Time coordinated energy monitoring system utilizing communications links
First Claim
1. A method of synchronizing a time period over which energy measurements are accumulated for an energy monitoring system including a plurality of energy monitoring devices, wherein the time period comprises a time interval at a predetermined time, the method comprising:
- (a) transmitting a first radio frequency packet from a time reference device via at least a first and a second of said plurality of energy monitoring devices to a third of said plurality of energy monitoring devices;
(b) transmitting a second radio frequency packet containing a current time of said third energy monitoring device to said time reference device via at least said fourth and fifth energy monitoring devices;
(c) calculating a time difference between said current time and a reference time of said time reference device;
(d) updating said current time of said third energy monitoring device when said time difference exceeds a minimum time difference;
(e) accumulating, over said time period, a measure of energy consumption by said third energy monitoring device of a load coupled with said third energy monitoring device;
(f) transmitting said measure of energy consumption for said time period from said third energy monitoring device via at least a fourth and a fifth of said plurality of energy monitoring devices to a data aggregation device; and
(g) identifying by said data aggregation device an aggregate measure of energy consumption consumed by said load over said time period.
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Abstract
A method, system and device for synchronizing a time period over which energy measurements are accumulated for an energy monitoring system including a plurality of energy monitoring devices is described. The method comprises transmitting a first radio frequency packet from a time reference device via at least a first and a second of the plurality of energy monitoring devices to a third of the plurality of energy monitoring devices. The method further comprises adjusting a time register within the third energy monitoring device based on the reception of the packet. The method further comprises accumulating a measure of energy consumption by the third energy monitoring device of a load coupled with the third energy monitoring device. The method further comprises transmitting the measure of energy consumption from the third energy monitoring device via at least a fourth and a fifth of the plurality of energy monitoring devices to a data aggregation device. The method further comprises identifying by the data aggregation device an aggregate measure of energy consumption consumed by the load over the time period.
76 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of synchronizing a time period over which energy measurements are accumulated for an energy monitoring system including a plurality of energy monitoring devices, wherein the time period comprises a time interval at a predetermined time, the method comprising:
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(a) transmitting a first radio frequency packet from a time reference device via at least a first and a second of said plurality of energy monitoring devices to a third of said plurality of energy monitoring devices; (b) transmitting a second radio frequency packet containing a current time of said third energy monitoring device to said time reference device via at least said fourth and fifth energy monitoring devices; (c) calculating a time difference between said current time and a reference time of said time reference device; (d) updating said current time of said third energy monitoring device when said time difference exceeds a minimum time difference; (e) accumulating, over said time period, a measure of energy consumption by said third energy monitoring device of a load coupled with said third energy monitoring device; (f) transmitting said measure of energy consumption for said time period from said third energy monitoring device via at least a fourth and a fifth of said plurality of energy monitoring devices to a data aggregation device; and (g) identifying by said data aggregation device an aggregate measure of energy consumption consumed by said load over said time period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of synchronizing a local time value maintained in each of a plurality of energy monitoring devices with a reference time value maintained in a data aggregation device, the data aggregation device and plurality of energy monitoring devices being interconnected by an RF ad-hoc network, the method comprising:
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(a) receiving time reference data transmitted by the data aggregation device via the ad-hoc network by a first energy monitoring device of the plurality of energy monitoring devices, the time reference data being communicated via at least a second of said plurality of energy monitoring devices, the time reference data being generated based on the reference time value; (b) determining whether the local time value maintained in the first energy monitoring device is synchronized with the reference time value based on the received time reference data; (c) adjusting the local time value maintained in the first energy monitoring device based on the time reference data where it is determined that the local time value maintained in the first energy monitoring device is not synchronized with the reference time value; (d) acquiring data by the first energy monitoring device, the acquired data being associated with a first time period, the first time period being measured based on the local time value maintained in the first energy monitoring device; and (e) transmitting the acquired data to the data aggregation device via at least a third of said energy monitoring devices in the ad-hoc network, wherein the data aggregation device has data associated with a second time period, further wherein the second time period is measured based on the reference time value and the first time period is substantially similar to the second time period due to the adjusting. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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Specification