Abstract: A bow assembly including a non-metal handle, at least one limb, and a wedge slidably disposable between the non-metal handle and the limb to couple the non-metal handle and the limb, wherein the wedge is a mass concentrator at the coupling between the non-metal handle and the limb.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses are disclosed for electricity meters to detect electricity theft. An indication of electricity theft may be generated if after an occurrence of a first power outage, the meter detects received energy and if after the occurrence of a subsequent power outage, the meter detects delivered energy. The utility company may then be alerted to the indication of the electricity theft.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, is a method for operating an electronic electric meter having current and voltage sensors configured to generate measurements of current and voltage, respectively; a microcomputer coupled to the current and voltage sensors and having on-chip masked read only memory (ROM); and a nonvolatile, alterable memory coupled to the microcomputer. The method includes steps of: storing vectors pointing to program portions of the ROM in the non-volatile memory; and using the stored vectors to operate the microcomputer to execute the program portions stored in the ROM to control operation of the meter.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for creating a secure program history log for a programmable device including a microprocessor, at least one communications port for communicating with the microprocessor and at least one memory device electrically connected to the microprocessor. The memory device includes a program history log, and the method includes communicating program parameters to the microprocessor, creating a log entry utilizing the microprocessor and the program parameters, and writing the log entry into the program history log utilizing the microprocessor.

Abstract: An electronic electricity meter which, in one embodiment, includes a modem board, or unit, coupled to the meter microcomputer and exchanges information between the meter and a central computer is described. Using signals supplied by the meter microcomputer and the central computer, the modem unit microcomputer can determine whether to exchange information between the meter and the central computer and the proper time at which the information should be exchanged. In an exemplary embodiment, the modem unit detects various conditions within the meter and responds by exchanging information with the central computer at a proper, or pre-defined, time. The modem unit has two different basic modes, or states, of operation. These states of operation are sometimes referred to as the call originate mode and the call answer mode. Call originate refers to the mode of the unit when a condition occurs in meter 10 and information is being transmitted to the central computer from the modem unit utilizing a telephone line.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, is a method for metering energy consumption with an electric meter. The method includes steps of: generating metering quantities for a plurality of phase voltages from a multiphase voltage source, including generating revenue-related data; monitoring voltage changes on at least one of the phase voltages; and performing a predetermined task in response to a voltage change on at least one of the phase voltages while continuing to generate revenue-related data.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, is a method for defining meter data calculations in an electronic electric meter. The method includes steps of: storing a set of predefined data calculation instructions in a non-volatile memory of the meter; storing a first set of vectors in a memory of the meter, the vectors pointing to data calculations of the set of predefined data calculation instructions; metering a plurality of electrical quantities of a power source; and controlling calculations performed on the metered electrical quantities in accordance with the data calculation instructions pointed to by the first stored set of vectors.

Abstract: A method for measuring electricity usage that includes steps of: coupling a sensor to a power source; converting a signal from the sensor to a digital measurement signal; using a microcomputer to determine quantities indicative of electricity consumption from the digital measurement signal; and using a nonvolatile, reprogrammable memory coupled to the microcomputer to control the microcomputer in determining the quantities indicative of electricity consumption.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, is a method for controlling data flow in an electronic electric meter. The method includes steps of measuring current and voltage of a power source; determining a set of internal quantities using the measured current and voltage; using the set of internal quantities in conjunction with a set of functions to determine measurement profile quantities; and storing the determined measurement profile quantities in registers within the meter.

Abstract: An electricity meter which, in one embodiment, includes a detection circuit, or unit, coupled to the meter microcomputer and supplies a detection signal to the microcomputer indicative of the data source is described. Using the signal supplied by the detection unit, the microcomputer can determine whether to allow access to metering data and other data stored in the meter. In an exemplary embodiment, the detection unit has three different modes, or states, of operation. These states of operation are sometimes referred to as the steady state, the optical port data transmit state, and the option board connector transmit state. The steady state refers to the condition of the unit when no data is being transmitted to the meter microcomputer from either optical port or the option board. In the steady state, the detection signal supplied to the microcomputer is high. In the optical port data transmit state, the detection signal transitions, as least momentarily, from a high state to a low state.

