Apparatus and system for protection, control, and management of electricity distribution systems using time synchronization

• US 7,174,258 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2003
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Power Measurement Ltd. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Power Measurement Ltd. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Hart, Ronald G.
• Primary Examiner(s): WACHSMAN, HAL D
• Application Number:
  US10/613,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20040133367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 702 57- 62, 702/64, 702/119, 702/122, 702/123, 702/125, 702182-185, 702/188, 702/189, 702/186, 702176-178, 702/187, 702/79, 701/13, 340/638, 340/639, 340657-664, 340/310.01, 340/870.02, 700/22, 700/286, 700291-298, 307/125, 307/126, 307/131, 307/116, 361 75- 80, 361/93.2, 361 85- 88, 324/142, 324/509, 324/521, 324/522
• US Class Current: 702/57
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/2513 Arrangements for monitoring electric power systems, e.g. power lines or loads; Logging
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/00 Arrangements for measuring time integral of electric power or current, e.g. electricity meters
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 1/0061 concerning transmission of signals transmission of measured quantities or switching orders; sectionalised protection involving signal transmission between at least two stations H02H7/261; comparison of the voltage or current values at two spaced portions of a single system H02H3/28; transferring the output of a sensing member to another variable G01D5/00; electrical measuring arrangements using modulation of electromagnetic waves, e.g. light beams G01R15/24, G01R15/26
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00 Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/0004 involved in a protection system
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• 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: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/00 Systems supporting electrical power generation, transmission or distribution
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/22 Flexible AC transmission systems [FACTS] or power factor or reactive power compensating or correcting units
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

A device for measuring electrical energy in an electric circuit is disclosed. The device includes at least one sensor coupled with the electric circuit and operative to sense at least one electrical parameter in the electric circuit and generate at least one analog signal indicative thereof. The device also includes at least one analog to digital converter coupled with the at least one sensor and operative to convert the at least one analog signal to at least one digital sample and a time synchronization receiver operative to generate a time synchronization signal. Further, the device includes a processor coupled with the at least one analog to digital converter and the time synchronization receiver, the processor operative to alter a timing clock signal based on the time synchronization signal.

Claims

1. A device for measuring electrical energy in an electric circuit, said device comprising:

at least one sensor coupled with said electric circuit and operative to sense at least one electrical parameter in said electric circuit and generate at least one analog signal indicative thereof;

at least one analog to digital converter coupled with said at least one sensor and operative to convert said at least one analog signal to at least one digital sample;

at least one time synchronization receiver operative to generate at least one time synchronization signal;

a local synchronization circuit coupled with a network and with said at least one time synchronization receiver and operative to receive at least one timing clock signal over the network and generate a synchronized timing clock signal by altering said at least one timing clock signal based on at least one of said at least one time synchronization signal, and

a processor coupled with said at least one analog to digital converter and said local synchronization circuit and operative to receive said synchronized timing clock signal.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said processor comprises said local synchronization circuit.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least one time synchronization receiver is further coupled with a communications network.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein at least one of said at least one time synchronization receiver is operative to transmit said at least one time synchronization signal onto said communications network.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least one time synchronization signal comprises a network time signal.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least one time synchronization signal comprises an external time synchronization signal generated externally to said device.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least one time synchronization receiver comprises a GPS receiver operative to receive a GPS signal.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said GPS receiver is operative to wirelessly receive said GPS signal.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said device is an energy meter.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said device is a phasor transducer.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein said processor is further operative to timestamp said at least one digital sample based on said synchronized timing clock signal.

12. A system for measuring the delivery of electrical energy from an energy supplier to a consumer through an electric circuit, said system comprising:

a digital network;

at least one device coupled with said digital network, said at least one device comprising;

at least one sensor coupled with said electric circuit and operative to sense at least one electrical parameter in said electric circuit and generate at least one analog signal indicative thereof;

at least one analog to digital converter coupled with said at least one sensor and operative to convert said at least one analog signal to at least one digital sample;

at least one time synchronization receiver operative to generate at least one time synchronization signal;

a local synchronization circuit coupled with said at least one time synchronization receiver and operative to receive at least one timing clock signal and generate a synchronized timing clock signal by altering said at least one timing clock signal from the digital network based on at least one of said at least one time synchronization signal; and

a processor coupled with said at least one analog to digital converter and said local synchronization circuit and operative to receive said synchronized timing clock signal.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said processor is further operative to timestamp said at least one digital sample based on said synchronized timing clock signal.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said processor is further operative to transmit at least one of said synchronized timing clock signal, said at least one time synchronization signal, or a combination thereof onto said digital network.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said processor is operative to perform a function on said timestamped at least one digital sample.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein said at least one time synchronization receiver comprises a GPS receiver operative to receive a GPS signal.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said GPS receiver is operative to wirelessly receive said GPS signal.