Device and method for providing power line characteristics and diagnostics

• US 7,076,378 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2002
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Current Technologies LLC (Pattern Inc.)
• Inventors: Huebner, Ronald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Jr., Timothy
• Application Number:
  US10/293,799
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 34031091-31008, 340/870.07, 340/310.01, 333/236, 37914215- 14, 379/142.16, 702/57, 702/69
• US Class Current: 702/69
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/46 Monitoring; Testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• 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

An apparatus determines a characteristic of a portion of a power line. The apparatus comprises a coupling device in communication with a processor. The coupling device receives a signal from a power line and the processor receives the signal from the coupling device and determines a characteristic of a portion of the power line based on the received signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining a characteristic of a portion of a power line carrying a low frequency power signal and a high frequency data signal, the apparatus comprising:

a coupling device configured to couple the high frequency data signal from the power line while substantially preventing the flow of the power signal therethrough; and

a processor in communication with the coupling device, the processor receives the signal from the coupling device and determines a characteristic of a portion of the power line based on the received signal.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the received signal is an analog signal and the apparatus further comprises:

an analog to digital converter in communication with the coupling device and the processor, the analog to digital converter converts the received analog signal to a digital signal for the processor.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, further comprising a data store and wherein the digital signal is stored in the data store.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the coupling device comprises an inductor having a toroidally shaped core of magnetically permeable material.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the coupling device comprises a radio frequency choke.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the signal comprises a series of test signal types.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the received signal comprises one of a chirp signal, a multi-tone signal, a communication waveform burst, an orthogonal frequency division multiplexed communication waveform burst, and a signal including a pseudo-random number sequence.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the processor recognizes a type of signal received based on the received signal.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor determines at least one of a cross correlation, a bit error rate, a packet error rate, a signal-to-noise ratio, an amplitude response, a phase response, a frequency response, a delay power profile, a multipath characterization, a noise characterization, and an interference characterization.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor estimates a data rate for the portion of the power line based on the determined characteristic and a modulation scheme.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor stores an indication of the determined characteristic.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the processor compares the determined characteristic to a previously stored characteristic.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a user interface in communication with the processor, the user interface displays the determined characteristic.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless interface in communication with the processor; and

an antenna in communication with the wireless interface, the antenna transmits the determined power line characteristic via a radio frequency.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising an amplifier in communication with the coupling device and the processor, the amplifier amplifies the received signal.

16. An apparatus for sending a test signal for determining a characteristic of a portion of a power line carrying a low frequency power signal and a high frequency data signal, the apparatus comprising:

a processor that generates a test signal; and

a coupling device in communication with the processor and configured to couple the high frequency data signal from the power line while substantially preventing the flow of the power signal therethrough, the coupling device receives the test signal from the processor and communicates the test signal to the power line.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the generated test signal is a digital test signal and the apparatus further comprises:

a digital to analog converter in communication with the coupling device and the processor, the digital to analog converter converts the generated digital test signal to an analog test signal.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 17, further comprising an amplifier in communication with the digital to analog converter and the coupling device, the amplifier amplifies the analog test signal.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the coupling device comprises a inductor having a toroidally shaped core of magnetically permeable material.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the coupling device comprises a radio frequency choke.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the test signal comprises one of a chirp signal, a multi-tone signal, a communication waveform burst, an orthogonal frequency division multiplexed communication waveform burst, and a signal including a pseudo-random number sequence.

22. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the test signal comprises a series of individual test signals.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, further comprising a user interface in communication with the processor, the user interface communicates information for selecting a test signal.

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein the user interface is a wireless user interface comprising a wireless transceiver.

25. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, further comprising a user interface in communication with the processor, the user interface communicates information for selecting and initiating a test signal.

26. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

a wireless interface in communication with the processor; and

an antenna in communication with the wireless interface, the antenna communicates information for selecting and initiating a test signal.

27. An apparatus for determining a characteristic of a portion of a power line carrying a low frequency power signal and a high frequency data signal, the apparatus comprising:

a processor that generates a test signal in a send mode, the processor operates in one of the send mode and a receive mode; and

a coupling device in communication with the processor, and configured to couple the high frequency data signal from the power line while substantially preventing the flow of the power signal therethrough, the coupling device communicates the test signal to the power line in the send mode and receives a test signal from the power line in the receive mode.

28. The apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein the received signal is an analog signal, the test signal is a digital test signal, and the apparatus further comprises:

an analog to digital converter in communication with the coupling device and the processor, the analog to digital converter converts the received analog signal to a digital signal in the receive mode; and

a digital to analog converter in communication with the coupling device and the processor, the digital to analog converter converts the generated digital test signal to an analog test signal in the send mode.

29. The apparatus as recited in claim 27, further comprising a data store and wherein the digital signal is stored in the data store.

30. The apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein the received signal comprises one of a chirp signal, a multi-tone signal, a communication waveform burst, an orthogonal frequency division multiplexed communication waveform burst, and a signal including a pseudo-random number sequence.

31. The apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein the processor determines at least one of a cross correlation, a bit error rate, a packet error rate, a signal-to-noise ratio, an amplitude response, a phase response, a frequency response, a delay power profile, a multipath characterization, a noise characterization, and an interference characterization.

32. The apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein the processor estimates a data rate for the portion of the power line based on the determined characteristic and a modulation scheme.

33. The apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein the processor stores an indication of the determined characteristic.

34. The apparatus as recited in claim 33, wherein the processor compares the determined characteristic to a previously stored characteristic.

35. The apparatus as recited in claim 27, further comprising a user interface in communication with the processor, the user interface displays the determined power line characteristic.

36. A method for determining a characteristic of a portion of a power line carrying a low frequency power signal and a high frequency data signal, the method comprising:

generating a high frequency test signal;

communicating the high frequency test signal to a power line at a first location of the power line;

receiving the high frequency test signal from the power line at a second location of the power line, while substantially filtering the low frequency power signal; and

determining a characteristic of a portion of the power line based on the received test signal.

37. The method as recited in claim 36, wherein:

generating the test signal comprises generating a series of test signals;

communicating the test signal to the power line at the first location comprises communicating a series of test signals to the power line at the first location;

receiving the test signal from the power line at the second location comprises receiving the series of test signals from the power line at the second location; and

determining the characteristic comprises determining the characteristic based the received series of test signals.

38. The method as recited in claim 37, further comprising for each received test signal, recognizing a type of test signal based on the received test signal.

39. The method as recited in claim 36, further comprising storing the determined characteristic.

40. The method as recited in claim 39, further comprising

generating a second test signal;

communicating the second test signal to the power line proximate the first location of the power line;

receiving the second test signal from the power line proximate the second location of the power line;

determining a second broadband characteristic of the portion of the power line based on the received second test signal; and

comparing the determined broadband characteristics.

41. The method as recited in claim 40, further comprising diagnosing the power line based on the comparison of broadband characteristics.