System and method for on-line monitoring and billing of power consumption

• US 7,539,581 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2006
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Quadlogic Controls Corp.
• Original Assignee: Quadlogic Controls Corp.
• Inventors: Lo, Stanley C., Swarztrauber, Sayre A., Jacobson, Eric, Newsome, Michael, Shafrir, Doron
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Desta; Elias
• Application Number:
  US11/431,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20060259254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 702/57, 702 60- 62, 702/116, 702/122, 702/188, 702/189, 340/870.01, 340/870.16, 324/110, 324/509, 324/500, 379/106.3, 369/106.3, 439/508, 439/517, 361/42
• US Class Current: 702/61
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/008 Modifications to installed utility meters to enable remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/00 Arrangements for measuring time integral of electric power or current, e.g. electricity meters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/30 using a wired architecture
• 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: 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: 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 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

The present invention comprises systems and methods related to monitoring of energy usage on a power line. In a preferred embodiment, this system comprises (a) an electronic microprocessor-controlled digital electricity metering device coupled to the power line and comprising a non-volatile non-battery-powered data-storage device, wherein the metering device is capable of interval metering and of receiving a data request and transmitting data in response to the request over the power line; and (b) a data collector (preferably, a transponder) coupled to the metering device via the power line. The data collector is preferably capable of (i) receiving data from and transmitting data to the metering device over the power line, (ii) storing data received from the metering device over the power line, and (iii) receiving data from and transmitting data to a remotely located computer (preferably, a billing computer).

Claims

1. A method of remotely controlling electrical power service to an end user protected by a whole-house ground-fault interruptor (GFI), comprising the steps of:

(a) determining that said end user'"'"'s electricity service must be discontinued; and

(b) sending a power line communication instruction to a microprocessor-controlled meter that meters said end user'"'"'s electricity consumption and is not in communication with said GFI, wherein said instruction directs said meter to activate said GFI, wherein said instruction further directs said microprocessor-controlled meter to continue to activate said GFI until directed otherwise.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said meter is configured to activate said GFI by initiating a leakage to earth ground.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein said GFI comprises a toroid and wherein said meter is configured to activate said GFI by coupling a small amount of current into said toroid.