DATA STORAGE AND TRANSFER

• US 20110295912A1
• Filed: 11/12/2010
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Onzo Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Onzo Ltd.
• Inventors: McGuigan, Brian, Horsford, Edward, Sanchez Loureda, Jose, Westbrooke, Adam Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,874,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/812
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/24 Identification of individual loads, e.g. by analysing current/voltage waveforms
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/032 affecting incoming signal, e.g. by averaging; gating undesired signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/4463 Signal correction, e.g. distance amplitude correction [DAC], distance gain size [DGS], noise filtering
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• 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 20/242 Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A method and apparatus for storing data regarding parameter values by making a series of measurements of parameter values at times separated by predetermined time intervals, processing the series of measurements of parameter values made at predetermined time intervals to identify events at different times, generating a further series of measurements of parameter values at each of said different times, and storing each of said further series of measurements of parameter values in association with said respective different time.

Claims

1. A method of storing data regarding parameter values comprising the steps of:

making a series of measurements of parameter values at times separated by predetermined time intervals;

processing the series of measurements of parameter values made at predetermined time intervals to identify events at different times;

generating a further series of measurements of parameter values at each of said different times; and

storing each of said further series of measurements of parameter values in association with said respective different time.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined time intervals are fixed time intervals.

3. The method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each of said further series of measurements of parameter values is stored together with measurements of values of additional parameters measured at said respective different time.

4. The method according to any preceding claim wherein the processing comprises determining a gradient of change of parameter value between each consecutive measurement of parameter value, and identifying as events times where a change in successive gradients exceeds a threshold value.

5. The method according to any preceding claim, wherein said further series of measurements of parameter values are derived from said series of measurements of parameter values.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said further series of measurements of parameter values are derived from said series of measurements of parameter values using a selection process.

7. The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the intervals between measurements is in the range 0.01 to 60 seconds.

8. The method according to any preceding claim, wherein said parameter values are utilities consumption values.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the utility is selected from gas, electricity and water.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the utility is electricity and the electricity consumption values include measured values of real power, reactive power, or both reactive power and real power.

11. The method according to any preceding claim, and further comprising transmitting the stored measurements of parameter values and associated times to a data processor.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the stored measurements of parameter values and associated times are transmitted by wired or wireless transmission.

13. The method according to claim 11 or claim 12, when dependent from any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the data processor is a user display device.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the user display device is a domestic user display device.

15. A data processing apparatus comprising means adapted to carry out the method as set out in any one of claims 1 to 10.

16. The data processing apparatus according to claim 15, and further comprising means to carry out the method as set out in claim 11 or claim 12.

18. A system comprising apparatus according to claim 16 or claim 17, and further comprising a data processor adapted to receive the transmitted stored measurements of parameter values and associated times.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the data processor is a user display device.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the user display device is a domestic user display device.

21. A computer program adapted to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 12.

22. A computer program comprising software code adapted to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 12.

24. A computer readable storage medium comprising the program of any one of claims 21 to 23.

25. A computer program product comprising computer readable code according to claim 24.

26. An integrated circuit configured to perform the steps according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

17. A data processing apparatus adapted to store data regarding electricity consumption comprising:

sensor means adapted to make a series of measurements of electricity consumption values at times separated by predetermined time intervals;

data processor means adapted to process the series of measurements of electricity consumption values made at predetermined time intervals to identify events at different times;

data processor means adapted to generate a further series of measurements of electricity consumption values at each of said different times;

storage means adapted to store each of said further series of measurements of electricity consumption values in association with said respective different time; and

transmitter means adapted to transmit the stored measurements of parameter values and associated times to a data processor.

23. A computer program comprising software code adapted to perform steps of:

making a series of measurements of electricity consumption values at times separated by predetermined time intervals;

processing the series of measurements of electricity consumption values made at predetermined time intervals to identify events at different times;

generating a further series of measurements of electricity consumption values at each of said different times; and

storing each of said further series of measurements of electricity consumption values in association with said respective different time; and

transmitting the stored measurements of parameter values and associated times to a data processor.

27. An article of manufacture comprising:

a machine-readable storage medium; and

executable program instructions embodied in the machine readable storage medium that when executed by a programmable system causes the system to perform the function of storing data regarding utilities consumption comprising the steps of;

making a series of measurements of parameter values at times separated by predetermined time intervals;

processing the series of measurements of parameter values made at predetermined time intervals to identify events at different times;

generating a further series of measurements of parameter values at each of said different times; and

storing each of said further series of measurements of parameter values in association with said respective different time.

28. A data structure storing electrical utility supply data, the data structure comprising a series of stored data clusters, wherein each stored data cluster comprises in association:

a real power value of an electricity supply at a specific time;

a reactive power value of an electricity supply at said time; and

said time;

wherein the specific times of successive data clusters in the series are separated by a variable time interval.

29. The data structure according to claim 28, wherein each stored data cluster further comprises:

a voltage value of an electricity supply at said time; and

a frequency value of an electricity supply at said time.

30. The data structure according to claim 28 or claim 29, wherein each stored data cluster further comprises a harmonic distortion value at said time.

31. A signal comprising electrical utility supply data, the signal comprising a series of data clusters, wherein each data cluster comprises in association:

a real power value of an electricity supply at a specific time;

a reactive power value of an electricity supply at said time; and

said time;

wherein the specific times of successive data clusters in the series are separated by a variable time interval.

32. The signal according to claim 31, wherein each data cluster further comprises:

a voltage value of an electricity supply at said time; and

a frequency value of an electricity supply at said time.

33. The signal according to claim 31 or claim 32, wherein each stored data cluster further comprises a harmonic distortion value at said time.

34. Apparatus adapted to store data regarding utilities consumption substantially as shown in or as described with reference to the accompanying figures.