Configurable Smart Utility Meter Box

• US 20080150750A1
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Earl H. Parris, John Michael Kay
• Original Assignee: Earl H. Parris, John Michael Kay
• Inventors: Parris, Earl H., Kay, John Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,880,641 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/075 with magnetic or electromagnetic coupling to the indicating device
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/005 Valves valves in general F16K
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/063 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/14 Casings, e.g. of special material
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/18 Supports or connecting means for meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/185 Connecting means, e.g. bypass conduits
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/10 with alarm or warning devices, e.g. indicating the interrupting of the supply
• 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 137/86501 Sequential distributor or collector type

Abstract

The invention relates to a meter box for housing a utility meter and configured for associating a customer service line to a utility service line. The meter box may be configured to fit within an existing meter box and may be configured with side sections in a telescopic arrangement. Flow control components at an input of the meter box prevent backflow.

The meter box comprises an electronic module that includes a variety of selectable features including datalogging, AMR, environmental monitoring, and resource monitoring. A remote monitor is provided for allowing a customer to view selected data including consumption data, pressure, pH, temperature, warnings, remote turnoff, and provide secured bill paying services. Imaging/audio components provide visual and audio data which may include an image of an analog readout for a meter register, images of the metering environment, and sound data for metering environment.

Claims

1. A smart meter box configured for associating a water utility service line to a utility meter and further configured for receiving a utility meter that meters the flow of water, said smart meter box comprising:

a body defining a cavity configured for receiving a metering component;

a top cover movably associated with said body for allowing access to said cavity;

a first flow control element having an input and an output wherein said input is configured for being associated with a utility service line and said output is configured for being associated with the input of a utility meter, said first flow control element configured for controlling the flow of water through said flow control element;

an electronic module comprising a processing device electrically associated with a power source and at least one data-transfer-facilitator; and

wherein the at least one data-transfer-facilitator comprises at least one of (a) transmitter configured for transmitting a data-signal to a remote receiver, (b) a communications interface configured for transferring data to an electronic device electrically associated with said communications interface, and (c) a receiver configured for receiving a data signal.

2. A smart meter box as in claim 1, wherein said electronic module is at least one of (a) disposed in said top cover, and (2) electrically associated with a display disposed within said top cover and wherein an antenna element is disposed within a portion of said body, said antenna element being coactively coupled to said data-transfer-facilitator.

3. A smart meter box as in claim 1, wherein said body is appropriately sized to fit inside a second meter box, said second meter box having a meter-box-top receiver configured for receiving a top cover, said body further comprising a top ring suitably sized to be received by said meter-box-top receiver so that said body can be inserted into said second meter box with said top ring being received by said meter-box-top receiver.

4. A smart meter box as in claim 3, wherein said body side sections are configured in a telescopic arrangement to allow the height of said body to be adjusted.

5. A smart meter box as in claim 1, further comprising at least two sensors electrically associated with said processing device, wherein said at least two sensors are configured for providing sensor-signals to said processing device and wherein at least one of said at least two sensors is selected from the group of sensors consisting of:

(1) a temperature sensor;

(2) a water level sensor;

(3) a water pressure sensor; and

(4) a light sensor.

6. A smart meter box as in claim 5, wherein said processing device is further configured to retrieve warning-criteria from a memory associated with said processing device, said processing device further configure to monitor said sensor-signals and issue a warning when the processing device determines at least one of said sensor-signals satisfies a warning-criteria condition.

7. A smart meter box as in claim 6, wherein said processing device is further configured to receive a data signal from a remote electronic device, said data signal comprising warning-criteria-update-information and wherein said processing device is further configured to update the warning-criteria stored in said memory based on at least part of said warning-criteria-update-information.

8. A smart meter box as in claim 5, further comprising a box-warmer section electrically associated with said processing device, said box-warmer section configured to generated heat upon receiving an activation control signal from said processing device.

9. A smart meter box as in claim 5, wherein said at least two sensors include two water pressure sensors:

wherein a first water pressure sensor is positioned between the input of the smart meter box and the first flow control element;

wherein a second water pressure sensor is positioned between the output of said first control element and the output of the smart meter box;

wherein said water pressure sensors are configured for generating sensor-signals indicative of water pressure.

10. A smart meter box as in claim 1, further comprising a flow control component wherein said first flow control element is a shut-off valve integral to said flow control component, wherein said flow control component further comprises:

an input port and an output port wherein said input port is configured for being associated with a utility service line and said output is configured for being associated with a water meter;

wherein said shut-off valve is disposed between said input port and output port and wherein said shut-off valve configured for selectively allowing and preventing the flow of water through the flow control component; and

a back flow preventor disposed between said input port and said output port and in series with said shut-off valve, wherein said back flow preventor is configured for preventing the reverse flow of water from said output port to said input port.

