System and Method for Determining a Phase Conductor Supplying Power to a Device
First Claim
1. A method of using a system to determine one of a plurality of power line phase conductors to which a first remote device is electrically connected and wherein each phase conductor carries a different phase of power having a zero crossing of the alternative current (AC) voltage at a different point in time, the method comprising:
- transmitting a different data beacon at the zero crossing of the voltage of the power of each of a plurality of power line phase conductors;
storing in a memory information of the data beacon transmitted at the zero crossing of each power line phase conductor;
with the first remote device, receiving a first data beacon;
with the first remote device, determining whether the first data beacon was received at a zero crossing of a voltage at the first remote device;
if the first data beacon was received at a zero crossing of the voltage at the first remote device, transmitting from the first remote device a phase notification that includes information identifying the first data beacon and information identifying the first remote device;
with a computer system, receiving the phase notification;
with the computer system, receiving the information identifying the first data beacon and information identifying the first remote device and accessing the memory to determine a power line phase conductor to which the first remote device is electrically connected; and
with the computer system, storing in a memory information of the power line phase conductor to which the first remote device is electrically connected.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for determining one of a plurality of power line phase conductors to which a remote device is electrically connected via a low voltage power line and transformer, and wherein each power line conductor carries a different phase of power is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes transmitting a different data beacon at a zero crossing of a voltage of the power of each of a plurality of power line phase conductors and storing in a memory information of the data beacon transmitted at the zero crossing of each phase conductor. At the remote device the method includes receiving a first data beacon, determining whether the first data beacon was received at a zero crossing of the voltage, and if the first data beacon was received at a zero crossing of the voltage, transmitting a phase notification that includes information of the first beacon and information identifying the remote device from the remote device. Finally, at a computer system, the method includes receiving the phase notification accessing the memory to determine a power line conductor to which the remote device is electrically connected.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of using a system to determine one of a plurality of power line phase conductors to which a first remote device is electrically connected and wherein each phase conductor carries a different phase of power having a zero crossing of the alternative current (AC) voltage at a different point in time, the method comprising:
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transmitting a different data beacon at the zero crossing of the voltage of the power of each of a plurality of power line phase conductors; storing in a memory information of the data beacon transmitted at the zero crossing of each power line phase conductor; with the first remote device, receiving a first data beacon; with the first remote device, determining whether the first data beacon was received at a zero crossing of a voltage at the first remote device; if the first data beacon was received at a zero crossing of the voltage at the first remote device, transmitting from the first remote device a phase notification that includes information identifying the first data beacon and information identifying the first remote device; with a computer system, receiving the phase notification; with the computer system, receiving the information identifying the first data beacon and information identifying the first remote device and accessing the memory to determine a power line phase conductor to which the first remote device is electrically connected; and with the computer system, storing in a memory information of the power line phase conductor to which the first remote device is electrically connected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system to determine one of a plurality of power line conductors to which a remote device is electrically connected and wherein at least some of the power line conductors have a zero crossing of an AC voltage of the power carried by the power line conductor at a different point in time, the system comprising:
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a communication device configured to transmit a phase identifier message at a zero crossing of the voltage of each power line conductor; wherein at least some of the phase identifier messages are different from other phase identifier messages; a memory configured to store information identifying the phase identifier message transmitted at the zero crossing of each power line conductor; a remote device configured to monitor a voltage of a low voltage power line and to receive a plurality of different more phase identifier messages; wherein said remote device is configured to determine whether or not a received phase identifier message is received at a zero crossing of the voltage of the low voltage power line; and wherein said remote device is configured to transmit a notification to a processing device if a phase identifier message is received at a zero crossing of the voltage. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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14. The system according to claim 14, wherein said processing device is configured to store the determined information identifying the power line conductor to which the remote device is connected and information identifying the remote device in a memory.
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22. A method of using a computer system to determine one of a plurality of power line conductors to which a remote device is electrically connected and wherein at least some of the power line conductors have a zero crossing of an AC voltage of the power carried by the power line conductor at a different point in time, the method comprising:
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transmitting a first phase identifier message at a zero crossing of the voltage of a first power line conductor; transmitting a second phase identifier message at a zero crossing of the voltage of a second power line conductor; wherein said first phase identifier message and said second phase identifier message are transmitted at different points in time; storing in a memory information associating the first phase identifier message with the first power line conductor; storing in a memory information associating the second phase identifier message with the second power line conductor; with a first remote device, receiving the first phase identifier message; with the first remote device, determining that the first phase identifier message was received at a zero crossing of the voltage at the first remote device; transmitting from the first remote device a first notification that includes information identifying the first phase identifier message and information sufficient for identifying the first remote device; with a computer system, receiving the first notification including the information identifying the first phase identifier message and the information sufficient for identifying the first remote device; with the computer system, accessing the memory to determine that the first remote device is electrically connected to the first power line conductor based on; (a) the information identifying the first phase identifier message received from the first remote device; and (b) information associating the first phase identifier message with the first power line conductor stored in the memory. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification