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

A system for accumulating energy demand data from an electricity meter of a type having means for generating pulses corresponding to a demand rate, comprising:

• means for detecting pulses generated by said meter;
• means for counting the pulses detected by said detecting means during a predetermined measurement interval to develop demand data;
• memory means for storing said demand data during predetermined time intervals;
• means for transmitting stored demand data from said memory means to a central computer over a telephone line at periodic time intervals;
• an auxiliary battery power supply for supplying power to the system;
• error condition detecting means for detecting the existence of an error condition in said system, said error condition corresponding to a low battery condition of said auxiliary battery power supply, and further comprising low battery circuit means for detecting when the output voltage of said auxiliary battery power supply falls below a predetermined threshold magnitude and for providing a low battery signal to signal said error condition;
• and
• means responsive to said error condition for transmitting information corresponding to said error condition to said central computer over said telephone line.

A system for accumulating energy demand data from an electricity meter of a type having means for generating pulses corresponding to a demand rate, comprising:

• means for detecting pulses generated by said meter;
• means for counting the pulses detected by said detecting means during a predetermined measurement interval to develop demand data;
• memory means for storing said demand data during predetermined time intervals;
• means for transmitting stored demand data from said memory means to a central computer over a telephone line at periodic time intervals;
• error condition detecting means for detecting the existence of an error condition in said system, said error condition corresponding to a power outage, and further comprising outage detecting means for detecting the occurrence of a power outage comprising means responsive to the power line frequency for timing the interval between power line cycles, and means responsive to the timing means to provide a power outage signal in response to the failure of said timing means to detect a power line cycle within a predetermined maximum time period;
• and
• means responsive to said error condition for transmitting information corresponding to said error condition to said central computer over said telephone line.

A system for accumulating energy demand data from an electricity meter of a type having means for generating pulses corresponding to a demand rate, comprising:

• means for detecting pulses generated by said meter;
• means for counting the pulses detected by said detecting meand during a predetermined measurement interval to develop demand data;
• memory means for storing said demand data during predetermined time intervals;
• means for transmitting stored demand data from said memory means to a central computer over a telephone line at periodic time intervals;
• error condition detecting means for detecting the existence of an error condition in said system, said error condition corresponding to a power outage, and further comprising outage detecting means for detecting the occurrence of a power outage, and an auxiliary battery power supply for supplying power to said system during said power outage;
• and
• means responsive to said error condition for transmitting information corresponding to said error condition to said central computer over said telephone lines, wherein said transmitting means is operative to transmit information corresponding to the detection of said outage condition after restoration of power to avoid power drain on said auxiliary battery power supply during said outage.

A system for accumulating energy demand data from an electricity meter of a type having means for generating pulses corresponding to a demand rate, comprising:

• means for detecting pulses generated by same meter;
• means for counting the pulses detected by said detecting means during a predetermined measurement interval to develop demand data;
• memory means for storing said demand data during predetermined time intervals;
• means for transmitting stored demand data from said memory means to a central computer over a communications channel at periodic time intervals;
• error condition detecting means for detecting the existence of an error condition in said system, said error condition corresponding to a meter error, and further comprising timing means responsive to pulses detected by said detecting means for indicating said meter error in response to the failure by said detecting means to detect a pulse within a predetermined time period;
• and
• means responsive to said error condition for transmitting information corresponding to said error condition to said central computer over said communications channel.

A system for accumulating energy demand data from an electricity meter of a type having means for generating pulses corresponding to a demand rate, comprising:

• means for detecting pulses generated by said meter;
• means for counting the pulses detected by said detecting means during a predetermined measurement interval to develop demand data;
• memory means for storing said demand data during predetermined time intervals;
• means for transmitting stored demand data from said memory means to a central computer over a communications channel at periodic time intervals;
• an auxiliary battery power supply for supplying power to the system;
• error condition detecting means for detecting the existence of an error condition in said system, said error condition corresponding to a low battery condition of said auxiliary batery power supply, and further comprising low battery circuit means for detecting when the output voltage of said auxiliary battery power supply falls below a predetermined threshold magnitude and for providing a low battery signal to signal said error condition;
• and
• means responsive to said error condition for transmitting information corresponding to said error condition to said central computer over said communications channel.

A system for accumulating energy demand data from an electricity meter of a type having means for generating pulses corresponding to a demand rate, comprising:

• means for detecting pulses generated by said meter;
• means for counting the pulses detected by said detecting means during a predetermined measurement interval to develop demand data;
• memory means for storing said demand data during predetermined time intervals;
• means for transmitting stored demand data from said memory means to a central computer over a communications channel at periodic time intervals;
• error condition detecting means for detecting the existence of an error condition in said system, said error condition corresponding to a power outage, and further comprising outage detecting means for detecting the occurrence of a power outage including means responsive to the power line frequency for timing the interval between power line cycles, and means responsive to the timing means provide a power outage signal in response to the failure of said timing means to detect a power line cycle within a predetermined maximum time period;
• and
• means responsive to said error condition for transmitting information corresponding to said error condition to said central computer over said communications channel.

A system for accumulating energy demand data from an electricity meter of a type having means for generating pulses corresponding to a demand rate, comprising:

• means for detecting pulses generated by said meter;
• means for counting the pulses detected by said detecting means during a predetermined measurement interval to develop demand data;
• memory means for storing said demand data during predetermined time intervals;
• means for transmitting stored demand data from said memory means to a central computer over a communicaions channel at periodic time intervals;
• error condition detecting means for detecting the existence of an error condition in said system, said error condition corresponding to a power outage, and further comprising outage detecting means for detecting the occurrence of a power outage, and an auxiliary battery power supply for supplying power to said system during said power outage;
• and
• means responsive to said error condition for transmitting information corresponding to said error condition to said central computer over said communications channel, wherein said transmitting means is operative to transmit information corresponding to the detection of said outage condition after restoration of power to avoid power drain on said auxiliary battery power supply during said outage.