Showing papers on "Electricity meter published in 2008"

Energy Metering for Free: Augmenting Switching Regulators for Real-Time Monitoring

Abstract: We present iCount, a new energy meter design. For many systems that have a built-in switching regulator, adding a single wire between the regulator and the microcontroller enables real-time energy metering. iCount measures energy usage by counting the switching cycles of the regulator. We show that the relationship between load current and switching frequency is quite linear and demonstrate that this simple design can be applied to a variety of regulators. Our particular implementation exhibits a maximum error of less than plusmn20% over five decades of current draw, a resolution exceeding 1 muJ, a read latency of 15 mus, and a power overhead that ranges from 1% when the node is in standby to 0.01 % when the node is active, for a typical workload. The basic iCount design requires only a pulse frequency modulated switching regulator and a microcontroller with an externally-clocked counter.

Intelligent electronic device with enhanced power quality monitoring and communication capabilities

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) has enhanced power quality and communications capabilities. The power meter can perform energy analysis by waveform capture, detect transient on the front end voltage input channels and provide revenue measurements. The power meter splits and distributes the front end input channels into separate circuits for scaling and processing by dedicated processors for specific applications by the power meter. Front end voltage input channels are split and distributed into separate circuits for transient detection, waveform capture analysis and revenue measurement, respectively. Front end current channels are split and distributed into separate circuits for waveform capture analysis and revenue measurement, respectively.

Automatic meter reading system based on ZigBee technology

Abstract: The present invention relates to an automatic meter reading system based on ZigBee wireless communication technology, wherein, the automatic meter reading system comprises a data collector, a repeater, a concentrator, a handheld device and other communication devices, and the communication devices are all provided with ZigBee communication modules The present invention can provide real-time, high-speed and reliable data communication service, accomplishes the functions such as data freezing, node management, debugging diagnosis and so on, and realizes the networking automatic data reading of electric meters, water meters, gas meters and heat meters

Electric energy acquisition and operation management system and method based on platform zone centralized service terminal

Abstract: The invention provides an electric energy collecting and running management system on the basis of a station area concentrative service terminal, and a method thereof. The electric energy collecting and running management system is provided with a master system, a station area concentrative service terminal, an electric energy meter collector, a station area electric energy meter and a resident electric energy meter; the master system is in charge for services such as data collecting, processing, managing and analysing, output and the like; the running state of the system is monitored and undated; two communication channels such as GPRS or CDMA and RS232 are used between the master system and the station area concentrative service terminal; the station area concentrative terminal has the functions of distribution transform monitoring, electric usage site management, meter concentrator meter reading and the like; the downlink selects a RF narrowband wireless radio frequency data transmission/power carrier/RS483 interface to be communicated with the electric energy meter collector; meter reading task is sent down to the electric energy meter collector; the terminal collects the electric meter information read by various collectors and analyses all electric meter information; and the uplink transmits all data to the master system by the GPRS/CDMA channels.

Embedded Energy Meter- A New Concept To Measure The Energy Consumed By A Consumer And To Pay The Bill

Abstract: In this paper, a new concept of energy meter will be discussed, where maximum demand of energy of a consumer will be indicated in the meter used by the consumer After exceeding the maximum demand, the meter and hence the connection will automatically be disconnected by an embedded system inserted in the meter itself According to the maximum demand, the consumer will purchase a cash-card of amount depending on the consumption of energy and after the full consumption, the consumer again has to purchase another cash-card or recharge the same and thus the hassle related to go to the billing office, to stand in a long queue and to submit the bill, can be avoided Also this system helps to eliminate the draw backs of billing management system, such as to take the reading from the meter, to create the bill, to print the bill, to send the bill to the proper address and to collect the amount for the bill Hence this system can effectively reduce the man power required to a great extent Also a new concept of a distributor has been dealt here which is used to disconnect a line if the energy consumption per day of a consumer greatly exceeds a pre-demand energy consumption per day With the help of this system electric supply authority can detect a power hacker also

Smart charge system for electric vehicles integrated with alternative energy sources and energy storage

Abstract: A charging system for electrical vehicle batteries has a smart charge power meter with a computer control system to measure and integrate the delivered electrical power, enable/disable the charging stations and make all of the other necessary purchasing transaction steps equivalent to a gas station operation. The system may collect electricity by using whatever alternative energy system is available or can be incorporated into the charging system when it is constructed. The system may store the collected electricity in a high capacity energy storage system. The charging takes place at a charging lot which is within a secure perimeter to assure safety and prevent vandalism. The siting of charging lots is chosen to coincide with locations where vehicles are usually parked for extended times (e.g., parking lots, businesses, etc.).

