EP2485198A1 - Contrôle de fourniture d'énergie - Google Patents

Contrôle de fourniture d'énergie Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2485198A1
EP2485198A1 EP11153158A EP11153158A EP2485198A1 EP 2485198 A1 EP2485198 A1 EP 2485198A1 EP 11153158 A EP11153158 A EP 11153158A EP 11153158 A EP11153158 A EP 11153158A EP 2485198 A1 EP2485198 A1 EP 2485198A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
meter
energy
time period
information
predetermined time
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
EP11153158A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Jean-Paul Piques
Yve Ceustermans
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Itron GmbH
Original Assignee
Itron GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Itron GmbH filed Critical Itron GmbH
Priority to EP11153158A priority Critical patent/EP2485198A1/fr
Publication of EP2485198A1 publication Critical patent/EP2485198A1/fr
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F15/00—Coin-freed apparatus with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity
    • G07F15/001—Coin-freed apparatus with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity for gas
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F15/00—Coin-freed apparatus with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity
    • G07F15/003—Coin-freed apparatus with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity for electricity
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F9/00—Details other than those peculiar to special kinds or types of apparatus
    • G07F9/002—Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F9/00—Details other than those peculiar to special kinds or types of apparatus
    • G07F9/02—Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus
    • G07F9/026—Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Definitions

