GB2462006A

GB2462006A - Device for optically reading a utility meter, with pass-through communication

Info

Publication number: GB2462006A
Application number: GB0912869A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Claude Yonnet
Original assignee: Technolog Ltd
Current assignee: Technolog Ltd
Priority date: 2008-07-23
Filing date: 2009-07-23
Publication date: 2010-01-27
Anticipated expiration: 2029-07-23
Also published as: WO2010010354A2; WO2010010354A3; GB2462006B; GB0813505D0; GB0912869D0

Abstract

The invention concerns the optical head 20 of a meter reading device. The optical head is suitable for communication with an optical meter-port 7 provided on a meter. The optical head comprises means 32, 33 for optically communicating with the meter-port, and a secondary optical port 38. Pass-through communication is provided between the meter-port and the secondary optical port. The optical head of the invention is preferably connected semi-permanently to a consumer automatic meter reading (AMR) device 22. The secondary optical port 38 is designed to replicate the meter-port 7. A utility company employee can use a portable meter reading device with a conventional optical head (13, Fig. 2) to read the meter locally, without disturbing the connection to the AMR, by interfacing the conventional optical head with the secondary optical port of the optical head of the invention. Preferably, the optical head of the invention comprises a first LED 32 / photodetector 33 pair for communicating with the meter-port and a second LED 34 / photodetector 35 pair in the secondary port, connected with the first LED / photodetector pair in a pass-through arrangement.

Description

METER READING DEVICE

The present invention relates to a device for use in reading a meter, and more particularly relates to a device for use in reading a meter having an optical port.

In a typical electrical distribution system, the utility company distributes electrical energy to a large number of consumers via a power distribution network. The power distribution network comprises a network of electrical distribution cables which serve to link the utility company to its consumers. In order to monitor the amount of electrical energy used by each consumer, an electricity meter is provided at the site of each consumer, the electricity meter being connected between the consumer and the power distribution network in order to measure the consumer's electrical demand.

In the past, typical electricity meters have taken an electro- mechanical form. Probably the most widely known electro-mechanical meter operates by counting the revolutions of an aluminium disc which is made to rotate at a speed proportional to the power. The number of revolutions of the disc is proportional to the amount of energy used by a consumer.

Meters of this type must be read directly, for example by an employee of the electricity utility company, on a periodic basis, with the individual visiting the consumer's site and taking a visual reading of the meter index. As will be appreciated, this method of reading the meter can be subject to errors and inaccuracies.

It therefore subsequently became more common to use electronic electricity meters, which although still stand-alone in the sense that they needed to be read on-site by a representative of the utility company, offered significant advantages over the former electro-mechanical meters. At the time of their introduction, these meters were described as "smart meters" and were solid state meters which as well as displaying the power used on a LCD display, were configured to store power consumption data on a memory for electronic interrogation by a meter reading representative from the utility company Meters of this type can be configured to record other useful parameters such as: RMS voltages or RMS current in addition to the meter index reading itself. They can also include electronic clock mechanisms to compute a value, rather than simply on amount, of electrical energy consumed, with the price varying with time such as, for example, by the time of day, day of the week or even seasonally, thereby recording various time of use and peak demand data.

Electronic meters of the type mentioned above are usually provided with an optical data port located on the front panel of the meter so that the utility company employee can connect an optical probe, also known as an optical head, to the optical data port in order to upload/download data from/to a laptop computer. The optical data ports can thus be used for two main purposes, namely I) to program/update meter tariffs and generally initialize the meter, and ii) for a pedestrian meter reader to read the meter data via a laptop computer or a handheld device such as a PDA. This method of reading the meter data has been found to be very effective in eliminating recording errors which used to arise from visually reading older types of meter.

Known optical ports include infrared optoelectronic components such as an LED and a photo-transistor, and an appropriate optical head would contain similar components configured to interact optically with the components of the optical data port provided on the meter in order to transmit and receive data. Optical ports on electronic electricity meters follow widely adopted international standards such as IEC 1107 and derivatives (generally known as FLAG) in Europe and parts of Asia, and ANSI Type 2 in the USA.

