Wireless communication device for electric meter and method of manufacture thereof

• US 20030085842A1
• Filed: 10/07/2002
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TransData, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TransData, Inc.
• Inventors: King, John Paul, Justice, Doug, Porter, Lawrence R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,903,699 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/719
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/00 Arrangements for measuring time integral of electric power or current, e.g. electricity meters
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2233 used in consumption-meter devices, e.g. electricity, gas or water meters
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

For use with an electric meter chassis having a dielectric housing protruding therefrom, a wireless communication device that permits information to be communicated to and from the electric meter and a method of manufacturing the same. In one embodiment, the device is comprised of: (1) a communication circuit within the chassis coupled to electric meter circuitry, and (2) an antenna element within the dielectric housing, the antenna element coupled to the communication circuit.

Claims

1. For use with an electric meter chassis having a dielectric housing protruding therefrom, a wireless communication device, comprising:

a communication circuit within said chassis coupled to electric meter circuitry;

an antenna element within said dielectric housing, said antenna element coupled to said communication circuit.

2. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said communication circuit communicates over cellular frequencies.

3. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said communication circuit communicates information selected from the group consisting of:

power quality information,

power outage information,

site analysis information,

diagnostic information,

energy usage,

power demand,

power factor,

time of use, and

interval recordings of energy usage.

4. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said communication circuit receives information selected from the group consisting of:

meter information queries,

meter commands,

diagnostic queries, and

maintenance commands.

5. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said communication circuit has a carrier frequency of between 700 and 950 megahertz.

6. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said communication circuit has a carrier frequency of between 1.8 megahertz and 2.0 gigahertz.

7. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said communication circuit is digital.

8. A method of manufacturing a device for communicating meter information to and from an electric meter chassis having a dielectric housing protruding therefrom, comprising:

locating a wireless communication circuit within said chassis, and coupling said wireless communication circuit to electric meter circuitry;

locating an antenna element within said dielectric housing, said antenna element coupled to said wireless communication circuit.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said communication circuit communicates over cellular frequencies.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said communication circuit communicates information selected from the group consisting of:

power quality information,

power outage information,

site analysis information,

diagnostic information,

energy usage,

power demand,

power factor,

time of use, and

interval recordings of energy usage.

11. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said communication circuit has a carrier frequency of between 700 and 950 megahertz.

12. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said communication circuit has a carrier frequency of between 1.8 megahertz and 2.0 gigahertz.

13. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said communication circuit is digital.

19. The electric meter as recited in claim 13 wherein said communication circuit has a carrier frequency of between 1.8 megahertz and 2.0 gigahertz.

20. The electric meter as recited in claim 13 wherein said communication circuit is digital.

14. An electric meter chassis having a dielectric housing protruding therefrom, comprising:

a wireless communication circuit within said chassis for communicating meter information, said wireless communication circuit coupled to electric meter circuitry;

an antenna element coupled to said wireless communication circuit and located within said dielectric housing.

15. The electric meter as recited in claim 14 wherein said communication circuit communicates over cellular frequencies.

16. The electric meter as recited in claim 14 wherein said communication circuit communicates information selected from the group consisting of:

power quality information,

power outage information,

site analysis information,

diagnostic information,

energy usage,

power demand,

power factor,

time of use, and

interval recordings of energy usage.

17. The electric meter as recited in claim 14 wherein said communication circuit receives information selected from the group consisting of:

meter information queries,

meter commands,

diagnostic queries, and

maintenance commands.

18. The electric meter as recited in claim 14 wherein said communication circuit has a carrier frequency of between 700 and 950 megahertz.