Intelligent meter reading system

Abstract: The utility model relates to an intelligent meter reading system, which comprises a plurality of electric meters, a concentrator and a system master station, wherein, the electric meters are used for collecting the electric quantity of users, measuring the electric quantity and the required electric quantity and recording events, supports the time-sharing measurement, and communicates with a data concentrator through a power carrier wave; the concentrator is used for the intelligent relay management, and accomplishes the communication with the electric meters, the communication with the system master station, the communication route management of the electric meters and the data storage; the system master station is used to realize the stable bidirectional communication among the concentrator and the electric meters, read the data in the concentrator, acquire electrical energy quantity information, and dispose the time of the concentrator and the electric meters connected, the time interval fee rate and the electric meter parameter. The utility model realizes stable bidirectional communication among the master station and the electric meters, collects electrical energy quantity information and adjusts the electric meter parameter through a transmission media, the function is complete, the operation is stable, the user interface is friendly, and the utility model has the good extendability, thus the utility model is the important technical method of realizing the management of a user side. The utility model greatly improves the management efficiency and the economic benefit of an electric power sector.

Electronic meter having user-interface and central processing functionality on a single printed circuit board

Abstract: A digital electrical power and energy meter integrates a primary processing module and a user interface module onto a single printed circuit board to reduce overall meter size, assembly time, and cost

Optimized data collection in a wireless fixed network metering system

Abstract: Methods and systems regarding an electricity meter in a wireless network are disclosed. The network may comprise a collector and a plurality of electricity meters that measure consumption of electricity and that bi-directionally communicate wirelessly with the collector. The electricity meter may have an established association with at least one battery-powered meter that measures consumption of a commodity other than electricity. The electricity meter may receive information about measured consumption of the other commodity from the battery-powered meter and store the received information. The electricity meter may transmit both information about consumption of electricity measured by the electricity meter and the information about consumption of the other commodity received from the associated battery-powered meter to the collector via the wireless network and also to a remotely located display associated with the electricity meter.

Self-identifying power source for use in recharging vehicles equipped with electrically powered propulsion systems

Abstract: The Self-Identifying Power Source For Use In Recharging Vehicles Equipped With Electrically Powered Propulsion Systems provides a unique identification of an outlet (or electric meter) to a vehicle which is connected to the outlet (or electric meter) to enable the vehicle to report the vehicle's energy consumption to the utility company to enable the utility company to bill the vehicle owner and credit the outlet owner for the power consumed by the recharging of the vehicular battery banks.

Wireless automated digital energy meter

Abstract: Electricity is one of the basic requirements of human beings, which is widely used for domestic, industrial and agricultural purposes. There is a great demand for electricity and in spite of very well developed alternate sources for electricity, there are lot of problems in connection with distribution and metering. The traditional electro-mechanical meters, still widely used today are prone to drift over temperature and time as a result of mechanical nature of the components in the meter. The problem worsens further in collecting the meter readings and generating the bill. In this paper we suggest a method where we utilize telecommunication systems for automated transmission of data to facilitate bill generation and payment of the same at the customerspsila place.

Mechanical packaging apparatus and methods for an electrical energy meter

Abstract: An electric meter comprises an electronics housing and a meter base. The electronics housing defines a front panel and includes a first plurality of option board guides. A main meter board is disposed substantially parallel to the front panel. The meter base defines a rear panel of the electric meter. The meter base includes a plurality of housing guides for receiving the electronics housing and a second plurality of option board guides disposed substantially perpendicularly to the rear panel. The second plurality of option board guides are adapted to receive an option board and to position the option board substantially perpendicularly to the main meter board of the electronics housing during assembly of the electronics housing to the meter base. The housing guides in combination with the first and second pluralities of option board guides enable blind assembly of the electronics housing to the meter base.

