Patent ID: 7142994

Claim:
A computer controlled on-line Monitoring System for monitoring at least one of electrical energy consumed and at least one physical parameter, said Monitoring System comprising a central monitoring system ( 18 ) having a PC and being connected to at least one data acquisition system ( 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , . . . ) configured to monitor the at least one of electrical energy consumed and physical parameter through a common communication channel, wherein the data acquisition system monitors the electrical energy consumed and comprises: a micro computer ( 1 ) having a plurality of ports (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e); port (a) being connected to a means ( 2 ) for converting AC current into DC current, said means ( 2 ) being provided with a terminal for connecting to a AC power source; port (b) being coupled to a memory device ( 3 ), and configured to store data on the memory device and retrieve the stored data; port (c) being coupled to a balanced electrical load through a timer/counter circuit ( 4 ) and an Energy Monitoring Circuit ( 5 ) for monitoring the electrical energy consumed by the balanced load; port (d) being coupled to a status indication circuit ( 8 ) through a parallel peripheral interface ( 6 ) and an optical isolator card ( 7 ) and configured to receive the ON/OFF status after regular intervals of time; and port (e) being coupled to a RS 485 converter circuit ( 9 ) for transmitting data acquired and receiving control data.