GB2397929A

GB2397929A - Meter

Info

Publication number: GB2397929A
Application number: GB0401946A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Deeming; Leslie Woolner
Original assignee: HORSTMANN CONTROLS Ltd
Current assignee: HORSTMANN CONTROLS Ltd
Priority date: 2003-01-30
Filing date: 2004-01-29
Publication date: 2004-08-04
Also published as: GB0302187D0; GB0401946D0

Abstract

An electricity telemeter responds to wireless control signals containing a particular identity held by the meter in order to adjust the periods in which the meter records peak and off-peak consumption. The meter has an input device which can be used to adjust the identity to which the telemeter will respond, for example when the customer changes supplier.

Description

1 2397929

METER

Technical Field

This invention relates to meters used, for example, to meter the consumption of electricity.

Background to the Invention

A telemeter is a metering device that can be instructed remotely. This can be done using radio transmissions, for example on a 1 98kHz carrier frequency. In the context of metering the supply of electricity, the transmissions might convey information about periods in which peak and off-peak charge rates are to apply. In one known arrangement, an electricity telemeter responds to radio transmissions containing a particular control code and alters its times for peak and off-peak charge rates to the times in the transmission. The code is assigned within the meter when it is manufactured or first installed. The control code is unique to an electricity supplier, and a supplier typically has several control codes available. In this way, an electricity supplier can endow a first group of meters with a first control code and a second group of meters with a second control code, such that the supplier can target a radio transmission at a selected number of meters by including in the transmission a control code common to the selected meters.

To enable a customer to change supplier, a house visit by an engineer is normally required to either replace the meter with one having an alternative control code, or to reprogram the meter (and thereby change its control code) by connecting an external programming device to the meter. The need for a house visit increases the cost of changing a customer's control code, and may include an inconvenient delay until an engineer becomes available.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect, the invention provides a meter having an identity and comprising means for receiving control signals for controlling the operation of the meter, means for ascertaining if a received control signal is intended for the meter, and a user interface for accepting an instruction in response to which the meter alters the identity.

Preferably, the instruction contains the intended identity. Additionally, the instruction may contain farther information such as a timestamp indicating a time period during which the instruction is valid, or a serial number unique to the meter, so that a particular instruction may be used only with the intended meter. Preferably, the instruction is encrypted.

The user interface preferably comprises a keypad, for example a number pad.

Alternatively, the user interface may comprise a card reader.

Additionally, the meter may be capable of confirming the entry of a valid instruction. This may involve displaying the confirmation on a display. The confirmation may contain information such as a timestamp indicating a time when the meter's identity was or will be changed. The confirmation may also contain the meter's serial number, and may be encrypted.

The confirmation is preferably communicated back to the electricity supplier with whom the instructed originated. This enables the supplier to validate that the change has been successful According to a second aspect, the invention provides a method of altering an identity associated with a meter, wherein the meter is arranged to react to control signals that contain the identity, the meter has a user interface and the method comprises the steps of: providing an instruction to the meter via the user interface; determining a new identity from the instruction; and altering the identity to the new identity.

In one embodiment, the control signals are radio signals and the means for receiving control signals comprises a radio receiver. In another embodiment, the control signals are modulated onto other signals that are supplied to the meter and the means for receiving control signals comprises means for detecting such modulation. For example, where the telemeter measures the consumption of an electricity supply, the control signals could be modulated onto the metered supply.

In one embodiment, the control signals are used for instructing the meter to perform different metering counts in different time periods, e.g. a peak period and an off-peak period. Alternatively, the control signals could convey other information to meters, e.g. an instruction to report a metered quantity.

In the preferred application, the telemeter is used for electricity metering although it is

naturally capable of being used in other fields.

Brief Description of the Drawings

By way of example only, an embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a telemeter according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a flow diagram of the steps taken by a user when changing the code of the telemeter of Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows a flow diagram of the steps taken by the telemeter of Figure 1 when its control code is being changed.

Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment of the Invention Figure 1 shows a telemeter 2 for electricity metering, comprising a receiver 14 for receiving radio broadcasts, a number pad 6 for receiving user input, a display 8, and a controller 10.

The aspects of the telemeter 2 which undertake the actual metering process and time control will not be described here since they can be implemented in the usual ways, as known to the skilled person. - 4

The controller 10 receives input from the receiver 4 and number pad 6, and sends output to the display 8. The display 8 typically includes multiple counters indicating the amount of electricity consumed during peak and off-peak hours. The display 8 may comprise mechanical counters or may be an electronically controlled LCD display.

