EP1400933A1 - Perfectionnements de et relatifs aux appareils domestiques de mesure - Google Patents

Perfectionnements de et relatifs aux appareils domestiques de mesure Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1400933A1
EP1400933A1 EP03077376A EP03077376A EP1400933A1 EP 1400933 A1 EP1400933 A1 EP 1400933A1 EP 03077376 A EP03077376 A EP 03077376A EP 03077376 A EP03077376 A EP 03077376A EP 1400933 A1 EP1400933 A1 EP 1400933A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
utility
meter
payment
supply
actuator
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
EP03077376A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
William John Cowburn
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Landis and Gyr AG
Landis and Gyr Ltd
Original Assignee
Landis and Gyr AG
Landis and Gyr Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Landis and Gyr AG, Landis and Gyr Ltd filed Critical Landis and Gyr AG
Publication of EP1400933A1 publication Critical patent/EP1400933A1/fr
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F15/00—Coin-freed apparatus with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity
    • G07F15/10—Coin-freed apparatus with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity with alarm or warning devices, e.g. indicating the interrupting of the supply
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F15/00—Coin-freed apparatus with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity
    • G07F15/001—Coin-freed apparatus with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity for gas
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F15/00—Coin-freed apparatus with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity
    • G07F15/04—Coin-freed apparatus with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity in which the quantity mechanism is set forward automatically by the insertion of a coin

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to utility meters.
  • the present invention relates to pre-payment utility meters such as pre-payment gas meters.
  • Pre-payment gas meter systems are known whereby the consumer pays in advance for gas consumption, or makes, for example, periodic payments against an allowed credit limit.
  • the gas meter apparatus at the consumers premises incorporates a cut-off valve which is selectably controllable to cut off the gas supply.
  • the valve can thus be controlled to cut off the supply when the consumer's credit has expired, and to restore the supply when further credit has been purchased and the meter credited appropriately.
  • the cut-off means or actuator is not utilised since the consumer will top-up the registered payments in the meter before exhaustion of the previous amount of credit.
  • a utility pre-payment system said pre-payment system having a pre-payment credit limit
  • the pre-payment system comprising: a utility meter operable to meter a supply of utility; an actuator operable to enable/disable a utility supply; wherein the actuator is located proximate to an independent power source independent of a power supply for the meter; wherein the meter is operable to communicate with the actuator whereby, upon a breach of the pre-payment credit limit, the actuator can be enabled so as to disable a utility supply for part of the system during the breach of the pre-payment credit limit.
  • the part of the metered supply of utility which can be operatively disabled relates to a non-essential or a least essential use of the utility.
  • a method of providing utility services in a pre-payment system comprising a battery-powered utility meter in communication with an actuator for utility supply enablement/disablement located proximate to a power source independent from a power source for the meter, said pre-payment system having a pre-payment credit limit; said method comprising the steps of: metering a consumption of the utility; communicating with the actuator upon breach of the pre-payment credit limit; and disabling a utility supply for part of the system during breach of the pre-payment credit limit.
  • a pre-payment gas metering system 10 comprising a meter (12) and boiler controller (14).
  • the meter is capable of performing pre-payment functions and is provided with a radio communication link. It will be understood that other forms of providing a communication link are possible such as a 2-way fibre optic link or a free-space infrared link.
  • the gas meter (12) comprises a gas input (20), a gas output (24) which provides gas to household appliances generally and, specifically, to a boiler for central heating and/or hot water.
  • Metrology equipment (18) determines the consumption of the gas from the gas supply (20) and provides data to a pre-payment controller (28) which is associated with a credit acceptor (30) which is operable to receive credit from a smart card or the like, a display (32) and a valve open interlock (34).
  • the controller is connected to a radio unit (16) and an electrical power supply from a battery (36) is provided to radio (16) and controller (28).
  • the meter itself may not require electrical energy to determine consumption.
  • the boiler controller (14) comprises a gas inlet (50) which provides gas via a valve (48) to a burner (40) and gas to a pilot light (42) directly.
  • the valve is under the control of a timer/controller (46) which in turn is linked to a radio (44).
  • a mains power supply (52) is available to power the radio, timer/controller and valve actuator.
  • the boiler controller When instructed by the meter radio, the boiler controller will operate the valve fitted in the boiler, turning it on or off as appropriate. Data verification and authentication techniques are preferably employed whereby to combat fraudulent use of the system.
  • a "safe to open" interlock (34) is provided on the meter whereby manual actuation is required to enable supply of the gas to the premises once the consumer has attended to all devices where gas may be liberated when the supply is restored in the event that gas supply has been disrupted - for whatever reason.
  • the system as described is operable to control a main burner of a heating boiler rather than the gas supply to a premises as a whole.
  • the system can be extended to control other appliances in the home, provided separate controllers are fitted.
  • One advantage with this embodiment is that compared with systems presently installed, pilot lights will remain on even when credit is exhausted. This overcomes perceived safety problems and any inconvenience associated with re-ignition of one or more pilot lights associated with equipment within a consumer's house.
  • FIG. 2 there is shown a second embodiment wherein the boiler controller or similar system, operates to perform a credit acceptor function.
  • the boiler controller system is fitted with a card reading device or similar and is operable to display the amount of credit etc, therefore providing the consumer with a more convenient, easy to read system.
  • gas meters are placed in outside enclosures, within a wall box, an outside garage or similar: it is an advantage for a remote meter to be associated with a heating boiler which may be, for example, easily accessible within a kitchen or other advantageous position.
  • meter unit (62) receives gas from mains supply at inlet (20), use of which is metered by metrology unit (18) and information passed to controller (66).
  • controller communicates with a display (32) and radio (16).
  • a battery pack (36) is provided to power a radio, the controller and the metrology unit, as appropriate.
  • control unit (64) gas is received at input (50) and flows to burner (40) via valve (48) and flows directly to pilot (42).
  • Valve (48) is under control by timer controller unit (68), which outputs data to a display (70) and receives data from credit acceptor (72) and valve open interlock (74) (optional).
  • Timer controller also receives radio data from the meter unit (62).
  • the credit acceptor and boiler control system may relay credits to the remote gas meter, or take over the net credit reckoning function and valve control from the gas meter.
  • the gas meter becomes very simple since it only has to perform basic metrology functions and transmit consumption data via the radio and as a result consumes minimum energy from the battery.
  • the battery life of the metering apparatus will be extended as there will be no valve within the meter to drain the energy.
  • the valve will no longer be sealed inside the meter, but sited in an accessible position in the boiler, thus allowing it to be maintained.
  • the gas supply in the event of loss of credit, will not be completely cut-off, pilot lights will remain lit and cooking may be possible, depending upon system configuration, even when the credit is exhausted.
  • the overall system will be safer and easier to use than present systems.
  • a boiler control incorporating a card acceptor is likely to be more convenient for a consumer. It will be appreciated that there are many variations possible in the implementation of a system made in accordance with the invention.
  • the system may have a meter display separate from the metering apparatus itself and may be associated with the cut-off valve.
  • the display may also be separate from the cut-off valve and be placed in a convenient position for the consumer.
  • the display associated with the meter may also be duplicated by the provision of displays associated with the cut-off valve or totally separate displays.
  • the card reader may be colocated with the cut-off valve or secondary/remote display.
  • the system would be associated with a room thermostat whereby to provide, for example, a "freeze-guard" facility.
  • the system may be associated with an "economy seven" or energy credit facility wherein an increased premium is paid for utility consumed when the consumer is not in credit.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Beverage Vending Machines With Cups, And Gas Or Electricity Vending Machines (AREA)
  • Measuring Volume Flow (AREA)
EP03077376A 2002-09-18 2003-07-29 Perfectionnements de et relatifs aux appareils domestiques de mesure Ceased EP1400933A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0221618A GB2393310B (en) 2002-09-18 2002-09-18 Improvements in or relating to utility meters
GB0221618 2002-09-18