Wireless data and image double-acquisition anti-electricity theft monitoring system and method thereof

Abstract: The invention discloses a wireless data-image dual acquirement anti-electricity-theft monitoring system and method which uses a microwave body sensor to conduct the real time detection to activities of people around an electricity meter box. Based on the method of the image shooting of a camera, the monitoring system provided by the invention uses a camera to continuously shoot and store the images of the activities of people around the electricity meter box and can real time transmit alarming information, electricity meter data and image information to a motoring server through GPRS network; and then, the motoring server can send the received alarming information to the mobile phones or computers of users in time, and users can read the alarming information from the mobile phones or computers of users in distance. Besides the functions of remote electricity meter data acquiring, the anti-electricity-theft monitoring and real-time alarming, the monitoring system also can transmit field images in time and obtain images stored by field equipment later for providing convincible proofs during handling the electricity theft of illegal users.

Utility Network Communications Using Meter Identifiers

Abstract: An electronic electric meter for use in a networked automatic meter reading environment. The meter includes a meter microcontroller, a measurement microcontroller, a communication microcontroller and spread spectrum processor, and a plurality of other communication interface modules for communicating commodity utilization and power quality data to a utility. The meter measures electricity usage and monitors power quality parameters for transmission to the utility over a spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located gateway node. The gateway node transmits this data to the utility over a commercially available fixed wide area network (WAN). The meter also provides direct communication to the utility over a commercially available network interface that plugs into the meter's backplane or bus system, bypassing the local area network communication link and gateway node.

Momentary power market

Abstract: A power system is explained, which is characterized by the continuous formation and propagation of dynamic prices. The following additional equipments are installed: - a bidder, installed at the control room of each generation unit; - a scheduler and price designator installed at the control board of the system operator; - a price announcer installed at the control room of each generation unit; - a price ldquotransmuterrdquo installed at each grid node; - an intelligent electric meter installed at each grid branch and consumer outlet. All these devices run together in a sequential iterative process of preliminary bidding, clearing, adjustment and dispatching, followed by price designation, confirmation and conversion. This system enables the consumers to receive power and resulting price simultaneously for automatic control of their demand during every single price period, several seconds or minutes long.

Method and system for detecting electricity theft

Abstract: A method for detecting electricity theft in an electricity meter is provided. The method includes determining a first power outage at the meter and determining whether load energy is flowing through the meter after power has been restored to the meter after the first power outage. The method also includes determining a second power outage at the meter, wherein the second power outage occurs after the first power outage, and determining whether load energy is flowing through the meter after power has been restored to the meter after the second power outage. The method also includes outputting an indication of a potential electricity theft based on the determinations of whether no load energy was flowing through the meter after the first power outage and whether load energy was flowing through the meter after the second power outage.

Design and implementation of low cost electronic prepaid energy meter

Abstract: Electronic energy meter has got numerous advantages over the conventional electromechanical meter and due to this; many countries of the world have switched to electronic metering system But unfortunately Pakistan is still deprived of such meters The paper is based on the final year project of the design & implementation of prepaid electronic energy meter which we are designing in order to eliminate the problems being faced by the Pakistani people By the introduction of prepaid system in Pakistan the problem of overcharging and over billing and the trouble being faced by the customers in paying the bills will be removed all together Since our meter is electronic in nature, it has got no moving parts and hence the problem of stability & accuracy due to temperature changes are solved Our meter is also tamper resistant which eradicates the chances of the theft of electricity

Radio frequency power meter

Abstract: An in-line directional radio-frequency (“RF”) power meter for measuring power and other parameters in a transmission line. The meter simultaneously measures complex voltage-waves traveling in the forward and reverse directions of a connected transmission line and processes measured voltages to compute forward and reverse power, standing wave ratio, and impedance values. The apparatus includes a microprocessor having microcode for digitally computing RF power parameters, and a field programmable gate array (“FPGA”) having microcode for executing complex Fast Fourier Transforms (“FFT”) to calculate voltages and frequencies, a microprocessor with attached firmware to make a series of complex calculations relative to sensed electrical values in the transmission line and to pass certain calculated values to the device to communicate RF power parameters to a user. The configuration of the apparatus allows for measurement of RF power parameters in a relatively economical package.

