TH44209A - Equipment and Methods for Progressive Current Meter - Google Patents

Abstract

DC60 (11/05/43) Electricity meter with commercially viable mechanisms to detect electricity theft and transmit related data to the electricity provider. Specifically, the electricity theft detection mechanism includes detection of electricity theft by short-circuiting and detection of electricity theft by an externally induced strong electromagnetic field (EMF). When electricity theft is detected, the short-circuiting electricity theft counter and the external EMF electricity theft counter are incremented accordingly. There are no mechanisms to reduce or reset these electricity theft counters. Electricity users insert a smart card into the electricity meter to load electricity theft-related data and other data from the meter onto the smart card before going to the electricity usage counter for bill payment. Upon reaching the electricity usage counter, the data stored on the smart card is loaded onto a computer and stored in a central computer. The difference in the electricity theft counter value between the previous and subsequent adjustments will be reflected. This and the current adjustment will indicate electricity theft detection. Accumulated electricity usage measurements can still be loaded onto the smart card for billing. When payment is made, the currently adjusted meter data, but not the electricity theft counter values registered in the central computer, will be loaded into the electricity meter for the purpose of helping the electricity meter calculate the next payment. Electricity meters that have commercially available mechanisms to detect electricity theft and mechanisms to transmit electricity theft-related data to the electricity service provider, specifically, the electricity theft detection mechanism will include electricity theft detection by short-circuiting and electricity theft detection by an externally induced strong electromagnetic field (EMF). When electricity theft is detected, the electricity theft counter using short-circuiting and the electricity theft counter using the external EMF will be incremented accordingly. There is no mechanism to reduce or reset these electricity theft counters. Electricity service users will insert a smart card into the electricity meter to load related data. Electricity theft and other data from electricity meters are transferred to a smart card before being sent to the electricity counter for bill payment. Upon reaching the electricity counter, the data stored on the smart card is loaded onto a computer and stored in a central computer. The difference in the electricity theft counter value between the previous adjustment and the current adjustment indicates the detection of electricity theft. Accumulated electricity meter readings can still be loaded onto the smart card for billing. When payment is made, the currently adjusted meter data, but not the electricity theft counter value registered in the central computer, is loaded into the electricity meter to help the meter calculate the subsequent payment.

Claims (30)

1. The current meter, which incorporates methods to reduce electricity theft, includes: a) a short-circuit detector to detect parallel short circuits that bypass the input and output signals of the current meter; b) an electromagnetic field detector to detect externally induced electromagnetic fields; c) a meter rearrangement to measure the load current before the main fuse; and d) a data transfer device using a smart card to transmit electricity theft data and other information to the electricity service provider. 2. An electrical current meter with a method to reduce electrical theft as specified in Claim 1, in which the short-circuit detector consists of a mechanism of a) aiming the direction of the test current flowing into the current-sensing wire, b) measuring the said test current flowing in the current-sensing wire, c) comparing the measured test current with the said test current, and d) signaling the presence of a short-circuit when a difference in the measured test current compared to the said test current is detected. 3. The electricity meter shall have a mechanism to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claim 2, in which the test current shall have a fundamental frequency operating at a frequency beyond the harmonics of the fundamental frequency of the electricity service. 4. An electricity meter that employs a method to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claim 2, in which the test current has a small amplitude. 5. An electricity meter which has a mechanism to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claim 4, in which the amplitude of the test current may be constant. 6. An electricity meter with a method to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claim 4, where the amplitude of the test current may be altered at a fixed pattern. 7. The current meter is equipped with a mechanism to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claim 4, where the amplitude of the test current may vary in a random pattern. 8. The electricity meter, which has a method to reduce electricity theft as specified in claim 2, where the inspector knows the current, may be attached to a live wire. 9. The electricity meter, which has a method to reduce electricity theft as specified in claim 2, where the inspector knows the current, may be attached to the neutral wire. 10. An electricity meter with a mechanism to reduce electricity theft as described in Claim 1, in which an electromagnetic field detector shall consist of the following mechanisms: a) placing an electromagnetic field receiver around the electricity meter; b) measuring the external electromagnetic field strength; c) comparing the external electromagnetic field strength against a predetermined level; and d) transmitting a signal indicating the presence of an external electromagnetic field when an increase in the electromagnetic field strength above the predetermined level is detected. 11. The current meter is equipped with a method to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claim 10, in which an external electromagnetic interference field shall be of a strength capable of interfering with the normal operation of the current meter. 12. An electricity meter with a method to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claim 10, whereby a predetermined level shall be the acceptable electromagnetic field signal level prior to interference with the normal operation of the electricity meter. 13. An electricity meter with a mechanism to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claims 11 and 12, in which the normal operation of the electricity meter includes a component for calculating electricity consumption. 14. An electricity meter with a mechanism to reduce electricity theft as specified in claims 11 and 12, in which the normal operation of the electricity meter includes a volatile memory component. 15. An electricity meter with a mechanism to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claims 11 and 12, in which the normal operation of the electricity meter includes a component for storing data in a non-volatile memory. 16. The current meter, which has a method to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claim 1, shall have a re-arranged meter consisting of the following mechanisms: a) connecting the first end of the incoming live cable to the main distribution grid; b) passing the incoming cable through the current meter's transducer; c) connecting the second end of the incoming cable to the main fuse; d) measuring the load current flowing in the incoming cable; and f) measuring the current-consuming voltage across the live and neutral cable entry points after the main fuse. 17. An electricity meter with a method to prevent electricity theft as specified in Claim 16, where the incoming energized cable may be live. 18. An electricity meter with a method to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claim 16, where the incoming energized cable may be neutral. 19. An electricity meter with a method to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claim 16, where the current transducer can be a current transformer. 20. An electricity meter with a method to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claim 16, where the current transducer can be a Hall-effect current transducer. 21. The electricity meter shall have a method to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claim 16, in which the current transducer shall have an internal diameter large enough for only one electrical cable to pass through. 22. An electricity meter with a method to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claim 1, where the data transfer device shall consist of a mechanism for loading the electricity meter data onto a smart card via a smart card reader. 23. An electricity meter with a method to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claim 22, which includes data on the cumulative tampering count of the electricity meter. 24. An electricity meter with a method to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claim 22, which includes data containing a cumulative short-circuit counter. 25. An electricity meter with a method to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claim 22, which includes data containing an accumulated external electromagnetic field counter. 26. An electricity meter with a method to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claim 22, which contains information including the serial number of the electricity meter. 27. An electricity meter with a method to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claim 22, which includes data on cumulative electricity consumption measured by the electricity meter. 28. An electricity meter with a method to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claim 1, which may be a single-phase electricity meter. 29. An electricity meter with a method to reduce electricity theft as specified in Claim 1, which may be a multi-phase electricity meter. 30. The arrangement of electricity meters in a manner as specified in any of Claims 1 through 29.