Method and apparatus for indicating meter tampering

Claim 3

A method as in claim 1 , wherein said electrically powered meter comprises an electric watt-hour meter, and said sensing motion step includes detecting positional displacement of said meter from a power socket in which it is otherwise intended to be received during normal metering operations thereof.

Claim 4

A method as in claim 1 , wherein said step of providing an indication of sensed tampering is followed by the step of clearing said “Tamper Flag” and recycling said method so as to sense any subsequent tampering of said meter.

Claim 5

A method as in claim 3 , further including the step of keeping a count of the number of indications of sensed tampering.

Claim 6

A method as in claim 1 , further including the step of subsequently transmitting to a device external to said meter data of sensed tampering.

Claim 7

A method as in claim 5 , further including the steps of: detecting a loss of power to said meter; determining an amount of previously consumed electrical energy at the time of a detected loss of power; and subsequently transmitting to a device external to said meter data of previously consumed electrical energy.

Claim 8

A method as in claim 1 , wherein said predetermined period of time is generally in a range of from about one second to about two minutes.

Claim 9

A method as in claim 7 , wherein said range is generally from about two seconds to about thirty seconds.

Claim 10

A method as in claim 8 , wherein said predetermined period of time is about ten seconds.

Claim 13

A method as in claim 10 , further including the step of transmitting tamper counter data to an external device so that detection of tampering is indicated relatively remotely from said electrically powered device.

Claim 14

A method as in claim 10 , wherein said electrically powered device is a utility metering device.

Claim 15

A method as in claim 12 , further including the step of storing in non-volatile memory energy consumption data of said utility metering device, upon the detection of loss of power thereto.

Claim 16

A method as in claim 12 , wherein said predetermined timeout period is generally in a range of from about one second to about two minutes.

Claim 17

A method as in claim 14 , wherein said predetermined timeout period is from about five seconds to about fifteen seconds.

Claim 18

A method as in claim 12 , wherein said utility metering device is a single phase electric watt-hour meter.

Claim 19

A method as in claim 16 , wherein said detecting displacement step includes detecting positional displacement of said meter from a power socket in which it is otherwise intended to be received during normal metering operations thereof.

Claim 20

Apparatus for sensing tampering of an electrically powered meter, comprising: non-volatile memory means for the storage of meter associated data therein in the event of loss of power to said meter; meter motion sensing means for sensing motion of said meter and for outputting a signal indicative thereof; timer means, responsive to sensed meter motion for establishing the passage of a predetermined period of time after sensing meter motion; power detecting means for detecting the presence or loss of power to said meter and for outputting corresponding signals thereof; and logic means, functionally operative with said non-volatile memory means, said meter motion sensing means, said timer means and said power detecting means for functioning such that: (i) sensing meter motion results in setting of a designated “Tamper Flag” in said non-volatile memory means for said predetermined period of time; (ii) detected loss of power to said meter within said predetermined period of time results in maintaining said “Tamper Flag” setting in said non-volatile memory means after such loss of power to said meter; (iii) detected presence of power to said meter throughout said predetermined period of time results in clearing of said “Tamper Flag” in said non-volatile memory means; and (iv) detected presence of power to said meter after a detected loss of power thereto and while said “Tamper Flag” is set results in providing an indication of sensed tampering of said electrically powered meter.

Claim 21

Apparatus for sensing tampering of an electrically powered meter, comprising: non-volatile memory means for the storage of meter associated data therein in the event of loss of power to said meter; meter motion sensing means for sensing motion of said meter and for outputting a signal indicative thereof; timer means, responsive to sensed meter motion for establishing the passage of a predetermined period of time after sensing meter motion; power detecting means for detecting the presence or loss of power to said meter and for outputting corresponding signals thereof; and logic means, functionally operative with said non-volatile memory means, said meter motion sensing means, said timer means and said power detecting means for functioning such that: (i) sensing meter motion results in setting of a designated “Tamper Flag” in said non-volatile memory means for said predetermined period of time; (ii) detected loss of power to said meter within said predetermined period of time results in maintaining said “Tamper Flag” setting in said non-volatile memory means after such loss of power to said meter; (iii) detected presence of power to said meter throughout said predetermined period of time results in clearing of said “Tamper Flag” in said non-volatile memory means; and (iv) detected presence of power to said meter after a detected loss of power thereto and while said “Tamper Flag” is set results in providing an indication of sensed tampering of said electrically powered meter.

