METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING POWER CONSUMPTION

• US 20120278014A1
• Filed: 11/05/2010
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Green Running Limited
• Original Assignee: Green Running Limited
• Inventors: Davies, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,250,101 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/61
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/24 Identification of individual loads, e.g. by analysing current/voltage waveforms
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/00 Tariff metering apparatus in taximeters G07B13/00; apparatus actuated by coins, cards or the like with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas, or electricity G07F15/00
• 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

An apparatus and associated method of monitoring power consumption of an electrical device, the method comprising identifying an electrical device using a power signature unique to that device, the power signature being derived from power consumption measurements, and location information; and monitoring power consumption of such an identified device.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring power consumption of an electrical device, the method comprising:

identifying an electrical device using a power load signature unique to that device, the power signature being derived from power consumption measurements; and

monitoring power consumption of such an identified device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the power signature is derived from power consumption measurements and location information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information relates to a location of the device in an electrical wiring layout.

4. An apparatus for monitoring power consumption of an electrical device, the apparatus comprising:

an identification unit operable to derive a power signature specific to a device, such a power signature being derived from power consumption measurements and characteristics, and optionally location information for the device concerned, the identification unit being further operable to identify an electrical device in dependence upon such a power signature; and

a monitoring unit operable to monitor power consumption of such an identified electrical device.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the power signature is derived from power consumption measurements and characteristics over time.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the power signature is derived from power consumption measurements and characteristics over varied time period lengths.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the location information relates to a location of the device in an electrical wiring layout.

8. A method of monitoring power consumption of an electrical device within an electrical system, the method comprising:

monitoring power consumption of the electrical system;

deriving a composite power signature from the monitoring of power consumption of the electrical system;

identifying and assigning a unique power signature associated with the electrical device from within the composite power signature,

monitoring the power consumption of the electrical device using the assigned unique power signature.

9-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A computer program embedded on a non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium, the computer program including machine readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement a method for monitoring power consumption of an electrical device, comprising:

identifying the device using power load signature characteristics of the device derived from power consumption measurements in a given time frame over the three supply phases of a three-phase alternating current power supply to which the device is connected; and

monitoring power consumption of such an identified device.

12. The computer program embedded on a non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium as claimed in claim 11 further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, implement a method for monitoring power consumption of an electrical device wherein the electrical device is identified using pattern matching across the three phases to determine a match for the power load signature of the device.

13. The computer program embedded on a non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium as claimed in claim 11 further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, implement a method for monitoring power consumption of an electrical device wherein the power load signature is further derived using location information of the device.

14. The computer program embedded on a non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium as claimed in claim 11 further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, implement a method for monitoring power consumption of an electrical device wherein identifying the device includes sampling power consumption over the three supply phases at a predetermined rate to provide signal information relating to a measure of aggregate power consumption for the three-phase alternating current power supply.

15. The computer program embedded on a non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium as claimed in claim 14 further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, implement a method for monitoring power consumption of an electrical device wherein the power load signature is derived from the signal information.

16. The computer program embedded on a non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium as claimed in claim 11 further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, implement a method for monitoring power consumption of an electrical device, wherein the power load signature is derived using signal information representing consumption measurements from respective ones of the three supply phases.

17. A logic circuit configured to monitor power consumption of an electrical device, comprising:

an identification unit to determine power load signature characteristics of the device using pattern matching and power consumption measurements obtained over one or more of the three supply phases of a three-phase alternating current power supply to which the device is connected; and

a monitoring unit operable to monitor power consumption of such an identified electrical device.