Energy Meter Communication Component Power Saving Mode
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Solution Overview
Problem
Energy meters consume battery power for communication, leading to frequent replacements and increased maintenance/repair costs, especially in areas with many installations, as they often operate in environments where power supply is difficult.
Innovation Solution
An energy metering system that includes a bidirectional communication component, which transmits energy consumption information only at predetermined times based on an energy pricing system, allowing for power-saving operations and minimizing battery usage by determining transmission times based on control signals from a central server.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the energy meter transmits energy consumption information frequently to ensure accurate tracking, then measurement precision is improved, but power consumption increases and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The energy meter transmits data periodically at predetermined intervals rather than continuously, reducing power consumption while maintaining adequate measurement precision. The communication device operates in periodic cycles, transmitting energy consumption information at scheduled times determined by the control signal from the server.
Solution Approach 2:
The transmission timing is dynamically adjusted based on energy pricing changes and server requirements. The control signal from the server dynamically determines when data transmission should occur, allowing the system to adapt transmission frequency to actual needs rather than using a fixed schedule.
2Productivity
If the communication device operates continuously to maintain real-time data availability, then productivity is improved, but power consumption increases and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The communication device switches between active transmission modes and sleep modes periodically. It remains in sleep mode during intervals between predetermined transmission times, significantly extending battery life while maintaining productivity by transmitting all necessary data at each activation.
Solution Approach 2:
The metering component continuously meters energy consumption in the background without interruption, ensuring data availability. The communication device maintains productivity by transmitting accumulated data in periodic bursts rather than requiring continuous communication operations.
3Reliability
If the energy meter uses a larger battery to reduce replacement frequency, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the operational parameters of the communication device, specifically the transmission frequency and timing, to reduce overall power consumption. This allows the use of smaller, more cost-effective batteries while achieving the same reliability in terms of replacement intervals through reduced energy demand rather than increased capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an energy metering system, apparatus and method that enables an energy meter to reduce power consumed in communication when remotely inspecting the energy meter under an energy pricing system changed depending on time. To this end, the energy meter transmits information on energy consumption at only a changed time of energy price, and operates in a power saving mode except the changed time. If the information on the energy consumption is transmitted at the changed time, the information on the energy consumption in each period having the same energy price is secured, and therefore, a central server has no difficulty in calculating an energy consumption rate. Thus, it is possible to minimize power consumed in communication while transmitting all the information on the energy consumption, required in the central server. Particularly, a battery is used longer in an environment using the battery, thereby reducing maintenance/repair cost.