Extending contact life in remote disconnect applications

• US 8,384,558 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2007
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Lakich, Daniel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Benlagsir, Amine
• Application Number:
  US11/975,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20080094248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,959 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.01, 327/143, 327/162, 327/163, 327/186, 327/198
• US Class Current: 340/870.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/12 Determination or prediction of behaviour, e.g. likely power consumption or unusual usage patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed are apparatus and methodology subject matters for providing improved functionality of a meter in a 2-way communications arrangement, such as an Advanced Metering System (AMS) or Infrastructure (AMI). More particularly, the present technology relates to methodologies and apparatus for providing load sensing for utility meters which preferably are operable with remote disconnect features in an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) open operational framework. Meters per the present subject matter utilize a detection circuit, and separately utilize certain remote disconnect functionality. In particular, disconnect functionality is coupled with consideration of electric load information, such as load current as determined by the metering functionality. Providing such functionality allows for the following, all in accordance with the present subject matter: (a) frequent on/off cycling of the electrical service, (b) disconnection of service while full rated current is being delivered through the switch contacts, (c) preservation of switch contact integrity by selective switch operation based on current load, and (d) providing immediate override functionality if needed.

Claims

1. An electricity meter for use within an advanced metering system having and operating relative to a network, comprising:

a line side which receives electrical service when connected to said meter;

a load side, downstream from said meter line side, which electrically connects with an electrical load when connected to said meter;

metrology devices, downstream from said meter line side and upstream from said meter load side, for monitoring the consumption or production of electricity vis-a-vis electrical service and electrical load associated with said meter;

a remote disconnect switch, upstream from said load side and downstream from said meter line side, controllably actuated for electrically connecting and disconnecting said meter line side relative to said meter load side and any electrical load present at said meter load side, such that disconnection of said meter load side is effective upon satisfaction of disconnect criteria; and

a communications link, linking said meter and a network operating relative to an advanced metering system, such that data may be communicated regarding actuation of said remote disconnect switch;

wherein said disconnect criteria include receipt of a disconnect command at said remote disconnect switch and data that said metrology has determined that the consumption of electricity by an electrical load associated with said meter is such that actual current flow has fallen below a predetermined load current threshold.

2. An electricity meter as in claim 1, wherein said disconnect criteria further include the maximum time that said remote disconnect switch will wait in order for the load current as determined by said metrology to fall below said load current threshold before effecting disconnection of said meter load side.

3. An electricity meter as in claim 1, wherein said remote disconnect switch is responsive to an override signal via said communications link to immediately disconnect said meter load side without satisfying said disconnect criteria.

4. An electricity meter as in claim 1, wherein:

said metrology includes current acquisition circuitry for receiving electrical service current signals, and voltage acquisition circuitry for receiving electrical service voltage signals; and

said communications link includes at least one bi-directional communications module configured to effect bi-directional communications between said meter and other networked devices using an open standard meter communication protocol, and said at least one communications module includes one of an additional circuit board dedicated to WAN connectivity and one or more of GPRS, Ethernet, and RF LAN communications modules.

5. An electricity meter as in claim 4, wherein said current acquisition circuitry and said voltage acquisition circuitry are configured for receiving multi-phase electrical service current and voltage signals, respectively.

6. An electricity meter as in claim 1, further comprising:

a pair of line side terminals for receiving electrical service, and connected with said remote disconnect switch; and

an additional pair of terminals respectively connected with said pair of line side terminals, and connected with said metrology, such that said metrology monitors electrical service at said line side terminals.

7. A methodology for improved functionality of an electricity meter used within an advanced metering system having and operating relative to a network, comprising:

providing an electricity meter having;

a line side for receiving electrical service;

a load side, downstream from the meter line side, for electrically connecting with an electrical load;

a remote disconnect switch, upstream from the meter load side and downstream from the meter line side, for controllable actuation for electrically connecting and disconnecting the meter line side relative to the meter load side, so that electrical service when present at the meter line side is, respectively, electrically connected with, and disconnected from, an electrical load when present at the meter load side;

metrology, downstream from the meter line side and upstream from the meter load side, for monitoring the consumption or production of electricity vis-a-vis electrical service and electrical load associated with the meter; and

a communications link, linking the meter and a network operating relative to an advanced metering system;

connecting electrical service to the meter line side;

connecting an electrical load to the meter load side;

communicating data across the network to the electricity meter regarding actuation of the remote disconnect switch; and

responsive to data indicating that a disconnect operation of the remote disconnect switch is to be conducted, effecting such disconnect operation once disconnect criteria are satisfied, such disconnect criteria including a disconnect command at said remote disconnect switch and data that the metrology has determined that the consumption of electricity by an electrical load associated with such meter is such that actual current flow has fallen below a predetermined load current threshold,

whereby the disconnect/connect cycle life of the remote disconnect switch is relatively extended.

