WO2000077527A2 - Electrical energy meter - Google Patents
Electrical energy meter Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2000077527A2 WO2000077527A2 PCT/IL2000/000340 IL0000340W WO0077527A2 WO 2000077527 A2 WO2000077527 A2 WO 2000077527A2 IL 0000340 W IL0000340 W IL 0000340W WO 0077527 A2 WO0077527 A2 WO 0077527A2
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- meter
- customer
- cabinets
- sensors
- amount
- Prior art date
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Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
- G07F7/00—Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
- G07F7/08—Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q20/00—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols
- G06Q20/04—Payment circuits
- G06Q20/06—Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme
- G06Q20/065—Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme using e-cash
- G06Q20/0652—Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme using e-cash e-cash with decreasing value according to a parameter, e.g. time
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q20/00—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols
- G06Q20/08—Payment architectures
- G06Q20/12—Payment architectures specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
- G06Q20/127—Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q20/00—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols
- G06Q20/22—Payment schemes or models
- G06Q20/28—Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
-
- 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
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
- G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
- G07F17/0014—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00
Definitions
- the object of this invention is to eliminate these drawbacks, namely, to create a meter providing supply of electrical energy after pre-payment, the said meter being reasonably priced and ruling out the possibility of fraudulent use of electrical energy. Disclosure of the Invention
- the current parameter sensor can be equipped with a shunt (instead of the transformer) coupled with the linear pulser whereas
- the meters are made with placement in the central cabinet and in personal cabinets (one for each customer),
- the central cabinet houses the components serving all customers and a transmitter-receiver
- Fig.1 block diagram of the base variant of the proposed meter.
- Fig.2 block diagram of the meter, with analog-to-digital converter and current transformers of the current parameter sensors.
- Fig. 3 - fragment of the block diagram of the meter with current transformer of sensor, linear pulser and pulse counter.
- Fig.4 fragment of the block diagram with the shunt of the current parameter sensor, linear pulser, optical circuit separator, and pulse counter.
- Fig.5 diagram of the positioning of the meter's main parts when the customers are spaced widely from each other.
- the outputs of sensors l] ⁇ l n are connected to the inputs of multiplexer 2, its outputs coupled to microprocessor 3 for consecutive reading by said microprocessor of sensor indications (indications of binary counters whose number is equal to the number of customers) and recording the results in non-volatile memory (capable of storing the latest indications even in the event power is cut off).
- general command unit 7 is connected to microprocessor 3 ; said command unit being essentially a decoder from binary to position code and an amplifier ensuring output current sufficient for the normal functioning of the relay (or semi-conductor switch) 8 connected to the circuit of the amplifier, said relay (or semi-conductor switch) meant to connect to the power network each customer who has credit for electricity and disconnect from the power network each customer who has used up his credit for the preset amount of electricity. All in all, the meter has (n) relays or switches 8j ⁇ 8 n for each customer using the meter.
- Said pulser 12 one for each customer, is intended to transform the digits, in which incoming electricity is counted, into consecutive pulses of set duration coming at a rate proportional to the active power values (corresponding to incoming electrical energy).
- the central cabinet houses the components serving all customers (specifically functional elements 1, 3, 4, 5) and transmitter-receiver 18, - personal cabinets 17:
- the current parameter sensor is also placed on the input of the central cabinet.
- the meter has an ala ⁇ n device for customer cut off in case the difference between the amount of energy entering the meter and the amount of electrical energy fixed by the sensors in the personal cabinets over the same period of time exceeds the preset value.
- Each of the cabinets described herein has a device for giving a sound signal, disconnecting the customer from the power network and transmitting the alarm signal to the power supplier if a cabinet is opened (tampered with) by unauthorized persons, and meters (or a section of the network controlled by a meter) is broken into.
- the meter operates as follows:
- the microprocessor uses the receiving unit to record in the appropriate memory cell the sum pre-paid by the customer and his tariff rate. After that the microprocessor activates the relay (or the semi-conductor switch, which is its non-contact equivalent) and thus opens power supply to the customer who has made the pre-payment.
- the customer can at any moment verify how much credit is still available to him by inserting the smart card into the meter: after this action the microprocessor transfers to the display the amount of the available credit stored in the memory cell of this customer.