More recently, it has become common to provide facilities for utility companies to read meters remotely, without the need to send a pedestrian meter reader out to its customers' sites. It is therefore now known to retrofit electronic meters of the general type described above with add-on communication modules such as PSTN and GSM modems, thereby allowing the meters to be read remotely. Meters are also now known which incorporate a remote communication function as standard.

The term "smart meter" therefore now tends to be used in the context of meters capable of either remote communication, or which can be used for analysing energy consumption.

Even for such meters which are configured to communicate directly back to the utility company, for example via a PSTN or GSM network, it can still be necessary for the utility company to interact directly with meter locally, in order to program or reconfigure the meter, for example by uploading new tariff data or the like. Meters of this type are therefore still typically provided with optical data ports of the type described above, for this purpose.

Metering systems which allow detailed analysis of energy consumption are now becoming a growing requirement in the electricity industry. The higher costs of energy and associated environmental issues are driving a steady shift towards the provision of meters which record a whole range of parameters. Energy suppliers now wish to have the facility to offer their clients the means of understanding their energy consumption in further detail as well as reducing their own costs associated with reading meters. End consumers of electrical energy, on the other hand now typically have an increased desire to monitor the levels of their own energy consumption, although in many cases consumers do not have appropriate access to the electricity meter, for reasons of security and tamper proofing to take their own automated readings from the meter. Normally, an energy supplier would provide a meter configured to communicate readings and other associated data automatically as mentioned above, or retrofit an appropriate communicating module within the meter to provide the appropriate communication function. In each case, provision of the meter or retrofitting of an appropriate communication module occurs under the control of the energy supplier and the data available from the smart meter is not always made available to the consumer or if it is, is often only made available at significant cost to the consumer.

Nany consumers, particularly those with high aggregate consumption from multiple sites such as supermarkets and the like, may wish to monitor their own energy consumption automatically, independently of the energy supplier. There is therefore a need to provide an arrangement which can allow a consumer to read data from an electricity meter, preferably in an automated manner without interfering with the normal operation of the meter and without impeding manual reading and/or data upload/download on the part of a pedestrian meter reader.

The present invention therefore seeks to provide an improved device for use in reading a meter.

According to the present invention, there is provided a meter reading device comprising an optical head for communication with an optical meter-port provided on a meter, the optical head comprising: optical means configured to communicate optically with the meter-port, and a secondary optical port, said optical means and said secondary optical port being operatively connected so as to provide pass-through communication between the secondary optical port and the meter-port.

Preferably, said secondary optical port is configured to (at least partially) replicate the optical meter-port on a meter.

In a preferred embodiment, said optical means comprises a first set of optoelectronic components configured for optical communication with optoelectronic components of the meter-port, and said secondary optLcal port comprises a second set of optoelectronic components arranged to substantially replicate the optoelectronic components of the meter-port, the second set of optoelectronic components being arranged for electrical connection to the first set of optoelectronic components for pass-through communication with the meter-port.

Preferably, the optoelectronic components of the first set are directionally opposed to those of the second set.

The arrangement may be such that at least one said set of optoelectronic components includes an LED and a photodetector.

At least one said set of optoelectronic components preferably includes an infra-red LED and an infra-red photodetector.

Most preferably, both sets of optoelectronic components are infra-red.

Preferably the/or each photodetector is a photo-transistor.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the optical head includes a magnet in the region of said optical means, the magnet being configured for magnetic attraction towards part of the meter-port to releasably retain the head in position over the port.

The magnet may be substantially annular, and positioned so as extend generally around the first set of optoelectronic components.

Preferably, the secondary port of the optical head includes a metallic area, the metallic area being configured for magnetic attraction towards a magnet forming part of another optical head, in order to retain said other optical head in position over the secondary port.

The above-mentioned metallic area is preferably substantially annular, and is positioned so as extend generally around the second set of optoelectronic components.

