Utility monitoring and disaggregation systems and methods of use

• US 7,885,917 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2006
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents Nevada System of Higher Education (State of Nevada)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents Nevada System of Higher Education (State of Nevada)
• Inventors: Nikolich, George, Edwards, Peter R., Kuhns, Hampden, Roberts, Morien W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sparks; Donald
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUSS, BENJAMIN J
• Application Number:
  US12/301,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20090307178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 706/14, 706/48, 324/76.12, 702/61, 702/66, 702/70, 700/286
• US Class Current: 706/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/00 Electric signal transmission systems G08C17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc

Abstract

Embodiments for monitoring one or more utilities consumed within a monitored area including detecting an amount of a first utility consumed by a load associated with a device and an amount of a second utility consumed by a load associated with the device. The identity of the device is determined based on the amount of the first and second utility consumed. A utility monitoring method is disclosed that includes measuring an amount of a utility consumed by a first device at a first time and an amount of a utility consumed by a second device at a second time. The identity of the first device is determined based on the measured consumption of the first and second devices at the first and second time. In certain implementations, the electricity meter uses an effective variance analysis of the conductance waveform on an electrical circuit to identify specific appliances.

Claims

1. A utility monitoring method comprising:

acquiring electricity consumption data representing electrical consumption of a plurality of loads;

extracting waveforms associated with at least one of the plurality of loads from the electrical consumption data;

applying a disaggregation algorithm to the electricity consumption data to identify at least a first load of the plurality of loads and produce disaggregated data representing the electrical consumption of the first load, the disaggregation algorithm comprising determining power state transitions of at least one of the plurality of loads based on its waveform, comprising measuring an amount of electricity consumed by the first load, measuring an amount of another utility consumed by a device associated with the first load, and based on the measured electricity amount and measured another utility amount, determining the identity of the first load;

transmitting the disaggregated data to a user interface device or user computer; and

presenting a user with electricity consumption data for at least the first load.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein applying a disaggregation algorithm to the electricity consumption data further comprises:

obtaining voltage and current data from the plurality of loads;

analyzing waveforms of the voltage and current data;

comparing the waveforms to a library of waveforms; and

identifying the first load based on the comparison of the waveforms and the library of waveforms.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the waveform comprises a conductance waveform.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein comparing the waveforms to a library of waveforms comprises performing an effective variance analysis.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising averaging the waveforms prior to comparing the waveforms to a library of waveforms.

6. The utility monitoring method of claim 2, further comprising adding at least one of the waveforms to the library if the waveform does not match the library.

7. The utility monitoring method of claim 1, wherein applying a disaggregation algorithm to the electricity consumption data comprises:

measuring an amount of electricity consumed by the first load at a first time;

measuring an amount of electricity consumed by a second load of the plurality of loads at a second time; and

determining the identity of the first load based on the measured electricity consumption of the first and second loads at the first and second time.

8. The utility monitoring method of claim 1, wherein presenting a user with electricity consumption data for the first load occurs at least substantially at the same time as acquiring electricity consumption data.

9. The utility monitoring method of claim 1, further comprising generating a waveform library comprising the waveform.

10. The utility monitoring method of claim 1, further comprising combining the disaggregated data with disaggregated data from at least another circuit to identify additional loads of the plurality of loads.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the waveform comprises a conductance waveform.

12. A utility monitoring method comprising:

acquiring electricity consumption data representing electrical consumption of a plurality of loads;

extracting waveforms associated with at least one of the plurality of loads from the electrical consumption data;

applying a disaggregation algorithm to the electricity consumption data to identify at least a first load of the plurality of loads and produce disaggregated data representing the electrical consumption of the first load, the disaggregation algorithm comprising determining power state transitions of at least one of the plurality of loads based on its waveform, comprising determining an amount of electricity consumed by the first load at a first time, measuring the amount of another utility consumed by a first device associated with the first load at a second time, which may be the same as the first time, determining an amount of electricity consumed by a second load of the plurality of loads at a third time, which may be the same as the first or second time, measuring an amount of another utility consumed by a second device associated with the second load at fourth time, which may be the same as the first, second, or third time, and determining the identity of the first load based on the amount of electricity and another utility consumed by the first and second devices and loads at the first, second, third, and fourth times;

transmitting the disaggregated data to a user interface device or user computer; and

presenting a user with electricity consumption data for at least the first load.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein applying a disaggregation algorithm to the electricity consumption data further comprises:

obtaining voltage and current data from the plurality of loads;

analyzing waveforms of the voltage and current data;

comparing the waveforms to a library of waveforms; and

identifying the first load based on the comparison of the waveforms and the library of waveforms.

14. The method of claim 13, where the waveform comprises a conductance waveform.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein comparing the waveforms to a library of waveforms comprises performing an effective variance analysis.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising averaging the waveforms prior to comparing the waveforms to a library of waveforms.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising adding at least one of the waveforms to the library if the waveform does not match the library.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising generating a waveform library comprising the waveform.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising combining the disaggregated data with disaggregated data from at least another circuit to identify additional loads of the plurality of loads.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the waveform comprises a conductance waveform.