- information can be transmitted with low frequency. It allows to transmit information from sensors to microprocessor via multiplexer, using transmitter-receivers even if the meter components are placed in different (central and personal for each customer) cabinets located at a considerable distance from one another.
- the said function of preventing fraudulent use of electricity is performed by transmitting to microprocessor the information about the amount of electricity that has entered the meter input and the total amount of electricity recorded by the sensors in personal cabinets over a definite period of time and subsequently comparing these two values. If electricity has been stolen, the difference between said measured values will be above the permissible level, which will activate the abovesaid system.
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- Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
- General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
- Strategic Management (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
- Finance (AREA)
- Indication And Recording Devices For Special Purposes And Tariff Metering Devices (AREA)
- Remote Monitoring And Control Of Power-Distribution Networks (AREA)
- Measurement Of Current Or Voltage (AREA)
- Arrangements For Transmission Of Measured Signals (AREA)
Abstract
The electrical energy meter with energy prepayment, it is intended to simultaneous service of the customers number. The meter includes a reader (4) of information from the smart card, a display (5), interface (6), the microprocessor (3) for a calculation of consumed energy and performed payments and for control by the functional elements, a multiplexer (2) in the circuit between the sensors (1l-1n) of the current parameters (according to a customers number) and the microprocessor, to output of which a command unit (7) is connected; the last is coupled with a relay bank (8l-8n) for switching off an according customer in the case reaching of preset consumption of electrical energy. In the case of the customers being spaced at a substantial distance from each other the meter is made with placement in the central cabinet (16) and personal cabinets (17l-17n) for each customer; the last has corresponding elements of coupling between the cabinets, feed of signals for customers switching-off and feed of alarm signal during tampering with cabinets.
Description
ELECTRICAL ENERGY METER
Technical Field
The invention relates to the field of devices for measuring and controlling electrical energy consumption and is intended to ensure proper revenue collection and prevent fraudulent use of electrical energy.
Background Art
There is a great number of different modern devices for measuring electrical energy consumption, based on semi-conductor logical elements and pulse technology elements, information converters (that is, devices converting signals of a certain type into signals of another type), among them analog-to-digital converters (for instance, United States Patent #3 947 763 of 1976, US Cl. 342/142, Int. Cl. GOIR 11/32).
Metering devices which appeared later have programmable components, incorporating, in particular, microcontroller , memory components, display, interface. Meters of this kind can also detect current or voltage deviations above and below the preset range of values (for instance, United States Patent #5 315 235 of 1994, US Cl. 324/116, Int. Cl. GOIR 19/16).
There are also known programmable meters of electrical energy consumption of advanced logic action designed mainly for industrial application (for instance, European Patent EP 0 857 978 A2 dated 12.08.1998, application dated 21.02.1992, Int. Cl. GOIR 22/00; its analog is United States Patent #5 631 843 of 20.05.1997, application dated 6.06.1996).
There are meters of similar level in which multiplex circuits of analog- to-digital converters are used (for instance, United States Patent #5 544 089 of 1996, application dated 7.06.1995, US Cl. 364/492, Int. Cl. G06F 17/00).
The above-mentioned technical solutions are intended for use mainly in the industrialized countries (having higher level of consumer culture in using utilities), in particular for metering the electrical energy consumed by industrial or other power-intensive enterprises (including those with irregular load of the power mains).
Moreover, many countries, including developing ones and those which appeared after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, face the problem of collecting revenue for the services rendered, electricity supply in particular. To solve this problem, some well-known companies have developed and are manufacturing electronic meters which do not dispense electricity to the customer unless it has been pre-paid for.
The customer using such a meter pays a certain sum and gets a smart card with the sum paid written into its memory. Then the customer inserts the card into the slot of the meter which memorizes the sum paid and allows to the customer to get the amount of electricity pre-paid for.
Among the companies concerning with such meters are Landis & Gyr (Switzerland), Dalelektron (Russia), Schlumberger (France), D.M.S. Meters Ltd. (England), Conlog South Africa (South African Republic), Nisko Projects Electronics & Communications Ltd. (Israel) (see, for instance, the specialized measuring technology journal Metering International, 1998, issue 1, South Africa. Scarborough Publications International (Pty) Ltd., pp.24-25, 27,28-29).