Electricity storage controller with integrated electricity meter and methods for using same

Abstract: An electricity storage controller for use with an electric vehicle is provided. The controller is coupled to at least an energy storage device to receive electrical charging power from external to the vehicle. Further, the controller is programmed to transmit a request for authorization for an electric charging transaction to a vehicle charging station and receive a response to the request from the vehicle charging station, wherein the response indicates one of an approval and a denial of the request.

Storage apparatus and estimating method of power consumption for storage apparatus

Abstract: Power consumption is calculated in accordance with an operation state of disk devices without using a power meter in a storage system. The power consumption in accordance with the operation state is calculated as follows. That is, information on the power consumption for every type of hard disks is stored in advance when types of I/O process (random/sequential of read and write) operate at idle time up to a limit state in every type of hard disks. A control unit of the storage system aggregates time waiting a response from the hard disks in every type of I/O process. The power consumption of the disks is calculated on the basis of the information on the power consumption stored in advance and a sum of the waiting time of the response from the hard disks.

System for detecting and preventing power theft

Abstract: A system for detecting and preventing power theft on a branch distributor conduit (9) between a transformer/distribution circuit (13) and an electricity meter (M) at a registered customer (1 ) of a power distribution company is provided. The system comprises first sensors (4A) and a first converter unit (5A) located within a sealed box (2) of an electricity meter (M) at the customer (1 ) for determining a first current value representing the current in the power feeding cables (7) and second sensors (4B) and a second converter (5B) located within a connection box (3B) measuring a second current value representing the current in the branch distributor conduit (9). The connection box (3B) comprises further a first electronic unit (10A) which determines the difference between the said first current value and the said second current value. If the difference is above a threshold value power theft is determined and a signal is transmitted from the first electronic unit (10A) to a server (11 ) located in the power distribution company for registering power theft, determining the location of the registered customer (1 ) and/or branch distributor conduit (9) and for switching off the branch on which power theft is determined by means of a switch (8A).

System and method for monitoring power in a utility meter

Abstract: A power meter for measuring power consumption and detecting the presence of an unsafe line condition is disclosed. The power meter has a service disconnect switch, which is interposed between load contacts and source contacts, the disconnect switch interrupts the flow of power from the source contacts to the load contacts when the disconnect switch is in an open position. The power meter also has a processor coupled to a two input signal processing circuit. The two input signal processing circuit receives a first and second voltage signal from the load contacts. The two input signal processing circuit converts the first and second voltage signal into a first and second voltage value. The processor computes the power consumption using the first and second voltage values in combination with current values. The processor uses the first or second voltage value a to determine the presence of an unsafe line condition when either the first or second voltage value exceeds a first voltage threshold or the first or second voltage value is below a second voltage threshold when the service disconnect switch is in the open position.

Electrical power and energy measurement method and apparatus

Abstract: A method, to decompose the total instantaneous power, into active and non-active components, using the voltages and currents at the metering point; and apparatus implementing the said method. The voltage and currents are transformed into Fourier components. The Fourier currents are separated into active and non-active parts. The active and non-active currents together with the corresponding voltage are used to define the instantaneous total, fundamental and five, active and non-active, power components. Definitions of average values for these are also stated. These components, in various combinations, are useful for measurement, compensation, detection of distortion and power quality. The method can be implemented in a signal processor based power meter, analyzer or controller or used in a software based application.

Design and implementation of a RFID-based power meter and outage recording system

Abstract: Radio frequency identification (RFID) system is looked upon as one of the top ten important technologies in the 20th century. In the upcoming years, the public area applications are the key issue in developing RFID. Power system is innately bulky, wide-spreading, and is, definitely, an extremely important application area of RFID. In the power area, the RFID can be implemented on apparatus management, procedure control, power consumption management and personnel access control. Additionally, RFID can be applied extensively to customers. By integrating RFID into a power meter and outage recorder, the power consumption data and power reliability information of customers can be fully collected and recorded. This paper tries to design and implement a RFID-based power meter and outage recording system. The microcontroller of Microchip dsPIC30F series is used to develop a small-scale power meter and outage recorder. The proposed RFID system is then embedded into the power meter and records the power data in tag. Due to the uniqueness of RFID tag, the power consumption data and outage information of customers can all be recorded and then be identified in the rear-end processing system. Experimental results show the validity of the proposed system.

