Distributed Intelligent Remote Terminal Units

• US 20090326731A1
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Taft, Jeffrey D., Wiggins, Diane Elizabeth, Edwards, Jermaine Charles, Scheuer, Jared Steven, Wang, Lance Suijun, Bowdry, Richard James
• Granted Patent: US 7,945,401 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/297
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

Multiple autonomous intelligent Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) are positioned on distribution lines in an electrical power grid. The intelligent RTUs are capable of performing advanced analytics on power flowing through the distribution lines, thus providing accurate real-time analysis of the power.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring power distribution, on an electric power grid, using intelligent Remote Terminal Units (RTUs), wherein the intelligent RTUs are capable of autonomous advanced analytics of sensor data taken from electrical distribution lines, the method comprising:

acquiring a sensor data from an electrical distribution line using an intelligent RTU;

locally performing advanced analytics on the sensor data by the intelligent RTU to create a processed data signal; and

transmitting the processed data signal to a control center server to allow a monitoring of power distribution on an electric power grid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the intelligent RTUs each comprise an event extraction logic for identifying an event that is indicated by the sensor data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the intelligent RTUs each comprise a calculation logic for performing an advanced analytical analysis of the sensor data.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the advanced analytical analysis includes determining an energy level of power being distributed on a distribution line using a Teager-Kaiser energy operator.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the advanced analytical analysis performed by the intelligent RTU includes determining a k-factor of electrical power being transmitted on the electrical distribution line, wherein the k-factor is a weighting of harmonic load currents in the electrical distribution line according to harmonic load current effects on transformer heating.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the advanced analytical analysis performed by the intelligent RTU includes digitizing an electric power waveform measured by the intelligent RTU, and wherein the method further comprises:

streaming digitized electric power waveforms to a control center server for real-time display of the electric power waveform measured by the intelligent RTU.

7. An intelligent Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) coupled to a power distribution line, the intelligent RTU comprising:

a sensor for detecting sensor data, wherein the sensor data describes a property of electric power that is being transmitted on the power distribution line;

a signal processor for autonomously performing an advanced analysis of the electric power to create a processed power signal; and

a transmitter for transmitting the process power signal to a control center server.

8. The intelligent RTU of claim 7, further comprising an event extraction logic for identifying an event that is indicated by the sensor data.

9. The intelligent RTU of claim 7, further comprising a calculation logic for performing an advanced analytical analysis of the sensor data.

10. The intelligent RTU of claim 9, wherein the advanced analytical analysis includes determining an energy level of power being distributed on a distribution line using a Teager-Kaiser energy operator.

11. The intelligent RTU of claim 9, wherein the advanced analytical analysis performed by the intelligent RTU includes determining a k-factor of electrical power being transmitted on the electrical distribution line, wherein the k-factor is a weighting of harmonic load currents in the electrical distribution line according to harmonic load current effects on transformer heating.

12. The intelligent RTU of claim 9, wherein the advanced analytical analysis performed by the intelligent RTU includes digitizing an electric power waveform measured by the intelligent RTU to create a streamable digitized electric power waveform for real-time transmission to the control center server.

13. A computer-readable medium on which is stored a computer program, the computer program comprising computer executable instructions configured for:

acquiring a sensor data from an electrical distribution line using an intelligent RTU;

locally performing advanced analytics on the sensor data by the intelligent RTU to create a processed data signal; and

transmitting the processed data signal to a control center server to allow a monitoring of power distribution on an electric power grid.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the intelligent RTUs each comprise an event extraction logic for identifying an event that is indicated by the sensor data.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the intelligent RTUs each comprise a calculation logic for performing an advanced analytical analysis of the sensor data.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the advanced analytical analysis includes determining an energy level of power being distributed on a distribution line using a Teager-Kaiser energy operator.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the advanced analytical analysis performed by the intelligent RTU includes determining a k-factor of electrical power being transmitted on the electrical distribution line, wherein the k-factor is a weighting of harmonic load currents in the electrical distribution line according to harmonic load current effects on transformer heating.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the advanced analytical analysis performed by the intelligent RTU includes digitizing an electric power waveform measured by the intelligent RTU to create a streamable digitized electric power waveform for real-time transmission to the control center server

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer-readable medium is a component of a remote server, and wherein the computer executable instructions are deployable to a supervisory computer from the remote server.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions are capable of being provided by a service provider to a customer on an on-demand basis.