Load survey recorder for measuring electrical parameters

Abstract

A survey recorder for measuring electrical loads and providing a magnetic tape record of data with time reference signals in format capable of providing computer compatible information. The data recording circuit utilizes a light emitting diode with a phototransistor to determine each quantum measurement by the meter, and a trigger circuit driven by the phototransistor feeds a solid state divider circuit which is programmable to provide various I/O pulse ratio outputs to the data recording head. A power outage circuit detects outages which are greater than a predetermined duration and provides distinctive pulses to a time recording circuit to effect a recognizable format on the magnetic tape which identifies the power outage.

We claim: 
     
       1. In a survey recorder for recording data and time information derived from an associated meter device, a pulse generator circuit for providing data pulses, each of which pulses represents a count derived from said associated meter device, timer means operative to provide time reference signals which represent predetermined intervals of time of operation of said meter device, recorder means including a data record circuit having a first recorder head winding for recording the data pulses provided by said pulse generator circuit on a magnetic tape, and a time record circuit having a second record head winding for recording time reference pulses on said magnetic tape as a reference for said data pulses, and a control circuit for said time record circuit including power outage means for detecting a power interruption to said meter device which is longer than a predetermined time duration, and logic means connected to said power outage means and said timer means for controlling said time record circuit and said second record head winding to record a discrete pulse format on said magnetic tape which identifies the power interruption. 
     
     
       2. A survey recorder as set forth in claim 1 in which said discrete pulse format provided by said control circuit comprises at least a first half amplitude pulse and a second half amplitude pulse recorded in sequence on said tape, at least one of which occurs simultaneous with one of said time reference signals output from said timer means. 
     
     
       3. A survey recorder as set forth in claim 1 in which said time record circuit comprises a first switching device connected between a source of potential and one side of said second record head winding, and a second switching device connected between a source of potential and the other side of said second record head, and in which said logic means includes a first and a second logic gate for controlling enablement and cutoff of said first and second switches respectively, each of said switching devices being operative as enabled to provide current flow over said second record head winding in opposite directions, whereby pulses of correspondingly opposite polarities are recorded on said magnetic tape as said switching devices are operated. 
     
     
       4. A survey recorder as set forth in claim 1 in which said logic means includes logic gate means connected to said timer means for providing signals to control said time record circuit to at times provide current over said second record head winding in a first direction, and to at other times control current flow over said second record head winding in an opposite direction, a latch circuit operative to a first state in response to application of power to said meter after a give period of power outage, said latch circuit in said first state providing output signals to said gate means to control said time record circuit to maintain zero level current to said second record head winding from the time of said application of power to said meter device until a further time reference signal is provided to said control circuit by said timer means. 
     
     
       5. A survey recorder as set forth in claim 4 which includes further means for operating said latch circuit to a second state in response to said further time reference signal from said timer means, said latch means providing a signal output in said second state which conditions said gate means to control said time record circuit to reverse the direction of current flow in response to receipt there-after of each time reference signal from said timer means. 
     
     
       6. A survey recorder as set forth in claim 1 in which said power outage means comprises a capacitor which prevents a change in the state of said time record circuit in response to power outages of less than a predetermined period. 
     
     
       7. A survey recorder as set forth in claim 1 in which said control circuitry includes a latch circuit for providing control signals to said time record circuit, and capacitor means for maintaining said latch circuit operative to output said control signals for a predetermined period after interruption of said power to thereby prevent operation of the time record circuit in response to momentary outage. 
     
     
       8. A survey recorder as set forth in claim 1 in which said logic means include a first and second gate for controlling operation of said time record circuit and timer means comprise a switch for connecting a signal alternately to a first input on said first and second gates, and in which said control circuit includes a latch circuit, an RC circuit connected to one input terminal for said latch circuit to provide signals indicating the presence and loss of power, a first marking circuit comprising a first capacitor and first diode connected between a second input of said first gate and a second input for said latch circuit, and resistance means connected between a potential source and the junction of said first capacitor and said first diode, a second marking circuit comprising a second capacitor and a second diode connected between a second input of said second gate and said second input of said latch circuit, and resistance means connected between potential source and the junction of said second capacitor and said second diode, and resistance means for connecting a potential to the junction of said first and second capacitor and said second input for said latch circuit, and in which said time record circuit comprises a first and a second transistor, and means for connecting the output of said first gate to control operation of said first transistor and means for connecting the output of said second gate to control operation of said second transistor. 
     
