Apparatuses including utility meter, power electronics, and communications circuitry, and related methods of operation
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- electric utility meter circuitry in the apparatus and configured to measure usage of electricity supplied by an electric utility to a premise of a customer of the electric utility, wherein the apparatus is configured to connect between a utility secondary service of the electric utility and a wiring connection of the customer at the premise;
power electronics circuitry in the apparatus and configured to regulate a voltage level supplied to the premise of the customer, wherein the voltage level that the power electronics circuitry is configured to regulate comprises 600 Volts or lower, wherein the power electronics circuitry is further configured to regulate Volt-Amperes Reactive (VARs) provided to the premise of the customer, and wherein the power electronics circuitry is configured to adjust the voltage level and the VARs for the premise of the customer independently of adjustments for any other premise of any other customer of the electric utility; and
communications circuitry in the apparatus and configured to provide communications with a first electronic device of the customer at the premise of the customer and to provide communications with a second electronic device that is upstream from the apparatus.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatuses including utility meter, power electronics, and communications circuitry are provided. The utility meter circuitry is configured to measure usage of electricity supplied by an electric utility to a premise of a customer of the electric utility. The power electronics circuitry is configured to regulate a voltage level supplied to the premise of the customer. Moreover, the communications circuitry is configured to provide communications with a first electronic device of the customer at the premise of the customer and to provide communications with a second electronic device that is upstream from the apparatus. Related methods of operating an apparatus including utility meter, power electronics, and communications circuitry are also provided.
23 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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electric utility meter circuitry in the apparatus and configured to measure usage of electricity supplied by an electric utility to a premise of a customer of the electric utility, wherein the apparatus is configured to connect between a utility secondary service of the electric utility and a wiring connection of the customer at the premise; power electronics circuitry in the apparatus and configured to regulate a voltage level supplied to the premise of the customer, wherein the voltage level that the power electronics circuitry is configured to regulate comprises 600 Volts or lower, wherein the power electronics circuitry is further configured to regulate Volt-Amperes Reactive (VARs) provided to the premise of the customer, and wherein the power electronics circuitry is configured to adjust the voltage level and the VARs for the premise of the customer independently of adjustments for any other premise of any other customer of the electric utility; and communications circuitry in the apparatus and configured to provide communications with a first electronic device of the customer at the premise of the customer and to provide communications with a second electronic device that is upstream from the apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of operating an apparatus connected between a utility secondary service of an electric utility and a wiring connection of a customer at a premise of the customer, the method comprising:
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measuring, using electric utility meter circuitry of the apparatus, usage of electricity supplied by the electric utility to the premise of the customer of the electric utility; regulating, using power electronics circuitry of the apparatus, Volt-Amperes Reactive (VARs) provided to the premise of the customer and a voltage level comprising 600 Volts or lower supplied to the premise of the customer, wherein regulating the VARS and the voltage level comprises adjusting the VARs and the voltage level for the premise of the customer independently of adjustments for any other premise of any other customer of the electric utility; and providing communications, using communications circuitry of the apparatus, with a first electronic device of the customer that is at the premise of the customer and with a second electronic device that is upstream from the apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification