Method of and system for accumulating verifiable energy demand data from remote electricity meters

Abstract

Pulses generated by the pulse initiator of an electricity meter (30) are counted during successive measurement intervals. The pulse count for each interval is stored in the solid state memory (42) of a recorder (10), to be thereafter transmitted to a central computer and printed and/or displayed to obtain energy demand survey and billing data. The operation of the recorder is controlled by a programmable microprocessor (38). To verify the accuracy of the pulses counted during each interval, the counts are accumulated over a predetermined number of successive intervals constituting a record. The accumulated count is compared with an encoded register reading obtained from the meter (30) at the end of the record. If there is acceptable correlation between the accumulated count and encoded meter reading, the interval pulse counts associated with that record are deemed verified. Power for the recorder (10) is obtained from the powerline, except during power outages in which case a rechargeable battery (28) provides back-up power. Battery charging is under the control of the microprocessor.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.