Charge billing system of charging station

Abstract: The invention relates to a charging billing system in the charging station, comprising a charging generator of which the three-phase AC input end is connected an AC power meter in parallel, the DC output ends of the charging generator are divided into two groups, one group is connected with a carload charging interface through a relay, the other group is connected with the charging interface of a single set standard battery module through a relay, the two group output ends are all connected with the DC power meters, the relay is connected with the managing computer of the charging station through a managing terminal in the charging station, the AC power meter and DC power meter are connected with the managing computer of the charging station through a data communication line, the managing computer of the charging station is connected with a printer, an IC card reader, a GPRS transceiver and a battery state data reading line. The invention can not only measure the consumed AC electric quantity when charging but also measure the real DC electric quantity charged into the battery, the managing computer of the charging station will calculate the charging cost and the charging fare. The invention also can charging in a fixed quantity, built a charging battery database, which is propitious to to the popularizing of the electric automobile, satisfying the request of energy reduction.

Method and system for power load management

Abstract: A method for power load management is provided in the present invention, wherein two different standard values are determined to be a basis for regulating power consumption. When power consumption exceeds a first standard value, a monitoring procedure is started to monitor consumption status. If the power consumption exceeds a second standard value, an unloading procedure is processed to reduce the power consumption of electrical devices under operation. In another embodiment, the present invention also provides a system for power load management comprising a control unit coupled to at least one electrical device and a power meter. By means of real-time recording of power consumption in the power meter, the control unit is capable of determining the power consumption status and determining whether it is necessary to unload or reload the at least one electrical device.

Full wave linear power supply voltage boost circuit

Abstract: A power supply arrangement for an electricity meter includes an input, a full wave rectifier, and a voltage doubler circuit. The input is configured to receive a periodical input signal. The full wave rectifier is coupled to the input and has a first output. The first output is coupled to a first load of the electricity meter. The voltage doubler circuit is coupled to the input and has a second output coupled to a second load of the electricity meter. The voltage doubler is configured to prevent the flow of current from the second output to the input.

Radio receiving apparatus

Abstract: The radio receiving apparatus includes an adaptive receive filter capable of detecting an interference wave and an out-of-band noise level correctly and improving reception performance. The radio receiving apparatus has a plurality of filters, a received signal power meter that measures the overall received signal power, a calculator that performs calculation that associates the measured received signal power with an output of AGC, an interference power meter that measures signal power in a frequency band outside a necessary band of the received signal, a comparator that compares the calculation result by the calculator with a specific threshold, and switches that select a filter to be adopted from the plurality of filters based on the outputs of comparators. The radio receiving apparatus detects adjacent interference based on signal power in the frequency band outside the signal band and detects the noise level based on the power level at an antenna end.

Utility meter with virtual shut-off function

Abstract: An electronic electric meter for use in a networked automatic meter reading environment. The meter includes a meter microcontroller, a measurement microcontroller, a communication microcontroller and spread spectrum processor, and a plurality of other communication interface modules for communicating commodity utilization and power quality data to a utility. The meter measures electricity usage and monitors power quality parameters for transmission to the utility over a spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located gateway node. The gateway node transmits this data to the utility over a commercially available fixed wide area network (WAN). The meter also provides direct communication to the utility over a commercially available network interface that plugs into the meter's backplane or bus system, bypassing the local area network communication link and gateway node.

Averaging in an intelligent electronic device

Abstract: A method and apparatus measures electrical power usage and quality, while mitigating the effects of noise on measured signals or parameters. Specifically, a digital electrical power and energy meter employs a method in which a processor averages a parameter, such as voltage or current, over a plurality of cycles of a time-varying signal, such as an AC electrical signal. The method employed by the meter samples a parameter over the plurality of cycles and computes the average of the samples corresponding to the same phase angle of the signal to produce an average signal.