Patent ID: 8212405

Claim:
A metering assembly, comprising: a power meter module that includes a power control module, wherein the power control module is communicatively coupled to a transfer switch, wherein the transfer switch has a first input terminal coupled to a source of a first power, a second input terminal coupled to a source of an alternate power, and an output terminal coupled to an electrical circuit load, the transfer switch is configured to transmit a request to the power control module for the alternate power to be supplied through the transfer switch to the electrical circuit load in response to sensing failure of the first power, wherein the power control module is configured to receive the request from the transfer switch for the alternate power to be supplied through the transfer switch to the electrical circuit load, wherein the power control module is configured to enable the transfer switch to supply the alternate power to the electrical circuit load in response to the request; and a communication interface coupled to the power meter module and configured to communicate with a supervisory entity that is communicatively coupled to a plurality of power meter modules of corresponding metering assemblies, wherein the power meter modules are communicatively coupled to a plurality of transfer switches and the transfer switches are coupled to a plurality of electrical circuit loads; wherein the supervisory entity is configured to determine an order in which to enable the plurality of transfer switches to supply the alternate power to the plurality of electrical circuit loads in the event of loss of the first power and the power control module receives timing information from the supervisory entity through the communication interface; and wherein the power control module transmits a signal to the transfer switch based on the received timing information to enable the alternate power to be supplied to the electrical circuit load according to the determined order.