Apparatus and method to detect tampering with an electronic util

Communications: electrical – Continuously variable indicating – With meter reading

Patent

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

340568, 340571, 324110, 364483, G08B 2300

Patent

active

059400099

ABSTRACT:
An apparatus and method for detecting tampering with an electrical energy meter comprising a disconnect switch, interposed into feeder lines that deliver electrical energy from a voltage source to an electrical load, which switches between an open circuit in which electrical energy is not supplied to the electrical load and a closed circuit in which electrical energy is supplied to the electrical load, a load-side voltage sensor, which provides voltage signals indicative of load-side voltage, and a microprocessor that determines whether a tamper conditions exists by determining whether the disconnect switch is open or closed, determining whether a load-side voltage is present, and, if the disconnect switch is open and a load-side voltage is present, indicating that a tamper condition exists. The tamper detection apparatus preferably includes a communications module, connected to the microprocessor, for providing a two-way communications interface to a remote location. In this embodiment, if the microprocessor determines that a tamper condition exists, the microprocessor transmits to the remote location a message indicating that a tamper condition exists. The communications module may also open or close the disconnect switch in response to open and close commands from the remote location. This feature permits remote polling of the meter to determine if a tamper condition is present.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4331915 (1982-05-01), Fielden
patent: 4565995 (1986-01-01), Stokes
patent: 4571691 (1986-02-01), Kennon
patent: 4727315 (1988-02-01), Jones
patent: 4764952 (1988-08-01), Feliu
patent: 5086292 (1992-02-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 5293115 (1994-03-01), Swanson
patent: 5345225 (1994-09-01), Davis
patent: 5422565 (1995-06-01), Swanson
patent: 5473322 (1995-12-01), Carney
patent: 5488565 (1996-01-01), Kennon et al.
patent: 5523559 (1996-06-01), Swanson
patent: 5553084 (1996-09-01), Johnson et al.

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for the USA inventors and patents. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Apparatus and method to detect tampering with an electronic util does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Apparatus and method to detect tampering with an electronic util, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus and method to detect tampering with an electronic util will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-318866

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.