US 7,274,305 B1 · Electrical utility communications and control system

Abstract

A system for managing collection of data and remote operation of fielded remote units is disclosed. The remote units may be incorporated in automatic meter reading systems, capacitor bank switching systems, power line fault detection units, power recloser units, surveillance systems, railroad switch heaters, or any of a multitude of systems wherein widely scattered devices require monitoring and/or operational commands. Each remote unit is provided with a CELLEMETRY™ transceiver, allowing the unit to receive commands from and pass data to a data center via the cellular control channel network and the Internet. The data center is organized to provide data related to a particular service to an associated customer user via the Internet, the customer users being utility companies, railroad companies, surveillance companies, and the like. Particularly, electrical, gas and water utilities may advantageously utilize Applicant's system for automatic meter reading, prepaid utilities, fault location in 3 phase power, preventative power outage monitoring, and power outage monitoring.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A collar-based electrical utilities communications system comprising:

a plurality of electrical utilities devices, each of which is deployed at respective separate locations, each of said plurality of electrical utilities devices further comprising:
a collar connected between an electrical utility meter and an electrical utility meter base, said collar comprising
at least a switch for performing a function related to said electrical utilities, and
a cellular transmitter and a cellular receiver configured for communicating over control channels of a cellular network, and coupled to said switch, said cellular network coupled to the Internet;
a data center associated with said electrical utilities coupled to the Internet;
and
a user interface associated with said electrical utilities in said data center and configured to allow users to perform operations related to said switch and said electrical utilities devices.

4 more elements

An automated meter reading system comprising:

a hollow collar having a first set of electrical terminals pluggable into a receptacle for a local electrical meter,
a second set of electrical terminals that receive said local electrical meter, said first set of electrical terminals and said second set of electrical terminals communicating electrical power therebetween,
an electrically shielded electronics package mounted in said hollow collar, said electronics package coupled to said local electrical meter and further comprising:
a microprocessor receiving indications of consumed electrical power from said local electrical meter,
a cellular transmitter and cellular receiver coupled to said microprocessor, said microprocessor, said cellular transmitter and said cellular receiver configured for transmitting a local electrical meter reading from said local electrical meter to the Internet via cellular control channels,
a battery backup and control system for powering said microprocessor, said cellular transmitter and said cellular receiver during a power failure to notify the data center associated with said electrical utilities coupled to the Internet of said power failure.

3 more elements

A collar-based electrical utilities communications system comprising:

a plurality of electrical utilities devices, each of which is deployed at respective separate locations, each of said plurality of electrical utilities devices further comprising:
a collar connected between an electrical utility meter and an electrical utility meter base, said collar comprising
at least a switch for performing a function related to said electrical utilities, and
a communication means coupled to said switch, said communication means configured for communicating over a communication network;
a data center associated with said electrical utilities coupled to the communication network;
and
a user interface associated with said electrical utilities in said data center and configured to allow users to perform operations related to said switch and said electrical utilities devices.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electrical utility communications and control system

Life of this patent

Electrical utility communications and control system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26