System and method for fractional smart metering

• US 20100217549A1
• Filed: 07/10/2009
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brian R. Galvin, Jason Crabtree
• Original Assignee: Brian R. Galvin, Jason Crabtree
• Inventors: Galvin, Brian R., Crabtree, Jason
• Application Number:
  US12/459,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20100217549A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/62
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/06 by electronic methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5433 Remote metering
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines

Abstract

A fractional smart metering system, comprising a processor coupled to a packet data network and a server software module executing on the processor and coupled to an operational database containing at least energy usage information pertaining to an energy consumer and obtained from meter readings at the consumer'"'"'s premises, wherein the server software module is adapted to receive information over the network from a plurality of client software modules associated with energy resources further associated with the energy consumer, and wherein the server software module computes a measure of energy usage for a specific time interval for the consumer, said measure being determined at least in part based on a comparison between the information received from the client software modules associated with the consumer and the corresponding usage information obtained from the operational database, is disclosed.

Claims

1. A fractional smart metering system, comprising:

a processor coupled to a packet data network; and

a server software module executing on the processor and coupled to an operational database containing at least energy usage information pertaining to an energy consumer and obtained from meter readings at the consumer'"'"'s premises;

wherein the server software module is adapted to receive information over the network from a plurality of client software modules associated with energy resources further associated with the energy consumer;

wherein the server software module computes a measure of energy usage for a specific time interval for the consumer, said measure being determined at least in part based on a comparison between the information received from the client software modules associated with the consumer and the corresponding usage information obtained from the operational database.

2. A method for measuring energy usage, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving information via a packet data network from client software modules associated with energy load devices or energy generating devices associated with an energy consumer;

(b) receiving information from an operational database pertaining to energy usage by the energy consumer and obtained from meter readings at the consumer'"'"'s premises; and

(c) computing a measure of energy usage for a specific time interval for the consumer, said measure being determined at least in part based on a comparison between the information received from the client software modules associated with the consumer and the corresponding usage information obtained from the operational database.