The times for peak and off-peak charge rates are broadcast by a radio transmitter controlled by an electricity supplier, for example at frequency 1 98kHz. Each telemeter has a single condo] code associated with it, and will respond only to broadcasts including that particular control code. Thus, the supplier can update the periods that are regarded as peak and off-peak by a telemeter simply by broadcasting a radio signal with the control code of that meter and a desired tariff. (

When a user wishes to change his electricity supplier, or a tariff from the same supplier, the user follows a method as shown in Figure 2. Firstly, he obtains 20 a configuration code.

This code is, in a simple embodiment, the actual control code to be associated with the telemeter for radio broadcast control, and may be given to the user by the electricity supplier, or by a separate entity which maintains the configuration codes for one or more suppliers. The configuration code may convey additional information, such as the serial number of the user's telemeter, the time and date of issue of the code, and a checksum for the configuration code. The configuration code may also be encrypted. Thus, errors through mistakes or abuse by the user or a user of a different telemeter may be avoided.

Having obtained the configuration code, the user then enters 22 this code using the number pad 6. On completion of this, the telemeter then displays 26 a confirmation code indicating that it has changed the control code that it uses for broadcast radio control. If the confirmation code is not displayed, an incorrect configuration code must have been entered 28, and the user may re-enter the configuration code if he wishes 30. An error message can be displayed as appropriate.

If Me confirmation code is displayed, the user may communicate 34 this to the electricity supplier or other entity to confirm the completion of the process. The meter has changed the control code to which it responds, and the electricity supplier can take appropriate action. In particular, this may result in termination of a contract with one supplier and commencement of a conkact with another.

The confirmation code may also be encrypted, and may include information as appropriate to prevent errors through mistakes or abuse (e.g. the confirmation code may contain a checksum).

The process from the point of view of the telemeter 2 is shown in Figure 3. After a configuration code has been entered 22, the telemeter 2 decrypts and decodes 42 the configuration code as appropriate, to obtain the intended control code for radio broadcast control. The telemeter also checks 44 whether the configuration code is valid (e.g. whether the configuration code is presented to the telemeter during a predetermined time period by the user). If invalid, an error message is displayed 46 and the user may re-enter the configuration code 48. If valid, the telemeter changes 50 its control code to that specified by the configuration code. The telemeter then calculates the confirmation code 52 and displays it 54 to the user, indicating a successful change of control code.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, entry of a valid configuration code triggers a delayed change of control code, for example at midnight or at the start of the next Month.

The input means 6 may, in an alternative embodiment, comprise a card reader for reading data sent to the customer by the supplier or by the separate entity. It is appreciated that the input means 6 may take other forms which are obvious to the skilled reader, and are obvious to implement.

It is also to be understood that the invention may also be applied to services other than the supply of electricity, where there is a timedependent charge rate.

Claims

1. A meter having an identity and comprising means for receiving control signals that can control the operation of the meter, means for ascertaining if a received control signal contains the identity indicating that the control signal is intended for the meter, and a user interface for accepting an instruction in response to which the meter alters the identity.

2. A meter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a keypad or card reader.

3. A meter as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the instruction includes a serial number unique to the meter.

4. A meter as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the instruction includes a timestamp indicating a time period during which the instruction will be valid.

5. A meter as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the instruction is encrypted.

6. A meter as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the meter is capable of displaying a confirmation upon entry of a valid instruction.

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7. A meter as claimed in claim 6, wherein the confirmation includes the identity.

8. A meter as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the confirmation includes a timestamp indicating a time of altering of the identity.

9. A meter as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the confirmation is encrypted.

10. A meter as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the control signal indicates periods within which different metering counts are to be performed.

11. A method of altering an identity associated with a meter, wherein the meter is arranged to react to control signals that contain the identity, the meter has a user interface and the method comprises the steps of: a. providing an instruction to the meter via the user interface; b. determining a new identity from the instruction, and c. altering the identity to the new identity.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the instruction includes a serial number unique to the meter.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein the instruction includes a timestamp ( indicating a time period during which the instruction will be valid.

14.A method as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the instruction is encrypted.

15.A method as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 14 wherein the method further comprises the step of displaying a confirmation upon application of a valid instruction.

16.A method as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the method further comprises the step of conveying a confirmation to the originator of the instruction upon application of a valid instruction. (

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the confirmation includes a timestarnp indicating a time of altering of the identity.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16 or 17, wherein the confirmation is encrypted.

19. A method as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the control signal indicates periods within which different metering counts are to be performed.

20. A meter substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

21. A method of altering an identity associated with a meter substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. ( !