Smart meters, and systems and method for electrical power reconnection
First Claim
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1. An electrical power system, comprising:
- an electricity meter connected to power lines on one side and a load on another side, the electricity meter havinga meter housing,a processor,a memory,a communications module,a sensor, anda service disconnect switch secured within a meter housing; and
a communication and control system of a utility configured and adapted to communicate with the communications module of the electricity meter to accomplish delayed power reconnection of the load through the electricity meter to the power lines after a time delay stored in memory of the electricity meter.
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Abstract
An electrical power system having an electricity meter connected to power lines on one side and a load on the other side, the electricity meter having a processor and memory, a communications module, a sensor, and a service disconnect switch. The system has a communications and control system adapted to send information to the electricity meter and receive information from the electricity meter. The service disconnect switch is locally operable based on a preprogrammed time delay stored in the memory of the electricity meter to restore power in a controlled fashion following a power outage. Electricity meters and electricity reconnection methods are described, as are other aspects.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An electrical power system, comprising:
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an electricity meter connected to power lines on one side and a load on another side, the electricity meter having a meter housing, a processor, a memory, a communications module, a sensor, and a service disconnect switch secured within a meter housing; and a communication and control system of a utility configured and adapted to communicate with the communications module of the electricity meter to accomplish delayed power reconnection of the load through the electricity meter to the power lines after a time delay stored in memory of the electricity meter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An electricity meter, comprising:
a meter housing containing a processor, a memory configured to a store a time delay for reconnection, a communications module, a sensor configured to sense power availability, and a service disconnect switch operable responsive to a signal from the processor to close the service disconnect switch after the time delay and reconnect power to a load through the electricity meter after the time delay. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. An electricity reconnection method, comprising:
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providing an electricity meter having a processor, a memory storing a time delay for reconnection of the electricity meter, a communications module, a sensor, and a service disconnect switch, the electricity meter being connected between a load and power lines; sensing power availability on the power lines with the sensor; and after sensing sufficient power availability, reconnecting the power to the load through the electricity meter after the time delay. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An electrical power system, comprising:
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an electricity meter connected to power lines on a line side and a load on a load side, the electricity meter having a meter housing, a processor, a memory, a communications module, a sensor, and a service disconnect switch secured within the meter housing; and a communication and control system of a utility configured and adapted to communicate with the communications module of the electricity meter to accomplish delayed power reconnection of the load through the electricity meter to the power lines after a time delay stored in memory of the electricity meter, wherein the communications module of the electricity meter is configured to; communicate with a customer-site electrical power generator on the load side of the electricity meter, receive a message indicating a generator electrical frequency and phase of an output of the customer-site electrical power generator, sense the frequency and phase on the line side of the electricity meter, and automatically reconnect when the frequency and phase of both the customer-site electrical power generator and the power lines are within limits stored in the memory of the electricity meter.
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Specification