GB2358708A - Electricity meter module with an application specific card - Google Patents

Abstract

A module 50, 60, for providing an auxiliary function for an electricity meter, includes an application specific program card 62. The application specific program card 62 may be used to contain application specific software or data for the said module 60 and it may be used to communicate with the base member 10 of the said electricity meter. The said application specific program card 62 may comprise a smart-card. The auxiliary functions may be prepayment, radio telemetry or modem operations. The module 60 may also include a microprocessor 64.

Description

- I - 2358708 IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO ELECTRICITY METERS The

present invention relates to improvements in or relating to electricity meters.

Pre-payment electricity meters are well known for supplying electricity to a consumer. Credit is stored on such meters which is related the amount of electricity which can be consumed.

It is also known to construct such pre-payment electricity meters from two or more modules, for example, a basic meter module for metering the supply of electricity to the consumer and a pre-payment module for accepting credit. Such pre-payment modules may also control operation of the basic meter module or may transfer the credit information to a memory unit forming part of the basic module. Other modules can be used with the basic meter module for providing auxiliary functions or facilities.

However, in such modular systems, electronics tend to be duplicated and often there are no facilities for updating the software when the meter is located in a consumer's premises.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an integrated meter which overcomes the problems mentioned above.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a module for an electricity meter comprising an application specific program card for providing auxiliary functions for the meter.

Advantageously, the application specific program card comprises a smart' card.

Preferably, the module further comprises a microprocessor.

The module may comprise a pre-payment card reader module, a pre payment key reader module, a radio telemetry module or a modem module.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an adaptable electricity meter comprising:- a base meter having input and output terminals for connecting a consumer to an electricity supplier and means for controlling the connection between the consumer and the supplier; a recess formed in the base meter; and a module as described above for providing a specific functionality for the meter, the module communicating with the base meter via the application specific program card.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference will now be made,, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings in which:Figure 1 illustrates a modular meter arrangement in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates a module for the Figure 1 meter arrangement in accordance with the present invention; Figure 3 illustrates an alternative module in accordance with the present invention; Figure 4 illustrates another alternative module in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 5 illustrates a further altemative module in accordance with the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention, a meter arrangement which comprises a base meter and a plurality of modules or peripherals which are insertable into the base meter to change its function will be described. An application card or 'smart' card containing the specific application software is provided in each of a range of intelligent modules or peripherals.

The base meter has the facility to measure and accumulate electricity consumption for processing by the application program stored on the 'smart' card. In addition, appropriate displays and push buttons are also provided as required. Moreover, the base meter has a basic set of primitive commands resident within itself which are used for updating the display, for talking to the 'smart' card, and for opening or closing its load switch.

Data relating to consumption etc. can be transferred to the application code resident on the 'smart' card at regular intervals. The 'smart' card can then process the data and send instructions back to the meter for updating its display and/or connecting or disconnecting its load switch etc.

External peripherals, such as card readers, may be utilised with the meter arrangement in accordance with the present invention - each peripheral containing its own intelligence and communicating with the base meter via a standard interface as is well known. The meter then passes such data to the specific application for processing.

A fail-safe system could be provided such that, if the 'smart' card was removed, the base meter operates to open its load switch thereby disconnecting the electricity supply to a consumer.

The 'smart' card comprises a microprocessor-based card compatible with IS07816. The card contains the main application program and can be changed to alter the functionality of the base meter.

Each module or peripheral can be slotted into the base meter to provide the ability for communication with external devices, such as magnetic strip cards, modems etc. Each module or peripheral contains its own microprocessor for communicating with the base meter and for formatting the input and output to a standard data type that the base meter can accept.

Referring now to Figure 1, a schematic block diagram of a meter 10 in accordance with the present invention is shown. The meter 10 comprises two live terminals 12, 14, two voltage free terminals 16, 18, and two neutral terminals 20, 22.

Live terminals 12, 14 are connected together by means of an electrical connection 24 in which a switch 26 is located for breaking or completing the electrical connection 24 between the terminals 12, 14. Switch 26 is operated by a solenoid 28, but it will be appreciated that any other suitable actuation means for operating the switch 26 could also be used. Also mounted in the electrical connection 24 is a metering element 30 which measures the amount of current flowing through the electrical connection when the switch 26 is closed.

Neutral terminals 20, 22 are connected together by connection 32.

