SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR NETWORK ENABLED DATA CAPTURE

• US 20120050065A1
• Filed: 08/30/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Lombardi, Steven A.
• Application Number:
  US12/871,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20120050065A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/845 where the measuring is synchronized between sensing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

Networked meters in a distribution system are enabled to detect a trigger event, record its time-stamped local data, and to issue a capture command via the network. The capture command includes timing data of the trigger event so the networked meters receiving the command are able to go back into their time-stamped and recorded local data and extract a precisely time-coordinated capture of their local data associated with the timing data of the trigger event. A complete set of distribution system event data is captured that may be time-synchronized for analysis.

Claims

1. A power quality measurement, control and management device for use in an electric power system, the device comprising:

an electric power system metering assembly including data memory and trigger parameters, the metering assembly adapted to capture, time stamp, and record in the data memory power system electrical parameters imposed on one or more industrial automation devices, each industrial automation device representing a node in the electric power system, the recorded power system electrical parameters being stored in the data memory for a predetermined amount of time;

a communication interface coupled to the metering assembly, the communication interface adapted to communicate with one or more additional metering assemblies on a network, and the communication interface adapted to transmit a capture command to all or a subset of the one or more additional metering assemblies on the network; and

wherein when the metering assembly captures one or more power system electrical parameters that are defined by the trigger parameters, the communication interface transmits the capture command onto the network to instruct all or the subset of the one or more additional metering devices on the network to record their respective power system electrical parameters.

2. The device according to claim 1:

wherein when the metering assembly captures one or more power system electrical parameters that are defined by the trigger parameters, the metering assembly takes a snapshot of the recorded power system electrical parameters and stores the snapshot of the recorded power system electrical parameters in the data memory.

3. The device according to claim 1:

wherein the metering assembly issues the capture command and forwards the capture command to the communication interface to be transmitted onto the network.

4. The device according to claim 1:

wherein the communication interface is coupled to a processor assembly, and the processor assembly issues the capture command and forwards the capture command to the communication interface to be transmitted onto the network.

5. The device according to claim 4:

wherein the communication assembly is electrically coupled to the metering assembly by way of a backplane assembly.

6. The device according to claim 5:

wherein the backplane assembly is adapted to pass both system voltage and communication signals.

7. The device according to claim 1:

wherein the trigger parameters are preconfigured.

8. The device according to claim 1:

wherein the trigger parameters are preconfigured across the network.

9. The device according to claim 1:

wherein the capture command includes timing data of the electrical parameters that are defined by the trigger parameters.

10. The device according to claim 9:

wherein the capture command instructs all or the subset of the one or more additional metering devices on the network to record their respective power system electrical parameters associated with the timing data of the electrical parameters that are defined by the trigger parameters.

11. The device according to claim 1:

further including a power supply, the power supply adapted to accept user input voltage, and to configure the input voltage to a system voltage for use by the metering assembly.

12. The device according to claim 11:

further including a backplane assembly adapted to pass at least one of system voltage and communication signals.

13. The device according to claim 12:

wherein the system voltage is transmitted from the power supply, across the backplane, and to the metering assembly.

14. A power quality measurement, control and management device for use in an electric power system and adapted to be coupled to a network, the device comprising:

an electric power system metering assembly including data memory and trigger parameters, the metering assembly adapted to capture, time stamp, and record in the data memory power system electrical parameters imposed on one or more industrial automation devices, each device representing a node in the electric power system;

a processor assembly including a communication interface, the communication interface adapted to communicate with one or more additional metering assemblies on a network, and the communication interface adapted to transmit a capture command to all or a subset of the one or more additional metering assemblies on the network;

each of the metering assembly and the processor assembly coupled to a backplane assembly, the backplane assembly adapted to pass communications between the metering assembly and the processor assembly; and

wherein when the metering assembly captures one or more power system electrical parameters that are defined by the trigger parameters, the metering assembly takes a snapshot of the recorded power system electrical parameters and stores the snapshot of the recorded power system electrical parameters in the data memory.

15. The device according to claim 14:

further including a power supply coupled to the backplane assembly, the power supply adapted to accept user input voltage, and to configure the input voltage to a system voltage for use by the processor assembly and the metering assembly.

16. The device according to claim 14:

wherein the recorded power system electrical parameters are only temporarily stored in the data memory.

17. The device according to claim 14:

wherein the snapshot of the recorded power system electrical parameters is stored in the data memory separate from the recorded power system electrical parameters.

18. The device according to claim 14:

wherein the backplane is adapted to provide electrical isolation between the processor assembly and the metering assembly and the power supply.

19. The device according to claim 14:

wherein when the metering assembly captures one or more power system electrical parameters that are defined by the trigger parameters, the communication interface transmits the capture command onto the network to instruct all or the subset of the one or more additional metering devices on the network to take a snapshot of the one or more additional metering device'"'"'s recorded power system electrical parameters and to store the one or more additional metering device'"'"'s snapshot of the recorded power system electrical parameters in the one or more additional metering device'"'"'s data memory.

20. The device according to claim 19:

wherein the capture command includes timing data of the electrical parameters that are defined by the trigger parameters.

21. The device according to claim 20:

wherein the capture command instructs all or the subset of the one or more additional metering devices on the network to record their respective power system electrical parameters associated with the timing data of the electrical parameters that are defined by the trigger parameters.

22. A method of capturing power system electrical parameters with a plurality of networked electric power system metering assemblies, the power system electrical parameters imposed on one or more industrial automation devices, each device representing a node in the electric power system, the method comprising:

capturing, time stamping, and recording the power system electrical parameters imposed on the one or more industrial automation devices by at least one of the plurality of networked electric power system metering assemblies;

comparing the power system electrical parameters to trigger parameters; and

when the power system electrical parameters fall within the trigger parameters, instructing all or a subset of the plurality of networked electric power system metering assemblies on the network to take a snapshot of the respective metering device'"'"'s recorded power system electrical parameters.

23. The method according to claim 22:

wherein instructing further includes instructing all or a subset of the plurality of networked electric power system metering assemblies on the network to take a snapshot of the respective metering device'"'"'s recorded power system electrical parameters associated with timing data of the electrical parameters that fall within the trigger parameters.

24. The method according to claim 22 further including:

time-synchronizing a plurality of the snapshots of the respective metering device'"'"'s recorded power system electrical parameters.

25. The method according to claim 24 further including:

presenting the time-synchronized snapshots to a user for analysis.