User-installable power consumption monitoring system

A method for measuring power usage from a power meter having a meter socket and a rotating disk disposed within the meter socket and marked with a rotation indicator, said method comprising:

• illuminating the rotating disk at successive positions with an incident beam of light from a position outside the meter socket while exposed to ambient light;
• sensing both the ambient light and the light reflected from the incident beam of light to generate a first signal and sensing the ambient light alone to generate a second signal at the successive position;
• comparing the two signals to generate a reflection signal indicative of the light reflected from the incident beam of light at the successive positions;
• and
• comparing successive reflective signals to detect the presence of the rotation indicator and generate rotation detect signals in response to revolutions of the rotating disk indicative of the power usage.

A power usage monitor for displaying power usage information at an on-site location, said power usage monitor comprising:

• a receiver operable to receive data from a server associated with a power provider, the received data including at least one data element being indicative of status of a power network;
• a display operable to display the at least one data element of the received data, and
• a processor coupled to said receiver and said display, said processor having software executing thereon to:
• receive the data from said receiver;
• parse the data including the at least one data element being indicative of the status of the power network;
• and
• communicate the at least one data element to said display to notify a user at the on-site location of the status of the power network.

A method for displaying power usage information to a consumer of an energy provider of a power network, said method comprising:

• receiving data from the energy provider, the data including at least one data element being indicative of a status of the power network;
• parsing the data including the at least one data element being indicative of the status of the power network;
• and
• displaying the at least one data element to notify the consumer of the status of the power network.

A power usage monitor for displaying power usage information to a consumer of an energy provider of a power network, said power usage monitor comprising:

• means for receiving data from the energy provider, the data including at least one data element being indicative of a status of the power network;
• means for parsing the data including the at least one data element being indicative of the status of the power network status;
• and
• means for displaying the at least one data element to notify the consumer of the status of the power network.

A system for communicating up-to-date feedback on power usage data to a power usage monitor at an user location, said system comprising:

• a server, associated with a power provider, having (i) a receiver operable to receive the power usage data from the power usage monitor, (ii) a storage medium for storing the power usage data, and (iii) a processor coupled to the receiver and the storage medium, the processor having software executing thereon to:
• receive the power usage data from the receiver;
• analyze the power usage data, the analysis including updating data having at least one data element being indicative of billing rate changes based on status of a power network, and
• communicate the at least one data element to the power usage monitor to notify a user at the user location of up-to-date power pricing.

A method for communicating on power usage information to a power usage monitor at a user location, said method comprising:

• receiving power usage data from the power usage monitor;
• analyzing the power usage data, the analysis comprising updating data including at least one data element being indicative of billing rate changes based on a status of a power network;
• and
• communicating the status of the power network to the power usage monitor to notify a user at the user location of power constraint schedules.

A method for determining cost savings at a data center associated with a power provider, said method comprising:

• communicating a power network status to a power usage monitor having a display at an on-site location to notify a user of a power constraint period;
• determining if power usage performance of the user indicates a reduction in power usage during the power constraint period, the reduction in power usage being determined by the data center;
• computing the cost savings resulting from the reduction in power usage during the power constraint period;
• and
• communicating a cost savings notification to the power usage monitor to notify the user at the on-site location of the cost savings.

A method for sensing a variation in reflectance of a light source from a rotating disk having a rotation indicator, said method comprising:

• illuminating the rotating disk with the light source for a first duration of time;
• measuring the reflectance of the light source from the rotating disk over the first and a second duration of time, the first and second durations of time being substantially consecutive;
• determining a maximum reflectance value from at least one measurement during the first duration of time;
• determining a minimum reflectance value from at least one measurement during the second duration of time;
• and
• computing the differential output value based on the maximum and minimum reflectance values.

A system for sensing a variation in reflectance of a light source from a rotating disk having a rotation indicator, said system comprising:

• means for illuminating the rotating disk with the light source for a first duration of time;
• means for measuring the reflectance of the light source from the rotating disks over the first and a second duration of time, the first and second durations of time being substantially consecutive;
• means for determining a maximum reflectance value from at least one measurement during the first duration of time;
• means for determining a minimum reflectance value from at least one measurement during the second duration of time;
• and
• means for computing the differential output value based on the maximum and minimum reflectance values.

A method for determining power usage of a utility consumer from a power meter having a rotating disk having a rotation indicator, said method comprising:

• directing a source beam toward a position of the rotating disk capable of intersecting the rotation indicator;
• measuring at least one first reflectance value of the source beam reflected from the rotating disk;
• measuring at least one second reflectance value absent the source beam from the rotating disk at a predetermined time difference of said measuring the at least one first reflectance value of the source beam;
• and
• computing a value as a function of the at least one first and second reflectance value, the value being indicative of the source beam intersecting the rotation indicator.

A system for determining power usage of a utility consumer from a power meter having a rotating disk having a rotation indicator, said system comprising:

• means for directing a source beam toward a position of the rotating disk capable of intersecting the rotation indicator;
• means for measuring at least one first reflectance value of the source beam reflected from the rotating disk;
• means for measuring at least one second reflectance value absent the source beam from the rotating disk at a predetermined time difference of said measuring the at least one first reflectance value of the source beam;
• and
• means for computing a value as a function of the at least one first and second reflectance value, the value being indicative of the source beam intersecting the rotation indicator.

An apparatus for determining power usage of a utility consumer from a power meter having a rotating disk having a rotation indicator, said apparatus comprising:

• a timing source operable to generate a timing signal;
• a source beam producing element coupled to the timing source, and directed to the rotating disk at a location capable of intersecting the rotation indicator, the source beam producing element operable in response to the timing signal of said timing source;
• a source beam receptor operable to react to a source beam produced by said source beam producing element;
• and
• a sampling generator coupled to said source beam receptor, and operable to provide a plurality of samples from said source beam receptor, at least one first sample occurring during operation of the source beam producing element and at least one second sample occurring during the absence of the operation of the source beam producing element, the at least one first and second samples occurring within a time duration that altering lighting conditions are substantially invariant.

A method for providing discounts to a consumer of electric energy usage from a power grid, said method comprising:

• ascertaining information indicative of the status of the power grid;
• issuing up-to-date notification to the consumer based on the status of the power grid;
• and
• providing a discount to the consumer based on the consumer altering electric energy usage in response to the up-to-date notification.

A system for providing discounts to a consumer of electric energy usage from a power grid, said system comprising:

• means for ascertaining information indicative of the status of the power grid;
• means for issuing up-to-date notification to the consumer based on the status of the power grid;
• and
• means for providing a discount to the consumer based on the consumer altering electric energy usage in response to the up-to-date notification.