Prior art meters are designed for personal use.
Each meter has a relay to disconnect the customer (after the credit for electricity has been used up), display (showing the amount of credit currently available for receiving electricity), interface, a unit reading information from the electronic card, sensor of the electric current parameters, and a processor which memorizes the information on the electronic card, records the amount of electrical energy consumed, calculates and transmits to the display the
available credit (information about remained sum), memorizes and on request transmits to the interface the information about electric current parameter fluctuations in time over the past six months, gives the switch-off command to the relay after the customer has used up the electricity paid for, - see, for instance, the technical description for such meters (Prepayment Multi-Rate Programmable Power Meter) developed by the Nisko Project Electronics & Communications Ltd., 1995 (excerpts and drawings are given in Appendix to this application).
Such meters, however, are costly (US$100÷500) and increments in revenue collection do not recover the expenses on purchasing and installing them in an acceptable period of time.
The D.M.S. Meters Ltd. (England) and Dak - Techn Ltd. (Israel) have developed an attachment to prior art induction meters which also provide supply of electrical energy after pre-payment. These attachments are cheaper than electronic meters, yet the overall cost of the induction meter with the attachment comes to US$70 ÷90 and their payback period is also too long.
The above-mentioned electronic meters and induction meters with attachments are installed in apartments or in doorways of condominiums.
In both cases the fraudulent customer can make a connection bypassing the meter and actually steal electricity.
However, placing the meter in the apartment makes the fraud easier, while in some cases meters placed in doorways of condominiums are known to have been stolen or broken.
These drawbacks limit the use of electronic meters and induction meters with attachments.
The object of this invention is to eliminate these drawbacks, namely, to create a meter providing supply of electrical energy after pre-payment, the said meter being reasonably priced and ruling out the possibility of fraudulent use of electrical energy.
Disclosure of the Invention
A meter is offered which provides a solution to the task defined above and is intended for reliable simultaneous serving of many customers with the possibility of installing one device in a condominium doorway, house or settlement (moshav, aul, etc.).
Like prior art meters of this class, the proposed meter has a unit to read the information off the smart card, information display (showing among other things the currently available credit for buying electricity), interface to transmit to the display the information about electric current parameter fluctuations over a definite interval of time, a processor which records the amount of expended electricity, calculates payments, the available credit, and controls the meter's functional elements (components).
But unlike prior art meters, this meter has a multiplexer, with its input connected to the output of the group of current parameters sensors (at least one sensor for each customer) and its output connected to the general processor which receives the information about the parameters of the current each customer consumes in time. The said meter also has a command unit (signaling device) connected to the processor's outputs to transmit the processor's commands to the group of relays (at least one relay for each customer) and disconnect the customer who has used up the credit for a definite amount of electricity from the external line.
The described solution reduces the cost of the meter per customer which makes a wider use of such meters financially feasible.
To increase the accuracy of measuring the current parameters, each sensor can be equipped with a current transformer, and an analog-to-digital converter can be connected between the multiplexer and the processor and switched on at intervals of time sufficient to ensure the preset class of accuracy by recording the parameters of the current in time.
If it is impossible and/or inexpedient to employ an analog-to-digital converter which can be switched on frequently enough to ensure the preset accuracy of recording the current parameters, the sensor is equipped with a
current transformer, a linear pulser and a pulse counter, with the latter connected to the processor via a multiplexer.
To optimize the device, the current parameter sensor can be equipped with a shunt (instead of the transformer) coupled with the linear pulser whereas
- the output of the pulser is coupled with the pulse counter via an optical circuit separator (optical couple);
- the pulse counter's output is coupled with the processor via the multiplexer.
Such solution ensures greater operation safety.
To ensure protection against fraudulent connection and prevent any tampering, all the components of the meter are housed in one cabinet (box) and secured against outside access by separate cables laid on to the individually controlled premises of the customer.
