Power Theft Detection System and Method

• US 20080109387A1
• Filed: 07/09/2007
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Inventors: Deaver, Brian J., Radtke, William O.
• Application Number:
  US11/775,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20080109387A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/412
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16547 voltage or current in AC supplies switching for protection H02H; circuits for emergency power supply H02J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/2513 Arrangements for monitoring electric power systems, e.g. power lines or loads; Logging
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

A system and method of providing utility data services is provided. In one embodiment the method includes receiving meter data of the measured power consumed by a plurality of power customers, receiving delivered power data that includes data of the power delivered to the plurality of power customers, determining a difference between the meter data and the delivered power data, determining that the difference between the meter data and the delivered power data is greater than a predetermined amount, and indicating a discrepancy if the difference between the meter data and the delivered power data is greater than a predetermined amount. In addition, the method may include determining that a discrepancy varies over time by a predetermined amount and providing a discrepancy notification such as wirelessly and/or via power line.

Claims

1. A method of providing utility data services, comprising:

receiving meter data of the measured power consumed by a plurality of power customers;

receiving delivered power data that includes data of the power delivered to the plurality of power customers;

determining a difference between the meter data and the delivered power data;

determining that the difference between the meter data and the delivered power data is greater than a predetermined amount; and

indicating a discrepancy if the difference between the meter data and the delivered power data is greater than a predetermined amount.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining location information associated with the discrepancy.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising generating a notification of the discrepancy.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing the notification to a utility provider.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing the notification to one or more power customers.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said location information is used to dispatch personnel.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising summing meter data of each of the plurality of power customers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivered power data comprises data of the power delivered over a low voltage power supply line supplying power to the plurality of power customers.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining a difference comprises determining a difference between the meter data of a power customer and the power delivered to that power customer via a low voltage power supply line.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivered power data comprises data of the power delivered over each of a plurality of low voltage power supply lines that supply power to each of the plurality of power customers.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivered power data is received via a data path that includes a wireless data network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless data network comprises a mobile telephone network.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless data network comprises a wireless pager network.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivered power data is received via a data path that includes a medium voltage power line.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the difference between the meter data and the delivered power data varies over time.

16. A method of providing utility services, comprising:

establishing a plurality of first communication links with a plurality of utility meters configured to provide meter data used to bill the plurality of power customers;

receiving meter data from the plurality of utility meters via the plurality of first communication links to one or more remote devices;

establishing a plurality of second communication links with a plurality of sensor devices configured to provide power data sufficient for determining the power delivered to the plurality of power customers via power lines that are connected to the plurality of meters;

receiving data of the power delivered to the plurality of customers from the plurality of sensor devices via the plurality of second communication links; and

determining one or more discrepancies between the meter data and the data of the power delivered.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each of the second communication links comprises a communication device installed on a utility pole.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein each of the second communication links comprises a communication device installed in an underground transformer enclosure.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein a plurality of the plurality of first and second communication links comprises a wireless data path.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of second communication links comprises a power line communication path.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising summing the meter data for a multitude of the plurality of utility meters.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein determining one or more discrepancies comprises comparing the summed meter data with data of the power delivered via power lines that are connected to the multitude of the plurality of utility meters.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising determining location information for the one or more discrepancies.

24. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining location information for the one or more discrepancies.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein determining one or more discrepancies comprises determining that meter data and data of the power delivered differs by a predetermined amount.

26. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining that a difference between meter data and data of the power delivered varies by a predetermined amount over time.

27. A device, comprising:

a modem;

a controller communicatively coupled to said modem;

a plurality of sensor devices communicatively coupled to said controller, and wherein each of said plurality of sensor devices is configured to measure the current of a different LV power supply line supplying power to a different power customer; and

wherein said controller is configured to cause said modem to transmit data derived from measurements of the plurality of sensor devices to a remote device.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein said modem is configured to communicate over a power line.

29. The device of claim 27, wherein said modem is configured to communicate wirelessly.

30. The device of claim 27, wherein said modem is configured to communicate over a coaxial cable.

31. The device of claim 27, wherein said modem is configured to communicate over a twisted pair conductor.

32. The device of claim 27, wherein said controller is configured to determine the power delivered to each of the different power customers.

33. The device of claim 27, wherein said controller is configured to determine the power delivered to each of the different power customers and to receive meter data for each of the different power customers.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein said controller is configured to determine a discrepancy between meter data of a power customer and the power delivered to that customer.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the data derived from measurements comprises a notification of a discrepancy.

36. The device of claim 27, wherein the data derived from measurements comprises data of the power delivered to each of the different power customers.