Electrical profile monitoring system for detection of atypical consumption

• US 7,402,993 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: dTechs EPM Ltd.
• Original Assignee: dTechs EPM Ltd.
• Inventors: Morrison, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): TANG, MINH NHUT
• Application Number:
  US11/421,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20070200553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 324/142
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/066 Arrangements for avoiding or indicating fraudulent use
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/10 using digital techniques

Abstract

Methods of detecting atypical patterns of usage of electricity, determined by monitoring consumption at the primary line, permit detection of grow-ops and unusual line losses due to defective service lines. A meter having a high resolution is connected to the primary line and the data collected is compared to known consumption patterns thus identifying a potential theft or a loss. Once an atypical pattern has been found, the heat signatures of transformers fed by the primary line are measured. An unusual heat signature alerts the utility to load test the secondary lines of each residence fed from the transformer and thus locate suspect residences which may be grow-ops or to locate a line loss due to defective service lines.

Claims

1. A method for detection of atypical electrical consumption patterns comprising:

providing a meter for detecting consumption of electricity from a utility;

connecting the meter to a primary supply line, the primary supply line supplying electricity to a plurality of transformers, each transformer feeding the electricity to a plurality of structures, the meter having a resolution or detecting variation from known consumption patterns in the primary supply line;

monitoring the primary supply line at predetermined time intervals for consumption of electricity;

collecting data for determining measures indicative of patterns of consumption;

comparing the patterns of consumption to known consumption patterns for identifying suspect consumption patterns; and

when a suspect consumption pattern is identified,

notifying the utility of the identified suspect consumption pattern in the primary line,

the utility thereafter

monitoring characteristics of the plurality of transformers for identifying a suspect transformer; and

load testing at least one of a plurality of secondary lines from the suspect transformer to each of the plurality of structures for identifying a suspect structure.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising physically inspecting the suspect structure for identifying a grow-op.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising physically inspecting the suspect structure for identifying a line loss.

4. The method of claim 1 further having a smart meter connected to secondary lines at each structure for determining consumption at each of the structures, the method further comprising:

comparing electrical supply at the primary supply line to a sum of the consumption at all of the secondary lines for reconciling consumption to supply.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the characteristics of the plurality of transforms monitored is a heat signature.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the heat signature is monitored using an infrared laser.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the meter has a resolution or detecting electrical consumption in a range of less than 1 amp.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the meter has a resolution or detecting electrical consumption in a range of about 0.01 to about 0.1 amp.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the suspect consumption pattern is greater than a known consumption pattern over a predetermined period of time.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the predetermined period of time is sufficient to eliminate normal peak usage as a suspect consumption pattern.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the suspect consumption pattern is greater than a threshold consumption, the threshold consumption being greater than a known consumption so as to minimize false identification due to normal consumption patterns.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the threshold consumption is about 25% greater than an average peak consumption.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the meter is a digital recording ammeter.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the digital recording ammeter has a resolution or detecting electrical consumption in a range of less than 1 amp.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the digital recording ammeter has a resolution or detecting electrical consumption in a range of about 0.01 to about 0.1 amp.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the digital recording ammeter is programmed to actuate at the predetermined time intervals for measuring electrical consumption.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the digital recording ammeter further comprises a buffer for storage of data obtained at the predetermined intervals.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

processing the stored data for determining measures indicative of electrical consumption patterns; and

transmitting the measures indicative of electrical consumption patterns to the utility.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

transmitting the stored data to a processor for determining measures indicative of electrical consumption patterns.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the transmitting of stored data is by wireless technology.

21. A method for detection of atypical electrical consumption patterns in an electrical system having a primary supply line supplying electricity to a plurality of transformers and wherein each transformer supplies electricity to a plurality of consumers through a plurality of secondary lines, the method comprising:

metering the primary supply line at predetermined time intervals for establishing data indicative of patterns of consumption;

comparing the patterns of consumption to known consumption patterns for identifying suspect consumption patterns, and when a suspect consumption pattern is identified,

monitoring characteristics of the plurality of transformers for identifying a suspect transformer from the plurality of transformers; and

load testing at least one of the plurality of secondary lines from the suspect transformer to each of the plurality of consumers.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the monitoring characteristics of the plurality of transformers further comprises:

notifying a monitoring agency of the suspect consumption pattern in the primary line, wherein the monitoring agency then monitors the characteristics of the plurality of transformers.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the load testing at least one of the plurality of secondary lines from the suspect transformer is for identifying a suspect consumer.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the metering of the primary supply line is performed at a resolution or detecting variation from known consumption patterns in the primary supply line in response to suspect consumption patterns generated by the activities of a consumer.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the characteristics of the plurality of transforms monitored is a heat signature.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the heat signature is monitored using an infrared laser.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the metering is performed at a resolution or detecting electrical consumption is a range of less than 1 amp.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein the metering is performed at a resolution or detecting electrical consumption in a range of about 0.01 to about 0.1 amp.

29. The method of claim 21 wherein the suspect consumption pattern is greater than a known consumption pattern over a predetermined period of time.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the predetermined period of time is sufficient to eliminate normal peak usage as a suspect consumption pattern.

31. The method of claim 21 wherein the suspect consumption pattern is greater than a threshold consumption, the threshold consumption being greater than a known consumption so as to minimize false identification due to normal consumption patterns.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the threshold consumption is about 25% greater than an average peak consumption.

33. The method of claim 21 wherein the metering is performed using a digital recording ammeter.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the digital recording ammeter has a resolution or detecting electrical consumption in a range of less than 1 amp.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein the digital recording ammeter has a resolution or detecting electrical consumption in a range of about 0.01 to about 0.1 amp.