The arrangement of the present invention preferably further comprises a processor configured to take meter readings substantially automatically via the optical head.

The processor preferably comprises a clock circuit and a memory, and is configured to communicate with the meter at predetermined time intervals, via the optical head and the meter-port, to read data representative of power consumption from the meter, and store said data in the memory.

In a preferred arrangement, the processor is configured to detect an optical interrogation signal received by said optical means and to output a corresponding interrogation signal via the secondary optical port. The processor may also be configured to detect an optical data signal received by said optical means and to output a corresponding data signal via the secondary optical port.

In such an arrangement, the processor may be configured to suspend said communication with the meter upon receipt of said optical interrogation by the secondary optical port.

A device as defined above may be provided in combination with a meter having an optical meter-port.

So that the invention may be more readily understood and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electric meter having an optical port, of the type with which the present invention may be used; Figure 2 is a perspective illustration of a known optical head for use in reading data from the meter via the optical port; Figure 3 is a schematic drawing showing the general arrangement of a device in accordance with the present invention, comprising an optical head and an automatic meter reading device; Figure 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view through the optical head of the present invention, and through an optical port on a meter; and Figure 5 is a schematic circuit diagram of the device of the present invention.

Referring now in more detail to figure 1, there is illustrated electricity meter 1 of a type suitable for use with the device of the present invention. The meter 1 comprises a moulded plastic housing 2 which contains the electronic circuitry of the meter and which is configured to be mounted, via one or more mounting lugs 3, to a wall or the like in a convenient yet unobtrusive location. The housing incorporates a front panel 4 carrying a display 5 in the form of an LCD configured to display the meter index reading and other relevant parameters. The front panel may also incorporate one or more indicator lamps 6, preferably in the form of LEDs, in order to indicate the general operative state of the meter or other such general information.

Most importantly, in the context of this invention, the front panel is provided with an optical data port 7. The optical data port 7 illustrated comprises a circular ring of metallic material 8 which presents a substantially flat surface defining a seat configured to receive an optical head as will be described in more detail below. Within the metal ring 8, the optical port 7 comprises a transparent window 9 behind which are located a pair of optoelectronic components 10, 11.

In a typical meter, one of the components takes the form of an LED (preferably an infra-red LED), and the other component 11 takes the form of a photo-transistor (preferably an infra-red photo transistor), or any other convenient form of photo-detector such as a photo-diode or a photo-resistor.

In the arrangement illustrated in figure 1, the lower region of the housing 2 is provided with a tamper-proof removable cover 12 behind which an optional communication module (not shown) can be installed within the meter 1 in order to communicate the readings back to the utility company automatically, such as via a GSM network.

Turning now to consider Figure 2 there is illustrated a generally conventional optical head (sometimes also known as an optical probe) 13 of a type suitable for use when locally reading/updating the meter 1. The optical head 13 comprises a generally circular housing 14 which terminates at one end with the flat annular bearing surface 15. Within the annular bearing surface 15, the optical head 13 is provided with a transparent window 16 behind which a pair of optoelectronic components 17, 18 are provided in a. manner similar to that of the optical port 7 provided on the meter 1. It will therefore be understood that one of the optoelectronic components takes the form of an LED (preferably an infra-red LED) 17, whilst the other optoelectronic component takes the form of a photo-transistor (preferably an infra-red photo-transistor) 18, or any other convenient form of photo-detector. The components 17, 18 are electrically connected to a cable 19 which is configured for connection to a laptop computer via a serial port or USB port, or the like.

Within the housing 14, in a region generally adjacent and behind the annular bearing surface 15, the optical head 13 is provided with an annular magnet (not shown) which preferably takes the form of a rare-earth magnet.

In order to take local readings from the meter 1, a person such as a utility company employee, simply positions the optical head 13 over the optical port 7 whereupon the ring magnet within the optical head is attracted towards the metal seat 8 of the optical port 7. This magnetic attraction serves to releasably retain the optical head 13 in position over the optical port 7 such that the optoelectronic components 17, 18 of the head 13 lie generally adjacent and are aligned with the optoelectronic component 10, 11 of the optical port 7. Data may then be transferred optically between the meter 1 and the laptop computer in a manner known per se.

