Time-of-use calendar events method and apparatus for a meter register

• US 5,317,546 A
• Filed: 06/30/1993
• Issued: 05/31/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Dastous, Susan D., Mancuso, Marjorie J., Balch, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit W.
• Application Number:
  US08/086,190
• Time in Patent Office: 335 Days
• Field of Search: 368/9, 368/10, 368/11, 368/28, 368/29, 324/116, 324/103, 324/142, 364/481-483, 364/492, 364/569, 364/705, 364/715
• US Class Current: 368/9
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/1333 adapted for special tariff measuring

Abstract

A Method and apparatus for identifying events for making changes to a meter register configuration. In the one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of storing event data, including event dates, in a meter register memory, the event data being stored in a floating date format or in a fixed date format, and processing the event data to determine whether a current date corresponds to an event date.

Claims

1. A method of measuring time-of-use of electric energy consumed by an end user coupled to a power delivery system, the time-of-use measuring method comprising the steps of:

formatting data within a storage device relating to a plurality of calendar events, including year specific calendar events and annual calendar events, said formatting step comprising the steps of;

formatting the corresponding months of said year specific calendar events;

formatting the corresponding days of the week of said year specific calendar events; and

formatting the occurrence numbers of the days of the week of said year specific calendar events; and

associating a time-of-use function with each year specific calendar event;

comparing a calendar date to the formatted month, the formatted day of the week and the formatted occurrence number of at least one of said year specific calendar events, to determine whether the calendar date matches a a year specific calendar date;

receiving signals indicative of an amount of energy consumed by an end user from a power delivery system; and

processing the received signals based upon the time-of-use function associated with the matched year specific calendar event.

2. The time-of-use measuring method of claim 1;

wherein said formatting step further comprises the steps of;

formatting the corresponding months of said annual calendar events;

formatting the corresponding days of the month of said annual calendar events; and

associating a time-of-use function with each annual calendar event;

wherein said comparing step further comprises the step of comparing said calendar date to the formatted month and the formatted day of the month of at least one of said annual calendar events to determine whether the calendar date matches an annual calendar event; and

wherein said processing step further comprises the step of processing the received signals based upon the time-of-use function associated with the matched annual calendar event.

3. The time-of-use measuring method of claim 1 wherein the event data for each calendar event is stored chronologically.

4. The time-of-use measuring method of claim 1 wherein said comparing step comprises the steps of:

loading a table with at least the month, the day of the week and the occurrence number of the day of the week of at least a next event to be observed; and

comparing the calendar date with the at least a next event in said table.

5. The time-of-use measuring method of claim 4 wherein at least the next four events to be observed are loaded into said table.

6. The time-of-use measuring method of claim 1 wherein said occurrence number corresponds to one of a first, second, third, fourth or fifth occurrence of the associated day of week in the associated month.

7. A time-of-use electric meter which measured energy consumed by an end user coupled to a power delivery system, the time-of-use electric meter comprising:

means for retaining a plurality of year specific calendar events in floating date format, said floating date format retaining means including;

first memory means for retaining the corresponding months of said year specific calendar events;

second memory means for retaining the corresponding days of the week of said year specific calendar events; and

third member means for retaining the occurrence numbers of the days of the week of said year specific calendar events;

means for comparing a calendar date to the month, the day of the week and the occurrence number of at least one of said year specific calendar events in said first memory means, said second memory means and said third memory means, respectively, to determine whether the calendar date matches said at least one of said year specific calendar events;

means for receiving signals indicative of an amount of energy consumed by an end user from the power delivery system during the calendar date; and

means for selectively processing the received signals if the calendar date matches said at least one of said year specific calendar events.

8. The time-of-use electric meter of claim 7

further comprising means for retaining a plurality of annual calendar events in fixed date format, said fixed date format retaining means including:

fourth memory means for retaining the corresponding months of said annual calendar events; and

fifth memory means for retaining the corresponding days of the month of said annual calendar events; and

wherein said calendar date comparing means further comprises means for comparing the calendar date to the month and the day of the month of at least one of said annual calendar events to determine whether the calendar date matches said at least one of said annual calendar events; and

wherein said processing means further comprises means for selectively processing the received signals if the calendar date matches said at least one of said annual calendar events.

9. The time-of-use electric meter of claim 7 wherein the event data for each calendar event is stored chronologically.

10. The time-of-use meter of claim 7 wherein said comparing means comprises:

means for loading a table with at least the month, the day of the week and the occurrence number of the day of the week of at least a next event to be observed; and

means for comparing the calendar date with the at least a next event in said table.

11. The time-of-use meter of claim 10 wherein at least the next four events to be observed are loaded into said table.

12. The time-of-use electric meter of claim 7 wherein said occurrence number corresponds to one of a first, second, third, fourth or fifth occurrence of the associated day of week in the associated month.

13. A time-of-use electric meter which measures energy consumed by an end user coupled to a power delivery system, the time-of-use electric meter comprising:

memory means, in the time-of-use electric meter, for retaining a plurality of calendar events including year specific calendar events and annual calendar events in floating date format and fixed date format, respectively, said memory means including;

a first memory portion for retaining the months of said year specific calendar events and said annual calendar events;

a second memory portion for retaining the days of the week of said year specific calendar events;

a third memory portion for retaining the occurrence numbers corresponding to the days of the week of said year specific calendar events;

a fourth memory portion for retaining the days of the month of said annual calendar events; and

a fifth memory portion for retaining weekend qualifiers; and

microcontroller means, connected to said memory means, for determining whether a calendar date matches at least one of said calendar events, based on data contained in said first, second, third and fourth memory portions, said microcontroller means including;

means for receiving first signals indicative of an amount of energy consumed by an end user from a power delivery system during said calendar date;

means for selectively processing the received first signals if said calendar date matches said at least one of said calendar events;

means for receiving second signals indicative of an amount of energy consumed by an end user from a power delivery system during the day after said calendar date, if said calendar date is a Sunday, and during the day preceding said calendar date if said calendar date is a Saturday; and

means for selectively processing the received second signals, based on the data contained in said fifth memory portion.

14. The time-of-use electric meter of claim 13, wherein said memory means further includes a sixth memory portion for retaining consecutive day qualifiers including a previous day qualifier and a next day qualifier.

15. The time-of-use electric meter of claim 14, wherein said microcontroller means further includes:

means for selectively processing the received first signals if said calendar date matches the day preceding said at least one of said calendar events occurring on a weekday, based on said previous day qualifier; and

means for selectively processing the received first signals if said calendar date matches the day following said at least one of said calendar events occurring on a weekday, based on said next day qualifier.