System and method for providing universal additional functionality for power meters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9410822-B2
Application number	US-201113118727-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2011
Priority date	Jan 20, 2005
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

A system and method for providing an additional option function to existing functionality of a meter device configured for measuring parameters of energy is provided. The meter device is coupled with an option device for exchanging data between the meter and the option devices along at least one data path, including exchanging initialization data provided by the option device between the meter device and the option device, wherein the initialization data is useable by the meter device for configuring the meter device to be in condition to operate with the option device. The data exchanged between the meter device and the option devices are processed by at least one processor. Upon the coupling of the devices and the exchanging of the initialization data, the meter device is operated with the option device for adding the option function to existing functionality of the meter device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for upgrading a power meter, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a power meter configured to perform a base level of functionality for measuring electrical parameters related to an amount of power consumed at a particular location, wherein the power meter comprises a first interface having a first connector coupled to a first data path and a second connector coupled to a second data path, and wherein the power meter further comprises a second interface having a first connector coupled to the first data path and a second connector coupled to the second data path;
providing a plurality of external option devices, wherein each external option device comprises a first connector and a second connector, and wherein each external option device is configured to enable the power meter to perform at least one optional function in addition to the base level of functionality;
allowing a user to select a first external option device from the plurality of external option devices and couple the first external option device with the first interface of the power meter such that the first connector of the first external option device contacts the first connector of the first interface and the second connector of the first external option device contacts the second connector of the first interface;
sending initialization data from a storage device disposed in the first external option device via the first connector of the first external option device to the first data path of the power meter via the first connector of the first interface, wherein the initialization data enables the power meter to operate with the first external option device;
sending electrical parameters measured by the power meter via the second data path and second connector of the first interface to the first external option device via the second connector of the first external option device;
processing the electrical parameters by the first external option device; and
operating the power meter with the first external option device, wherein the at least one optional function is added to the base level of functionality of the power meter when the first external option device is coupled with the first interface of the power meter and the power meter receives the initialization data from the first external option device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
allowing the user to uncouple the first external option device from the first interface of the power meter, select a second external option device from the plurality of external option devices, and couple the second external option device with the first interface of the power meter such that the first connector of the second external option device contacts the first connector of the first interface and the second connector of the second external option device contacts the second connector of the first interface;
sending initialization data from a storage device disposed in the second external option device via the first connector of the second external option device to the first data path of the power meter via the first connector of the first interface, wherein the initialization data enables the power meter to operate with the second external option device;
sending electrical parameters measured by the power meter via the second data path and second connector of the first interface to the second external option device via the second connector of the second external option device;
processing the electrical parameters by the second external option device; and
operating the power meter with the second external option device, wherein the at least one optional function is added to the base level of functionality of the power meter when the second external option device is coupled with the first interface of the power meter and the power meter receives the initialization data from the second external option device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
allowing the user to select a second external option device from the plurality of external option devices and couple the second external option device with the second interface of the power meter such that the first connector of the second external option device contacts the first connector of the second interface and the second connector of the second external option device contacts the second connector of the second interface;
sending initialization data from a storage device disposed in the second external option device via the first connector of the second external option device to the first data path of the power meter via the first connector of the second interface, wherein the initialization data enables the power meter to operate with the second external option device;
sending electrical parameters measured by the power meter via the second data path and second connector of the second interface to the second external option device via the second connector of the second external option device;
processing the electrical parameters by the second external option device; and
operating the power meter with the first external option device and second external option device, wherein the at least one optional function of each of the first external option device and second external option device is added to the base level of functionality of the power meter when the first external option device is coupled with the first interface, when the second external option device is coupled with the second interface, and the power meter receives the initialization data from each of the first external option device and second external option device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of operating the power meter when the first external option device is uncoupled from the power meter, the power meter configured to perform the base level of functionality when uncoupled from the first external option device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initialization data includes identification data identifying the first external option device, and further comprising the step of using the identification data to configure the power meter to operate with the first external option device to enable the power meter to perform the at least one option function in addition to the base level of functionality of the power meter.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initialization data includes at least one gain factor corresponding to the gain of the first external option device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initialization data includes executable instructions for execution by a processor of the power meter.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising one of the steps of:
converting the electrical parameters from a serial format to a parallel format; and
converting the electrical parameters from a parallel format to a serial format.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of electrically isolating the power meter from the first external option device along the second data path.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of electrically isolating the power meter from the first external option device comprises the step of providing optical-electrical isolator circuitry along a path established between a processor of the first external option device and a processor of the power meter.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steps of sending initialization data and sending electrical parameters includes using a communication protocol to transmit via one of a wired communication medium and a wireless communication medium.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the communication protocol is selected from the group consisting

Assignees

• Kagan Erran
• Electro Industries/Gauge Tech

Inventors

• Kagan Erran

Classifications

• G01D4/04 Primary

  Resetting-mechanisms, e.g. for indicating members · CPC title

• Y02B90/242

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• Y04S20/322

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• G01D4/004 Primary

  Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location · CPC title

• G01D4/02

  Details · CPC title