System and method for calibrating an energy meter

Claim 1

A system for calibrating an energy meter having input means for receiving electrical energy and a rotor having a periphery which rotates at an angular velocity generally proportional to the electrical energy input into the meter, said system comprising: (a) reference means having input means for receiving electrical energy, said reference means generating a reference signal having a predetermined signal parameter generally proportional to the electrical energy input into the reference means; (b) a plurality of marks disposed around the periphery of the rotor; (c) detection means communicating with the rotor for detecting the marks on the rotor and generating a test signal having a predetermined signal parameter generally proportional to the angular velocity of the rotor; (d) a source of electrical energy connected in common to the energy meter and said reference means such that substantially the same electrical energy is input to both the energy meter and said reference means; (e) error signal generator means responsive to the reference signal from the reference means and the test signal from the detection means for sensing a difference in a predetermined relationship between the signal parameter of the test signal and the signal parameter of the reference signal during at least a fractional rotation of the rotor and for generating an error signal representing the amount of error in the calibration of the energy meter when a difference in said predetermined relationship is sensed upon said fractional rotation of the rotor; (f) indicator means connected with the error signal generator means to receive the error signal for indicating the magnitude and polarity of error in the calibration of the energy meter and for indicating changes in the magnitude and polarity of the error in the calibration of the energy meter; and (g) calibration adjustment means associated with the energy meter for adjusting the angular velocity of the rotor while the calibration error is indicated by said indicator means so that changes in the magnitude and polarity of the error in calibration are indicated by the indicator means during adjustment to provide essentially continuous adjustment of meter calibration until the signal parameter of the test signal corresponds to the predetermined relationship with the signal parameter of the reference signal and the energy meter is thus properly calibrated.

Claim 2

A system for calibrating an energy meter having input means for receiving electrical energy and a rotor having a periphery which rotates at an angular velocity generally proportional to the electrical energy input into the meter, said system comprising: (a) reference means having input means for receiving electrical energy, said reference means generating a reference signal having a predetermined signal parameter generally proportional to the electrical energy input into the reference means; (b) a plurality of marks disposed around the periphery of the rotor; (c) detection means communicating with the rotor for detecting the marks on the rotor and generating a test signal having a predetermined signal parameter generally proportional to the angular velocity of the rotor; (d) a source of electrical energy connected in common to the energy meter and said reference means such that substantially the same electrical energy is input to both the energy meter and said reference means; (e) error signal generator means responsive to the reference signal from the reference means and the test signal from the detection means for sensing a difference in a predetermined relationship between the signal parameter of the test signal and the signal parameter of the reference signal during at least a fractional rotation of the rotor and for generating an error signal representing the amount of error in the calibration of the energy meter when a difference in said predetermined relationship is sensed upon said fractional rotation of the rotor; (f) indicator means connected with the error signal generator means to receive the error signal for indicating the magnitude and polarity of error in the calibration of the energy meter and for indicating changes in the magnitude and polarity of the error in the calibration of the energy meter; and (g) calibration adjustment means associated with the energy meter for adjusting the angular velocity of the rotor while the calibration error is indicated by said indicator means so that changes in the magnitude and polarity of the error in calibration are indicated by the indicator means during adjustment to provide essentially continuous adjustment of meter calibration until the signal parameter of the test signal corresponds to the predetermined relationship with the signal parameter of the reference signal and the energy meter is thus properly calibrated.

Claim 9

A method for calibrating an energy meter having input means for receiving electrical energy, a rotor having a periphery with a plurality of marks disposed thereon, which rotates at an angular velocity generally proportional to the electrical energy input into the meter, and calibration means for adjusting the angular velocity of the rotor relative to the electrical energy input into the meter, the method comprising the steps of: providing electrical energy from a source into the energy meter so that the rotor begins to rotate at an angular velocity; generating a reference signal having a predetermined signal parameter generally proportional to the electrical energy input into the meter; detecting the marks on the rotor as it rotates in response to the electrical energy; generating a test signal from the detected marks, said test signal having a predetermined signal parameter generally proportional to the angular velocity of the rotor; establishing a predetermined relationship between the signal parameter of the test signal and the signal parameter of the reference signal which relationship represents the proper calibration of the energy meter; sensing any difference in the predetermined relationship between the signal parameter of the test signal and the signal parameter of the reference signal during at least a fractional rotation of the rotor, said difference representing an error in the calibration of the meter; generating an error signal having a magnitude and polarity representative of the magnitude and polarity of the error in the calibration of the energy meter; indicating from the error signal the magnitude and polarity of the error in the calibration of the energy meter; adjusting the calibration means to change the angular velocity of the rotor to provide the proper calibration of the meter; and indicating changes in the magnitude and polarity of the error in the calibration as the calibration means is adjusted to provide essentially continuous adjustment in meter calibration until the signal parameter of the test signal corresponds to the predetermined relationship with the signal parameter of the reference signal to provide proper calibration.

Claim 10

A method for calibrating an energy meter having input means for receiving electrical energy, a rotor having a periphery with a plurality of marks disposed thereon, which rotates at an angular velocity generally proportional to the electrical energy input into the meter, and calibration means for adjusting the angular velocity of the rotor relative to the electrical energy input into the meter, the method comprising the steps of: providing electrical energy from a source into the energy meter so that the rotor begins to rotate at an angular velocity; generating a reference signal having a predetermined signal parameter generally proportional to the electrical energy input into the meter; detecting the marks on the rotor as it rotates in response to the electrical energy; generating a test signal from the detected marks, said test signal having a predetermined signal parameter generally proportional to the angular velocity of the rotor; establishing a predetermined relationship between the signal parameter of the test signal and the signal parameter of the reference signal which relationship represents the proper calibration of the energy meter; sensing any difference in the predetermined relationship between the signal parameter of the test signal and the signal parameter of the reference signal during at least a fractional rotation of the rotor, said difference representing an error in the calibration of the meter; generating an error signal having a magnitude and polarity representative of the magnitude and polarity of the error in the calibration of the energy meter; indicating from the error signal the magnitude and polarity of the error in the calibration of the energy meter; adjusting the calibration means to change the angular velocity of the rotor to provide the proper calibration of the meter; and indicating changes in the magnitude and polarity of the error in the calibration as the calibration means is adjusted to provide essentially continuous adjustment in meter calibration until the signal parameter of the test signal corresponds to the predetermined relationship with the signal parameter of the reference signal to provide proper calibration.