As will now be described in more detail, the present invention incorporates a novel form of optical head which can be positioned over the optical port 7, and which can communicate with the optical port 7 in the general manner described above, but which also permits a more conventional optical head, such as that illustrated in figure 2, to be connected to it for communication with the meter 1 through the modified optical head. The modified optical head of the present invention will therefore be understood to perform a pass-through function.

Turning now to consider figures 3 and 4, the device of the present invention comprises an optical head 20 which is electrically connected via a cable 21 to a consumer meter reading unit 22 which preferably takes the form of an automatic meter reading (AMR) device 22. As will be noted, the embodiment illustrated has a housing 23 of generally cylindrical configuration, although the housing is of stepped configuration so as to define a small annular shoulder 24 between a lower region 25 and an upper region 26 of the housing. The lower region 25 is of slightly reduced diameter compared to the upper region 26.

The lower region of the housing 23, in the orientation illustrated in figures 3 and 4, is provided with a generally circular transparent window 27 which is surrounded by an annular bearing region 28 of the housing. The upper region of the housing is also provided with a generally circular transparent window 29, the upper window 29 being surrounded by an inwardly stepped annular bearing region 30.

Within the housing 23, the optical head 20 is provided with a circuit board 31 which carries two sets of optoelectronic components. A first set of optoelectronic components 32,33 is provided on the underside of the circuit board 31 so as to be directed towards, and to be located generally adjacent, the lower window 27. This first set of optoelectronic components comprises an LED 32 (most preferably an infra-red LED) and a photo-transistor 33 (most preferably an infra-red photo-transistor), although it should be appreciated that in variants of the invention, the photo-transistor 33 could be replaced with any other convenient form of photo-detector, such as a photo-diode or a photo-resistor.

As can also be clearly seen from figure 4, the upper surface of the circuit board 31 carries a second set of optoelectronic components 34, 35 arranged generally adjacent, and directed towards, the upper window 29. This second set of optoelectronic components comprises an LED 34 (most preferably an infra-red LED) and a photo-transistor 35 (most preferably an infra-red photo-transistor) . However, it is envisaged that in variants of the invention, the photo-transistor 35 could be also replaced with any other convenient form of photo-detector such as, for example, a photo-resistor or a photo-diode.

As can also be seen in figure 4, the optical head 20 of the present invention incorporates a substantially annular magnet 36 in the region of the first set of optoelectronic components 32, 33. The magnet 36 preferably takes the form of a rare-earth ring magnet and is mounted within the housing so as to extend generally around the first set of optoelectronic components 32, 33 at a position immediately behind the lower annular bearing region 28 of the housing. In the upper region of the housing 23, the optical head 20 is provided with a metallic ring 37 which is arranged so as to extend generally around the second set of optoelectronic components 34,35 at a position adjacent the inwardly stepped upper annular bearing region 30.

Figure 4 illustrates the optical head 20 of the present invention in position above an optical port 7 of the general type described above with reference to figure 1. As will be noted, the lower window 27 of the optical head 20 is generally aligned with the window 16 of the optical port 7. In use, the optical head 20 is moved towards the optical port 7 whereupon the magnet 36 becomes attracted towards the metal ring 8, thus serving to hold the head 20 in position over the port 7 such that the LED 32 of the head 20 is aligned with the photo- transistor 11 of the optical port 7, and such that the photo-transistor 33 of the head 20 is aligned with the LED 10 of the port 7 as will be described in more detail below with specific reference to figure 5. This connection between the optical head 20 and the optical port 7 allows the AMR device 22 to read data from the meter 1 for the consumer's use.

