Wireless communications system incorporating intelligent electronic devices

• US 7,417,558 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2004
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Power Measurement Ltd. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Power Measurement Ltd. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Hancock, Martin A., Forth, J. Bradford, Lightbody, Simon H., Gunn, Colin N., Cowan, Peter C., Etheridge, Hal E.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HANH N
• Application Number:
  US10/843,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20040229578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,568 Days
• Field of Search: 455/405, 455/90.1, 455/90.3, 455/575.5, 455/575.1, 340/870.2, 340/870.9, 340/870.01, 340/870.05, 340/870.18, 340/870.21, 340/870.39, 340/870.02, 370/241, 370/252, 370/329, 370/310
• US Class Current: 340/870.21
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/00 Tariff metering apparatus in taximeters G07B13/00; apparatus actuated by coins, cards or the like with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas, or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• 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 intelligent electronic device (IED) for monitoring at least one power parameter in a power system is disclosed. The IED comprises at least one voltage input operative to be coupled with at least one power line in the power system and operative to sense at least one voltage in the power system. The IED further comprises at least one current input operative to be coupled with the at least one power line and operative to sense a current flowing through the at least one power line. The IED further comprises at least one analog to digital converter coupled to the voltage input and the current input and operative to produce digital samples indicative of the voltage and current. The IED further comprises a processor coupled with the at least one analog to digital converter and operative to calculate the at least one power parameter. The IED further comprises a power supply operative to supply power to the IED. The IED further comprises a transceiver operative to communicate at least one data packet comprising the at least one power parameter via time domain pulses of RF energy occupying a wide range of frequencies and an antenna coupled with the transceiver operative to transmit the RF data packet.

Claims

1. An intelligent electronic device (IED) for monitoring at least one power parameter in a power system, the IED comprising:

at least one voltage input operative to be coupled with at least one power line in said power system and operative to sense at least one voltage in said power system;

at least one current input operative to be coupled with said at least one power line and operative to sense a current flowing through said at least one power line;

at least one analog to digital converter coupled to said voltage input and said current input and operative to produce digital samples indicative of said voltage and current;

a processor coupled with said at least one analog to digital convener and operative to calculate said at least one power parameter;

a power supply operative to supply power to said IED;

a transceiver operative to communicate, at least one data packet comprising said at least one power parameter via time domain pulses of RF energy occupying a wide range of frequencies;

an antenna coupled with said transceiver operative to transmit said RF data packet; and

an enclosure which surrounds at least said antenna so as to partially interfere with RF transmissions at a subset of frequencies, said transceiver being operable to transmit said RF data packet out of said enclosure at other frequencies of the wide range of frequencies, said enclosure including a lateral surface comprising at least one void that allows certain RF frequencies to penetrate said enclosure based on the size of said voids.

2. The IED of claim 1 wherein said enclosure is a switchgear cabinet.

3. The IED of claim 1 wherein said enclosure is an electric box.

4. The IED of claim 1 wherein the transceiver is further operative to receive at least one second RF packet comprising at least one of control information and configuration information for said IED.

5. The IED of claim 1 wherein said time domain pulses span at least 500 MHz of RF spectrum.

6. The IED of claim 5 wherein said RF spectrum is above 3 GHz.

7. The IED of claim 6 wherein said transceiver produces less than one milliwatt of RF power during transmission.

8. The IED of claim 7 wherein said transceiver is an ultrawideband transceiver.

9. The IED of claim 1 further comprising I/O circuitry coupled to said processor and operative to control a breaker.

10. The IED of claim 1, wherein said transceiver is operative to form a network with at least one other transceiver via said antenna.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein communications with said network is at a rate of at least 10 Mbps.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said communications implements at least one security mechanism.

13. The system of claim 10 further comprising at least one computer, each of said at least one computer comprising an additional transceiver operative to integrate into said network.

14. The IED of claim 10 wherein said network facilitates communication between said IED and a second IED via at least two additional IEDs.

15. The IED of claim 1, said IED having a housing surrounding said IED, wherein said antenna is coupled with said housing.

16. The IED of claim 1, said IED having a housing surrounding said IED, wherein at least one portion of said antenna is embedded within said housing.

17. The IED of claim 1 wherein said RF packet contains at least one security mechanism.

18. The IED of claim 1 wherein said power parameter comprises at least one of kW and kWh.

19. The IED of claim 1 wherein said transceiver is operative to communicate with at least three additional transceivers within three additional IEDs and determine the location of said IED relative to at least one of said additional IEDs.

20. The IED of claim 1 wherein said transceiver comprises an ultrawideband transceiver.

21. The IED of claim 1 wherein at least one of said voids comprises a cutout.

22. The IED of claim 1 wherein at least one of said voids comprises a slot.

23. A method of using an intelligent electronic device (IED) for monitoring at least one power parameter in a power system comprising:

sensing at least one voltage in at least one power line of said power system;

sensing at least one current in said at least one power line of said power system;

converting said at least one voltage and current to digital samples representative of said at least one voltage and current;

calculating at least one power parameter using said digital samples;

supplying power to said IED;

producing at least one ultrawideband RF data packet comprising said at least one power parameter;

coupling an antenna to said IED;

transmitting said ultrawideband RF data packet from said IED through said antenna; and

providing an enclosure which surrounds at least said antenna so as to partially interfere with RF transmissions a subset of frequencies, said antenna being coupled to a transceiver operable to transmit said RF data packet out of said enclosure at other frequencies of a wide range of frequencies, said enclosure including a lateral surface comprising at least one void that allows certain RF frequencies to penetrate said enclosure based on the size of said voids.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

transmitting said ultrawideband RF data packet through at least one enclosure forming a partial RF shield.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

transmitting at least one second ultrawideband RF data packet to said IED; and

receiving said at least one second ultrawideband RF data packet within said IED.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein said transmitting further comprises:

transmitting time domain electromagnetic pulses that span at least 500 MHz of RF spectrum.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said transmitting further comprises:

transmitting said time domain electromagnetic pulses occupying an RF spectrum above 3 GHz.

28. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

controlling at least one breaker based on said calculating.

29. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

integrating said IED and at least a second and a third IED into a network;

receiving said ultrawideband RF data packet in said second IED;

transmitting said ultrawideband RF data packet from said second IED; and

receiving said ultrawideband RF data packet at said third IED.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

securing said transmitting and receiving.

31. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

integrating a computer into said network;

communicating a sufficient number of additional ultrawideband RF data packets between said IED, said second IED, said third IED and said computer in order to triangulate the location of said IED relative to said computer using known locations of said computer, said second IED and said third IED.

32. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

securing said transmitting and receiving.

33. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

embedding said antenna in an enclosure of said IED.

34. The method of claim 23 wherein said calculating comprises calculating kilowatts flowing in said power system.