POWER OUTAGE NOTIFICATION

• US 20120146799A1
• Filed: 09/07/2011
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ramprasad Golla, Ray Bell, Stephen Street, Will Bell
• Original Assignee: Ramprasad Golla, Ray Bell, Stephen Street, Will Bell
• Inventors: Bell, Ray, Bell, Will, Street, Stephen, Golla, Ramprasad
• Granted Patent: US 8,779,927 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/635
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/30 using a wired architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• 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

Abstract

Determining the scope of power outage includes receiving a message indicating power outage from a device, and probing other devices associated with the device sending the message. The message indicating power outage may include a power outage code, and may be received via a control channel of a communication network. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for detecting power outage, the method comprising:

receiving a message from a device, the message indicating loss of power by the device;

determining a feeder associated with the device;

evaluating messages received from a first plurality of devices connected to the feeder;

probing a second plurality of devices connected to the feeder, wherein a message indicating power loss has not been received from any device in the second plurality of devices; and

determining a power outage of the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is a control message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the control message is a session termination message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a smart meter.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a router.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying an outage-management system of power loss by the device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining power loss by one or more of the first plurality of devices.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining power loss by one or more of the second plurality of devices.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising pausing for a predetermine period of time, prior to the probing, to allow for restoration of communications.

10. A computer-implemented system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory machine readable medium, the medium containing a set of processor executable instructions that, when executed by the processor configure the system to;

receive a message from a device, the message indicating power loss by the device;

determine a feeder associated with the device;

evaluate messages received from a first plurality of devices connected to the feeder;

probe a second plurality of devices connected to the feeder, wherein a message indicating power loss has not been received from any device in the second plurality of devices; and

determine a power outage of the device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the smart grid device is a smart meter.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the smart grid device is a router.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the system is further configured to notify an outage-management system of power loss by the smart grid device.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the system is further configured to determine power loss by one or more of the first plurality of devices.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the system is further configured to determine power loss by one or more of the second plurality of devices.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the system is further configured to pause for a predetermine period of time, prior to the probing, to allow for restoration of communications.

17. A device for reporting power outage, the device comprising:

a power-monitoring module for sensing a loss of power monitored by the device; and

a communication module for communicating the loss of power via a communication network, using a control signal associated with the communication network, the control signal comprising a power-outage code.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the power-monitoring module comprises a metrology engine for measuring consumption of power by one or more appliances in communication with the device.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the communication module comprises:

a communication processor for generating the control signal comprising the power-outage code; and

communication firmware for transmitting the control message.

20. A method for reporting power outage, comprising:

monitoring and sensing a loss of power by a power-monitoring module; and

communicating the loss of power via a communication network, using a control signal associated with the communication network, the control signal comprising a power-outage code.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

measuring consumption of power by one or more appliances in communication with the power-monitoring module; and

transmitting the measured power consumption via the communication network.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the communicating the loss of power comprises:

generating the control signal comprising the power-outage code; and

transmitting the control message via a control channel of the communication network.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the transmitting the control message comprises:

requesting a control channel from the communication network;

receiving, in response, a control-channel allocation; and

transmitting the control signal via the allocated control channel.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the requesting is repeated at least once.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the communicating is initiated after a randomly selected time interval after the sensing the loss of power.