Itron Gmbh

Itron Global Sarl

Vladimir Borisov

Matthieu Pichot

Philippe Chiummiento

Joseph Pontin

Daniel Popa

Semyon Lapushin

Sudhir Thumaty

Sudhir Prakash Emmanuel Thumaty

Dhia Saleem

Techniques for detecting hot socket conditions in utility electricity meters include acquiring, by an electricity meter, first signal readings of one or more first signals associated with a first type of communications between the electricity meter and one or more first devices; acquiring, by the electricity meter, second signal readings for one or more second signals associated with a second type of communications between the electricity meter and one or more second devices, the second type of communications being different from the first type of communications; performing, by the electricity meter, one or more operations on the first signal readings and the second signal readings to determine whether a hot socket condition is present; and performing, by the electricity meter, a remedial operation in response to determining that the one or more operations indicate that the hot socket condition is present.

Detecting hot socket conditions in utility electricity meters

Various embodiments disclosed herein provide techniques for detecting electrical arcing in an electrical system. The techniques include a network device receiving first voltage or current readings associated with a first power cycle, receiving second voltage or current readings associated with a second power cycle, determining that an electrical arcing condition is present by comparing the first voltage or current readings with the second voltage or current readings, and performing a remedial operation in response to determining that the electrical arcing condition is present.

Detecting electrical arcing in household electrical wiring

Various embodiments disclosed herein provide techniques for detecting electrical arcing in an electrical system. A powerline communications (PLC) application executing on a network communications device acquires, via a PLC modem, first voltage readings associated with an electrical circuit. The PLC application performs one or more operations based on the first voltage readings to determine that an electrical arcing condition is present within the electrical circuit. The PLC application performs a remedial operation in response to determining that the electrical arcing condition is present.

Various embodiments disclosed herein provide techniques for detecting hot socket conditions in an electrical system. A hot socket application executing on a utility electricity meter acquires, via a power line communications (PLC) modem, first signal readings associated with a utility electricity meter. The hot socket application acquires, via a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, second signal readings associated with the utility electricity meter. The hot socket application performs one or more operations on the first signal readings and the second signal readings to determine whether a hot socket condition is present. The hot socket application performs a remedial operation in response to determining that the one or operations indicate that the hot socket condition is present.

A network communication device, such as an electricity meter, is configured to communicate with devices on a circuit internal to a site via power line communication (PLC), even when electricity service to the site is disconnected. The network communication device is configured to monitor one or more circuits internal to the site and to receive power line communications from the device(s) coupled to the circuit internal to the site when the site is disconnected from electricity service. A PLC module of the network communication device may include a switch-based or capacitor-based monitor that maintains a PLC coupler electrically connected with the circuit internal to the site even when electricity service to the site is disconnected.

Power line communication over disconnected service lines

Techniques for utilizing near field communications (NFC) with utility meters are described herein. In one example, a meter is configured for operation, either in a stand-alone or utility network capacity. The example meter may include a processor in communication with a memory device and a tag device configured for near field communication (NFC). In operation, the processor operates the tag device to read from the memory device to obtain data for transmission via NFC and/or write data obtained via NFC to the memory device.

Near field communications for utility meters

A disclosed PLC system includes a PLC modem electrically connected to a transmission medium that transmits or carries medium or high voltage without electrical isolation. The PLC system further includes a voltage divider that draws power from the transmission medium to the PLC modem, thereby eliminating a need of a separate power source for operating the PLC modem. Since the PLC modem is electrically connected to the transmission, the PLC modem or communication connections of the PLC modem may be located at a same potential level as the transmission medium and thus the PLC modem does not see a surge during a surge event occurs in the transmission medium. Therefore, the disclosed PLC system eliminates the use of a line coupler and a surge protection component for providing high-voltage isolation and surge protection to the PLC modem.

Power line communication without line couplers

The presently disclosed subject matter relates to powerline communications (PLC) in an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) environment. A communications signal is applied to a power line by a PLC transmitting device. A receiver is provided that evaluates communications signals based on the power coupled to the power line by the transmitting device. In one present embodiment, PLC signal voltage and current levels are multiplied together to evaluate signal power to reproduce received PLC signals.

Dual-channel receiver for powerline communications

Disclosed are apparatus and methodology for providing a capacitive voltage divider configured to reduce a relatively high level alternating current (AC) to a lower level direct current (DC). The apparatus provides a series of capacitors and diodes configured for series charging of the capacitors and parallel discharge thereof by way of a single switching element. In operation, the capacitor series is charged during the negative half cycle of the AC source and then discharged during the positive half cycle thereof.

Single switch high efficiency power supply

Disclosed are apparatus and methodology subject matters relating to an antenna configured for mounting under the glass in a utility meter. The antenna is configured as a patch antenna where a radiating element is mounted on one side of a plastic substrate while a conductive ground plane element is mounted on the other side of the substrate. The ground plane element faces the meter electronics and thereby provides protection to the electronics from the electromagnetic field of the antenna. Both the radiating element and ground plane element may be provided by hot stamping conductive material directly on to the front and rear surfaces of the substrate. The antenna may be feed by a microstrip feedline mounted on the printed circuit board supporting other meter components.

RF local area network antenna design

Apparatus and methodology are disclosed for providing effective transmission of data to and/or from an electricity meter by providing embedded radio frequency components. An antenna and stripline or microline filter arrangement are provided as embedded components in association with a transmitter or transceiver portion of the electricity meter's metrology circuitry so as to provide control of out of band harmonic radiation and to provide enhanced signal transmission to and/or from the electricity meter, to accomplish automated meter reading communications or similar. The antenna element is configured and mounted such that, once the electricity meter is fully assembled, the meter case itself can be used as part of a radiating element. An overall resulting integrated design can achieve greater economy utilizing printed circuit board approaches with no additional parts, and with less uncontrolled surface radiation because of the otherwise buried or embedded structure.

Growing community of inventors

Seneca, SC, United States of America

Vladimir Borisov