ULTRASONIC BASED LOAD CENTER CURRENT MEASUREMENT SYSTEM
First Claim
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1. A load center comprising:
- a branch circuit current monitor including;
a current sensor coil for sensing a current on a branch circuit, andan ultrasonic transmitter for ultrasonically transmitting an ultrasonic pulse message corresponding to the current; and
a data aggregator including an ultrasonic detector for receiving the ultrasonic pulse message.
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Abstract
A method and an apparatus are provided for monitoring the currents in a load center, and ultrasonically reporting currents to a data aggregator. The monitoring is performed by branch circuit current monitors which are inductive. The data aggregator receives the current reports from the branch circuit current monitors. The data aggregator manages collisions and transmission medium distortions to ensure reliable receipt of the current reports and stores in a storage location that which it learns about the currents drawn.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A load center comprising:
a branch circuit current monitor including; a current sensor coil for sensing a current on a branch circuit, and an ultrasonic transmitter for ultrasonically transmitting an ultrasonic pulse message corresponding to the current; and a data aggregator including an ultrasonic detector for receiving the ultrasonic pulse message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A load center comprising:
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an enclosure, a branch circuit current monitor within the enclosure including; a current sensor coil for sensing a current on a branch circuit, and an ultrasonic transmitter for ultrasonically transmitting an ultrasonic pulse message comprising a reception tuning preamble, a branch identity notification, and a current notification corresponding to the current; and a data aggregator within the enclosure including; an ultrasonic detector for receiving the ultrasonic pulse message, a memory for storing the branch identity value and current consumption data according to the current notification, and a processing system configured to; decode from the message the reception tuning preamble, wherein a determined quantity of pulses is compared to a known fixed reception tuning preamble pulse quantity and the reception tuning preamble is recognized, decode from the message the branch identity notification of the branch identity value, wherein a first quantity of pulses is determined, wherein the first quantity of pulses is interpreted as proportional to the branch identity value, and decode from the message the current notification corresponding to the current, wherein a second quantity of pulses is determined, wherein the second quantity of pulses is interpreted as proportional to the current, wherein the branch identity notification and the current notification are received after receipt of the preamble. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of providing information sensed at a branch circuit current monitor to a data aggregator within a load center, the branch circuit current monitor including a current sensor coil, a first processing system and an ultrasonic transmitter, the data aggregator including an ultrasonic detector, a second processing system and a memory, the method comprising:
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sensing, via the current sensor coil, a current on a branch circuit; and encoding, via the first processing system, a reception tuning preamble, wherein the preamble comprises a fixed quantity of pulses; encoding, via the first processing system, a branch identity notification of the branch identity value, wherein the branch identity notification comprises a first quantity of pulses, and wherein the first quantity is proportional to the branch identity value; encoding, via the first processing system, a current notification corresponding to the current, wherein the current notification comprises a second quantity of pulses, and wherein the second quantity is proportional to the current; ultrasonically transmitting, via the ultrasonic transmitter, an ultrasonic pulse message comprising the reception tuning preamble, the branch identity notification, and the current notification, wherein the branch identity notification and the current notification are transmitted after the transmission of the reception tuning preamble. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification