Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) is provided. The IED includes a metering sub-assembly and an input base module sub-assembly. The metering sub-assembly is hinged to the input base module sub-assembly, where when in an open position, various cables, connectors, and input/output cards/modules are accessible. Various input/output cards/modules are interchangeable to add/change functionality and/or communication capabilities to the IED.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) includes a user authentication module configured for authenticating authorized users of the IED and preventing an access by non-authorized personnel to a user-selectable portion of operational features of the IED. In exemplary embodiments, the user authentication module includes a database of information authenticating an authorized user and a sensor acquiring user-identifying information (e.g., a biometric sensor, a reader of magnetic, holographic, RFID, or smart ID cards, or a keypad). In one application, these techniques are implemented in IEDs such as electrical power and energy meters and used to control access to reset, configuration, billing, communication, and data acquisition/processing functions of the meters.

Abstract: A meter is provided having a communication interface for receiving and interfacing with a communication device for transmitting measurement and other data to a central computer station via the communication device. The meter includes a measurement module for obtaining measurement data and a processor having a memory for storing application software for communicating the measurement and other data to the communication interface. The data are then provided to the communication device via the communication interface. The communication device is preferably a plug-and-play PCMCIA-type card or other type of memory card having a processor and a connection port for connecting to a port adaptor of the communication interface for receiving the data via the connection port-port adaptor connection.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) is provided. The IED includes a metering sub-assembly and an input base module sub-assembly. The metering sub-assembly is hinged to the input base module sub-assembly, where when in an open position, various cables, connectors, and input/output cards/modules are accessible. Various input/output cards/modules are interchangeable to add/change functionality and/or communication capabilities to the IED. In one embodiment, a communication card is provided with at least one antenna disposed internal or external to a housing of the IED.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) includes an image capture module configured for capturing images or video in a location of the IED. The IED may also include a heat sensor for sensing heat inside or outside a housing of the IED. In one application, these techniques are implemented in IEDs such as electrical power and energy meters and used to control access to reset, configuration, billing, communication, and data acquisition/processing functions of the meters. Additionally, image processing techniques are employed by the IED to detect events in an electrical distribution system and implement control functions thereof.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device is provided including, inter alia, a processing unit configured to calculate energy consumed by at least one load and accumulate the calculated energy in a first volatile memory; the processing unit being configured to iteratively copy the accumulated energy from the first volatile memory to a first non-volatile memory after a first predetermined time period and copy the accumulated energy from the first volatile memory to a second non-violate memory after a second predetermined time period, wherein the first predetermined time period is longer than the second predetermined time period. The processing unit is further configured to copy the accumulated energy from the second non-violate memory to the first volatile memory upon startup or reset of the intelligent electronic device to avoid loss of data.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) having a gain control unit adapted to selectively regulate operating ranges of output signals of a sensing circuit of the device is described. In one embodiment, the IED is a digital electric power and energy meter, which operating ranges for supply voltages and supply currents of electrical services may be adjusted to match pre-determined ranges for input signals of a data acquisition system or a data processing module of the meter.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) is provided. The IED includes a metering sub-assembly and an input base module sub-assembly. The metering sub-assembly is hinged to the input base module sub-assembly, where when in an open position, various cables, connectors, and input/output cards/modules are accessible. Various input/output cards/modules are interchangeable to add/change functionality and/or communication capabilities to the IED.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED), e.g., an electrical power meter, having wireless communication capabilities, e.g., Bluetooth connectivity, for transmitting and receiving data without a hardwire connection is provided. A system and method for retrieving revenue metering data from at least one IED, e.g., a revenue meter, are also provided. The system includes at least one intelligent electronic device including a transceiver configured for receiving calculated energy consumption data from a processor and transmitting the calculated energy consumption data via a spread-spectrum frequency hopping technique; and a data collection device configured for receiving the calculated energy consumption data from the at least one intelligent electronic device in response to supplying a pairing passkey to the intelligent electronic device.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED), e.g., an electrical power meter, having at least one removable memory device for storing data sensed and generated by the intelligent electronic device is provided. The IED includes a housing; at least one sensor; at least one analog-to-digital converter; at least one processing unit coupled to the at least one analog-to-digital converter configured to receive the digital data and store the digital data in a removable memory; and at least one device controller coupled to the at least one processing unit, the at least one device controller including an interface disposed on the housing for interfacing with the removable memory, wherein the at least one device controller is operative as a USB master or USB slave device controller.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for simultaneous communications on Modbus and DNP 3.0 over Ethernet for an electronic power meter. The system incorporates one or more protocol wrappers to provide compatibility with both Modbus and DNP based applications. The system removes the appropriate wrappers and routes the incoming data packet to its destination. Additionally, the system also wraps outgoing response packets with the appropriate protocol wrapper based on the related data packet wrappers.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) for monitoring power quality of electrical services and receiving/transmitting information using a wireless and wired communication protocol is disclosed. The IED may be configured as a terminal or server of a Wi-Fi network, a cellular network, Intranet, LAN, WAN, or the Internet. In one application, these techniques are implemented in IEDs such as portable power quality analyzers.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device for monitoring and determining an amount of electrical power usage by a consumer, or end user, and for providing broadband Internet access to the consumer. The intelligent electronic device includes at least one sensor coupled to an electric circuit configured for measuring at least one power parameter of the electrical circuit and generating at least one analog signal indicative of the at least one power parameter; at least one analog to digital converter coupled to the at least one sensor configured for receiving the at least one analog signal and converting the at least one analog signal to at least one digital signal; a processor configured for receiving the at least one digital signal and calculating energy consumption in the electrical circuit; and a gateway configured for receiving data transmissions imposed on the electrical circuit and for demodulating the imposed data transmission for providing data communications.

Abstract: A system and method for providing easy access to an internal file structure of an intelligent electronic device (IED), e.g., a power meter, not presently defined or supported directly by legacy protocols used in metering industry, such as the Modbus protocol.

Abstract: A system and method for providing an additional option function to existing functionality of a meter device configured for measuring parameters of energy is provided. The meter device is coupled with an option device for exchanging data between the meter and the option devices along at least one data path, including exchanging initialization data provided by the option device between the meter device and the option device, wherein the initialization data is useable by the meter device for configuring the meter device to be in condition to operate with the option device. The data exchanged between the meter device and the option devices are processed by at least one processor. Upon the coupling of the devices and the exchanging of the initialization data, the meter device is operated with the option device for adding the option function to existing functionality of the meter device.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) for monitoring/measuring parameters of electrical services to a plurality of loads and receiving/transmitting information over communication networks is disclosed. The electrical services may be connected to the same or different AC services. The IED may be configured as a terminal or a server of an Intranet, LAN, WAN, or the Internet. In one application, these techniques are implemented in IEDs such as digital electrical power and energy meters.