8. Methodology as in claim 7, wherein:

the disconnect criteria correspond to at least two configurable parameters relative to monitoring of the metrology;

one of such at least two configurable parameters comprises the maximum time that the disconnect operation of the remote disconnect switch will be delayed to wait for the load current as determined by the metrology to fall below the load current threshold before effecting disconnection of the meter load side.

9. Methodology as in claim 7, further comprising, in response to data indicating that an immediate disconnect operation of the remote disconnect switch is to be conducted, ignoring the disconnect criteria and immediately effecting such disconnect operation.

10. Methodology as in claim 7, further comprising:

providing the metrology with current acquisition circuitry for receiving electrical service current signals, and voltage acquisition circuitry for receiving electrical service voltage signals; and

providing the communications link so as to include at least one bi-directional communications module configured to effect bi-directional communications between the meter and other networked devices using an open standard meter communication protocol, with the at least one communications module including one of an additional circuit board dedicated to WAN connectivity and one or more of GPRS, Ethernet, and RF LAN communications modules.

11. Methodology as in claim 10, wherein:

the current acquisition circuitry and the voltage acquisition circuitry are configured for receiving multi-phase electrical service current and voltage signals, respectively;

the meter further includes a pair of line side terminals for receiving electrical service, and connected with the remote disconnect switch, and an additional pair of terminals respectively connected with the pair of line terminals, and connected with the metrology, such that the metrology monitors electrical service at the line side terminals; and

wherein the current acquisition circuitry and the voltage acquisition circuitry are configured for receiving multi-phase electrical service current and voltage signals, respectively.

12. Methodology as in claim 7, further comprising actuating the remote disconnect switch so as to electrically connect the meter line side relative to the meter load side, responsive to data indicating that a connect operation of the remote disconnect switch is to be conducted.

13. Methodology for an advanced metering system with added functionality based on improved connect/disconnect cycle life, comprising:

providing a plurality of end devices, at least some of which end devices comprise electricity meters, each of such electricity meters having a line side for receiving electrical service;

a load side, downstream from the meter line side, for electrically connecting with an electrical load;

a remote disconnect switch, upstream from the meter load side and downstream from the meter line side, for controllable actuation for electrically connecting and disconnecting the meter line side relative to the meter load side, so that electrical service when present at the meter line side is, respectively, electrically connected with, and disconnected from, an electrical load when present at the meter load side; and

metrology, downstream from the meter line side and upstream from the meter load side, for monitoring the consumption or production of electricity vis-a-vis electrical service and electrical load associated with the meter;

providing a network including central collection functionality;

configuring the network for bi-directional communications between the central collection functionality and each of the plurality of end devices;

connecting electrical service to the meter line side of at least one of such electricity meters; and

connecting an electrical load to the meter load side of such at least one electricity meter;

communicating data across the network to such at least one electricity meter regarding actuation of the remote disconnect switch, and regarding consumption of electrical service at such at least one electricity meter;

responsive to data indicating that a disconnect operation of the remote disconnect switch at such at least one electricity meter is to be conducted, effecting such disconnect operation once disconnect criteria are satisfied, including a disconnect command at said remote disconnect switch and data that load current as determined by the metrology has fallen below a load current threshold; and

responsive to data indicating that a connect operation of the remote disconnect switch at such at least one electricity meter is to be conducted, effecting such connect operation;

whereby the disconnect/connect cycle life of the remote disconnect switch is relatively extended.

14. Methodology as in claim 13, wherein:

the disconnect criteria correspond to at least two configurable parameters relative to monitoring of the metrology, with one of such at least two configurable parameters comprising the maximum time that the disconnect operation of the remote disconnect switch will be delayed to wait for the load current as determined by the metrology to fall below the load current threshold before effecting disconnection of the meter load side.

15. Methodology as in claim 13, further comprising, in response to data indicating that an immediate disconnect operation of the remote disconnect switch is to be conducted, ignoring the disconnect criteria and immediately effecting such disconnect operation.