In the case of customers being spaced at a substantial distance from each other (for instance, in rural settlements) when the connection of each customer to the meter by a separate cable is not expedient financially,
- the meters are made with placement in the central cabinet and in personal cabinets (one for each customer),
- the central cabinet houses the components serving all customers and a transmitter-receiver,
- personal cabinets (each containing current parameter sensors, relays and devices to ensure coupling between personal and central cabinets) are located close to each customer in a place barring easy access.
In the latter case, to prevent electricity theft by cutting into the power network in the section between the central and personal cabinets, in addition to the personal cabinet sensors the current parameter sensor is also placed on the input of the central cabinet. The meter has an alarm device for customer cutoff in case the difference between the amount of energy entering said meter and the amount of energy fixed by the sensors in the personal cabinets over the same period of time exceeds the permissible value.
Each of the cabinets described herein has a device for giving a sound signal, disconnecting the customer from the power network and transmitting the alarm signal to the power supplier if a cabinet is opened (tampered with) by unauthorized persons, and/or a meter (or a section of the network controlled by a meter) is broken into.
A solution to the task of avoiding excessive energy losses (if customers are spaced at a substantial distance from each other) is offered by the method described below which envisages the following steps:
- measuring the amount of electrical energy which entered the meter over a fixed period of time
- detennining the total amount of energy fixed by the sensors in the personal cabinets over the same period of time,
- determining real losses (the difference between the amount of electrical energy which entered the meter over some interval of time and total amount of energy fixed (recorded) by the sensors in personal cabinets over the same period of time),
- comparing the determined real losses with the value (level) of permissible losses,
- disconnecting the customer and giving an alarm signal if real losses exceed the permissible level.
A comparative analysis of this meter and prior art solutions of similar purpose shows that the proposed meter has novelty and inventive step, industrially applicable - all of which makes the proposed solution worthy of legal protection by a patent.
Brief Description of the Drawings
The substance of the invention is illustrated by the attached drawings, in particular
Fig.1 - block diagram of the base variant of the proposed meter. Fig.2 - block diagram of the meter, with analog-to-digital converter and current transformers of the current parameter sensors.
Fig. 3 - fragment of the block diagram of the meter with current transformer of sensor, linear pulser and pulse counter. Fig.4 - fragment of the block diagram with the shunt of the current parameter sensor, linear pulser, optical circuit separator, and pulse counter. Fig.5 - diagram of the positioning of the meter's main parts when the customers are spaced widely from each other.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments
The meter in its base variant (Fig.1) has sensors 1 of the electric current parameters (voltage and current) changing in time. There is at least one sensor for each connected customer (n - the total quantity of sensors).
The outputs of sensors l]÷ln are connected to the inputs of multiplexer 2, its outputs coupled to microprocessor 3 for consecutive reading by said microprocessor of sensor indications (indications of binary counters whose number is equal to the number of customers) and recording the results in non-volatile memory (capable of storing the latest indications even in the event power is cut off).
Reader 4, which reads off the smart card the amount of power pre-paid for by each customer, is connected to said microprocessor 3 (CPU).
Display 5, also connected to said microprocessor 3, gives information, specifically on the credit each customer still has (corresponding to the amount of electricity in kWh each customer can receive).
Further, interface 6 is connected to said microprocessor 3 to transmit information to external unit upon request.
Finally, general command unit 7 is connected to microprocessor 3 ; said command unit being essentially a decoder from binary to position code and an amplifier ensuring output current sufficient for the normal functioning of the relay (or semi-conductor switch) 8 connected to the circuit of the amplifier, said relay (or semi-conductor switch) meant to connect to the power network each customer who has credit for electricity and disconnect from the power network each customer who has used up his credit for the
preset amount of electricity. All in all, the meter has (n) relays or switches 8j÷8n for each customer using the meter.
For greater accuracy of metering electric current parameters, each sensor can be equipped with current transformer 9 and amplifier 10 (Fig.2), and analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 11 can be switched on between multiplexer 2 and microprocessor 3, with the switch-on frequency ensuring the preset accuracy of recording current parameters in time.
If it is impossible or inexpedient to use analog-to-digital converter which can be switched frequently enough to record current parameters with a preset accuracy, the sensor can be connected to current transformer 9 (Fig.3), linear pulser 12 and pulse counter 13, with the latter connected to microprocessor 3 via multiplexer.
