Expandable intelligent electronic device

• US 7,191,076 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2004
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Power Measurement Ltd. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Power Measurement Ltd. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Hyatt, Geoffrey T., Lightbody, Simon H., Przydatek, Piotr B., Etheridge, Hal E., Huber, Benedikt T., Ozcetin, Kurtulus H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff; Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): O MALLEY, MARY CATHERINE
• Application Number:
  US10/991,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20050071106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 702/57, 702 60- 62, 702 64- 67, 702/122, 702187-188, 700/22, 700 86- 88, 700/286, 700291-298, 709204-207, 709/246, 340/514
• US Class Current: 702/62
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• 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: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3242 involving keyed hash functions, e.g. message authentication codes [MACs], CBC-MAC or HMAC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

An intelligent electronic device (IED) includes a base module having a power monitoring circuit operative to monitor a parameter of a portion of a power distribution system and generate an analog signal representative thereof. The base module also includes a processor coupled with the power monitoring circuit, the processor having an analog to digital converter operative to convert the analog signal to a digital signal representative thereof. The processor operates to implement a first power management functionality and generate first power management data. At least one of a display and a communications interface couple with the processor and communicate the first power management data external to the IED. A first interface couples with the processor and the communications interface. The first interface operates to receive a first external function module. The first external function module includes a second power management functionality, where the first interface further facilitates implementation of the second power management functionality.

Claims

1. An IED comprising:

a power monitoring circuit operative to monitor a voltage and a current of a portion of a power distribution system and generate a first analog signal representative of said voltage and a second analog signal representative of said current;

a processor coupled with said power monitoring circuit, said processor comprising an analog to digital converter operative to convert said first and second analog signals to first and second digital signals representative thereof, said processor operative to implement first power management functionality and generate first power management data;

at least one of a display and a communications interface coupled with said processor and operative to communicate said first power management data external to said IED;

an interface coupled with said processor and operative to receive a power supply; and

wherein said processor is operative to compensate a calibration setting of said IED to account for variations in said conversion of said first and second analog signals to said first and second digital signals, wherein said variations are due to a frequency and amplitude of said first and second analog signals.

2. The IED of claim 1 wherein said processor is operative to compensate said calibration constant for the difference in phase shift between said conversion of said first analog signal to said first digital signal and said conversion of said second analog signal to said second digital signal.

3. The IED of claim 2 wherein said compensation is accomplished by using multiple calibration points at different frequencies and amplitudes.

4. The IED of claim 3 wherein said compensation is further accomplished based on fixed calibration points with a known phase relationship between voltage and current.

5. The IED of claim 1 wherein said compensation is accomplished by using multiple calibration points at different frequencies and amplitudes.

6. The IED of claim 5 wherein said compensation is further accomplished based on fixed calibration points with a known phase relationship between said voltage and current.

7. The IED of claim 1 wherein said compensation adjusts for non-linearities in the analog to digital converter within said IED.

8. The IED of claim 7 wherein said compensation is accomplished by using multiple calibration points at different amplitudes.

9. The IED of claim 8 wherein said compensation is further accomplished by using calibration points at different frequencies.

10. The IED of claim 1 wherein said power supply supplies power to the IED and said power supply can be removed without uninstalling said IED.

11. The IED of claim 10 wherein uninstalling includes removing the voltage input connections from said IED.

12. The IED of claim 10 wherein uninstalling includes removing the current input connections from said IED.

13. The IED of claim 10 wherein uninstalling includes removing said IED from a panel.

14. The IED claim 13 wherein said panel is a switchgear panel.

15. The IED of claim 10, wherein said interface is further operative to receive an external function module and wherein said external function module cannot be removed without first removing said power supply.

16. The IED of claim 15, wherein said external function module can be removed without uninstalling said IED.

17. The IED of claim 16, wherein said IED further comprises a first non-volatile memory operative to store first program code for execution by said processor, said processor being operative to access a second non-volatile memory in said external function module via said interface, said second non-volatile memory comprising second program code, said processor further operative to replace said first program code in said first non-volatile memory with said second program code.

18. The IED of claim 15, wherein said IED further comprises a first non-volatile memory operative to store first program code for execution by said processor, said processor being operative to access a second non-volatile memory in said external function module via said interface, said second non-volatile memory comprising second program code, said processor further operative to replace said first program code in said first non-volatile memory with said second program code.

19. The IED of claim 18, wherein said processor is further operative to check a version identifier of said second program code and only replace said first program code if said version identifier identifies said second program code as a later version than said first program code.

20. An IED comprising:

a power monitoring circuit operative to monitor a parameter of a portion of a power distribution system and generate an analog signal representative thereof;

an analog to digital converter coupled with said power monitoring circuit, said analog to digital converter operative to convert said analog signal to a digital signal representative thereof;

a processor coupled with said analog to digital converter and operative to implement power management functionality and generate power management data;

at least one of a display and a communications interface coupled with said processor and operative to communicate said power management data external to said IED; and

wherein said processor is operative to compensate a calibration setting of said IED to account for variations in said conversion of said first and second analog signals to said first and second digital signals based on the difference in phase shift between said conversion of said first analog signal to said first digital signal and said conversion of said second analog signal to said second digital signal.

21. The IED of claim 20 wherein said compensation is accomplished by using multiple calibration points at different frequencies and amplitudes.

22. The IED of claim 21 wherein said compensation is further accomplished based on fixed calibration points with a known phase relationship between said voltage and current.

23. The IED of claim 20 wherein said compensation adjusts for non-linearities in the analog to digital converter within said IED.

24. The IED of claim 20 wherein the variations are due to a frequency and amplitude of said first and second analog signals.

25. The IED of claim 20 further comprising an interface coupled with said processor operative to receive a power supply and further operative to receive an external function module.

26. The IED of claim 25, wherein said external function module can be removed without uninstalling said IED.

27. The IED of claim 26, wherein said IED further comprises a first non-volatile memory operative to store first program code for execution by said processor, said processor being operative to access a second non-volatile memory in said external function module via said interface, said second non-volatile memory comprising second program code, said processor further operative to replace said first program code in said first non-volatile memory with said second program code.

28. The IED of claim 25, wherein said IED further comprises a first non-volatile memory operative to store first program code for execution by said processor, said processor being operative to access a second non-volatile memory in said external function module via said interface, said second non-volatile memory comprising second program code, said processor further operative to replace said first program code in said first non-volatile memory with said second program code.

29. The IED of claim 28, wherein said processor is further operative to check a version identifier of said second program code and only replace said first program code if said version identifier identifies said second program code as a later version than said first program code.

30. The IED of claim 20 wherein said interface is operative to receive a first external function module, said first external function module comprising second power management functionality, wherein said interface is further operative to facilitate implementation of said second power management functionality.

31. The IED of claim 30, wherein said power management functionality comprises a plurality of power management functions, said interface being further operative to facilitate said second power management functionality to supplement a subset of said plurality of power management functions.