Process for Detecting Energy Theft

• US 20120062210A1
• Filed: 09/13/2011
• Published: 03/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trilliant Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Trilliant Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Veillette, Michel
• Granted Patent: US 9,013,173 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/110
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/22 Arrangements for detecting or reporting faults, outages or leaks
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/066 Arrangements for avoiding or indicating fraudulent use
• 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 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
• 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

The present invention relates generally to detecting energy theft within an energy distribution system and more particularly to systems and methods for detecting energy discrepancies in voltages and/or currents reported by electric meters present in a distribution circuit, without requiring installation of additional hardware at the transformer. Typically, the location of each of at least two meters is determined with respect to a transformer. The line resistances within the distribution circuit are determined starting with a line resistance farthest from the transformer. Estimated line voltages are determined for at least one electric meter using the estimated line resistances, and the estimated voltages are compared to actual voltage readings for the at least one electric meter. The existence of line loss is determined based on this comparison.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a transformer;

a first electric meter in electrical communication with the transformer via a first electrical line;

a second electric meter in electrical communication with the transformer via a second electrical line, the second electric meter located a farther distance from the transformer than the first electric meter;

a server in electrical communication with the transformer, the first electric meter, and the second electric meter, wherein the server;

determines the location of the first electric meter and the second electric meter with respect to the transformer;

estimates the resistance along the second electrical line;

calculates an expected voltage for the second electric meter based on the estimated resistance of the second electrical line;

receives one or more actual voltage readings for the second electric meter;

compares the expected voltage for the second electric meter with the one or more actual voltage readings for the second electric meter; and

determines the existence of line loss along the second electrical line if said comparison results in a difference that is greater than a predetermined threshold.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the server:

estimates a resistance along the first electrical line;

calculates an expected voltage for the first electric meter based on the estimated resistance of the second electrical line and the estimated resistance of the first electrical line;

receives one or more actual voltage readings for the first electric meter;

compares the calculated expected voltage for the first electric meter with the one or more actual voltage readings for the first electric meter; and

determines the existence of line loss along the first electrical line if said comparison results in a difference that is greater than the predetermined threshold.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the locations of the first and second meters are determined based one or more voltage samples received from each of the meters.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the meter having the lowest average voltage sample is determined to be located the farthest from the transistor.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said estimating of the resistance along the second electrical line is based on one or more instantaneous measurements of the current and voltage from the first and second electric meters.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said estimating of the resistance along the second electrical line is based on an average of the one or more instantaneous measurements.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein an operator is notified if line loss is detected.

8. A system according to claim 2, wherein said estimating of the resistance along the first electrical line is based on one or more instantaneous measurements of the current and voltage from the first electric meter.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein said estimating of the resistance along the first electrical line is based on an average of the one or more instantaneous measurements.

10. A process for detecting the existence of line loss in electric meters present in a distribution circuit, the process comprising:

determining, by a processor, the location of each of at least two meters with respect to a transformer of the distribution circuit, each of the meters in electrical communication with an electrical line;

estimating, by the processor, a resistance of the electrical line at the location of each of the at least two meters, starting with a line resistance farthest from the transformer;

calculating, by the processor, estimated line voltages for at least one electric meter using the estimated line resistances;

receiving, by the processor, actual voltage readings for the at least one electric meter;

comparing, by the processor, the estimated line voltage with the actual voltage readings for the at least one electric meter; and

determining, by the processor, the existence of line loss if one or more of the comparisons result in a difference that is greater than a predetermined threshold.

12. A process according to claim 10, wherein the location of each of the at least two meters is determined based one or more voltage samples received from each of the meters.

13. A process according to claim 12, wherein the location of each of the at least two meters is determined based on the average of the one or more voltage samples.

14. A process according to claim 13, wherein the meter having the lowest average voltage sample is determined to be located the farthest from the transistor.

15. A process according to claim 12, wherein the location of each of the at least two meters is determined based on the median of the one or more voltage samples.

16. A process according to claim 10, wherein said estimating of the resistance is based on one or more instantaneous measurements of the current and voltage from the at least two meters.

17. A process according to claim 16, wherein said estimating of the resistance is based on an average of the one or more instantaneous measurements.

18. A process according to claim 10, further comprising averaging the received actual voltage readings from the at least one electric meter and comparing the averaged actual voltage readings to the estimated line voltage.

19. A process according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined threshold is about 10%.

20. A process according to claim 10, wherein an operator is notified if line loss is detected.