Apparatus Using Time-Based Electrical Characteristics to Identify an Electrical Appliance

• US 20100030393A1
• Filed: 07/29/2009
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: dAlchemy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gilbert J. Masters, Marcos B. Pernia
• Inventors: Pernia, Marcos B., MASTERS, Gilbert J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,463,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/2506 Arrangements for conditioning or analysing measured signals, e.g. for indicating peak values G01R19/003 takes precedence; Details concerning sampling, digitizing or waveform capturing displaying waveforms G01R13/00; analog sampling G01R19/0053

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus for analyzing the time-base electrical load characteristics of an electrical appliance on a micro-grid, in order to identify the type of the appliance and to monitor its utility usage and operational condition. The apparatus has a signal conditioner; a signature engine; an ID-engine; and a database. A system manager provides overall control of the apparatus, and external communications. The signal conditioner receives load character input signals from sensor, and generates a conditioned signal containing the load'"'"'s electrical characteristics and sends the conditioned signal to the signature engine. The signature engine receives the conditioned signal and generates a signature signal based on the conditioned signal. The ID-engine takes the signature signal, analyzes it in view of a set of signature ID criteria stored in the database to identify the type of the attached electrical appliance, and then stores the identity in the database. The database can be utilized to identify the type of other appliances and to monitor their utility usage and operational condition.

Claims

1. An apparatus (10) for analyzing time-based electrical load characteristics of an electrical appliance to identify the electrical appliance, the apparatus consisting of:

a signal conditioner (20) receiving electrical load character signals (14), the signal conditioner (20) adapted to generate a conditioned signal (24);

a signature engine (40) adapted to receive the conditioned signal (24) and generate a signature signal (44) based on the conditioned signal (24);

an ID-engine (60) adapted to receive the signature signal (44), to analyze the signature signal (44) in view of a set of signature ID criteria (66) to identify the electrical appliance, and to store the identity in a database (80); and

a system manager (90) adapted to provide overall control of the apparatus (10), and having I/O interfaces (94) for sending and receiving signals (94, 14).

2. The apparatus (10) of claim 1 for analyzing time-based electrical load characteristics of an electrical appliance, wherein the signal conditioner (20) receives electrical load character signals (14) from a plurality sources.