Instead of current transformer, shunt 14 (Fig.4) coupled with linear pulser 12 can be employed: in this case the output of the pulser is coupled with pulse counter 13 via optical circuit separator 15 (optical couple), with the output of said counter 13 coupled with microprocessor 3 via multiplexer.
Said pulser 12, one for each customer, is intended to transform the digits, in which incoming electricity is counted, into consecutive pulses of set duration coming at a rate proportional to the active power values (corresponding to incoming electrical energy).
To ensure protection against fraudulent connection and/or prevent any tampering, all the components of the meter are housed in one cabinet (secured against outside access): with separate cables laid on to the individually controlled premises of the customer.
In the case of customers being spaced at a substantial distance from each other (in particular, in rural areas) when separate cable connection of each customer to the meter is financially unfeasible, the meter (Fig.5)
- is made with placement in the central cabinet 16 and in personal cabinets 17!÷17n (one for each customer),
- the central cabinet houses the components serving all customers (specifically functional elements 1, 3, 4, 5) and transmitter-receiver 18,
- personal cabinets 17:|-17n are located close to each customer 19j-19n in a place barring easy access; said personal cabinets house sensors li- ln of current parameters, specifically elements 14j-14n, 12!-12n,
13ι- 13n, relays δ^δn and devices 18ι-18n for providing of link
(communication) between personal and central cabinets.
In the latter case, to prevent electricity theft by cutting into the power network in the section between the central and personal cabinets, in addition to the personal cabinet sensors the current parameter sensor is also placed on the input of the central cabinet. The meter has an alaπn device for customer cut off in case the difference between the amount of energy entering the meter and the amount of electrical energy fixed by the sensors in the personal cabinets over the same period of time exceeds the preset value.
Each of the cabinets described herein has a device for giving a sound signal, disconnecting the customer from the power network and transmitting the alarm signal to the power supplier if a cabinet is opened (tampered with) by unauthorized persons, and meters (or a section of the network controlled by a meter) is broken into.
The meter operates as follows:
To ensure an uninterrupted supply of electricity, every customer must pre-pay for electricity in a bank, which writes the sum of the electricity credit into his personal smart card. The customer gets electricity upon inserting the smart card into the meter.
The microprocessor uses the receiving unit to record in the appropriate memory cell the sum pre-paid by the customer and his tariff rate. After that the microprocessor activates the relay (or the semi-conductor switch, which is its non-contact equivalent) and thus opens power supply to the customer who has made the pre-payment.
During the operation of the meter, the microprocessor, jointly with multiplexer, consecutively reads data off all the sensors which transmit the electric current parameters in analog form, in particular to analog-to-digital
converter, which converts the information into digital form and transmits said parameters to microprocessor in digital form.
The reading cycle is repeated with a switch-on frequency necessary to ensure the preset class of accuracy. It is a frequency which makes it possible for the microprocessor to calculate the amount of electricity received by each customer with the required accuracy and transmit to his cell the data on the parameters of the current received, the amount of electricity expended, the amount of the credit used up and available, taking account of the time tariffs.
If a customer has used up all sum of his pre-payment (and has not made another one), the microprocessor uses the command unit (and the appropriate relay) to disconnect this customer from the power network (the system of electricity power service).
The customer can at any moment verify how much credit is still available to him by inserting the smart card into the meter: after this action the microprocessor transfers to the display the amount of the available credit stored in the memory cell of this customer.
In another embodiment of the meter, the sensor of the current parameters equipped with transformer (or shunt), linear pulser and pulse counter (the pulse number is proportional to the amount of incoming electrical energy), transmits the information about the electric current parameters and the amount of the fixed energy to the microprocessor via multiplexer.
To avoid conductive coupling of the microprocessor and power network, the pulses from each pulser 12 go to pulse counter 13 (binary) via the optical couple (in the shunt embodiment of the meter), the microprocessor reading off said counter at preset intervals of time. After each reading counter 13 is caused to go to zero to avoid overflowing.
The results of readings are summed up in the memory cell of the customer and compared to the amount of the electricity paid for.
In this embodiment, information can be transmitted with low frequency. It allows to transmit information from sensors to microprocessor via multiplexer, using transmitter-receivers even if the meter components are
placed in different (central and personal for each customer) cabinets located at a considerable distance from one another.
