Elster Electricity, LLC

Elster Solutions, LLC

Abb Power Td & Company

Honeywell International Inc.

Abb Inc.

Kenneth C Shuey

Robert T Mason

Rodney C Hemminger

Andrew J Borleske

Eugene Wilson Hodges, Iv

Arnold W Bragg

Garry M Loy

David Crawford Lawrence

Brent Brian

Kathryn J Smith

Michael A Murphy

Kuor Hsin Chang

David G Hart

Mark L Munday

Keith D Richeson

Raymond H Kelley

Waymon A Melvin, Jr

Charles Cunningham, Jr

Lars A Lindqvist

David V Uy

John Richard Holt

Mark Charles Fischer

Jerry M Kennon

Robert T Mason Jr

Stephen J Worth

Kathyrn J Smith

Christopher Germano

Eugene W Hodges, Iv

Mark C Fischer

Techniques are disclosed herein for improved power meter disconnect switch operation, which may include opening and/or closing of the disconnect switch. In particular, for reasons such as reduction of electromechanical stress on the disconnect switch, the disconnect switch may be operated based, at least in part, on a voltage at the load side of the disconnect switch. For example, in some cases, the disconnect switch may be opened slightly before a zero crossover of a waveform corresponding to the load side voltage. As another example, in some cases, the disconnect switch may be closed slightly before or slightly after a zero crossover of a waveform corresponding to the load side voltage.

Power meter disconnect switch operation

When a poor meter to socket connection occurs, there is the potential for arcing to develop which can result in a hot socket and a fire. Disclosed herein are methods for a meter to detect the occurrence of an arc condition in the socket by analyzing the RF noise on the channels of the communication spectrum used by the meter to communicate within its metering system. For example, by keeping a record of the normal background noise and looking for a broadband increase in the noise on all channels, arc detection can be achieved. Meter quantities such as temperature, current, voltage, and harmonic content may also be used in a standalone manner or in combination with broadband RF noise to detect an arc condition. A disconnect switch within the meter can be opened to remove the arc fault.

Electricity meter hot socket detection

Synchronous FHSS networks operating within mesh networks typically require a certain amount of network traffic to maintain time as well as for executing other functions, such as registration and neighbor discovery. The concepts presented in this disclosure provide a mesh network with enhanced communication capabilities without adding significant hardware or firmware costs to nodes within the network. The disclosed concept of using acquisition channels (frequencies) integrated within FHSS pseudo-random sequences speeds network responses to conditions like outage and restoration. Assignment of unique hop sequences by hop level or at time of manufacture can guarantee minimal network contention while minimizing system network traffic.

Synchronous frequency hopping spread spectrum communications

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.

Optimized data collection in a wireless fixed network metering system

The invention relates to a method and system for secure confirmation of the status of a metering disconnect switch. By utilizing both a mechanical auxiliary switch and the reading of a load-side voltage immediately after a switch operation, a nearly certain decision can be achieved that the state of the relay is accurately known. This invention will prevent a motorized or solenoid driven switch operator from achieving a close or open state of the switch that otherwise could be uncertain.

Using load-side voltage and an auxiliary switch to confirm the close or open status of a meter disconnect switch

Synchronous frequency hopping spread spectrum method for mesh networks

A digital Radio Frequency (RF) receiver may exhibit image frequencies and these image frequencies may be mathematically related to the intermediate frequency (IF) that is utilized for transmission and reception. In accordance with an embodiment, channel switching may be performed to identify an appropriate receive frequency in the presence of image frequencies on other channels. In accordance with another embodiment, data on a receive channel is evaluated to determine whether the data is inverted, and then appropriate correction may be performed on subsequently received data.

Digital receiver performance in the presence of image frequencies

Techniques are disclosed herein for providing wireless network communication nodes with opt-out capabilities. Such capabilities may, for example, allow particular customers to opt out of a typical full-scale communication mode such that their associated equipment operates at least temporarily in a limited communication mode. The limited communication mode may limit customer exposure to emissions resulting from RF communications near their homes or other areas, which may be attractive to customers such as those with health or other emission-related concerns.

Wireless network communication nodes with opt out capability

Methods, systems and metering devices are provided for performing synchronous communication in a frequency hopping communication system without the use of expensive clock circuitry and/or significant amounts of data traffic on the communication system.

An external signal sensor uses a single sensing circuit to detect a DC voltage or an AC voltage or a contact closure. The circuit can sense different isolated signals with relatively low power consumption. According to various embodiments, an isolation transformer has a primary winding that is fed by an oscillator signal. A secondary winding of the isolation transformer is open when no contact closure or AC or DC voltage is present, but is closed when a contact closure is present or when an AC or DC voltage is present. When the secondary winding is open, a status signal at an output of the sensing circuit has a logical high value. When the secondary winding is closed, the status signal has a logical low value. In this way, the same sensing circuit can be used to detect either a contact closure or an AC or DC voltage.

Voltage or contact closure sensor

A wireless mesh network, method, and processor-readable storage medium for operating a network are disclosed. In particular, methods are disclosed for operating a wireless mesh network to increase the number of frequency channels used by the system without needing to increase the preamble length. According to various embodiments, a wireless mesh network divides the ISM spectrum into two types of channels: acquisition channels and data channels. An acquisition channel is used to transmit a preamble of a communication packet. One or more data channels are used to transmit a data portion of the communication packet.

Scalable packets in a frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) system

A linear transformer power supply is disclosed that extracts a high level of energy from a linear transformer during the full cycle of AC input voltage.

Linear transformer power supply

A wireless mesh network, method, and processor-readable storage medium for using stand-alone repeaters that are designated as having priority over other communication nodes with respect to their service as repeaters are disclosed herein. According to various embodiments, a control node or collector builds a wireless mesh network by first establishing communication paths with the designated priority communication nodes and then with communication nodes that are not designated priority communication nodes.

Mesh infrastructure utilizing priority repeaters and multiple transceivers

A method of detecting the presence of an unsafe line condition at a power metering device is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of determining if a disconnect switch is in the open position, and measuring a first voltage at a first load contact. The method measures a second voltage at a second load contact and determines if the first voltage is greater than a first voltage threshold or less than a second voltage threshold. The method further determines if the second voltage is greater than the first voltage threshold or less than the second voltage threshold. The method indicates that an unsafe condition exists if either the first voltage is greater than the first voltage threshold, or first voltage is less than the second voltage threshold or the second voltage is greater than the first voltage threshold or the second voltage is less than the second voltage threshold, when the disconnect switch is in the open position.

Growing community of inventors

Zebulon, NC, United States of America

Kenneth C Shuey