IP Library › Granted Patent US 12693320
Granted Patent B2
US 12693320 · App. 18/299,839 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Electric meter

Inventors: Matt Karlgaard (Brainerd, MN); John Voisine (Lafayette, IN); Frank Boudreau (Otterbein, IN)
Assignee: LANDIS+GYR TECHNOLOGY, INC.
G01R22/065G01R15/18
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12693320
App. No.
18/299,839
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The electric meter comprises: a line port for coupling to an electric distribution power source; a load port for coupling to a load; and an auxiliary port for coupling to at least one distributed energy resource device; a processor circuit ( 205 ) coupled to metrology components ( 210 ) for metering current and/or voltage at one or more of the line port, the load port and the auxiliary port and a power supply ( 220 ) configured to provide power to the processor circuit, wherein the power supply is configured to receive electrical power from the auxiliary port and/or from the line port.

Claims (70)

1 . An electric meter ( 100 , 200 ) comprising:

a line port for coupling to an electric distribution power source;

a load port for coupling to a load;

an auxiliary port for coupling to at least one distributed energy resource device;

a processor circuit ( 205 ) coupled to metrology components ( 210 ) for metering current and/or voltage at one or more of the line port, the load port and the auxiliary port; and

a power supply ( 220 ) configured to provide power to the processor circuit, wherein the power supply is configurable between receiving electrical power from the auxiliary port and receiving electrical power from the line port,

wherein, when a voltage at the line port is above a threshold level, the power supply ( 220 ) receives at least a portion of the electrical power from the line port.

2 . The electric meter ( 100 , 200 ) of claim 1 , wherein power consumption by the power supply ( 220 ) is not metered by the processor circuit ( 205 ).

3 . The electric meter ( 100 , 200 ) of claim 1 wherein, when a voltage at the line port is at or below the threshold level, the power supply ( 220 ) receives at least a portion of the electrical power from the auxiliary port.

4 . The electric meter ( 100 , 200 ) of claim 1 , comprising:

a switch circuit ( 225 , 325 ) configured to select the auxiliary port or the line port to provide electrical power to the power supply ( 220 ); and

a control circuit ( 310 ) for controlling the switch circuit.

5 . The electric meter ( 100 , 200 ) of claim 4 , wherein the control circuit ( 310 ) is configured to trigger the switch circuit ( 225 , 325 ) to select the auxiliary port to provide electrical power to the power supply ( 220 ) if a voltage at the line port drops below a threshold level.

6 . The electric meter ( 100 , 200 ) of claim 4 , wherein the control circuit ( 310 ) is coupled to the processor circuit ( 205 ) and configured to receive an override signal from the processor circuit to control the switch circuit ( 225 , 325 ).

7 . The electric meter ( 100 , 200 ) of claim 4 , comprising a local power supply ( 315 ) configured to supply electric power to the control circuit ( 310 ) and/or the switch circuit ( 225 , 325 ), wherein the local power supply is configured to receive electrical power from both the line port and the auxiliary port.

8 . The electric meter ( 100 , 200 ) of claim 1 , wherein the power supply ( 220 ) comprises a switched-mode power supply.

9 . The electric meter ( 100 , 200 ) of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of auxiliary ports for coupling to respective distributed energy resource devices.

10 . The electric meter of ( 100 , 200 ) claim 1 , comprising a dual input bridge circuit ( 415 ) having a first input coupled to the line port and a second input coupled to the auxiliary port.

11 . The electric meter ( 100 , 200 ) of claim 10 , wherein a first power supply lead ( 430 ) coming from the line port and extending to the first input of the dual input bridge circuit ( 415 ) is also coupled to a first primary winding in a current transformer ( 435 ) of the line port.

12 . The electric meter ( 100 , 200 ) of claim 11 , wherein a second power supply lead ( 440 ) coming from the auxiliary port and extending to the second input of the dual input bridge circuit ( 415 ) is coupled to a second primary winding in the current transformer ( 435 ) of the line port.

13 . The electric meter ( 100 , 200 ) of claim 12 , wherein:

a phase shift between the first primary winding and a secondary winding of the current transformer ( 435 ) of the line port is configured to be zero; and

a phase shift between the second primary winding and the secondary winding of the current transformer ( 435 ) of the line port is configured to be 180°.