Abstract: An electricity meter which, in one embodiment, includes a microcomputer coupled to both a liquid crystal display (LCD) and an optical port. The LCD includes an on board controller and an LCD random access memory (RAM), and in accordance with the present invention, the microcomputer is programmed to communicate the contents of the LCD RAM to the optical port during selected times of meter operation. Generally, and in an exemplary embodiment, when the LCD RAM data is updated by the microcomputer during meter operation, the microcomputer communicates such updated data to the optical port. In one specific implementation, a user selectable flag may be set to 1 or 0. If the user sets the flag to 0, then the communications feature is not enabled. If the flag is set to 1, then the communications feature is enabled. In operation, and upon receipt of a display quantity command, the microcomputer writes data to the LCD RAM. The microcomputer then checks whether the communications feature is selected (i.e.

Abstract: A method of generating electrical energy metering quantities in a multi-channel load profile recorder includes the steps of sensing a line quantity such as a line current and/or a line voltage, during a load profile time interval. Non-derived electrical energy metering quantities such as watt-hours, var-hours, volt.sup.2 -hours, ampere.sup.2 -hours, etc., are then generated upon completion of the load profile time interval. The non-derived quantities are determined from the sensed line quantities and are preferably stored in non-volatile programmable read-only memory (PROM) in the recorder. These steps are then repeated for each of the subsequent consecutive time intervals so that a load profile record or "database" of non-derived metering quantities can be established in the memory. This record can then be retrieved on a periodic basis by a utility field operator, preferably using a hand-held or portable programming unit such as a computer.

Abstract: A programmable multi-channel load profile recorder includes a plurality of memory-based tables, such as a load profile configuration table, a plurality of channel and display configuration tables and an operations table, which can be updated when the recorder is reprogrammed in the field to record additional channels of metering quantities or reconfigured with new formulas. The load profile configuration table containing entries therein for each of a plurality of user-selected metering quantities to be recorded. The plurality of channel and display configuration tables contain parameter data and the operations table contains pointers therein to respective memory-based operation modules, each of which contains executable instructions therein. The metering quantities can be quantities such as watt-hours (Wh), var-hours (Vh), volt-ampere-hours (VAh), volt.sup.2 -hours (V.sup.2 h), ampere.sup.2 -hours (A.sup.2 h) and power factor (PF) as well as other user-selected quantities.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is an algorithm implemented in a microprocessor-controlled system which, for example, is disposed within an energy meter housing. Particularly, the microprocessor is coupled to a communications interface which receives and transmits messages on a power line or some other external communications media. Upon receipt of a message, the commands contained in the message are read. If a command corresponds to a "buffer and lock" command, then a timer operated by the microprocessor starts to run. For example, if data to be retrieved from the system is data which is erased from system memory when read therefrom, just prior to reading such data, a buffer and lock command is transmitted by the external communication device. Upon receipt of such command, the microprocessor initiates running of a timer and the data is read from the meter. The data also is copied to a buffer, e.g., a RAM memory location.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, is an algorithm for implementation in a meter register and an reading device. In the one embodiment, the present invention enables selecting a display table to be read from the register, updating the billing read date and time in the register, reversing the order in which load profile (LP) data is transmitted from the register to the reader, specifying the number of LP intervals to be read from the register, and specifying the number of intervals to skip when reading from the register.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for writing a command to a communications unit of a meter, effecting the execution of the command, and reading the results of the execution includes an electrical metering device having metering means, register means and communications means. The write, indirect execute, and read operations are all driven from one command provided from the reading device to the communication unit.

Abstract: The method and apparatus for sharing passwords includes an electronic meter comprising a metering unit, a register unit, an optical port, and a communications unit. An external reading device, such as a handheld reading device or a personal computer, is coupled to the communication board via the optical port. The method and apparatus for sharing passwords provides that both the meter register and the communications unit have the same security code. In addition, the communications unit is able to distinguish between a security code for the communications unit and a security code for the meter register, and the communications unit will not interfere with communications between the external reading device and the meter register.