GB2273631A

GB2273631A - Improvements relating to commodity measuring meters

Info

Publication number: GB2273631A
Application number: GB9224711A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenneth Payne; Roger Henry King
Original assignee: Ampy Automotion Digilog Ltd
Current assignee: Landis and Gyr Ltd
Priority date: 1992-11-25
Filing date: 1992-11-25
Publication date: 1994-06-22
Also published as: GB9224711D0

Abstract

A commodity measuring meter, more especially an electricity meter (10), in combination with a separate function module (22), between which information is exchanged by generating within one unit a magnetic field which is data modulated and demodulating the field within the other unit to extract the data. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Improvements relating to commodity measuring meters Field of the invention This invention concerns commodity measuring meters and in particular communication between such meters and external units adapted as add-on function modules for use therewith.

Background to the invention Basic commodity measuring meters which simply record the passage and quantity used of a commodity such as electricity, can be used as a source of information for deriving additional information for use in an external module such as a prepayment controller or remote display.

By providing for a two way transfer of information these and other modules can be associated with a meter such as in the case of an electricity meter load management switching device or power line communication telephone modems.

All of these devices require a communication channel typically a bi-directional channel, between the basic meter and the device and hitherto direct electrical communication and optical communication transceivers have been employed to this end.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved communication link for such meters and devices.

Summary of the invention According to one aspect of the present invention in a commodity measuring meter circuit means is provided, responsive to data signals arising therewithin, for generating a magnetic field which is modulated in response to the data and a separate function module is provided such as a load management device modem, prepayment controller or remote display device to be linked to the meter which includes circuit means adapted to respond to the modulated magnetic field issuing from the first circuit means and is adapted to decode the modulations of the received magnetic field and convert the modulations into data signals for use in the separate module.

The invention also encompasses a reciprocal arrangement wherein the circuit means within the module is adapted to generate and modulate its own magnetic field corresponding to data generated within (or received by) the said separate module and the meter circuit means is adapted to receive such modulated magnetic fields and decode same into data signals for use in the meter, so that bidirectional communication is possible between the two units.

According to another aspect of the invention the circuit means is adapted to generate and modulate and respond to such signals such as tone pulses.

According to another aspect of the invention the circuit means is adapted to generate and modulate and respond to ultra sound signals.

According to another aspect of the invention the circuit means is adapted to generate and modulate and respond to radio signals.

According to another aspect of the invention the circuit means is adapted to generate and modulate and respond to data pulses transmitted by power lines to which both units are connected.

Each unit (meter and separate module) requires a power supply for powering the circuit means and data circuits associated therewith and in manner know per se an electricity meter derives its power from the power lines to which it is connected and a separate module for use therewith can obtain its power either by direct connection to the master, or to the power lines or by an inductive loop transfer indirectly from the power lines or from a battery.

In a domestic situation, the separate module may obtain its power from a convenient supply socket such as a standard 13A socket associated with the domestic ring main.

The invention reduces the risk of tampering, lowers the cost of the basic meter (which does not have to be capable of providing all the functions, merely the essential function of measuring and generating data signals relating to corruption), and permits the additional function module to be located remotely from the meter if required particularly where radio signal transmission is employed.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which the single figure is a block schematic diagram of a meter and associated function module incorporating the invention.

In the drawing a basic electricity measuring meter (power meter) 10 is interposed in the Live or Neutral lines of a supply 12, 14 for measuring the quantity of electricity consumed by a load 16 connected to the Live and Neutral lines 18, 20 downstream of the meter. A function module such as a modem 22 is situated relative to the meter so that a transmitter 24 in the meter can transmit a modulated signal to a suitable receiver 26 in the module 22 and vice versa via transmitter 28 and receiver 30. The transmission pulse signal, a sound or ultrasound signal or simple inductive coupling.

Power for the module 22 is shown as being derived from a plug 32 connected to a 13A socket 34. In this case a further communication link between the module and the meter can be established as by means of power line connection using modulated high frequency signalling. In this case the transmitter and receiver units in the meter and module are linked via suitable insulating devices (such as transformers or opto electric isolators) via the lines 18, 20 and the domestic wiring 36, 38 and the cabling between the module and the plug 34.

Claims

C a 1 mt

1. h commodity measuring meter having circuit means therein, responsive to data signals arising therewithin, for generating a magnetic field which is modulated in response to the data, in combination with a separate function module which includes circuit means adapted to respond to the modulated magnetic field issuing from the first circuit means and is adapted to decode the modulations of the received magnetic field and convert the modulations into data signals for use in the separate module.

2. A commodity measuring meter in combination with a separate function module, wherein circuit means within the module is adapted to generate and modulate its own magnetic field corresponding to data generated within or received by the said separate module, and circuit means within the meter adapted to receive such modulated magnetic field and decode same into data signals for use in the meter.

3. The combination according to both claims 1 and 2, whereby bi-directional communication is enabied between the two units.

4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein the circuit means in at ieast one of the units is adapted to generate and modulate and respond to tone pulses.

5. The combination according to claim 3 or claim 4, herein the circuit means in at least ore of the units is a a pt ed to generate an modulate an respond to ultra siga:.

6. The combination according to claim 3 or claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the circuit means in at ieast one of the two units is adapted to generate and modulate and respond to radio signals.

7. The conbination according to any of claims 3 to 6, wherein the circuit means in at least one of the two units is adapted to generate and modulate and respond to data pulses transmitted by power lines to which both units are connected.

8. The combination according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein each unit (meter and separate module) has a power supply for powering the circuit means and data circuits associated therewith, an electricity meter deriving its power from power lines to which it is connected and the separate module for use therewith obtaining its power either by direct connection to the meter or by connection to the power lines or by an inductive loop transfer indirectly from the power lines or from a battery.

9. The combination according to claim 8, wherein the separate module obtains its power from a supply socket such as a standard 13A socket associated with a domestic ring main.

10. The combination of a commodity measuring meter unit and a separate function module substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.