Method and apparatus for communicating power distribution event and location
First Claim
1. A method of using a device to provide power outage information for a power distribution system that includes a low voltage power line and wherein the device receives at least some power from the low voltage power line and experiences a power loss during a local power outage, comprising:
- repeatedly measuring a voltage of the low voltage power line;
detecting a voltage reduction that remains below a threshold voltage for a predetermined time period;
storing information of the voltage reduction, that remains below a threshold voltage for a predetermined time period, in a non-volatile memory prior to the power outage; and
in response to said detecting, transmitting a notification to a remote computer system.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system, device, and method of providing information for a power distribution system is provided. In one embodiment, a method of using a device that receives power from the low voltage power of the power distribution system and experiences a power loss during a local power outage may perform the processes of monitoring a voltage of the low voltage power line, detecting a voltage reduction below a threshold voltage for a predetermined time period, storing information of the voltage reduction in a non-volatile memory prior to the power outage, and transmitting a notification to a remote computer system prior to the outage. The monitoring may comprise making a plurality of measurements of the voltage during a time interval and averaging the plurality of voltage measurements. In addition, the method may include transmitting an alert message upon power up after the outage to indicate a power restoration local to the device.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of using a device to provide power outage information for a power distribution system that includes a low voltage power line and wherein the device receives at least some power from the low voltage power line and experiences a power loss during a local power outage, comprising:
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repeatedly measuring a voltage of the low voltage power line; detecting a voltage reduction that remains below a threshold voltage for a predetermined time period; storing information of the voltage reduction, that remains below a threshold voltage for a predetermined time period, in a non-volatile memory prior to the power outage; and in response to said detecting, transmitting a notification to a remote computer system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 24)
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14. A method of using a device to provide information about a power distribution system that includes a power line that carries a nominal voltage and that provides operating power to the device, comprising:
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repeatedly measuring a voltage of the power line; detecting a voltage reduction below a threshold value and wherein the voltage reduces to substantially zero volts; determining that the voltage remains below the threshold value for a predetermined time period; and in response to said determining, transmitting a first notification indicative of said determining. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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25. A computer program product stored in one or more non-transitory tangible computer readable media having executable instructions to provide information about a power outage of a power distribution system and wherein said executable instructions are executable by a device that receives operating power from a power line of the power distribution system, comprising:
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a code segment to receive data of a plurality of voltage measurements of the power line; a code segment to determine whether the voltage of the power line satisfies a similarity threshold with a signature of a power outage; wherein the similarity threshold comprises a voltage reduction that remains below a voltage threshold for a predetermined time period; and a code segment to cause a transmission of a notification sufficient for determining the location of the device if the voltage satisfies the similarity threshold with the signature of a power outage. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A device for providing information about a power outage of a power distribution system that includes a plurality of power lines, the device comprising:
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a circuit configured to measure a voltage of a power line; a power supply configured to receive power from the power line; a non-volatile memory; a processor in communication with said non-volatile memory and said circuit and configured to receive voltage data based on a plurality of measurements of the voltage from said circuit; a communication interface in communication with said processor; wherein said processor is configured to process the voltage data to detect a voltage reduction that remains below a threshold voltage for a predetermined time period; wherein said processor is configured to store first information of the voltage reduction in said non-volatile memory; and wherein said processor is configured to cause said communication interface to transmit a notification in response to detecting a voltage reduction below the threshold voltage for the predetermined time period. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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Specification