General Electric Company

Kenneth W Atherton

Gregory Paul Lavoie

Mark J Plis

Susan D Dastous

Kevin P Grogan

Warren R Germer

Richard A Balch

David Dean Elmore

Donald F Bullock

Curtis Whitmore Crittenden

Marjorie J Mancuso

Gerard Chevalier

Jokin Galletero

A method of processing binary characters received by an electrical energy meter includes the step of generating a clock signal internal to the meter so that asynchronously received serial data can be processed, even though a synchronization clock signal does not accompany the serial data. The method includes the steps of detecting receipt of a first of a string of binary input characters at a serial input/output port of the meter, and then sampling the detected first character by generating a respective first clock signal which is phase-synchronized with a least significant bit of the first character. These steps are then repeated in sequence for each subsequently received character in the string. The sampled characters can be temporarily stored in meter hardware such as a register and written to memory such as programmable read-only or random-access memory. Phase-synchronization between the sampling clock signals and each of the respective characters is achieved even though the data rate of the binary string (e.g., 9600 bits/sec) is unequal to an integer fraction of the frequency of the main crystal oscillator of the meter (e.g., 4.19 MHz), which controls meter operations.

Method of serially processing binary characters asynchronously received

Simulated meter disk rotation is provided in an electronic power meter which does not include a meter disk to enable meter timing and testing to be accomplished in the same visual manner as the use of the disk in an electro-mechanical power meter. The existing segmented character display is used to provide a simulated gap in which horizontal display segments move and appear to wrap around the rear of the meter.

Method for approximating the notion of a rotatable disk of an electrical

An apparatus and method for measuring electrical energy and quadergy and for performing line frequency compensation includes a compensation integrated circuit for adjusting the determined reactive load quadergy, based on variations between the actual line frequency and the rated line frequency of the meter. Reactive load quadergy is determined by phase-shifting the line voltage by a fixed time interval, based on the rated line frequency of the meter. The determined reactive load quadergy is adjusted to compensate for variations in line frequency. Because the determined reactive load quadergy is output by an electric meter as a continuous pulse train, adjustment to the determined reactive load quadergy is performed by adding or subtracting state changes from the pulse train and then registering the adjusted reactive load quadergy.

Apparatus and method for measuring electrical energy and quadergy and

An energy meter capable of converting from one mode of operation to another mode of operation is described. In the one embodiment, the present apparatus measures energy consumption, and converts operation from a first mode to a second mode.

Electrical energy meter with programmable register component

An apparatus for disposing a meter register in a default mode of operation includes a microcontroller coupled to a programmable non-volatile memory for automatically disposing the meter register in a self-programmed state when the electrical meter containing the meter register is installed for the first time. The self-programmed state is a functional default state and provides a monitoring utility company with accurate customer billing information from the time of installation. Accordingly, a technician responsible for installing the meter in the field need not be familiar with the techniques for programming the meter. If a mode of operation other than the default mode of operation is preferred, the microcontroller can be accessed for disposing the meter in a time-of-use and demand mode of operation or a demand only mode of operation. The microcontroller also provides means for retaining a programmed state of the meter register in the event of a power outage. Thus, when power is again supplied to the meter after an outage, the meter register is again disposed in the last programmed state prior to power failure.

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Saco, ME, United States of America

Kenneth W Atherton