Conductor apparatus, system, and method of displaying whether a number of conductors conduct current

• US 8,280,654 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2009
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Faulkner, Mark A., Spottsville, Rodney L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Toan M
• Application Number:
  US12/511,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20110029263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 702/59, 702 57- 58, 702 60- 62, 702 64- 65, 702/81, 702/84, 702/127, 702/150, 702182-185, 702/188, 324/66, 324/76.11, 324/149, 324/500, 324/512, 324520-522, 324/537, 324/539, 324/543, 324/764.01, 340/3.1, 340/3.43, 340/500, 340/531, 340/540, 340/545.2, 340/635, 340/686.1, 340/687, 340/870.16, 340/870.39, 342/357.2, 342/357.4, 342/357.58, 342/357.62, 34235764-35765, 342/357.74
• US Class Current: 702/59
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/15 Indicating the presence of current
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/085 in power transmission or distribution lines, e.g. overhead
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications

Abstract

An apparatus is for a conductor capable of conducting a current. The apparatus includes a global positioning system device structured to determine location of the global positioning system device, a coupling device structured to couple the global positioning system device to the conductor, and a power supply structured to power the global positioning system device responsive to a current conducted by the conductor. The global positioning system device is further structured to wirelessly communicate the determined location when powered by the power supply responsive to the current conducted by the conductor. The global positioning system device does not wirelessly communicate when current is not conducted by the conductor.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a conductor capable of conducting a current, said apparatus comprising:

a global positioning system device structured to determine location of said global positioning system device;

a coupling device structured to couple said global positioning system device to said conductor; and

a power supply structured to power said global positioning system device responsive to a current conducted by said conductor,

wherein said global positioning system device is further structured to wirelessly communicate said determined location when powered by said power supply responsive to said current conducted by said conductor,

wherein said global positioning system device does not wirelessly communicate when current is not conducted by said conductor, and

wherein said power supply comprises a solar power supply structured to output power responsive to solar energy, a detector structured to detect said current conducted by said conductor, and a switch structured to power said global positioning system device from said output power when said detector detects said current conducted by said conductor and to remove power from said global positioning system device when said detector does not detect current conducted by said conductor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said conductor is a utility power cable.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said conductor is a power distribution cable.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said current conducted by said conductor is a direct current.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said current conducted by said conductor is an alternating current.

6. A system comprising:

a conductor capable of conducting a current;

an apparatus comprising;

a global positioning system device structured to determine location of said global positioning system device,

a coupling device coupling said global positioning system device to said conductor, and

a power supply structured to power said global positioning system device responsive to a current conducted by said conductor; and

a display remote from said apparatus,

wherein said global positioning system device is further structured to wirelessly communicate said determined location to said display when powered by said power supply,

wherein said global positioning system device does not wirelessly communicate when current is not conducted by said conductor, and

wherein said power supply comprises a solar power supply structured to output power responsive to solar energy, a detector structured to detect said current conducted by said conductor, and a switch structured to power said global positioning system device from said output power when said detector detects said current conducted by said conductor and to remove power from said global positioning system device when said detector does not detect current conducted by said conductor.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said display is a geographic information system display.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein said display is a global positioning system overlay of a power distribution system map.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein said conductor is a utility power cable.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein said conductor is a power distribution cable.

11. The system of claim 6 wherein said current conducted by said conductor is a direct current.

12. The system of claim 6 wherein said current conducted by said conductor is an alternating current.

13. The system of claim 6 wherein said power supply is further structured to determine if said current exceeds a predetermined value, and wherein said global positioning system device does not wirelessly communicate when said current exceeds said predetermined value.

14. A method of displaying whether a number of conductors conduct current, said method comprising:

coupling a global positioning system device to a number of said number of conductors, said global positioning system device being structured to determine location of said global positioning system device;

powering said global positioning system device responsive to a current conducted by said number of said number of conductors;

employing a display remote from said global positioning system device;

wirelessly communicating said determined location to said display when said global positioning system device is powered responsive to said current conducted by said number of said number of conductors;

not wirelessly communicating when current is not conducted by said number of said number of conductors;

detecting if the current conducted by said number of said number of conductors exceeds a trip threshold and responsively sending an alarm message or disabling the global positioning system device; and

resetting said alarm message or resetting the global positioning system device, respectively, by detecting a hot stick employable to couple the global positioning system device to said number of said number of conductors.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

employing as said number of conductors a plurality of conductors, each of said plurality of conductors being capable of conducting a corresponding current; and

for each of said plurality of conductors other than said number of said number of conductors;

coupling a corresponding global positioning system device to a corresponding one of said plurality of conductors other than said number of said number of conductors, said corresponding global positioning system device being structured to determine a corresponding location of said corresponding global positioning system device,

powering said corresponding global positioning system device responsive to a corresponding current conducted by said corresponding one of said plurality of conductors other than said number of said number of conductors,

wirelessly communicating said determined corresponding location to said display when said corresponding global positioning system device is powered responsive to said corresponding current conducted by said corresponding one of said plurality of conductors other than said number of said number of conductors, and

not wirelessly communicating when said corresponding current is not conducted by said corresponding one of said plurality of conductors other than said number of said number of conductors.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

for said number of said number of conductors, displaying said determined location at said display when said global positioning system device is powered responsive to said current conducted by said number of said number of conductors; and

for each of said plurality of conductors other than said number of said number of conductors, displaying said corresponding determined location at said display when said corresponding global positioning system device is powered responsive to said corresponding current conducted by said corresponding one of said plurality of conductors other than said number of said number of conductors.