Apparatus and Methods Thereof for Power Consumption Measurement at Circuit Breaker Points
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus comprising:
- at least one analog section having a current transformer having a transformer core configured to mount around an alternating current (AC) power line making it a primary winding of the current transformer, the analog section harvesting energy from a secondary winding wound around the transformer core, and storing harvested energy for use by components of the apparatus, the analog section providing an analog signal responsive to AC in the power line and a pulse having a frequency responsive to the alternating current in the AC power line;
a microcontroller coupled to the at least one analog section to receive energy for the operation of at least the microcontroller, and to receive the analog signal and the pulses;
a memory coupled to the microcontroller; and
a transmitter coupled to the microcontroller to transmit, under the control of the microcontroller, information responsive to at least one of the analog signal and the pulses as an indication of the power consumption of a load connected to the power line.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods are provided for the measurement of power consumption at points of interest, such as circuit breakers, machines, and the like. Accordingly, means are provided for measurement of power consumption for each electrical sub-network that is controlled by a circuit breaker. Each apparatus is enabled to communicate its respective data, in an environment of a plurality of such apparatuses, to a management unit which is enabled to provide finer granularity power consumption profiles. Challenges of measuring relatively low supply currents, wireless operation in an environment of a large number of apparatuses, and self-powering are addressed.
-
Citations
28 Claims
-
1. An apparatus comprising:
-
at least one analog section having a current transformer having a transformer core configured to mount around an alternating current (AC) power line making it a primary winding of the current transformer, the analog section harvesting energy from a secondary winding wound around the transformer core, and storing harvested energy for use by components of the apparatus, the analog section providing an analog signal responsive to AC in the power line and a pulse having a frequency responsive to the alternating current in the AC power line; a microcontroller coupled to the at least one analog section to receive energy for the operation of at least the microcontroller, and to receive the analog signal and the pulses; a memory coupled to the microcontroller; and a transmitter coupled to the microcontroller to transmit, under the control of the microcontroller, information responsive to at least one of the analog signal and the pulses as an indication of the power consumption of a load connected to the power line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A system for power management comprising:
-
at least one self-powered power sensor (SPPS) coupled around an alternating current (AC) power line; a communication bridge adapted to communicate with the at least a SPPS and further coupled to a network; a management server coupled to the network and adapted to receive information from the communication link respective of the at least one SPPS; and a database coupled to the network for storing at least the information; the SPPS having at least one analog section comprising a current transformer comprising a transformer core configured to mount around an alternating current (AC) power line making it a primary winding of the current transformer, the analog section harvesting energy from a secondary winding wound the transformer core, and storing it for use by components of the apparatus and periodically providing a pulse having a frequency responsive to the alternating current in the AC power line;
a microcontroller coupled to the at least one analog section to receive harvested energy, to receive at least an analog signal responsive to the alternating current in the AC power line, and the pulse;
a memory coupled to the microcontroller; and
, a transmitter enabled to periodically transmit, under the control of the microcontroller, information respective of the power consumption of the power line. - View Dependent Claims (13)
-
-
14. A method for sensing power consumption comprising:
-
receiving a pulse from a current to pulse converter of an analog section of a self-powered power sensor (SPPS); counting the number of pulses received; activating a transmitter of the SPPS for transmission; transmitting information respective of the number of pulses counted upon determination that the SPPS has accumulated sufficient power for transmission; and deactivating the transmitter of the SPPS; the SPPS having at least one analog section comprising a current transformer comprising a transformer core configured to mount around an alternating current (AC) power line making it a primary winding of the current transformer, the analog section harvesting energy from a secondary winding wound around the transformer core, and storing it for use by components of the apparatus and periodically providing a pulse having a frequency responsive to the alternating current in the AC power line;
a microcontroller coupled to the at least one analog section to receive harvested energy, to receive at least an analog signal responsive to the alternating current in the AC power line, and the pulse;
a memory coupled to the microcontroller; and
, a transmitter enabled to periodically transmit, under the control of the microcontroller, information respective of the power consumption of the power line. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method for sensing power consumption comprising:
-
receiving a first signal responsive of a primary current sensed by sensing resistor of an analog section of a self-powered power sensor (SPPS); activating a transmitter of the SPPS for transmission; transmitting information respective of the first signal upon determination that the SPPS has accumulated sufficient power for transmission; and deactivating the transmitter of the SPPS; the SPPS having at least one analog section comprising a current transformer comprising a transformer core configured to mount around an alternating current (AC) power line making it a primary winding of the current transformer, the analog section harvesting energy from a secondary winding wound around the transformer core, and storing it for use by components of the apparatus and periodically providing a pulse having a frequency responsive to a current in the AC power line;
a microcontroller coupled to the at least one analog section to receive harvested energy, to receive at least an analog signal responsive to the current in the AC power line, and the pulse;
a memory coupled to the microcontroller; and
, a transmitter enabled to periodically transmit, under the control of the microcontroller, information respective of the power consumption of the power line. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. An apparatus comprising:
-
at least one analog section comprising a current transformer comprising a transformer core configured to mount around an alternating current (AC) power line making it a primary winding of the current transformer, the analog section for harvesting energy from a secondary winding wound the transformer core, and storing it for use by components of the apparatus and periodically switching to allow sampling of a current flowing through the current transformer by a sense resistor; a microcontroller coupled to the at least one analog section to receive harvested energy, at least an analog signal responsive to the alternating current in the AC power line by the sense resistor; a memory coupled to the microcontroller; and a transmitter enabled to periodically transmit, under the control of the microcontroller, information responsive to the power consumption of a load connected to the power line. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
-
-
25. An apparatus comprising:
-
at least one analog section comprising a current transformer comprising a transformer core configured to mount around an alternating current (AC) power line making it a primary winding of the current transformer, the analog section harvesting energy from a secondary winding wound around the transformer core, and storing it for use by components of the apparatus using a first secondary winding of the current transformer and a sense resistor coupled to a second secondary winding for sensing the current of the transformer; a microcontroller coupled to the at least one analog section to receive harvested energy and at least an analog signal responsive to the alternating current in the AC power line by the sense resistor; a memory coupled to the microcontroller; and a transmitter enabled to periodically transmit, under the control of the microcontroller, information respective of the power consumption of a load connected to the power line. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
-
Specification