

19. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 17, wherein the gateway encrypts the broadcasted data by WiFi Protected Access (WPA) encryption.

20. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 17, wherein the gateway encrypts the broadcasted data by Media Access Control (MAC) address filtering encryption.

21. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 13, further comprising a switch coupled to the power line, the switch configured for interrupting power delivery to a load, wherein the switch is activated by a command signal imposed on the power line.

22. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 13, further comprising an e-mail client configured to receive power data from the at least one processor and e-mail the data upstream to a remote server.

23. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 13, wherein the gateway is further configured for receiving data transmissions from the computing device located downstream from the meter and routing the received data transmissions to the Internet.

24. An electronic device comprising:

a meter housing configured to be coupled to at least one utility power line of an electrical power distribution system;

an intelligent electronic device (IED) disposed in the meter housing, the IED configured for measuring at least one power parameter of the at least one utility power line; and

a gateway disposed in the meter housing, the gateway configured for receiving broadband data transmissions, demodulating the broadband data transmissions, and routing demodulated data to a computing device located downstream from the electronic device.

25. The electronic device as in claim 24, wherein the gateway further comprises a media access control (MAC) device configured for storing a physical and logical network address.

26. The electronic device as in claim 24, wherein the gateway further comprises a modem configured for demodulating the broadband data transmissions.

27. The electronic device as in claim 24, wherein the gateway further comprises a router for imposing the demodulated data onto an electrical circuit downstream of the electronic device.

28. The electronic device as in claim 27, wherein the broadband data transmissions are of a first frequency and the imposed demodulated data is of a second frequency.

29. The electronic device as in claim 24, wherein the gateway is further configured for broadcasting the demodulated data wirelessly.

30. The electronic device as in claim 24, further comprising a wireless access point configured for receiving the demodulated data from the gateway and broadcasting the demodulated data wirelessly.

31. The electronic device as in claim 24, wherein the gateway routes the demodulated data wirelessly.

32. The electronic device as in claim 31, wherein the gateway is configured to route the demodulated data via a Bluetooth protocol.

33. The electronic device as in claim 31, wherein the gateway is configured to route the demodulated data via a WiFi protocol.

34. The electronic device as in claim 31, wherein the gateway is configured to route the demodulated data via a 802.11 networking protocol.

35. The electronic device as in claim 31, wherein the routed data is encrypted.

36. The electronic device as in claim 35, wherein the gateway encrypts the demodulated data by Wired Equivalency Privacy (WEP) encryption.

37. The electronic device as in claim 35, wherein the gateway encrypts the demodulated data by WiFi Protected Access (WPA) encryption.

38. The electronic device as in claim 35, wherein the gateway encrypts the demodulated data by Media Access Control (MAC) address filtering encryption.

39. The electronic device as in claim 24, wherein the gateway is further configured for receiving data transmissions from the computing device located downstream from the electronic device and routing the received data transmissions to the Internet.

40. The electronic device as in claim 24, wherein the intelligent electronic device is one of a digital electrical power and energy meter, a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), a Remote Terminal Unit (RTU), a protective relay, or a fault recorder.

41. The electronic device as in claim 24, wherein the intelligent electronic device is one of a socket-type meter, a panel mounted meter, a switchboard mounted meter or a circuit breaker mounted meter.

42. An apparatus comprising:

a housing for an intelligent electronic device, the housing configured to be coupled to at least one utility power line of an electrical power distribution system, the intelligent electronic device configured for measuring at least one power parameter of the at least one utility power line; and

a gateway disposed in the housing, the gateway configured for providing symmetric broadband data communications to a computing device located downstream from the intelligent electronic device.

43. The apparatus as in claim 42, wherein the intelligent electronic device comprises:

at least one sensor coupled to the at least one utility power line of the electrical power distribution system, the at least one sensor configured for measuring the at least one power parameter of the at least one utility power line and generating at least one analog signal indicative of the at least one power parameter;

at least one analog to digital converter coupled to the at least one sensor, the at least one analog to digital converter configured for receiving the at least one analog signal and converting the at least one analog signal to at least one digital signal; and

at least one processing device configured for receiving the at least one digital signal and calculating energy consumption in the at least one utility power line.

44. The apparatus as in claim 42, wherein the gateway is further configured for receiving broadband data transmissions, demodulating the broadband data transmissions to obtain demodulated data, and routing the demodulated data to a computing device located downstream from the gateway.

45. The apparatus as in claim 42, wherein at least one adapter is coupled to a downstream portion of the at least one utility power line, the at least one adapter configured for providing the demodulated data to at least one network device.

46. The apparatus as in claim 45, wherein the at least one network device is at least one of a computer and a VoIP-enabled phone.

47. The apparatus as in claim 42, wherein the gateway is further configured for broadcasting the demodulated data wirelessly.

48. The apparatus as in claim 42, wherein the gateway is configured for routing the demodulated data via a power line carrier protocol.

49. The apparatus as in claim 42, wherein the gateway is further configured for receiving data transmissions from the computing device located downstream from the intelligent electronic device and routing the received data transmissions to the Internet.

50. The apparatus as in claim 42, wherein the intelligent electronic device is one of a digital electrical power and energy meter, a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), a Remote Terminal Unit (RTU), a protective relay, or a fault recorder.

51. The apparatus as in claim 42, wherein the intelligent electronic device is one of a socket-type meter, a panel mounted meter, a switchboard mounted meter or a circuit breaker mounted meter.