Wireless intelligent electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10048088-B2
Application number	US-201615218984-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 25, 2016
Priority date	Feb 27, 2015
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

An intelligent electronic device (IED) is provided. The IED includes a metering sub-assembly and an input base module sub-assembly. The metering sub-assembly is hinged to the input base module sub-assembly, where when in an open position, various cables, connectors, and input/output cards/modules are accessible. Various input/output cards/modules are interchangeable to add/change functionality and/or communication capabilities to the IED. In one embodiment, a communication card is provided with at least one antenna disposed internal or external to a housing of the IED.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A socket based revenue meter comprising:
a generally cylindrical housing including an outer surface, the housing including at least one louver that dissipates heat from inside the housing;
at least one antenna;
at least one antenna holder configured to be coupled to the outer surface of the housing and retain the at least one antenna, the at least one antenna holder configured to conform to at least a portion of the outer surface of the housing, the antenna holder including at least one tab configured to interact with the at least one louver to retain the at least one antenna holder to the outer surface of the housing;
a base coupled to the housing including at least one terminal mateable with matching jaws of a detachable meter mounting device for connecting the meter to a power line of a power distribution system;
at least one sensor disposed in the housing and coupled to at least one terminal, the at least one sensor measures at least one parameter of the power line and generates at least one analog signal indicative of the at least one parameter;
at least one analog to digital converter disposed in the housing and coupled to the at least one sensor, the at least one analog to digital converter receives the at least one analog signal and converts the at least one analog signal to at least one digital signal;
at least one processor disposed in the housing, the at least one processor receives the at least one digital signal and calculates at least one power parameter of the power line; and
a communication device coupled to the at least one antenna and disposed in the housing that receives the calculated at least one power parameter and wirelessly transmits the calculated at least one power parameter to a remote computing device via the at least one antenna.

2. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 1 , further comprising at least one second antenna holder and at least one second antenna, the at least one second antenna holder configured to be coupled to the outer surface of the housing and retain the at least one second antenna, wherein the at least one first antenna is configured as a main antenna and the at least one second antenna is configured as a diversity antenna.

3. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 2 , wherein the at least one first antenna holder is disposed at a first position on the outer surface of the housing and the at least one second antenna holder is disposed at a second position on the outer surface of the housing, the second position opposite the first position.

4. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one antenna holder further comprises a mounting plate and a cover to retain the at least one antenna therebetween.

5. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one antenna is disposed on a flexible substrate, the flexible substrate retained by the at least one antenna holder.

6. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 5 , wherein the at least one antenna holder and the flexible substrate conform to the at least a portion of the outer surface of the housing.

7. A socket based revenue meter comprising:
a generally cylindrical outer housing including an inner surface;
at least one antenna;
an antenna holder that supports the at least one antenna and conforms to the inner surface of the outer housing;
a base coupled to the housing including at least one terminal mateable with matching jaws of a detachable meter mounting device for connecting the meter to a power line of a power distribution system;
at least one sensor disposed in the outer housing and coupled to at least one terminal, the at least one sensor measures at least one parameter of the power line and generates at least one analog signal indicative of the at least one parameter;
at least one analog to digital converter disposed in the housing and coupled to the at least one sensor, the at least one analog to digital converter receives the at least one analog signal and converts the at least one analog signal to at least one digital signal;
at least one processor disposed in the housing, the at least one processor receives the at least one digital signal and calculates at least one power parameter of the power line; and
a communication device coupled to the at least one antenna and disposed in the outer housing that receives the calculated at least one power parameter and wirelessly transmits the calculated at least one power parameter to a remote computing device via the at least one antenna.

8. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 7 , wherein the at least one antenna is disposed on a flexible substrate, the flexible substrate conforming to a surface of the antenna holder.

9. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 8 , wherein the at least one antenna includes a main antenna and a diversity antenna, the main antenna and the diversity antenna being disposed on the flexible substrate.

10. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 7 , further comprising an inner housing that supports the communication device, wherein the antenna holder is coupled to the inner housing and conforms to an outer surface of the inner housing.

11. The intelligent electronic device as in claim 8 , wherein the at least one antenna is printed onto the flexible substrate using conductive ink.

12. A socket based revenue meter comprising:
a generally cylindrical housing;
a base coupled to the housing including at least one terminal mateable with matching jaws of a detachable meter mounting device for connecting the meter to a power line of a power distribution system;
a generally cylindrical cover having an open end and a closed end, the cover being disposed over the housing and the open end being mateable with the base, wherein at least one antenna is disposed on an inner surface of the cover;
at least one sensor disposed in the housing and coupled to the at least one terminal, the at least one sensor measures at least one parameter of the power line and generates at least one analog signal indicative of the at least one parameter;
at least one analog to digital converter disposed in the housing and coupled to the at least one sensor, the at least one analog to digital converted receives the at least one analog signal and converts the at least one analog signal to at least one digital signal;
at least one processor disposed in the housing, the at least one processor receives the at least one digital signal and calculates at least one power parameter in the electrical circuit; and
a communication device coupled to the at least one antenna and disposed in the housing, the communication device receives the calculated at least one power parameter and wirelessly transmits the calculated at least one power parameter to a remote computing device via the at least one antenna.

13. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 12 , wherein the at least one antenna is configured to conform to the inner surface of the cover.

14. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 12 , wherein the at least one antenna is configured to substantially cover the entire surface area of the inner surface of the cover.

15. The socket based revenue meter as in claim 12 , wherein the open end of the cover includes a rim, the rim including at least one contact coupled to the at least one antenna and the base including at least one complementary contact coupled to the communication device, wherein when the cover is disposed over the housing to mate the rim to the base, the at least one contact is coupled to the at least one complementary contact to couple the antenna to the communication

Assignees

• Electro Industries/Gauge Tech

Inventors

• Spanier Joseph
• Banhegyesi Tibor
• Martinez Edward

Classifications

• H04Q2209/60

  for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter · CPC title

• H04Q9/00

  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 title

• G01D4/002 Primary

  Remote reading of utility meters · CPC title

• H04Q2209/40

  using a wireless architecture · CPC title

• Y02B90/243

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic