Metering Data Storage Memory Endurance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing utility metering systems face challenges in maintaining memory integrity and endurance during power outages, as they often require costly power fail detection circuits and storage capacitance, and non-volatile memory devices have limited write endurance, leading to data loss and compromised accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that uses a low-cost, efficient memory structure, such as EEPROM, by selecting small energy increments and updating energy values periodically, reducing memory requirements, and employing a storage and update routine with incremental cells to ensure data integrity without additional circuitry or storage capacitance, allowing for accurate metering data storage during power outages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If power fail detection circuits and storage capacitance are used to maintain memory integrity during power outages, then data integrity is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for power fail detection circuits and storage capacitance by using a software-based solution. The metering device uses a microprocessor to implement an algorithm that periodically saves metering data to non-volatile memory based on energy consumption thresholds, completely removing the requirement for additional hardware components designed for power failure protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the metering device's own operational characteristics (energy consumption patterns) to trigger data saving events. The microprocessor monitors energy consumption and automatically initiates saves when thresholds are met, making the system self-regulating without external detection circuits or additional power management hardware.
2Reliability
If non-volatile memory write operations are performed frequently to ensure data integrity, then data reliability is improved, but memory endurance deteriorates due to limited write cycles
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of saving data at every possible opportunity or continuously, the patent implements partial action by saving data only when energy consumption reaches predetermined thresholds. This selective saving approach provides sufficient data integrity protection while dramatically reducing the frequency of write operations to within the endurance limits of non-volatile memory.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic action by saving metering data at regular intervals based on energy consumption milestones rather than continuously or at every power fluctuation. The microprocessor monitors cumulative energy consumption and triggers save operations at predetermined thresholds, creating a periodic saving pattern that balances data integrity with memory wear reduction.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If small energy increments are used for periodic updates, then memory write frequency is reduced extending endurance, but measurement precision may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of energy increment size to an optimal value that balances memory endurance and measurement precision. By carefully selecting the energy threshold parameter, the system achieves sufficient write cycle reduction while maintaining acceptable metering accuracy. The threshold is set low enough to provide frequent enough updates for accuracy but high enough to reduce write frequency for endurance.
Data Source
AI summary
Methodology and corresponding apparatus ensure the integrity of utility metering data during power outages while providing improved memory integrity. An initial step includes determining and storing an energy top value that is representative of metered energy, and also includes establishing an update pattern. Accumulated energy is then monitored until a predetermined energy threshold is crossed, at which point a selected state in the update pattern is stored into one of a plurality of energy increment cells. Such stored value can be validated at some point after the data read. The steps of monitoring accumulated energy and storing a selected value/state of the update pattern into additional energy increment cells continue until each of the plurality of energy increment cells is updated with a new value. Upon completion, the energy top value is updated with a new energy total and the process of cycling through each energy increment cell is repeated.