14 . The electric meter ( 100 , 200 ) of claim 1 , wherein the power supply ( 220 ) comprises a rectifier circuit ( 505 ) coupled to the line port and the auxiliary port, the rectifier circuit configured to:

operate as a full-wave rectifier when a voltage is present at both the line port and the auxiliary port; and

operate as a half-wave rectifier when a voltage is present at only one of the line port and the auxiliary port.

15 . An electric meter ( 100 , 200 ) comprising:

a line port for coupling to an electric distribution power source;

a load port for coupling to a load;

an auxiliary port for coupling to at least one distributed energy resource device;

a processor circuit ( 205 ) coupled to metrology components ( 210 ) for metering current and/or voltage at one or more of the line port, the load port and the auxiliary port;

a power supply ( 220 ) configured to provide power to the processor circuit,

wherein the power supply is configurable between receiving electrical power from the auxiliary port and receiving electrical power from the line port;

a switch circuit ( 225 , 325 ) configured to select the auxiliary port or the line port to provide electrical power to the power supply ( 220 ); and

a control circuit ( 310 ) for controlling the switch circuit,

wherein the control circuit ( 310 ) is configured to trigger the switch circuit ( 225 , 325 ) to select the auxiliary port to provide electrical power to the power supply ( 220 ) if a voltage at the line port drops below a threshold level.

16 . An electric meter ( 100 , 200 ) comprising:

a line port for coupling to an electric distribution power source;

a load port for coupling to a load;

an auxiliary port for coupling to at least one distributed energy resource device;

a processor circuit ( 205 ) coupled to metrology components ( 210 ) for metering current and/or voltage at one or more of the line port, the load port and the auxiliary port;

a power supply ( 220 ) configured to provide power to the processor circuit, wherein the power supply is configurable between receiving electrical power from the auxiliary port and receiving electrical power from the line port;

a switch circuit ( 225 , 325 ) configured to select the auxiliary port or the line port to provide electrical power to the power supply ( 220 );

a control circuit ( 310 ) for controlling the switch circuit, and

a local power supply ( 315 ) configured to supply electric power to the control circuit ( 310 ) and/or the switch circuit ( 225 , 325 ), wherein the local power supply is configured to receive electrical power from both the line port and the auxiliary port.

17 . An electric meter ( 100 , 200 ) comprising:

a line port for coupling to an electric distribution power source;

a load port for coupling to a load;

an auxiliary port for coupling to at least one distributed energy resource device;

a processor circuit ( 205 ) coupled to metrology components ( 210 ) for metering current and/or voltage at one or more of the line port, the load port and the auxiliary port;

a power supply ( 220 ) configured to provide power to the processor circuit, wherein the power supply is configurable between receiving electrical power from the auxiliary port and receiving electrical power from the line port;

a switch circuit ( 225 , 325 ) configured to select the auxiliary port or the line port to provide electrical power to the power supply ( 220 ); and

a control circuit ( 310 ) for controlling the switch circuit,

wherein the power supply ( 220 ) comprises a switched-mode power supply.

18 . An electric meter ( 100 , 200 ) comprising:

a line port for coupling to an electric distribution power source;

a load port for coupling to a load;

an auxiliary port for coupling to at least one distributed energy resource device;

a processor circuit ( 205 ) coupled to metrology components ( 210 ) for metering current and/or voltage at one or more of the line port, the load port and the auxiliary port;

a power supply ( 220 ) configured to provide power to the processor circuit, wherein the power supply is configurable between receiving electrical power from the auxiliary port and receiving electrical power from the line port; and

a dual input bridge circuit ( 415 ) having a first input coupled to the line port and a second input coupled to the auxiliary port.

19 . An electric meter ( 100 , 200 ) comprising:

a line port for coupling to an electric distribution power source;

a load port for coupling to a load;

an auxiliary port for coupling to at least one distributed energy resource device;

a processor circuit ( 205 ) coupled to metrology components ( 210 ) for metering current and/or voltage at one or more of the line port, the load port and the auxiliary port; and

a power supply ( 220 ) configured to provide power to the processor circuit, wherein the power supply is configurable between receiving electrical power from the auxiliary port and receiving electrical power from the line port;

wherein the power supply ( 220 ) comprises a rectifier circuit ( 505 ) coupled to the line port and the auxiliary port, the rectifier circuit configured to:

operate as a full-wave rectifier when a voltage is present at both the line port and the auxiliary port; and

operate as a half-wave rectifier when a voltage is present at only one of the line port and the auxiliary port.