In operation, the electricity supply from an electricity supplier is connected to the live terminal 12 and neutral terminal 20, and a consumer's electricity supply is connected to live terminal 14 and neutral terminal 22. It will be appreciated that electricity will flow from the supplier to the consumer only when the switch 26 is closed.

Voltage free terminals 16, 18 are also connected together by a switch 34 which is operated by a suitable actuator 36. These terminals are used to provide an auxiliary supply to a consumer, for example, Economy 7 electricity, where the live from the auxiliary supply is connected to terminal 16 and terminal 18 provides the auxiliary supply to the consumer.

The meter 10 also includes a display 38 for displaying the amount of electricity consumed or any other suitable variable related to the electricity consumed as measured by the measuring element 30. A pulsed light emitting diode 40 indicates when electricity is being used and also the amount of electricity which is being measured. A pair of ports 42 are used for providing optical links via which data can be read into the meter or read out of the meter as is well known in the art.

A microprocessor 44 and a power supply 46 are also included in the meter 10. Power supply 46 is derived from connection 24 for providing power to a module 50 in accordance with the invention. As shown, power supply 46 is connected to module 50 by means of connector 52, and microprocessor 44 is connected to interface with the module 50 by means of connection 54 and to receive data therefrom by means of connection 56.

It will readily be understood that the components shown in the meter 10 are connected to one another although such connections are not shown for clarity.

One embodiment of a module 50 in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to Figure 2. In Figure 2, a module 60 comprises an application card 62 which is dedicated to the particular application which is to be run by the module 60. The module 60 also includes a microprocessor 64 for controlling its operation. In this module, the application card 62 includes a radio receiver (not shown) and a radio transmitter (also not shown). The radio receiver and transmitter allow the meter to receive data from and to transfer data to a central control station (not shown).

It will readily be understood that the radio receiver and transmitter do not need to form parts of the application 62, but could be separate therefrom.

As mentioned above, application card 62 is specific to a particular application and will, in this case, be specific to a module having a radio receiver and transmitter and provides an interface between the microprocessor 64 in the module 60 and the microprocessor 44 in the meter 10.

Figure 3 shows another embodiment of a module in accordance with the present invention. Here, the module comprises a pre-payment module 70 having a key slot 76 for receiving a key (not shown) through which credit and tariff details can be added to a memory (not shown) in the meter 10, for example, in the microprocessor 44. Again, module 70 includes an application card 72 and a microprocessor 74. However, in this case, application card 72 is specific to a pre-payment meter system or arrangement in which a key is used to add credit to the memory.

It will be understood that the module 70 also includes further components (not shown) which relate to the operation of a key reading prepayment metering system, for example, means for reading the key and converting the information into credit which is to be applied to the memory. However, it will be appreciated that the microprocessor 74 may be designed to carry our the conversion fimction if desired.

Figure 4 illustrates a further embodiment of a pre-payment module in accordance with the present invention. Here, the module 80 comprises an application card 82, a microprocessor 84 and a card slot 86 for receiving a card having credit stored thereon. A card reader (not shown) is also included in the module 80 for reading an inserted card. As before, the application card 82 is specific to a card operated pre-payment meter arrangement and operates to transfer the credit from the card reader to the microprocessor 44.

The module 90 shown in Figure 5 is similar to the module 80 shown in Figure 4 and application card 92, microprocessor 94 and card slot 96 correspond to respective ones of application card 82, microprocessor 84, and card slot 86. Module 90 also includes a modem connection 98 for connecting the meter 10 to a central station via a telephone line. As discussed abovel application card 92 will be specific to a card pre-payment module having a modem associated therewith to provide the necessary connections between the module 90 and the meter 10.

Claims (13)

CLAIMS:

1. A module for an electricity meter comprising an application specific program card for providing auxiliary functions for the meter.

2. A module according to claim 1, wherein the application specific program card comprises a 'smart' card.

3. A module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the module further comprises a microprocessor.

4. A module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the module comprises a pre-payment card reader module.

5. A module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the module comprises a pre-payment key reader module.

6. A module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the module comprises a radio telemetry module.

7. A module according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the module further comprises a modem module.

8. An adaptable electricity meter comprising:a base meter having input and output terminals for connecting a consumer to an electricity supplier and means for controlling the connection between the consumer and the supplier; a recess formed in the base meter; and - 9 a module according to any one of claims 1 to 7 for providing a specific functionality for the meter, the module communicating with the base meter via the application specific program card.

9. A module substantially as herembefore described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A module substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A module substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A module substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

13. An electricity meter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.