     
       9. A survey recorder as set forth in claim 1 in which said pulse generator circuit includes first means for providing a signal output to indicate each count output by said meter, a trigger circuit connected to the output of said first means operative to alternate states in response to receipt of each successive signal from said first means, a divider circuit connected to the output of said trigger circuit operable to add a count only when said trigger circuit .[.appears.]. .Iadd.operates .Iaddend.to a predetermined one of said states to provide a predetermined signal, a plurality of output circuits for said divider circuit, each of which output circuits provides a pulse output in response to an input of a different number of said predetermined signals by said trigger circuit, and selection means for selectively connecting a different one of said divider circuits to said data record circuit. 
     
     
       10. A survey recorder as set forth in claim 9 in which said meter device includes a rotating disc which has a reflective surface and a nonreflective section on said surface and said pulse generator circuit comprises means for projecting a light in the direction of said reflective surface, pickup means for providing a first signal output in response to the detection of light reflected from said surface and a second signal output responsive to interruption of the reflected light by said nonreflected section, and said trigger circuit is connected to the output of said pickup means and operative to a first state in response to said first signal and operable to a second state responsive to said second signal. 
     
     
       11. A survey recorder as set forth in claim 9 in which said data record includes a control transistor which is operative to complete a current path over the first record head winding in one direction in response to a first pulse output from said divider circuit, and a current path over the first record head winding in an opposite direction in response to a second signal output from said divider circuit. 
     
     
       12. In a survey recorder for recording data and time information for use with a meter device having a rotating disc which has a reflective surface and a nonreflective section on said surface, a pulse initiator circuit comprising means for projecting a light in the direction of said reflective surface, pickup means for providing a first signal output in response to the detection of light reflected from said surface and a second signal output responsive to interruption of the reflected light by said nonreflected section, a trigger circuit connected to the output of said pickup means operative to a first state in response to said first signal and operable to a second state responsive to said second signal, a divider circuit connected to the output of said trigger circuit operable to add a count whenever said trigger circuit operates to a predetermined one of said states to provide a predetermined signal, a plurality of output circuit for said divider circuit, each of which output circuits provides a pulse output for a different number of said predetermined signals input from said trigger circuit, a pulse recording circuit and selection means for selectively connecting a different one of said divider output circuits to said pulse recording circuit. 
     
     
       13. A survey recorder as set forth in claim 12 in which said pulse output by said divider circuit at times comprises a logic 1 signal and at other times comprises a logic 1 signal and at other times comprises a logic 0 signal, and which includes a data record circuit comprising a data record head and a switching device which is operative in response to one of said pulses to effect the conduction of current over said data record head in a first direction, and operative in response to a different one of said pulses to effect control of the current over said record head in the opposite direction. 
     
     
       14. A survey recorder as set forth in claim 12 in which said rotating disc includes a plurality of nonreflection sections on said surface to provide a correspondingly different pulse ratio output to said pulse recording circuit. 
     
     
       15. In a survey recorder for recording data and time information derived from an associated meter device, which survey recorder includes timer means operative to provide time reference signals which represent predetermined intervals of time of operation of said meter device, a time record circuit having a record head for recording said time reference signals on a magnetic tape, a control circuit for said time record circuit including power sensor means for detecting the presence of power and the interruption of power to said meter device for a predetermined time period, logic means connected to said power outage means and said timer means for controlling said time record circuit and said record head to record a discrete pulse format on said magnetic tape which identifies a detected power outage comprising at least a first and a second half amplitude pulse of the same polarity recorded in sequence on said tape, at least one of which occurs simultaneous with one of said time reference signals ouput from said timer means. 
     
     
       16. A survey recorder as set forth in claim 15 in which said logic means includes gate means connected to said timer means for providing signals to control said time record circuit to at times provide current over said record head in a first direction, and to at other times control current flow over said record head in a second direction, a latch circuit operative to a first state with the detection of poawer by said power sensor means for a given period, said latch circuit being operative in said first state to provide output signals to said gate means to control said time record circuit to maintain zero level current to said record head from the time of the detection of power until a further time reference signal is provided to said logic means by said timer means. 
     
     
       17. A survey recorder as set forth in claim 16 which includes further means for operating said latch circuit to a second state in response to said further time reference signal from said timer means, said latch circuit being operative to provide a signal output to said logic means in said second state which conditions said gate means to control said time record circuit to reverse the direction of current flow in response to receipt thereafter of each time reference signal from said timer means. 
     
