Power meter having multiple ethernet ports

Abstract

A power meter or other electrical device is provided having two independent and communicatively isolated Ethernet ports. The first Ethernet port is addressable by a first unique identifier and is configured for enabling full access to the power meter via an internal LAN. This enables a LAN operator to remotely access the power meter via the internal LAN for performing metering functions, such as full telemetry, control and programming. The second Ethernet port is addressable by a second unique identifier and is configured for being connected to the Internet. Since the second Ethernet port is communicatively isolated from the first Ethernet port, a user can access the power meter via the Internet, but cannot access the internal LAN by connecting to the power meter via the Internet.

1 . An electrical metering device comprising:
 at least one power monitor configured for monitoring at least one parameter of an electrical distribution system;   a memory chip configured to store the at least one parameter;   a first communication port having a first unique identifier and configured for connecting to a first network;   a second communication port having a second unique identifier and configured for connecting to a second network; and   one or more processors configured for receiving data from the at least one monitoring component, storing the received data in the memory chip and transmitting at least a portion of the data to at least one of the first and second communication ports,   wherein the first communication port provides read/write access to the memory chip and the second communication port provides read-only access to the memory chip.   
     
     
         2 . The electrical metering device of  claim 1 , wherein the second communication port is communicatively isolated from the first communication port. 
     
     
         3 . The electrical metering device of  claim 1 , wherein the information accessible via. the second communication port is controlled by instructions provided via the first communication port. 
     
     
         4 . The electrical metering, device of  claim 1 , wherein information accessible via the second communication port is presented in a form of web pages viewable using at least one Internet browser. 
     
     
         5 . The electrical metering device of  claim 4 , wherein the web pages are created using HTML or XML programming languages. The electrical metering device of  claim 1 , wherein the first communication port permits access to modify programmable instructions implemented by the processor and the second communication port is unable to access programmable instructions implemented by the processor. 
     
     
         7 . The electrical metering device of  claim 1 , wherein the memory chip is a flash memory chip. The electrical metering device of  claim 1 , wherein the power monitor measures current. 
     
     
         9 . The electrical metering device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to receive instructions and create at least one webpage from data received from the power monitor. 
     
     
         10 . An electrical metering device comprising:
 a housing having a pass-through aperture;   a faceplate having a display connected to the housing;   at least one power monitor positioned at least partially in the housing, the power monitor configured for monitoring at least one parameter of an electrical distribution system;   a memory chip positioned in the housing and configured to store the at least one parameter;   a first communication port connected to the housing and having a first unique identifier and configured for connecting to a first network;   a second communication port connected to the housing and having a second unique identifier and configured for connecting to a second network; and   one or more processors positioned in the housing, the one or more processors configured for receiving data from the at least one monitoring component, storing the received data in the memory chip and transmitting at least a portion of the data to at least one of the first and second communication ports,   wherein the first communication port provides access to the one or more processors and the second communication port does not provide access to the processor.   
     
     
         11 . The electrical metering device of  claim 10 , wherein the information accessible via the second communication port is controlled by instructions provided via the first communication port. 
     
     
         12 . The electrical metering device of  claim 10 , wherein the first communication port permits access to modify programmable instructions implemented by the processor. 
     
     
         13 . The electrical metering, device of  claim 10  wherein the first communication port provides read/write access to the memory chip and the second communication port provides read-only access to the memory chip 
     
     
         14 . The electrical metering device of  claim 10 , wherein the memory chip is a flash memory chip. 
     
     
         15 . The electrical metering device of  claim 10 , wherein the power monitor measures current. 
     
     
         16 . The electrical metering device of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to receive instructions and create at least one webpage from data received from the power monitor. 
     
     
         17 . A method of providing selective access to a power meter comprising:
 providing access over a first network through a first communication port having a first unique identifier to an electrical metering device, the electrical metering device having at least one power monitor configured for monitoring at least one parameter of an electrical distribution system, a memory chip configured to store the at least one parameter, and one or more processors configured for receiving data from the at least one monitoring component, storing the received data. in the memory chip and transmitting at least a portion of the data to the first communication port;   permitting a user to access the one or more processors through the first communication port to provide instructions to control data available through a second communication port over a second network different from the first network; and   providing read-only access of the data through the second communication port.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising permitting the user to set operational parameters of the power monitor through the first communication port. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising creating, by the one or more processors, a webpage based on user instructions, storing the webpage in the memory chip, and providing read-only access of the webpage through the second communication port. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising providing, through the webpage, hyperlinks to at least one other webpage stored in the memory chip.