Claim 22

An apparatus as in claim 18 , wherein: said electrically powered meter comprises an electric watt-hour meter; and said meter motion sensing means is operative for detecting positional displacement of said meter from a power socket in which it is otherwise intended to be received during normal metering operations thereof.

Claim 23

An apparatus as in claim 18 , wherein said meter comprises an electric watt-hour meter and said non-volatile memory means are further functional for storing electric energy consumption data during loss of power to said meter.

Claim 24

An apparatus as in claim 18 , wherein said logic means comprises dedicated hardware devices.

Claim 25

An apparatus as in claim 18 , wherein said logic means includes programmable hardware devices using software implemented logic steps.

Claim 26

An apparatus as in claim 18 , wherein said logic means are further functional, after providing an indication of sensed tampering, for clearing said “Tamper Flag” for further tamper sensing operations.

Claim 27

An apparatus as in claim 23 , further including tamper counter means for keeping data concerning the number of indications of sensed tampering.

Claim 28

An apparatus as in claim 18 , further including data transmission means for transmitting to a device external to said meter data of sensed tampering.

Claim 29

An apparatus as in claim 25 , wherein said data transmission means is also operative for transmitting to a device external to said meter data of previously consumed electrical energy as determined by said meter.

Claim 30

An apparatus as in claim 18 , wherein said predetermined period of time is generally in a range of from about one second to about two minutes.

Claim 31

An apparatus as in claim 27 , wherein said range is generally from about two seconds to about thirty seconds.

Claim 32

An apparatus as in claim 28 , wherein said predetermined period of time is about ten seconds.

Claim 35

An apparatus as in claim 30 , wherein said electrically powered device is a utility metering device.

Claim 36

An apparatus as in claim 31 , wherein said utility metering device is a single phase electric watt-hour meter.

Claim 37

An apparatus as in claim 31 , further including non-volatile memory means for storage of said tamper flag.

Claim 38

An apparatus as in claim 31 , wherein said logic means comprises programmable hardware devices using software implemented logic steps.

Claim 39

An apparatus as in claim 31 , wherein said logic means comprises dedicated hardware devices.

Claim 40

An apparatus as in claim 31 , wherein: said metering device comprises an electric watt-hour meter; and said position detection means comprises means for detecting acceleration of said meter as it is removed from a power socket in which it is otherwise intended to be received during normal metering operations thereof.

Claim 41

An apparatus as in claim 31 , further including data transmission means for transmitting to an external device data of said tamper count, so that data about detected tampering is indicated relatively remotely from said metering device.

Claim 42

An apparatus as in claim 37 , further including: non-volatile memory means for storage of data from said metering device about previously consumed electrical energy; and wherein said data transmission means is also operative for transmitting to an external device data of such previously consumed electrical energy as stored in said non-volatile memory means.

Claim 43

An apparatus as in claim 31 , wherein: said metering device comprises an electric watt-hour meter; and said position detection means comprises means for detecting positional displacement of said meter from a power socket in which it is otherwise intended to be received during normal metering operations thereof.

Claim 44

An apparatus as in claim 39 , wherein said position detection means includes a mercury tilt switch and operative circuitry therewith.

Claim 45

An apparatus as in claim 31 , wherein said predetermined period of time is generally in a range of from about one second to about two minutes.

Claim 46

An apparatus as in claim 41 , wherein said range is generally from about two seconds to about thirty seconds.

Claim 47

An apparatus as in claim 42 , wherein said predetermined period of time is about ten seconds.

