Data processing: financial – business practice – management – or co – Automated electrical financial or business practice or... – Accounting
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-04
2002-02-26
Cosimano, Edward R. (Department: 2161)
Data processing: financial, business practice, management, or co
Automated electrical financial or business practice or...
Accounting
C705S030000, C705S412000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06351737
ABSTRACT:
It is becoming increasingly desirable to calculate a value of consumption (for example electricity consumption) or a charge (the cost of consumption) relating thereto in a technically efficient manner and where the price (the per unit price) from which the charge is derived relates to a period other than the period during which the consumption is recorded.
Various systems are used to measure quantities over time. An example is the measurement of utility supply such as electricity. Such measurements provide a recorded value corresponding to a period of time (the Metered Period), potentially where the Metered Period is not continuous.
This measured value is then frequently combined with other data that relates to the same period as the Metered Period of the measured value. In the case of electricity supply (or the supply of other utility services) the measured value of consumption can be combined with a unit price for the Metered Period to produce a price, or charge, for the supplied electricity.
The present system proposes to use information relating to sub-periods of the Metered Period, or the Metered Period itself, to calculate a rate of measurement (or rate of consumption). The system then proposes means that use this rate of consumption to overcome various technical difficulties in prior art systems. The system is principally detailed by reference to electricity supply although it can be applied to a range of other measurement systems.
At present the supply of electricity and other utilities, such as gas, is commonly metered at various points within the associated distribution network, including the consumer premises.
For the supply of gas and electricity there are generally three forms of metering. The first is a single-rate meter which simply records the total cumulative consumption. Second is a multi-rate meter which accumulates consumption into one of a number of values (registers) depending upon time. In this second type each register contains the cumulative consumption during the period that the register is enabled (which may be a non continuous period). The third records consumption in defined finite periods (Fixed Periods) as a series of consumption values with one value per period.
Where a meter accumulates consumption into a register, a value of consumption can be obtained for the finite period between two reading of the register by taking the difference in the register's value at each of the readings. Irrespective of the type of metering equipment, it is therefore possible to determine a value of metered consumption for a metered supply that corresponds to a known finite period of time (the Metered Period). Where multi-rate metering is used, the Metered Period may not be continuous, as a result of the metering equipment recording consumption at different times into different registers. This is frequently referred to as “switching”, where the recording is switched periodically between different registers. Generally, at any point in time only one register is enabled for recording of consumption. Where recording of measurements in a register is periodically switched on and off, the corresponding Metered Period will not be continuous and will be the period of time during which recording in that register was enabled.
At present it is common for a variety of different forms of meter to be used within a distribution system. Different consumers will therefore have different meters, depending upon their specific requirements and history. Interconnections between different parts of the distribution network are also commonly metered with relatively advanced metering (Network Metering). Using such Network Metering it may be possible to determine, to the resolution of the Network Metering, the total consumption within a corresponding section of the distribution network (but not necessarily the consumption of a specific subsection of the consumers connected to it).
As stated, some metering can be used to record associated consumption within fixed periods of time (for example half hour periods). Thus, provided that meters are synchronised, it is possible to arrange for a plurality of such meters, each potentially situated at a separate location, to record consumption during the same fixed periods. Given that such metering is provided, it is possible for systems (including metering systems or systems associated with the meters) to combine, or use, data for a given period from more than one meter. Thus a meter outstation connected to a number of meters can retrieve data from each of the attached meters and for each period aggregate the consumption recorded by each individual meter to provide a total value of consumption for the period. It can then do this for each measurement period.
Where a wholesale market for electricity is operated, a unit price may be set for defined periods (the Accounting Periods). Even where a wholesale market does not operate, it may be desirable to account for the commodity supplied in terms of a unit price (or other parameter) specific to particular periods (these being Accounting Periods). Where metering records consumption for equivalent periods a cost can be determined for any such metered point (or collection of metered points) by multiplying the metered consumption for an Accounting Period by the unit price for the period. This necessarily requires the metering to record consumption for each Accounting Period. For a given Accounting Period it would also be possible to aggregate the consumption from such metering systems. Such a solution is possible using advanced metering but this is expensive and even on a limited scale creates technical difficulties and complexity in the recording, retrieval and processing of the metered data. Using such advanced metering it is therefore possible to determine a cost for an Accounting Period and to determine the aggregate consumption for any group of customers (providing that they have such metering).
The problem with most widespread metering systems, such as those used for utility supply, is that (1) the Metered Periods for individual metered locations are relatively long (typically months) and (2) the Metered Periods for different locations are not the same, thus not allowing aggregation of the Metered Consumption values.
The prior art means for determining a charge for an individual consumer (for example of electricity) is to derive it directly from metered date for the consumer obtained from the metering equipment at the consumer location. The charge is generally a per unit price multiplied by the value of Metered Consumption. In the prior art means the per unit price is valid for the whole of the Metered Period. The present system provides a means to derive a charge for one or more consumers where the charging interval (the time during which a particular price is valid) is not equal to the Metered Period and particularly where the charging interval is a sub-period of one or more of the metered periods.
A system is proposed in patent apply no WO 95/26065, 28.09.1995 (PCT/GB95/00636, 22.03.95) providing means to monitor an electricity distribution network and thereby to produce a value of consumption for a metered supply for a period other then the Metered Period for that supply. We will term this system the WO system.
The WO system provides various means whereby if a metered location accounts for a given fraction of the network demand during the Metered period of the particular metered location, then a value of consumption can be apportioned to a sub-period of the Metered Period (provided that a value of network demand is available for the period) by apportioning a similar fraction of the location's metered consumption. Where metered data is not available for some part of the network demand, the system further provides means to estimate consumption for those consumption points for which metered data is unavailable and to adjust these estimates so that in aggregate they equal the network demand not accounted for by metered data.
The WO system is dependent for its operation upon the use of Network Me
Cosimano Edward R.
Lowe Hauptman & Gilman & Berner LLP
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