Remote automatic meter reading and control system

• US 3,900,842 A
• Filed: 12/26/1973
• Issued: 08/19/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John A. Calabro, Peter R. Mich, Salvatore R. Calabro
• Original Assignee: John A. Calabro, Peter R. Mich, Salvatore R. Calabro
• Inventors: Calabro, Salvatore R., Calabro, John A., Mich, Peter R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Habecker, Thomas B.
• Application Number:
  US05/427,724
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 340/31A
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00009 using pulsed signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/14 Calling by using pulses
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission

Abstract

A system for remote reading of data measured by consumption meters, utilizing encoded low power telemetry signals in the milliwatt range superimposed upon a power transmission network. This utilizes unique transmission and filtering techniques which insure the signal passing through power network system components, such as transformers, capacitors, voltage regulators, etc. without the necessity for by-passing by tailored circuitry. Individual meters at field points include means for translating the meter reading into appropriate binary code form and for coupling signals indicative of such data to the power network. A satellite unit gathers, processes and re-transmits the said data to a central station. The central station receives and transmits encoded meter data as required, and provides an error-detection and correction capability. An adaptive coding subsystem varies the coding scheme utilized in the present system in accordance with varying data transmission and network conditions. The system can also be used to monitor parameters such as temperature, pressure, etc. by interrogating appropriate transducers and transmitting the data over the same power network as is used for meter reading. It is also capable of transmitting signals for switching and shedding loads as required by the supervisory discipline.

Claims

1. A system for remote reading of data measured by consumption meters, comprising in combination:

a plurality of consumption meters, positioned at selected field points, each said meter including means for translating the readings thereof into one of a plurality of digitally encoded forms;

means at each of said meters for modulating the carrier with said encoded data;

means for coupling said modulated carrier onto the power network of the community in which said meters are located;

a central control station coupled to said power network, for providing address signals to said meters;

said meters including address return means; and

said central station including means for evaluating the address transmission characteristics of said power network, and means for applying control signals to said power network for selection of one of said encoded forms at said meters, for varying the mode of data transmission in response to the detected transmission characteristics of said network.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, including a plurality of first satellite means, members of said plurality of satellites being coupled through said network to groups of said consumption meters.

3. A system in accordance with claim 2, further including second satellite means coupling said first satellite means to said central station through said power network.

4. A system in accordance with clAim 3, further including third satellite means, coupling said central station to said second satellite means through said power network, and thereby to said first satellite means and said plurality of consumption meters.

5. A system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said satellite means includes buffer storage means for storing meter readings for subsequent transmission to said central control station.

6. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said translating means at said meters varies the rate of data transmission in response to said control signals.

7. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for evaluating the transmission characteristics of said power network, include means for comparing the transmitted and re-transmitted addresses, means for detecting the error rate indicated by said compared addresses, and means responsive to the error rate for varying the control signal to said translating means to maintain said error rate beneath some pre-established value.