     
       18. In a survey recorder for recording data and time information derived from an associated meter device, which survey recorder includes timer means operative to provide time reference signals which represent predetermined intervals of time of operation of said meter device, a time record circuit having a record head for recording said time reference signals on a magnetic tape, a control circuit for said time record circuit including power sensor means for detecting the presence of power and the interruption of power to said meter device for a predetermined time period, and logic means connected to said power outage means and said timer means for controlling said time record circuit and said record head to record a discrete pulse format on said magnetic tape which identifies a detected power outage. .Iadd. 19. A data recorder for recording metering information of a measured quantity subject to an interruption during an outage condition, comprising: a data input for receiving pulses responsive to predetermined amounts of a measured quantity; a time impuse control means actuated at regular time intervals; a switching control means having one conductive condition in response to presence of said measured quantity and an opposite conductive condition in response to the absence of said measured quantity; a data recording circuit means connected to said data input to generate data recording pulses; a time recording circuit means including said time impulse control means to generate time interval recording pulses in response to each actuation of said time impulse control means; an outage indicating circuit means including said switching control means, said outage indicating circuit means being connected to said time recording circuit means to generate a separate outage recording pulse in said time recording circuit in response to said switching control means being operated between said one and said opposite conductive conditions such that said outage recording pulse is produced in a predetermined relationship with respect to a time interval pulse generated immediately after an outage condition in said measured quantity. .Iaddend..Iadd. 20. A data recorder for recording metering information of a measured quantity subject to an interruption during outage conditions, comprising: a data input for receiving pulses responsive to predetermined amounts of a measured quantity; a time impulse control means actuated at regular time intervals; an outage detector including a switching control means having one conductive condition in response to presence of said measured quantity and opposite conductive condition in response to the absence of said measured quantity; a data recording circuit means connected to said data input to generate data recording pulses; a time recording circuit means including said time impulse control means; an outage indicating circuit means including said switching control means, said outage indicating circuit means being connected to said time recording circuit means to generate a separate outage pulse in said time recording circuit in response to said switching control means being operated between said one and said opposite conductive conditions such that said outage pulse is produced in said time recording circuit means in a predetermined relationship prior to a time interval pulse generated subsequent to an outage condition in said measured quantity. .Iaddend..Iadd. 21. In a recorder for recording data and time information derived from an associated meter device, timer means, a time record circuit having a record head responsive to said timer means for recording time reference signals representing predetermined intervals of time of operation of said meter device on a magnetic tape, and means responsive to said timer means and to interruption of power to said meter device for a predetermined time period for controlling said time record circuit and record head to record a discrete pulse format on the magnetic tape which identifies a detected power interruption of said predetermined time period. .Iaddend..Iadd. 22. The recorder of claim 21 wherein said discrete pulse format comprises a transition characteristic of a detected power interruption in a predetermined relationship to a transition of the time reference signals. .Iaddend..Iadd. 23. The recorder of claim 21 wherein said discrete pulse format comprises a transition characteristic of a detected power interruption in a predetermined time relationship to a transition of the time reference signals. .Iaddend..Iadd. 24. The recorder of claim 23 wherein said power interruption characteristic transition has an amplitude which is distinctly different from said time reference signal transition. .Iaddend. i .Iadd.25. In a recorder for recording data and time information derived from an associated meter device, timer means, a time record circuit having a record head and responsive to said timer means for recording time reference signals on a magnetic tape which represent predetermined intervals of time of operation of said meter device, and means for detecting the interruption of power to the meter device for a predetermined time and producing a signal characteristic of the occurrence of such power interruption in response to operation of said timer means after the power has returned to the meter device, said time record circuit being responsive to the characteristic signal to record a discrete pulse format on said magnetic tape which identifies the detected power interruption. .Iaddend..Iadd. 26. In a recorder for recording data and time information derived from an associated meter device, timer means, a time record circuit having a record head and responsive to said timer means for recording said time reference signals on a magnetic tape which represent predetermined intervals of time of operation of said meter device, and a control circuit for said time record circuit comprising means switchable to a first state in response to interruption of power to the meter device for a predetermined time period, for switching from the first state thereof to a second state in response to said timer means after power is returned to the meter device, said time record circuit being responsive to said switching from the first to the second state to record a discrete pulse format on the magnetic tape which identifies the detected power interruption. .Iaddend.