Configurable smart utility meter box

• US 7,880,641 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Earl H. Parris, John Michael Kay
• Original Assignee: Earl H. Parris, John Michael Kay
• Inventors: Parris, Earl H., Kay, John Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Jr.; Timothy
• Application Number:
  US11/614,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20080150750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.02, 340/870.07, 137/625.11, 137/487.5, 73/40, 731/95, 700/282, 709/201
• 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 comprising:

a body comprising a wall structure defining a geometric shape of predefined height wherein the top of said wall structure is configured for being associated with a top cover, wherein the bottom of said wall structure defines the perimeter of the bottom of said body and wherein the inside of said body defines a cavity;

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

a first-fixture defining a first-fixture-input and an first-fixture-output wherein said first-fixture is configured to provide a fluid flow path from said first-fixture-input and through said first-fixture to said first-fixture-output, and wherein said first-fixture-input is configured for being associated with a utility service line and wherein said first-fixture is associated with said wall structure so that said first-fixture-input is disposed outside of said body and said first-fixture-output is disposed within said cavity thereby providing a fluid flow path from said first-fixture-input to said cavity;

a second-fixture defining a second-fixture-input and a second-fixture-output, wherein said second-fixture-input is configured to provide a fluid flow path from said second-fixture-input and through said second-fixture to said second-fixture-output, and wherein said second-fixture-output is configured for being associated with a fluid consumer line and wherein said second-fixture is associated with said wall structure so that said second-fixture-input is disposed within said cavity and said second-fixture-output is disposed outside of said cavity thereby providing a fluid flow path from said cavity to said second-fixture-output;

an electronic module mechanically associated with one of (a) said wall structure, and (b) said top cover, said electronic module comprising a processing device electrically associated with a memory, a power source, and at least one data-transfer-facilitator, and wherein said memory is configured for storing warning-criteria, wherein each of said warning-criteria defines a warning-criteria condition;

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 fluid level sensor;

(3) a fluid pressure sensor; and

(4) a light sensor;

wherein said processing device is 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;

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 said warning-criteria stored in said memory using at least part of said warning-criteria-update-information; 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, further comprising an antenna element disposed within a portion of said wall structure starting at the approximate top of said wall structure and extending a predefined distance down said wall structure, said antenna element suitably configured for being capacitively 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, wherein the top of said wall structure defines 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 wall structure defines a sliding telescopic arrangement to allow said predefined height of said body to be adjusted.

5. A smart meter box as in claim 1, further comprising a chlorine sensor electrically associated with said processing device, said chlorine sensor configured to generate a sensor signal indicative of the amount of chlorine detected in the vicinity of the chlorine sensor.

6. A smart meter box as in claim 1, further comprising a top open sensor electrically associated with said processing device said top open sensor configured for generating sensor-signals indicative of the opened/closed status of said top.

7. A smart meter box as in claim 1 further comprising a pH sensor electrically associated with said processing device and in fluid communication with said flow path, said pH sensor configured for generating sensor-signals indicative of the pH level of a fluid in said path.

8. A smart meter box as in claim 1, 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 1, further comprising an electronic shutoff valve electrically associated with said processing device and mechanically associated with said first-fixture-output, said electronic shutoff valve configured to open and allow fluid flow through said first-fixture upon receiving an open-signal from said processing device and close and prevent fluid flow through said first-fixture upon receiving a close-signal from said processing device;

wherein said at least two sensors include a fluid pressure sensor configured to generate pressure-data, said fluid pressure sensor electrically associated with said processing device;

wherein said processing device is further configured to automatically generate said open-signal based at least in part on said pressure-data and said warning-criteria; and

wherein said processing device is further configured to automatically generate said close-signal based at least in part on said pressure-data and said warning-criteria.

10. A smart meter box as in claim 1, further comprising an electronic shutoff valve electrically associated with said processing device and mechanically associated with said first-fixture-output, said electronic shutoff valve configured to open and allow fluid flow through said first-fixture upon receiving an open-signal from said processing device and close and prevent fluid flow through said first-fixture upon receiving a close-signal from said processing device and wherein said processing device is further configured to generate said close-signal based at least in part on an radio frequency signal received from a remote transmitter.

11. A smart meter box as in claim 10, wherein said electronic shutoff valve provides a backflow prevention function.

12. A flow control component as in claim 1, wherein said first-fixture-output defines a quick connector and wherein said second-fixture-input defines a quick connector.

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 fluid, (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.