Data collector for an automated meter reading system

• US 20040113810A1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Elster Electricity LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Elster Electricity LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Borleske, Andrew J., Hodges, Eugene W., Smith, Kathryn J., Mason, Robert T. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US10/185,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20040113810A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/00 Network topologies
• 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

The invention includes an electronic utility meter, a data collector/meter and a method for communicating data in an automated meter reading system. The inventive method includes communicating data with a network and a first electronic utility meter, and communicating the data with the first electronic utility meter and one or more other meters.

Claims

1. An electronic utility meter, comprising:

a first port for communicating data with one or more other electronic meters;

a second port for communicating data with a network;

a transceiver in communication with the first port and the second port, wherein the transceiver communicates data between the other electronic meter and the computer; and

a computer in communication with the transceiver.

2. The meter of claim 1, wherein the electronic utility meter is at least one of the following:

a gas meter, a water meter, and an electric power meter.

3. The meter of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a central computer at a utility in communication with a billing system.

4. The meter of claim 1, wherein the data is communicated as a function of predetermined criteria.

5. The meter of claim 4, wherein the predetermined criteria filter the data provided by the electronic utility meter to the other meters.

6. The meter of claim 1, wherein the transceiver routes the data from the network to the other meters.

7. The meter of claim 1, further comprising a data storage device for data received from the other meters and from the network.

8. The meter of claim 7, wherein the data storage device provides the stored data to the network when requested by the network.

9. The meter of claim 7, wherein the data storage device provides the stored data to the other meters when requested by the network.

10. The meter of claim 1, wherein the computer provides timing data to the other meters.

11. The meter of claim 10, wherein the timing data is transmitted to the other meters at a substantially similar time.

12. The meter of claim 10, wherein the timing data is transmitted to the other meters at different times.

13. The meter of claim 1, wherein the data comprises at least one of the following:

time-of-use data and demand data.

14. The meter of claim 1, wherein the communication between the electronic utility meter and the other meters is accomplished via wireless techniques.

15. The meter of claim 1, wherein the communication between the electronic utility meter and the other meters is accomplished via wired techniques.

16. The meter of claim 1, wherein the communication between the electronic utility meter and the network is accomplished via wireless techniques.

17. The meter of claim 1, wherein the communication between the electronic utility meter and the network is accomplished via wired techniques.

18. The meter of claim 1, wherein the communication between the electronic utility meter and the other meters is accomplished using at least one of the following techniques:

TCP/IP, Internet, electronic messaging, XML, digital encryption, digital signature, Ethernet, DSL, Cable Modem, 802.11, Bluetooth, and X10.

19. The meter of claim 1, wherein the communication between the electronic utility meter and the computer is accomplished using at least one of the following techniques:

TCP/IP, Internet, electronic messaging, XML, digital encryption, digital signature, Ethernet, DSL, Cable Modem, 802.11, Bluetooth, and X10.

20. The meter of claim 1, further comprising receiving a query from a customer premise to the electronic utility meter via the other meter.

21. The meter of claim 20, wherein the customer premise provides the query to the electronic utility meter using access identification.

22. The meter of claim 1, wherein the data represents utility usage.

23. The meter of claim 22, wherein the utility includes at least one of the following:

water, gas, and electricity.

24. The meter of claim 22, wherein the utility usage is determined over a billing period.

25. The meter of claim 24, wherein the billing period represents one or more days.

26. The meter of claim 24, wherein the billing period represents a season of the year.

27. The meter of claim 1, wherein the data represents a billing rate to be applied to utility usage.

28. The meter of claim 27, wherein the billing rate is provided for one or more days.

29. The meter of claim 27, wherein the billing rate is provided for a season of the year.

30. The meter of claim 1, further comprising communicating a demand reset request from the electronic utility to the other meters at a predetermined interval.

31. The meter of claim 30, wherein the predetermined interval is at least one of the following:

a billing change date, and a season change date.

32. The meter of claim 30, further comprising continuously verifying that the demand reset was accomplished in the other meters.

33. The meter of claim 1, wherein the electronic utility meter transmits identification designations to the other meters.

34. The meter of claim 1, wherein the electronic utility meter transmits time-of-use designations to the other meters.

35. The meter of claim 34, wherein the electronic utility meter transmits time-of-use schedules to the other meters as a function of the time-of-use designations.

36. The meter of claim 1, wherein the electronic utility meter registers the other meters such that data is not lost.

37. The meter of claim 1, wherein the electronic utility meter receives load profile data from the other meters.

38. The meter of claim 37, wherein receiving the load profile data is a function of at least one of the following predetermined criteria:

the quantity of load profile data, a time of the day, a day of the year, and a season of the year.

39. A method for communicating data in an automated meter reading system, comprising:

communicating data with a network and a first electronic utility meter; and

communicating the data with the first electronic utility meter and one or more other meters.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising communicating the data as a function of predetermined criteria.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the predetermined criteria filter the data provided by the first meter to the other meters.

42. The method of claim 39, further comprising routing data from the network to the other meters via the first meter.

43. The method of claim 39, further comprising storing the data in the first meter received from the other meters.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising providing the stored data to the network when requested by the network.

45. The method of claim 39, further comprising the first meter providing timing data to the other meters.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the timing data is transmitted to the other meters by the first meter at a substantially similar time.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein the timing data is transmitted to the other meters at distinct times.

48. The method of claim 39, further comprising receiving a query from a customer premise to the first meter via the other meter.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the customer premise provides the query to the first meter using access identification.

50. The method of claim 39, wherein the data represents utility usage.

51. The method of claim 39, wherein the data represents a billing rate to be applied to utility usage.

52. The method of claim 39, further comprising communicating a demand reset request from the first meter to the other meters at a predetermined interval.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the predetermined interval is at least one of the following:

a billing change date, a season change date.

54. The method of claim 52, further comprising continuously verifying that the demand reset was accomplished in the other meters.

55. The method of claim 39, further comprising the first meter assigning identification designations to the other meters.

56. The method of claim 39, further comprising the first meter assigning time-of-use designations to the other meters.

57. The method of claim 56, further comprising the first meter assigning time-of-use schedules to the other meters as a function of the time-of-use designations.

58. The method of claim 39, further comprising the first meter registering the other meters such that data is not lost.

59. The method of claim 39, further comprising the first meter receiving load profile data from the other meters.

60. A data collector device, comprising:

a first port for communicating data with one or more other electronic meters;

a second port for communicating data with a network;

a transceiver in communication with the first port and the second port, wherein the transceiver communicates data between the other electronic meter and the computer; and

a computer in communication with the transceiver, wherein the computer routes the data from the network to the electronic meter.