However, this kind of placement the meter's components with respect to the customer creates auspicious conditions for fraudulent connection to the power network in the section between the main and personal (individual) cabinets.
To prevent fraudulent connection (theft of electricity), special devices installed in cabinets send sound signals, customer cutoff signal and alarm signal for the power supplier in the event a cabinet housing a meter has been broken into or tampered with by unauthorized persons or if a section of the power network controlled by a meter has been fraudulently penetrated.
The said function of preventing fraudulent use of electricity is performed by transmitting to microprocessor the information about the amount of electricity that has entered the meter input and the total amount of electricity recorded by the sensors in personal cabinets over a definite period of time and subsequently comparing these two values. If electricity has been stolen, the difference between said measured values will be above the permissible level, which will activate the abovesaid system.
Claims
1. An electrical energy meter cutting off power supply after a preset (prepaid) amount has been used up, comprising: sensors of the electric current parameters changing in time and relays for disconnection the customers from the power network, wherein the number of said sensors and said relays each is at least equal to the number of customers, reader of information off the smart card about the sum of prepayment made by the customer for use of electricity, display for outputting information, interface to transmit information to external device upon request, processor to integrate said functional elements of the meter into a system to calculate the amount of expended electricity, prepayments made by the customers and available credit of each customer, and to control said functional elements of the meter, multiplexer connected to the outputs of sensors of the current parameters, the output of said multiplexer being coupled with processor to transmit to said processor information about the parameters of the current used by each customer as a function of time, command unit connected to said processor's outputs to transmit processor's command to the relay of corresponding customer for disconnecting said customer from the power network if the amount of electricity used up by said customer reaches the preset value.
2. The meter, according to Claim 1, wherein said sensor of the current parameters is equipped with current transformer, and analog-to-digital converter is switched on between said multiplexer and said processor, said converter is switched on at intervals of time sufficient to ensure the preset class of accuracy in recording current parameters in time.
3. The meter according to Claim 1, wherein
- said sensor of the current parameters is equipped with current transformer, linear pulser and pulse counter, and
- said pulse counter is coupled with said processor via multiplexer.
4. The meter according to Claim 1, wherein
- said sensor of the current parameters is equipped with current shunt coupled with said linear pulser,
- the output of said linear pulser is coupled with said pulse counter via optical circuit separator,
- output of said pulse counter is coupled with said processor via said multiplexer, with greater operation safety ensured.
5. The meter according to Claim 1, wherein
- functional elements are installed in a single cabinet,
- said cabinet is connected by separate cables to the customer's premises controlled individually with prevention of the attempts of unauthorized connections to the power network and/or tampering with the meter's components.
6. The meter according to Claim 1 wherein, in the case of customers being spaced at a substantial distance from each other
- is made with placement in the central cabinet and personal cabinets for each customer,
- whereas the components serving all customers and transmitter- receiver are installed in the central cabinet, and
- said personal cabinets are located close to each customer in a place difficult to access, while said personal cabinets house said sensors of current parameters, relays and devices to ensure coupling between personal and central cabinets.
. The meter according to Claim 6, wherein
- the sensor of current parameters is placed in the main cabinet at the meter's input, and
- said meter has a device to give an alarm signal and cut off the customer supply if the difference between the amount of electrical energy which has entered the meter and the amount of electrical energy fixed by the sensors of the personal cabinets over the same period of time exceeds the permissible value.
8. The meter according to Claim 5 or 6, wherein its cabinet (cabinets) is/are equipped with a device (devices) for giving a sound signal, disconnecting the customer from the power network and transmitting the alarm signal to electricity supplier if an unauthorized opening of a cabinet (tampering with cabinets) in which the meter is housed (or unauthorized cutting into a section of the power network controlled by the meter) has taken place.
9. Method of preventing excessive energy losses when the meter according to Claim 6 is employed and the following operations are performed in accordance with this method:
- measuring the amount of electrical energy which entered the meter over a fixed period of time,
- determining the total amount of energy fixed by the sensors in the personal cabinets over the same period of time,
- determining real losses (the difference of the amount of electrical energy which entered the meter over some interval of time and the total amount of energy fixed by sensors in personal cabinets over the same interval of time),
- comparing the determined real losses with the level of permissible losses, disconnecting the consumers and giving an alarm signals if real losses exceed the permissible value.