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1400933A1 true EP1400933A1 (fr) 2004-03-24

Family

ID=9944281

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP03077376A Ceased EP1400933A1 (fr) 2002-09-18 2003-07-29 Perfectionnements de et relatifs aux appareils domestiques de mesure

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1400933A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB2393310B (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20120101910A1 (en) * 2008-07-14 2012-04-26 Neri-Badillo Edurardo Agustin Prepayment system for supplying water or gas by means of a wireless intelligent card and meter for said system
CN108831037A (zh) * 2018-05-15 2018-11-16 西安石油大学 一种天然气管道运输系统
CN110232782A (zh) * 2019-07-04 2019-09-13 唐山市天然气有限公司 一种分体式天然气高压预付费控制装置及其应用

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0545549A1 (fr) * 1991-11-30 1993-06-09 Schlumberger Industries Limited Systèmes à prépaiement
GB2313462A (en) * 1996-05-24 1997-11-26 Landis & Gyr Ag Metering systems
GB2342484A (en) * 1998-09-23 2000-04-12 Siemens Metering Ltd Prepayment metering system
WO2001091073A1 (fr) * 2000-05-22 2001-11-29 Secure Electrans Limited Appareil domestique de mesure comportant un systeme d'autorisation de transactions

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2144566A (en) * 1983-08-05 1985-03-06 Hawker Siddeley Revenue Contr Remote metering system
GB2220975B (en) * 1988-07-12 1992-07-22 Welsh Water Authority Water metering system
GB2313945B (en) * 1996-05-10 2000-01-12 Schlumberger Ind Ltd Fluid flow control devices
GB2321753B (en) * 1997-01-31 2001-06-06 Landis & Gyr Ag Metering system

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0545549A1 (fr) * 1991-11-30 1993-06-09 Schlumberger Industries Limited Systèmes à prépaiement
GB2313462A (en) * 1996-05-24 1997-11-26 Landis & Gyr Ag Metering systems
GB2342484A (en) * 1998-09-23 2000-04-12 Siemens Metering Ltd Prepayment metering system
WO2001091073A1 (fr) * 2000-05-22 2001-11-29 Secure Electrans Limited Appareil domestique de mesure comportant un systeme d'autorisation de transactions

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20120101910A1 (en) * 2008-07-14 2012-04-26 Neri-Badillo Edurardo Agustin Prepayment system for supplying water or gas by means of a wireless intelligent card and meter for said system
US9175979B2 (en) * 2008-07-14 2015-11-03 Sistemas Integrales De Medicion Y Control Stellum S.A. De C.V. Prepayment system for supplying water or gas by means of a wireless intelligent card and meter for said system
CN108831037A (zh) * 2018-05-15 2018-11-16 西安石油大学 一种天然气管道运输系统
CN110232782A (zh) * 2019-07-04 2019-09-13 唐山市天然气有限公司 一种分体式天然气高压预付费控制装置及其应用

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0221618D0 (en) 2002-10-23
GB2393310A (en) 2004-03-24
GB2393310B (en) 2006-01-11

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