Programmable multi-channel load profile recorder and method of recording electrical energy metering quantities therein

A programmable multi-channel load profile recorder for use in connection with a metering unit which supplies metering quantities thereto, the metering quantities including watt-hours, said recorder, comprising:

• a processor;
• data memory comprising a non-volatile random-access memory element and a programmable read-only memory element, said non-volatile random-access memory element configured to store the metering quantities supplied by the metering unit, said data memory coupled to said processor;
• a data link for transferring data to an external unit upon receipt of a transfer request therefrom;
• a plurality of memory-based tables stored in said programmable read-only memory element said memory-based tables comprising:
• a load profile configuration table;
• a plurality of channel configuration tables;
• and
• a plurality of operation modules;
• wherein said load profile configuration table comprises an entry therein for each of a plurality of preselected metering quantities to be derived and for retaining a pointer to one of the entries in one of the channel configuration tables,
• wherein said plurality of channel configuration tables each comprise entries therein for retaining parameter data to be used in determining at least one of the plurality of preselected metering quantities to be derived and for retaining a pointer to at least one of said plurality of operation modules, and
• wherein said plurality of operation modules comprise instructions therein to be executed by said processor upon receipt of a transfer request so that the plurality of preselected metering quantities can be determined based at least in part on the metering quantities stored in said non-volatile random-access memory element.

A method of recording a plurality of electrical energy metering quantities in a multi-channel load profile recorder, the recorder including a processor, data memory including a non-volatile random-access memory element and a programmable read-only memory element, the non-volatile random-access memory element configured to store metering quantities supplied by the metering unit, the data memory coupled to said processor, the recorder further including a data link for transferring data to an external unit upon receipt of a transfer request therefrom and a plurality of memory-based tables stored in the programmable read-only memory element said memory-based tables, the method comprising the steps of:

• accessing a plurality of channel configuration tables, contained in the programmable memory of the recorder, to obtain parameter data corresponding to each of the plurality of electrical energy metering quantities to be recorded and obtain pointers to entries in an operations table contained in the programmable memory;
• accessing the operations table to obtain pointers to operation modules in the programmable memory which contain instructions therein;
• and
• controlling the processor to execute the instructions in the operation modules upon receipt of a transfer request to derive the plurality of electrical energy metering quantities.