It should be appreciated that the second set of optoelectronic components 34, 35 of the head 20, in the upper region of the housing 23, are arranged so as to substantially replicate the optoelectronic components 10, 11 of the optical port 7. The optical head 20 is thus configured to define a secondary optical port (indicated generally at 38) which substantially replicates the configuration of the optical port 7 provided on the meter 1. A generally conventional optical head 13, such as that illustrated in figure 2, can thus be fitted over the secondary port 38 in exactly the same manner in which the conventional optical head 13 can normally be fitted directly over the port 7 on the meter.

It is envisaged that in normal operation, the modified optical head 20 of the present invention will be generally left in position over the optical port 7 in order to allow uninterrupted automatic reading of the meter 1 by the unit 22 for the consumer's assistance. However, at such times at the meter 1 needs to be interrogated and/or updated locally by the utility company, the modified optical head 20 will present a familiar looking secondary optical port 38 for the convenient use of an employee of the utility company. Thus, the employee will be able to interrogate/update the meter 1 in a generally conventional manner simply by fitting his or her conventional optical head over the secondary part 38, without the need to remove the consumer's modified optical head 20 from the meter.

Because the pass-through head 20 thus enables normal access to the optical port 7 of the meter, it is envisaged that some users might reasonably choose to glue the optical head 20 over the optical port 7 of the meter, either permanently, or in a releasable manner. Indeed, it should be appreciated that the provision of the annular magnet 36 within the housing of the pass-through optical head is not an essential element of the invention, and variants could therefore omit this feature. In some variants which include a magnet 36, optionally the magnet 36 is of sufficient strength so that the head 20 is not inadvertently removed from the meter if/when the secondary read head is removed from the secondary part 38. It is also envisaged that the optical head 20 could be provided with a small supply of suitable adhesive for adhesively bonding it over the optical port 7 of the meter.

Figure 5 illustrates a schematic circuit diagram of the present invention, showing the optical head 20 of the present invention in position above the optical port 7 of the meter 1, and showing a generally conventional optical head 13 in position above the secondary optical port 38 provided on the optical head 20. The LED 10 and the photo-transistor 11 of the optical port 7 are electrically connected to the internal circuitry of the meter 1, and the two sets of optoelectronic components 32, 33; and 34, 35 of the modified optical head 20 are electrically connected to a processor 39 provided within the AMR device 22. As will be appreciated, the LED 17 and the photo-transistor 18 of the conventional optical head 13 will be electrically connected via the cable 19, to a laptop computer.

Figure 5 illustrates schematically the optical interaction between the various sets of optoelectronic components. For example, the drawing shows how the alignment of the photo-transistor 33 of the modified optical head 20 with the LED 10 of the optical port 7 allows light emitted by the LED 10 to fall on the photo-transistor 33. Similarly, light emitted by the LED 32 falls on the photo transistor 11 of the optical port 7.

During normal operation of the device of the present invention, in the absence of the conventional optical head 13, the processor 39 of the AMR device 22 serves to manage the operation of the AMR device 22 by taking regular meter readings via the interaction between the first set of optoelectronic components 32, 33 and the corresponding components 10, 11 provided within the optical port 7 of the meter. The AMR device 22 can include a display to show various information and parameters as read from the meter, for the consumer's assistance in monitoring energy consumption. It is envisaged that the processor 39 will also include a clock circuit and a memory and will be configured to communicate with the meter at predetermined time intervals in order to read data representative of power consumption from the meter and store that data in the memory.

The processor 39 is also configured to detect an optical interrogation signal received by the photo-transistor 35 of the secondary port 38 in the event that a conventional optical head 13 is connected to the secondary port 38. Such an interrogation signal would be emitted by the LED 17 upon interrogation of the meter by the utility company employee.

Upon detection of the interrogation signal, the processor 39 is configured to suspend any ongoing communication between the processor 39 and the meter, via the optical port 7, and to output the optical interrogation signal from the LED 32, said signal corresponding exactly to the interrogation signal emitted by the LED 17 of the conventional optical head 13. A resulting optical data signal from the meter, emitted by the LED 10 of the optical port 7 and received by the photo-transistor 33 of the optical head 20 will then be output, as a corresponding data signal, from the LED 34 of the optical head for receipt by the transistor 18 of the conventional head 13, for subsequent passage to the laptop computer. In this manner, the device of the present invention serves a pass-through function allowing indirect but unimpeded optical communication between a conventional optical head 13 and the optical port 7 of the meter, thereby avoiding the need for the utility company employee to remove the consumer's optical head 20 from the optical port 7.