Priority Applications (5)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| EA200101233A EA003601B1 (en) | 1999-06-10 | 2000-06-08 | Electrical energy meter |
| APAP/P/2002/002390A AP2002002390A0 (en) | 1999-06-10 | 2000-06-08 | Electrical energy meter. |
| AU52432/00A AU5243200A (en) | 1999-06-10 | 2000-06-08 | Electrical energy meter |
| APAP/P/2002/002385A AP2002002385A0 (en) | 1999-06-10 | 2000-06-08 | Electrical energy meter. |
| UA2002010189A UA72254C2 (en) | 1999-06-10 | 2000-08-06 | Consumed electrical energy meter |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| IL130407 | 1999-06-10 | ||
| IL13040799A IL130407A0 (en) | 1999-06-10 | 1999-06-10 | Electrical energy meter |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| WO2000077527A2 true WO2000077527A2 (en) | 2000-12-21 |
| WO2000077527A3 WO2000077527A3 (en) | 2001-04-19 |
Family
ID=11072910
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IL2000/000340 WO2000077527A2 (en) | 1999-06-10 | 2000-06-08 | Electrical energy meter |
Country Status (7)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CN (1) | CN1169076C (en) |
| AP (2) | AP2002002385A0 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU5243200A (en) |
| EA (1) | EA003601B1 (en) |
| IL (1) | IL130407A0 (en) |
| UA (1) | UA72254C2 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2000077527A2 (en) |
Cited By (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2834408A1 (en) * | 2001-12-28 | 2003-07-04 | Roiret Entpr S | ELECTRONIC INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM OF PRODUCT (S) AND / OR SERVICE (S) IN NETWORK (X). |
| EP1536384A2 (en) * | 2003-11-25 | 2005-06-01 | Landis+Gyr Limited | Improvements relating to metering |
| US7202800B2 (en) | 2002-07-12 | 2007-04-10 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Mobile communication-based remote meter reading system and method |
| WO2008024079A1 (en) * | 2006-08-24 | 2008-02-28 | Energy Market Authority | Utility vending system and method |
| DE102009011757A1 (en) | 2009-03-04 | 2010-09-09 | Inensus Gmbh | Controller for small power grids for use as interface between one or more current generators and individual electricity consumers, comprises energy distributor for branching of electrical power from feeder line to multiple consumer lines |
| CN102121977A (en) * | 2010-12-14 | 2011-07-13 | 华北电网有限公司计量中心 | Method and device for detecting IC (Integrate Circuit) card electric energy meter |
| CN111830301A (en) * | 2019-04-23 | 2020-10-27 | 宁波三星智能电气有限公司 | Electric energy meter |
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| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2009127152A1 (en) * | 2008-04-18 | 2009-10-22 | 湖北盛佳电器设备有限公司 | Quickly combined cordwood metering device and function expanding module combined with the same |
| CN103323666B (en) * | 2013-06-24 | 2015-12-23 | 南京国电南自电网自动化有限公司 | Integrated form electric energy metering module |
| CN104158670B (en) * | 2014-08-27 | 2017-12-26 | 北京华力创通科技股份有限公司 | Gigabit Ethernet bypass apparatus |
| CN105572471A (en) * | 2015-12-18 | 2016-05-11 | 杭州意聚电子技术有限公司 | Multipath meter, built-in circuit board and centralized meter reading system |
| CN107305244A (en) * | 2016-04-20 | 2017-10-31 | 白庆文 | Electric energy meter abnormal alarm device |
| CN106920331B (en) * | 2017-01-13 | 2019-06-28 | 成都中科慧源科技有限公司 | A kind of metering abnormality alarming system and method for intelligent gas meter |
| CN106910290B (en) * | 2017-01-13 | 2019-06-28 | 成都中科慧源科技有限公司 | A kind of metering abnormality alarming system of intelligent gas meter |
| US11131695B2 (en) * | 2019-08-15 | 2021-09-28 | Analog Devices, Inc. | Measuring electrical energy consumption |
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| US3870866A (en) * | 1971-11-11 | 1975-03-11 | Halpern John Wolfgang | Fee charging system |