16. Methodology as in claim 13, further comprising:

providing the metrology with current acquisition circuitry for receiving electrical service current signals, and voltage acquisition circuitry for receiving electrical service voltage signals; and

providing the bi-directional communications so as to include at least one bi-directional communications module configured to effect bi-directional communications between the meter and other networked devices using an open standard meter communication protocol, with the at least one communications module including one of an additional circuit board dedicated to WAN connectivity and one or more of GPRS, Ethernet, and RF LAN communications modules.

17. Methodology as in claim 16, wherein:

the current acquisition circuitry and the voltage acquisition circuitry are configured for receiving multi-phase electrical service current and voltage signals, respectively;

the meter further includes a pair of line side terminals for receiving electrical service, and connected with the remote disconnect switch, and an additional pair of terminals respectively connected with the pair of line terminals, and connected with the metrology, such that the metrology monitors electrical service at the line side terminals; and

wherein the current acquisition circuitry and the voltage acquisition circuitry are configured for receiving multi-phase electrical service current and voltage signals, respectively.

18. Methodology as in claim 13, wherein said methodology further comprises:

configuring selected of the plurality of end devices to relay bi-directional communications between the central collection functionality and others of the plurality of end devices; and

wherein establishing a network further includes;

providing at least one cell relay; and

configuring the network such that bi-directional communication between the central collection functionality and selected of the plurality of end devices passes through the at least one cell relay;

whereby bi-directional communication between the central collection functionality and selected of the plurality of end devices is conducted by way of the cell relay while bi-directional communication between the central collection functionality and others of the plurality of end devices is conducted directly; and

wherein configuring the network for bi-directional communications includes using an open standard meter communication protocol.

19. An advanced metering system with added remote disconnect switch cycle life based on meter disconnect features, comprising:

a plurality of end devices, at least some of which end devices comprise electricity meters, each of such electricity meters having a line side for receiving electrical service;

a load side, downstream from the meter line side, for electrically connecting with an electrical load;

a remote disconnect switch, upstream from the meter load side and downstream from the meter line side, for controllably actuating for electrically connecting and disconnecting the meter line side relative to the meter load side, so that electrical service when present at the meter line side is, respectively, electrically connected with, and disconnected from, an electrical load when present at the meter load side; and

metrology devices, downstream from the meter line side and upstream from the meter load side, for monitoring the consumption or production of electricity vis-à

-vis electrical service and electrical load associated with the meter; and

a network including central collection functionality, and configured for bi-directional communications between the central collection functionality and each of said plurality of end devices, such that data may be communicated across said network regarding actuation of the remote disconnect switch of an electricity meter and consumption of electricity at the meter load side thereof, with such remote disconnect switch responsive to data indicating that a disconnect operation of the remote disconnect switch is to be conducted, for effecting such disconnect operation once disconnect criteria are satisfied, including a disconnect command at said remote disconnect switch and data that load current as determined by said metrology has fallen below a load current threshold, whereby the disconnect/connect cycle life of the remote disconnect switch is relatively extended.

20. An advanced metering system as in claim 19, wherein:

the disconnect criteria correspond to at least two configurable parameters relative to monitoring of the metrology, with one of such at least two configurable parameters comprising the maximum time that the disconnect operation of the remote disconnect switch will be delayed to wait for the load current as determined by the metrology to fall below the load current threshold before effecting disconnection of the meter load side;

if commanded for immediate disconnect, said remote disconnect switch immediately disconnects the meter load side with a disconnect operation of the remote disconnect switch regardless of the value of any disconnect criteria.

21. An advanced metering system as in claim 19, wherein:

selected of said plurality of end devices are configured to relay bi-directional communications between the central collection functionality and others of said plurality of end devices;

said network further includes at least one cell relay, with said bi-directional communication between the central collection functionality and selected of said plurality of end devices passing through the at least one cell relay, whereby bi-directional communication between the central collection functionality and selected of said plurality of end devices is conducted by way of the cell relay while bi-directional communication between the central collection functionality and others of the plurality of end devices is conducted directly;

said network is configured for bi-directional communications includes using an open standard meter communication protocol;

the metrology of each electricity meter includes current acquisition circuitry for receiving electrical service current signals, and voltage acquisition circuitry for receiving electrical service voltage signals, with such current acquisition circuitry and voltage acquisition circuitry configured for receiving multi-phase electrical service current and voltage signals, respectively; and

each electricity meter includes at least one communications module configured to effect bi-directional communications between the meter and other networked devices using an open standard meter communication protocol, with such at least one communications module including an additional circuit board dedicated to WAN connectivity, or one or more of GPRS, Ethernet, and RF LAN communications modules.