Integrated metrology systems and information and control apparatus for interaction with integrated metrology systems
A system is disposed at a location of a utility commodity subscriber for informing the subscriber of and controlling utility commodity usage. The system includes utility meters, an information and control apparatus, and a first and second data communication link. The meters measure usage and and generate usage signals. The information and control apparatus includes a microprocessor, a memory, a clock, and a user interface. The first data communication link is between the utility meters and the information and control apparatus and the second data communication link is between the information and control apparatus and one or more central locations. The second communication link also provides rate information to the information and control apparatus and utility commodity usage data to the central location. The microprocessor computes an accumulated cost of utility commodity for a predetermined period of time. Information related to the accumulated cost is output to the subscriber.
1. A system for reporting at a subscriber's location of utility commodity cost and usage data and for local or remote control of utility commodity usage; the system comprising:
at least one meter for measuring usage of at least one utility commodity and generating at least one usage signal comprising a measurement of said subscriber's usage of said at least one utility commodity;
at least one central location for receiving said subscriber's utility commodity usage data and a utility commodity cost for said subscriber and transmitting at least one utility commodity rate and utility commodity usage control signals to an information and control apparatus at the subscriber's location; and
an information and control apparatus comprising a microprocessor; a memory; a display; a user interface; a clock; and display communication means for receiving utility commodity rates and utility commodity usage control signals from said at least one central location, for receiving at least one usage signal from said at least one meter, and for transmitting said subscriber's utility commodity usage data to said at least one central location,
wherein each of said at least one meter further comprises meter communication means for transmitting at least one usage signal to said information and control apparatus and wherein each of said at least one central location further comprises center communication means for transmitting utility commodity rates and utility commodity usage control signals to said information and control apparatus and for receiving said subscriber's utility commodity usage data from said information and control apparatus;
wherein said at least one meter measures a daily usage value of said utility commodity and an accumulated usage value over a predetermined billing period of time for transmission to said information and control apparatus; and
wherein said microprocessor calculates a daily usage percentage of a budgeted daily usage value stored in said memory and a usage percentage of said predetermined billing period of a budgeted usage value for said predetermined billing period stored in said memory.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said display comprises a visual display adapted to depict four bar graphs depicting said daily usage percentage, said usage percentage of said predetermined billing percentage, a daily elapsed time percentage, and an elapsed time of the predetermined billing period percentage.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein said microprocessor is adapted to calculate an average usage rate equal to said accumulated usage divided by said elapsed time of the predetermined billing period percentage.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said display comprises an audible alarm, which sounds when a accumulated usage differential between said accumulated usage value over a predetermined billing period of time and a budgeted usage value over a predetermined billing period of time stored in said memory is less than or equal to a predetermined accumulated warning differential.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said display comprises an audible alarm, which sounds when a daily usage differential between said daily usage value and a budgeted daily usage value stored in said memory is less than or equal to a predetermined daily warning differential.
6. A system for display at a subscriber's location of utility commodity cost and usage data and for local or remote control of utility commodity usage; the system comprising:
at least one meter for measuring usage of at least one utility commodity and generating at least one usage signal comprising a measurement of said subscriber's usage of said at least one utility commodity;
at least one central location for receiving said subscriber's utility commodity usage data and a utility commodity cost for said subscriber and transmitting at least one utility commodity rate and utility commodity usage control signals to an information and control apparatus at the subscriber's location;
said information and control apparatus comprising a display microprocessor; a memory; a display; a user interface; a display clock; and display communication means for receiving utility commodity rates and utility control signals from said at least one central location, for receiving at least one usage signal from said at least one meter, and for transmitting said subscriber's utility commodity usage data to said at least one central location;
a control system interface apparatus comprising:
an interface memory for storing utility data received from at least one meter, said meter generating at least one usage signal comprising a measurement of a subscriber's usage of at least one utility commodity;
interface communication means for receiving at least one usage signal from said at least one meter; and
an interface microprocessor comprising an interface clock, which is linked to said interface memory and which determines time interval usage data for said at least one utility commodity calculated from said measurement received in said at least one usage signal for said at least one utility commodity received from said at least one meter and transmits said time interval usage data for storage in said interface memory; and
a remote computer comprising remote communication means from transmitting polling signals to said control system interface apparatus requesting download of said time interval usage data and to receive said time interval usage data transmitted by said interface communication means, wherein each of said at least one meter further comprises meter communication means for transmitting at least one usage signal to said information and control apparatus and wherein each of said at least one central location further comprises center communication means for transmitting utility commodity rates and utility commodity usage control signals to said information and control apparatus and for receiving said subscriber's utility commodity usage data from said information and control apparatus.