Patent ID: 6043642
Filing Date: 2000-03-28
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
An electrical utility meter operably connected to a plurality of power lines through a meter socket, the plurality of power lines providing polyphase power to a load, the electrical utility meter operable to measure electrical energy consumption, the electrical utility meter comprising:a) sensor circuitry for connection to the meter socket, said sensor circuitry operable to generate voltage and current measurement signals representative of voltage and current waveforms on the plurality of power lines;b) a conversion circuit for generating a power consumption measurement and for generating measured phase angle data for the plurality of power lines, said generation of the power consumption measurement and measured phase angle data based on the voltage and current measurement signals;c) a memory;d) a communication circuit connected to a remotely located control device;e) a controller operably connected to the memory, the communication circuit, and the conversion circuit, the controller operable toreceive the measured phase angle data from the conversion circuit,periodically perform a plurality of diagnostic tests using the measured phase angle data to determine whether the measurement error is present,provide an alert signal to the communication circuit if a measurement error is present,and wherein said communication circuit is operable to, upon receiving the alert signal, obtain information identifying the measurement error and transmit an error signal containing information identifying the measurement error to the remotely located control device.