| US4240030A (en) * | 1978-12-14 | 1980-12-16 | Bateman Jess R | Intelligent electric utility meter |
| US4727315A (en) * | 1984-05-14 | 1988-02-23 | The General Electric Company, P.L.C. | Electricity metering equipment |
| US4908769A (en) * | 1986-06-16 | 1990-03-13 | Schlumberger Electronics (Uk) Limited | Commodity metering systems |
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| JP3220056B2 (en) * | 1997-08-06 | 2001-10-22 | 矢崎総業株式会社 | Prepaid energy meter |
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1999
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-
2000
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- 2000-06-08 AP APAP/P/2002/002385A patent/AP2002002385A0/en unknown
- 2000-06-08 WO PCT/IL2000/000340 patent/WO2000077527A2/en active Application Filing
- 2000-06-08 AP APAP/P/2002/002390A patent/AP2002002390A0/en unknown
- 2000-06-08 AU AU52432/00A patent/AU5243200A/en not_active Abandoned
- 2000-06-08 EA EA200101233A patent/EA003601B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2000-08-06 UA UA2002010189A patent/UA72254C2/en unknown
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| US3870866A (en) * | 1971-11-11 | 1975-03-11 | Halpern John Wolfgang | Fee charging system |
| US4240030A (en) * | 1978-12-14 | 1980-12-16 | Bateman Jess R | Intelligent electric utility meter |
| US4727315A (en) * | 1984-05-14 | 1988-02-23 | The General Electric Company, P.L.C. | Electricity metering equipment |
| US4908769A (en) * | 1986-06-16 | 1990-03-13 | Schlumberger Electronics (Uk) Limited | Commodity metering systems |
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Cited By (11)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2834408A1 (en) * | 2001-12-28 | 2003-07-04 | Roiret Entpr S | ELECTRONIC INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM OF PRODUCT (S) AND / OR SERVICE (S) IN NETWORK (X). |
| WO2003060840A1 (en) * | 2001-12-28 | 2003-07-24 | Roiret Entreprises S.A. | Electronic system for data management and product and/or service distribution over network(s) |
| US7202800B2 (en) | 2002-07-12 | 2007-04-10 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Mobile communication-based remote meter reading system and method |
| EP1536384A2 (en) * | 2003-11-25 | 2005-06-01 | Landis+Gyr Limited | Improvements relating to metering |
| EP1536384A3 (en) * | 2003-11-25 | 2005-11-09 | Landis+Gyr Limited | Improvements relating to metering |
| WO2008024079A1 (en) * | 2006-08-24 | 2008-02-28 | Energy Market Authority | Utility vending system and method |
| GB2454828A (en) * | 2006-08-24 | 2009-05-20 | Energy Market Authority | Utility vending system and method |
| DE102009011757A1 (en) | 2009-03-04 | 2010-09-09 | Inensus Gmbh | Controller for small power grids for use as interface between one or more current generators and individual electricity consumers, comprises energy distributor for branching of electrical power from feeder line to multiple consumer lines |
| CN102121977A (en) * | 2010-12-14 | 2011-07-13 | 华北电网有限公司计量中心 | Method and device for detecting IC (Integrate Circuit) card electric energy meter |
| CN111830301A (en) * | 2019-04-23 | 2020-10-27 | 宁波三星智能电气有限公司 | Electric energy meter |
| CN111830301B (en) * | 2019-04-23 | 2023-03-31 | 宁波三星智能电气有限公司 | Electric energy meter |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CN1169076C (en) | 2004-09-29 |
| EA200101233A1 (en) | 2002-06-27 |
| AP2002002385A0 (en) | 2002-03-31 |
| AU5243200A (en) | 2001-01-02 |
| CN1367905A (en) | 2002-09-04 |
| EA003601B1 (en) | 2003-06-26 |
| WO2000077527A3 (en) | 2001-04-19 |
| IL130407A0 (en) | 2000-06-01 |
| UA72254C2 (en) | 2005-02-15 |
| AP2002002390A0 (en) | 2002-03-31 |
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