11. A smart meter box as in claim 10, wherein said flow control component further comprises a flow detector disposed between said input port and said output port, said flow detector configured for generating signals relatable to the amount of flow through said flow control component.

12. A flow control component as in claim 10, wherein said shut-off valve is further configured with an electronic-shutoff electrically associated with a power source electrically and electrically associated with a controller wherein said controller is configured to change the open/closed stated of the shut-off valve.

13. A smart meter box as in claim 1, further comprising at least one imaging element disposed within said cavity and electrically associated with said processing device, said imaging element configured for acquiring images of at least one of (a) the smart meter box components and (b) the smart meter box environment.

14. A smart meter box as in claim 1, further comprising an electronic lock electrically associated with said power source and said processing device, wherein said electronic lock has a locked state where the electronic lock mechanically associates said body with said top cover and wherein said electronic lock has an unlocked state where the electronic lock does not mechanically associate said body with said top cover, and wherein the locked and unlocked status of the electronic lock is controlled by signals generated by said processing device.

15. A smart meter box as in claim 1, further comprising a remote module configured for being positioned at a remote location from said smart meter box, said remote module further configured for communicating with said electronic module to provide remote functions including at least one of (a) turning off the flow of water, (b) displaying selected smart meter box data, and (c) paying a bill.

16. A smart meter box as in claim 15, wherein said remote module comprises a biosensor configured to provide secured access to the remote module functions.

17. A meter box configured for receiving a utility meter that meters the flow of water and further configured for associating a water utility service line to said utility meter, said meter box comprising:

a body defining a cavity for receiving a water meter;

a top movably associated with said body for allowing access to said cavity;

an flow control component disposed at least partially inside said cavity and comprising an input, an output, a shutoff-valve-element, and a backflow-prevention-element wherein said shutoff-valve-element and said backflow-prevention element are disposed in series between said input and said output; and

wherein said input of said flow control component is configured for being associated with a water utility service line and wherein said output of said flow control component is configured for being associated with the input of a water meter thereby providing a one-way flow path from said water utility service line to the output of said flow control component.

18. A meter box as in claim 17, further comprising an electronic module comprising:

a communication buss;

a processing device electrically associated with said communication buss;

a memory electrically associated with said communication buss;

a power source electrically associated with said communication buss;

at least one of a data-transfer-facilitator electrically associated with said communication buss;

said data-transfer-facilitator comprising a transmitter and at least one of (a) a receiver, and (b) a communications interface;

at least one water quality sensor electrically associated with said communication buss wherein said at least one water quality sensor is configured for generating water-quality-sensor-signals characterizing a water quality parameter; and

at least one environmental sensor electrically associated with said communication buss wherein said at least one environmental sensor is configured for generating environment-sensor-signals characterizing an environmental parameter.

19. A meter box as in claim 18, further comprising a release-valve in fluid communication with the output of said flow control component, wherein said release-valve is configured to prevent flow through said release-valve until the water pressure at the input of the release-valve reaches a predefined value.

20. A meter box as in claim 19, wherein said release-valve is electrically associated with said communication buss and is configured for electrically communicating the open/closed status of said release-valve to other electronic devices electrically associated with said communication buss.

21. A meter box configured for associating a water utility service line to a customer service line, said meter box comprising:

a body appropriately sized to fit inside a second meter box, said second meter box having a meter-box-top receiver configured for receiving a top cover, said body further comprising a top ring suitably sized to be received by said meter-box-top receiver so that said body can be inserted into said second meter box with said top ring being received by said meter-box-top receiver;

a meter setter comprising an input section and an output section;

wherein said input section comprises a meter setter input configured for being associated with a utility service line and a first meter receiver configured for being associated with the input of a water meter; and

wherein said output section comprises a meter setter output configured for being associated with a customer service line and a second meter receiver configured for being associated with the output of a water meter so that a flow path is provided from said utility service line to said customer service line when a water meter is associated with said first meter receiver and said second meter receiver.

22. A meter box as in claim 21, wherein said first meter receiver and said second meter receiver are quick connectors.

23. A meter box as in claim 21, further comprising:

a flow-control-component associated with said input section, said flow-control-component having a flow-input, a first-flow-output, and a second-flow-output;

wherein said flow-input is associated with said meter setter input and said first-flow-output is associated with said first meter receiver so that a flow path is provided from said meter setter input, through said flow-control-component, and to said first meter receiver;

a bypass-stabilizer line comprising a bypass input and a bypass output;

wherein said bypass input is associated with said second-flow-output and wherein said bypass output is associated with said output section between said meter setter output and said second meter receiver thereby providing a more stabilized association between said input section and said output section while providing a flow path between the utility service line and the customer service line when no meter is associated with the meter setter.