# US 7,609,051 B2 · Energy metering system

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- Number: US 7,609,051 B2
- Document ID: US7609051B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/584,668
- Filed: 2004-11-12
- Published: 2007-12-06
- Granted: 2009-10-27
- Earliest claimed: 2003-12-30
- Assignees: austriamicrosystems AG
- Inventors: Gerhard Fritz; Erwin Schmalzl
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7609051B2

## CPC

- G01R 21/133: by using digital technique
- H04B 3/03: Hybrid circuits (for transceivers H04B1/52, H04B1/58)
- G01R 35/04: of instruments for measuring time integral of power or current
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)
- H04B: TRANSMISSION

## Abstract

An energy consumption meter includes a first input for providing a first input signal derived from a voltage, a first analog-to-digital (A/D) converter electrically connected to the first input to generate a first output signal based on the first input signal, a second input for providing a second input signal derived from a current, a second A/D converter electrically connected to the second input to generate a second output signal based on the second input signal, a multiplier to combine signals corresponding to the first and second output signals, and a phase evaluation block having two inputs that are electrically connected to the first input and to the second input. The phase evaluation block measures a phase difference that corresponds to a phase difference between the first input signal and the second input signal. A phase correction block corrects for the phase difference in one of the first output signal and the second output signal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An energy consumption meter comprising:
a first input for providing a first input signal derived from a voltage;
a first analog-to-digital converter electrically connected to the first input to generate a first output signal based on the first input signal;
a second input for providing a second input signal derived from a current;
a second analog-to-digital converter electrically connected to the second input to generate a second output signal based on the second input signal;
a multiplier to combine signals corresponding to the first and second output signals;
a phase evaluation block comprising two inputs, one of the two inputs being electrically connected to the first input and another of the two inputs being electrically connected to the second input, the phase evaluation block to measure a phase difference that corresponds to a phase difference between the first input signal and the second input signal, and the phase evaluation block comprising an output that is electrically connected to a phase correction block; and
the phase correction block electrically connected to an output terminal of one of the first and second analog-to digital converters, the phase correction block to correct for the phase difference in one of the first output signal and the second output signal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The energy consumption meter of claim 1, wherein the phase evaluation block comprises means for permanently storing a phase correction value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The energy consumption meter claim 1, further comprising:
a first limiting amplifier to couple the first input to an input of the phase evaluation block; and
a second limiting amplifier to couple the second input to an input of the phase evaluation block.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The energy consumption meter of claim 1, wherein the first and the second analog-to-digital converters comprise sigma-delta converters.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The energy consumption meter of claim 1, further comprising:
an integrator electrically connected downstream of the multiplier relative to the first and second inputs.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The energy consumption meter of claim 1, wherein the first and the second analog-to-digital converters, the phase correction block, and the phase evaluation block are implemented using integrated circuit technology.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The energy consumption meter of claim 1, further comprising:
a nonconductively coupling transfer arrangement for providing the first input signal and/or the second input signal to the first input and/or the second input, respectively.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The energy consumption meter of claim 7, wherein the nonconductively coupling transfer arrangement comprises a transformer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The energy consumption meter of claim 1, further comprising:
a test signal generator to generate a test signal, the test signal generator being electrically connected to the first input and to the second input.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The energy consumption meter of claim 1:
wherein the first analog-to-digital converter is directly connected to the first input;
wherein the second analog-to-digital converter is directly connected to the second input;
wherein the two inputs of the phase evaluation block are connected to the first input and to the second input via amplifiers;
wherein the output of the phase evaluation block is directly connected to the phase correction block; and
wherein the phase correction block is directly connected to the output terminal of one of the first and second analog-to digital converters.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The energy consumption meter of claim 1, further comprising:
a first digital filter to alter the first output signal; and
a second digital filter comprising the phase correction block, the second digital filter to alter the second output signal to compensate for the phase difference;
wherein the signals combined by the multiplier comprise output signals of the first digital filter and the second digital filter.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The energy consumption meter of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first input and the second input is DC-isolated from a signal source.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The energy consumption meter of claim 1, wherein the phase evaluation block comprises memory for permanently storing a phase correction value.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The energy consumption meter claim 13, further comprising:
a first limiting amplifier to couple the first input to an input of the phase evaluation block; and
a second limiting amplifier to couple the second input to an input of the phase evaluation block.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The energy consumption meter of claim 14, wherein the first and the second analog-to-digital converters comprise sigma-delta converters.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The energy consumption meter of claim 15, further comprising:
an integrator electrically connected downstream of the multiplier relative to the first and second inputs.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The energy consumption meter of claim 16, wherein the first and the second analog-to-digital converters, the phase correction block, and the phase evaluation block are implemented using integrated circuit technology.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The energy consumption meter of claim 17, further comprising:
a nonconductively coupling transfer arrangement for providing the first input signal and/or the second input signal to the first input and/or the second input.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The energy consumption meter of claim 18, wherein the nonconductively coupling transfer arrangement comprises a transformer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The energy consumption meter of claim 19, further comprising a test signal generator to generate a test signal, the test signal generator being electrically connected to the first input and to the second input.