Although the invention has been described herein with particular reference to use with electricity meters having optical ports, it is to be appreciated that variants of the invention could also be used to take readings from other types of utility meters, such as gas or water meters, provided those meters are of an electronic type having an optical data port of the general type discussed above.

Furthermore, whilst the invention has been described above in the context of an embodiment in which the optical head 20 is connected to the AMR device 22 via a cable 21, other embodiments are envisaged in which the cable 21 is replaced with a two-way RF link. Such an arrangement permits the AMR device to be located remotely from the meter itself, for example in a more prominent and convenient position for the consumer. In such an arrangement, the AMR device can be powered from the mains electricity, with the pass-through optical head 20 drawing its power from a small internal power source such as a high energy cell. A cell such as the commonly available CR2450 is particularly favoured.

Furthermore, whilst the invention has been described above for use with the optical head 20 connected or linked by RF to an AMR device, other embodiments are envisaged whereby the AMR device is replaced by other microprocessor based products such as a home energy display, or other building management equipment which may or may not have a remote transmission function.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments described above, many equivalent modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art when given this disclosure. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention set forth above are considered to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

When used in this specification and claims, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilized for realizing the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A meter reading device comprising an optical head for communication with an optical meter-port provided on a meter, the optical head comprising: optical means configured to communicate optically with the meter-port, and a secondary optical port, said optical means and said secondary optical port being operatively connected so as to provide pass-through communication between the secondary optical port and the meter-port.
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said secondary optical port is configured to replicate the optical meter-port on a meter.
3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said optical means comprises a first set of optoelectronic components configured for optical communication with optoelectronic components of the meter-port, and wherein said secondary optical port comprises a second set of optoelectronic components arranged to substantially replicate the optoelectronic components of the meter-port, the second set of optoelectronic components being arranged for electrical connection to the first set of optoelectronic components for pass-through communication with the meter-port.
4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the optoelectronic components of the first set are directionally opposed to those of the second set.
5. A device according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein at least one said set of optoelectronic components includes an LED and a photo detector.
6. A device according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein at least one said set of optoelectronic components includes an infra-red LED and an infra-red photo detector.
7. A device according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the or each photo detector is a phototransistor.
8. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the optical head includes a magnet in the region of said optical means, the magnet being configured for magnetic attraction towards part of the meter-port to releasably retain the head in position over the port.
9. A device according to claim 8 as dependant upon any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein the magnet is substantially annular, and is positioned so as extend generally around the first set of optoelectronic components.
10. A device according to claim 8, wherein the secondary port of the optical head includes a metallic area, the metallic area being configured for magnetic attraction towards a magnet forming part of another optical head, in order to retain said other optical head in position over the secondary port.
11. A device according to claim 10 as dependant upon any one of claims 3 to 9, wherein the metallic area is substantially annular, and is positioned so as extend generally around the second set of optoelectronic components.
12. A device according to any preceding claim, further comprising a processor configured to take meter readings substantially automatically via the optical head.
13. A device according to claim 12, wherein the processor comprises a clock circuit and a memory and is configured to communicate with the meter at predetermined time intervals, via the optical head and the meter-port, to read data representative of power consumption from the meter, and store said data in the memory.
14. A device according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to detect an optical interrogation signal received by said optical means and to output a corresponding interrogation signal via the io secondary optical port, the processor also being configured to detect an optical data signal received by said optical means and to output a corresponding data signal via the secondary optical port.
15. A device according to claim 14 as dependant upon claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to suspend said communication with the meter upon receipt of said optical interrogation by the secondary optical port.
16. A device according to any preceding claim provided in combination with a meter having an optical meter-port.