Claim 48

Apparatus for indicating tampering of an electrically powered electric utility metering device, comprising: non-volatile memory means, operative during loss of power to said metering device, for storing selected data concerning said metering device including a designated “Tamper Flag,” meter motion sensing means for sensing motion of said metering device and, responsive thereto, setting said “Tamper Flag” in said non-volatile memory means; power detecting means for alternately detecting the presence and loss of power to said metering device and for outputting corresponding signals indicative thereof; timer means, responsive to setting of said “Tamper Flag” in said non-volatile memory means and operative only while power is present to said metering device, for timing for a predetermined period of time from the setting of said “Tamper Flag” and for outputting a predetermined timeout period signal at the successful conclusion of such predetermined period of time; logic means, operatively associated with said non-volatile memory means, said timer means and said power detecting means, (a) for clearing said “Tamper Flag” in said non-volatile memory means if said timer means outputs said predetermined timeout period signal and (b) for outputting a “Tamper Counter Increment” signal and subsequently clearing said “Tamper Flag” in said non-volatile memory means if said “Tamper Flag” is set at a time whenever said logic means receives an indicating signal from said power detecting means indicating the presence of power to said metering device after having received an indicating signal therefrom indicating the loss of power to said metering device; tamper counter means responsive to said “Tamper Counter Increment” signal from said logic means for correspondingly increasing a “Tamper Counter Value” thereof; and data transmission means for transmitting data concerning said “Tamper Counter Value” to locations relatively remote from said metering device, such that tampering of said metering device may be relatively remotely indicated.

Claim 49

Apparatus for indicating tampering of an electrically powered electric utility metering device, comprising: non-volatile memory means, operative during loss of power to said metering device, for storing selected data concerning said metering device including a designated “Tamper Flag,” meter motion sensing means for sensing motion of said metering device and, responsive thereto, setting said “Tamper Flag” in said non-volatile memory means; power detecting means for alternately detecting the presence and loss of power to said metering device and for outputting corresponding signals indicative thereof; timer means, responsive to setting of said “Tamper Flag” in said non-volatile memory means and operative only while power is present to said metering device, for timing for a predetermined period of time from the setting of said “Tamper Flag” and for outputting a predetermined timeout period signal at the successful conclusion of such predetermined period of time; logic means, operatively associated with said non-volatile memory means, said timer means and said power detecting means, (a) for clearing said “Tamper Flag” in said non-volatile memory means if said timer means outputs said predetermined timeout period signal and (b) for outputting a “Tamper Counter Increment” signal and subsequently clearing said “Tamper Flag” in said non-volatile memory means if said “Tamper Flag” is set at a time whenever said logic means receives an indicating signal from said power detecting means indicating the presence of power to said metering device after having received an indicating signal therefrom indicating the loss of power to said metering device; tamper counter means responsive to said “Tamper Counter Increment” signal from said logic means for correspondingly increasing a “Tamper Counter Value” thereof; and data transmission means for transmitting data concerning said “Tamper Counter Value” to locations relatively remote from said metering device, such that tampering of said metering device may be relatively remotely indicated.

Claim 50

Apparatus as in claim 44 , wherein: said metering device comprises a single phase electric watt-hour meter; said non-volatile memory means stores electric energy consumption data from said metering device during loss of power thereto; and said meter motion sensing means comprises means for detecting the positional displacement of said metering device from a power socket in which it is otherwise intended to be received during normal metering operation thereof.

Claim 51

Apparatus as in claim 44 , wherein said data transmission means comprises one of a wire based communication circuitry and RF based communication circuitry.

Claim 52

Apparatus as in claim 46 , wherein said timer means comprises one of a dedicated hardware implemented device and a software implemented device.

Claim 53

Apparatus as in claim 47 , wherein said predetermined period of time is generally in a range of from about one second to about two minutes.

Claim 54

Apparatus as in claim 48 , wherein said logic means and said tamper counter means are implemented with dedicated hardware.

Claim 55

Apparatus as in claim 48 , wherein said logic means and said tamper counter means are integrally implemented in programmable hardware using software implemented logic steps.