Gateway node

• US 9,099,847 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2014
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• 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:
  US14/284,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20140254069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 361/601, 361/622, 361/644, 361/659, 361/657, 361/641, 361/664, 340/870.02, 340/870.03, 340/870.04, 340/870.11, 340/870.12, 340/500, 340/506, 340/346, 340/662, 340/539.1, 340/825.69, 343/702, 343/719, 343/720, 343/872, 343/873, 370/208, 370/389, 370/229, 370/401, 370/437, 370/346, 370/299, 174/38, 174/39, 174/52.3, 174/58, 174/60
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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;

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

a pad mount transformer; and

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

wherein the conduit can accommodate a first power cable for supplying power from the transformer to the relay.

2. The gateway node of claim 1, further comprising an antenna electrically coupled to the relay.

3. The gateway node of claim 2, wherein the antenna is internal to the housing.

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

5. The gateway node of claim 1, wherein a second bracket is disposed within the main chamber to provide support to mount a backup battery.

6. 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.

7. The gateway node of claim 6, wherein a first side wall from said side walls is shorter than a second side wall from said side walls.

8. The gateway node of claim 1 further comprising a locking assembly, the locking assembly comprising at least one of 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.

10. The gateway node of claim 1, further comprising an antenna electrically coupled to the relay.

11. The gateway node of claim 10, wherein the antenna is internal to the housing.

12. The gateway node of claim 10, wherein the antenna is sealingly disposed through the top of the housing.

21. The gateway node of claim 1, wherein said relay is an access point including a cellular modem.

9. 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;

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

an AMI meter; and

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

wherein the conduit can accommodate a first power cable for supplying power from the AMI meter to the relay.

13. The gateway node of claim 9, wherein a second bracket is disposed within the main chamber to provide support to mount a backup battery.

14. The gateway node of claim 9, 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.

15. The gateway node of claim 14, wherein a first side wall from said side walls is shorter than a second side wall from said side walls.

16. The gateway node of claim 9, further comprising a locking assembly, the locking assembly comprising at least one of 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.

22. The gateway node of claim 9, wherein said relay is an access point including a cellular modem.

17. A method for installing a gateway node, the method comprising:

providing a housing in close proximity to a pad mount transformer, the 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;

attaching a relay configured to transmit and receive data over a wired or a wireless network to a mounting bracket disposed within the main chamber;

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

passing through the conduit a first power cable for supplying power from the transformer to the relay.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of providing a housing comprises partially burying the housing underground.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of providing a conduit comprises burying the conduit underground.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

connecting a first end of the first power cable to the relay, and connecting another end of the first power cable to an in-line fuse;

connecting a first end of a second power cable to the in-line fuse and connecting a second end of the second power cable to a power terminal of the transformer;

connecting a first end of a neutral cable to the relay and connecting a second end of the neutral cable to a neutral terminal of the transformer; and

connecting a first end of a ground cable to the relay and connecting a second end of the ground cable to a ground terminal of the transformer.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein said relay is an access point including a cellular modem.