  • the invention relates to the way a consumer can purchase and use energy delivered by a utility such as water, gas, heat or electricity utility.
  • utility meters can be classified in two categories, namely on the one hand, credit meters which are used by customers who pay their utility service bill once they have used the resource and, on the other hand, prepayment meters which are used by customers who pay for their utility service in advance of use.
  • the energy which is consumed is measured over a predetermined fixed period, and is then billed retrospectively to the consumer.
  • Meter readings are made periodically, either by a meter reader or the customer, or automatically for AMR systems in which the meters send the energy consumption directly to a utility server via wired or wireless links.
  • the meter readings are then loaded into the utilities billing system, and a bill is generated. Payment is then made either when the bill is received by the consumer, or via a direct debit arrangement.
  • Credit meters have several drawbacks: Even with accurate reads there is a large time lag between consumption of the energy and paying for it. This is bad for the utility's cash flow, and does not allow the customer to manage his usage of energy as efficiently. In addition, in case the consumer does not pay the bill, it is necessary to go to the consumer's house to stop the energy delivery (through the action of a valve for water or gas energy, or of an interrupter for electricity).
  • prepayment meters need to be supplied with an appropriate token ahead of the delivery of the service in order that a particular quantity or value of service may be delivered to the consumer.
  • a consumer purchases a prepaid credit token typically in the form of a numeric or alphanumeric string with a credit value encoded in it for the relevant service.
  • the token is inputted into the prepayment meter which thus obtains a credit for an appropriate quantity of energy.
  • the prepayment meter typically terminates the supply of the service once that quantity or value of service has been delivered. This allows the customer to manage their household budget more effectively and avoid possible debt. Once the credit has been used, further credit must be purchased and added to the meter to prevent the supply valve or interrupter from being closed.
  • tokens can be a card or key loaded with credit.
  • the credit is subsequently transferred to the meter by insertion of the card or key in to a reader slot in the meter which is adapted for the purpose.
  • tokens correspond to a code which can be input via a suitable keyboard on the meter.
  • the prepayment solution has however several drawbacks for both the consumer and the utility: Some people do not like to pay in advance for a service. In addition, there is a risk for the energy supplier that some consumers buy in advance a large quantity of energy. In this case there is no possibility to pass in real time any increase in cost on the consumer.
  • a first aim of the present invention is to provide a solution which is more satisfactory for each involved party.
  • a first aspect of the invention is a method for controlling energy delivery from a utility within a system comprising at least a meter at a consumer's house, said meter being adapted to authorize energy delivery, said method being characterized in that it comprises the successive steps of:
  • a second aspect of the invention is a system for controlling energy delivery from a utility comprising at least a meter at a consumer's house, said meter being adapted to authorize energy delivery, said system being characterized in that said meter is adapted to authorize energy delivery to said consumer during a first predetermined time period and to measure and store amounts of energy which have been delivered to said consumer during said first predetermined time period, in that said system comprises control means for generating at the end of said first predetermined period a payment request signal corresponding to consumed amounts of energy and for checking the reception of an information that payment has been performed, and in that said meter is further adapted to stop the delivery of energy if said information has not been received within a second predetermined time period.
  • Said meter may advantageously comprise display means for alerting the consumer that a payment is expected.
  • display means may be used for displaying amount of money corresponding to said consumed amounts of energy and/or the remaining time period for performing the payment without interruption of the energy delivery
  • the invention provides a new method for controlling energy delivery from a utility within a system comprising at least a meter, e.g. a gas meter 1 (see figures 3 or 4 ) at a consumer's house.
  • Meter 1 classically comprises a measurement unit 2 which performs, under the control of a microcontroller 3, measurement of energy delivered to the consumer and stores cumulated amounts of consumed energy in a local memory 4.
  • Meter 1 is further adapted to authorize energy delivery.
  • microcontroller 3 within the meter controls a valve 5 to authorize or not the gas flow.
  • Such a meter is already known but is usually used as a prepayment meter for which microcontroller 3 keeps valve 5 opened as long as the amount of consumed energy does not exceed a predetermined amount for which the consumer has paid in advance.
  • the invention proposes to use such a meter as a credit meter instead of prepayment meter, as will now be further explained.
  • the method is integrally implemented within meter 1 while in the case illustrated in figure 4 , some of the steps of the method are implemented within the meter, while some other steps can be implemented in another component of the system, typically a remote server of an AMR system to which said meter is coupled.
  • the method according to the invention comprises the following steps:
  • meter 1 automatically authorizes energy delivery to the consumer during a first predetermined time period T 1 .
  • microcontroller 3 can start decrementing a time counter 6 set to a value corresponding to this first time period.
  • Measurement unit 2 within meter 1 also measures amounts of energy delivered to said consumer during said first predetermined time period T 1 , and stores the measured value in memory 4 (step 20).
  • first predetermined time period T 1 can be set to approximately one month.
  • a payment request signal Rp for a payment corresponding to the consumed amounts of energy is automatically generated (Step 40), and it is checked whether an information that payment has been performed is received or not (step 50).
  • the reception is checked as long as a second time period T 2 starting after the expiration of the first time period T 1 , set for instance at one week, has not expired yet (step 60).
  • meter 1 stops automatically the delivery of energy (steps 60, 70).
  • This situation is illustrated on the temporal diagram of figure 2a which shows three successive cycles for which an information P that payment has been performed further to the generation of the payment request Rp has been received before the expiration of the second time period T 2 .
  • the reception is still checked after the expiration of second time period T 2 (step 80).
  • meter 1 can automatically re authorize energy delivery by opening valve 5.
  • Figure 2b shows on a temporal diagram an example where, for a first cycle, the consumer has paid (first signal P) but not in time after generation of the first request payment Rp.
  • energy delivery has been interrupted only for a period T 3 starting at the end of period T 2 and ending on reception of information P.
  • both steps 40 and 50 are implemented by the meter itself:
  • control means are provided including microcontroller 3 and a user interface such as display means 7 for alerting the user, though generation of request signal R P , that payment corresponding to the consumed energy amount is expected.
  • Counter 6 can be used to set second predetermined time period T 2 .
  • Display means can be advantageously used for displaying the amount of money corresponding to consumed energy amounts and/or the remaining time period for performing the payment without interruption of the energy delivery.
  • the consumer can then carry out payment by any traditional ways (cheque, money, credit transfer).
  • Information that payment has been performed can be in the form of a numeric or alphanumeric string stored on a token or smart user card 8 after receipt of the payment.
  • meter 1 is provided with a card reader 9 into which user card 8 can be inserted.
  • said numeric or alphanumeric string can be entered by the user on a dedicated keyboard 11 of meter 1.
  • Figure 4 illustrates another embodiment particularly suitable for an AMR (Automatic Meter Reading) system.
  • meter 1 includes communications interface 12, typically a modem, adapted to exchange signals with a remote server 13 through a wired or wireless communications link 14.
  • communications interface 12 typically a modem
  • amounts of energy measured and stored at meter 1 can be transmitted periodically on link 14 to remote server 13.
  • Communication is bidirectional, so that control signals or data signals such as new tariffs or software update can also be transmitted from the server to meter 1.
  • steps 40, 50 of generating the payment request signal and checking the reception of information can be performed automatically at the remote server, thus avoiding the need to provide the meter with keypad and card reader, which are shown in dotted line as optional in figure 4 .
  • the method further comprises a step of transmitting through communication link 14 a stopping signal from remote server 13 to meter 1 for triggering stopping of energy delivery (step 70 of figure 1 ).
  • remote server 13 is further adapted to transmit to meter 1 through link 14 an authorization signal for triggering re authorizing at the meter 1 of energy delivery, provided that an information P that payment has been performed has been received after second time period has elapsed.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
  • Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
EP11153158A 2011-02-03 2011-02-03 Contrôle de fourniture d'énergie Ceased EP2485198A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP11153158A EP2485198A1 (fr) 2011-02-03 2011-02-03 Contrôle de fourniture d'énergie

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP11153158A EP2485198A1 (fr) 2011-02-03 2011-02-03 Contrôle de fourniture d'énergie

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2485198A1 true EP2485198A1 (fr) 2012-08-08

Family

ID=44063154

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP11153158A Ceased EP2485198A1 (fr) 2011-02-03 2011-02-03 Contrôle de fourniture d'énergie

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2485198A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2014137642A (ja) * 2013-01-15 2014-07-28 Panasonic Corp 流体供給制御装置

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1999031953A2 (fr) * 1997-12-23 1999-07-01 Comnet Technologies Limited Systeme de virement et de commande de charge dans un reseau de distribution d'energie
WO2004049270A2 (fr) * 2002-11-25 2004-06-10 Iskraemeco Ecl Ltd Systeme a prepaiement radiocommande

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1999031953A2 (fr) * 1997-12-23 1999-07-01 Comnet Technologies Limited Systeme de virement et de commande de charge dans un reseau de distribution d'energie
WO2004049270A2 (fr) * 2002-11-25 2004-06-10 Iskraemeco Ecl Ltd Systeme a prepaiement radiocommande

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2014137642A (ja) * 2013-01-15 2014-07-28 Panasonic Corp 流体供給制御装置

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