System and method for monitoring electrical power usage in an electrical power infrastructure of a building

• US 9,857,449 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2016
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Maguire, Yael G., Yogeeswaran, Karthik, Patel, Shwetak N., Reynolds, Matthew S.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAU, TUNG S
• Application Number:
  US15/076,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20160202340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/207 Constructional details independent of the type of device used
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/001 Measuring real or reactive component; Measuring apparent energy G01R21/01, G01R21/02, G01R21/08, G01R21/10 and G01R21/127 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/06 by measuring current and voltage G01R21/08 - G01R21/133 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/06 by electronic methods
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/063 related to remote communication
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 35/005 Calibrating; Standards or reference devices, e.g. voltage or resistance standards, "golden" references G01R33/0035, G01R35/002 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 35/04 of instruments for measuring time integral of power or current

Abstract

A method of using a power consumption measurement device: determining at least two first current sensor readings from the one or more main electrical supply conductors; calibrating the power consumption measurement device, comprising applying a Kalman filter; electrically coupling a first calibration load to the electrical power infrastructure; determining at least one second current sensor reading from the one or more main electrical supply conductors; re-calibrating the power consumption measurement device, comprising applying the Kalman filter; uncoupling the first calibration load from the electrical power infrastructure; determining at least one third current sensor reading from the one or more main electrical supply conductors; and determining a first electrical power used by the electrical power infrastructure of the structure. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining at least two first current sensor readings from one or more main electrical supply conductors using at least one sensor in a power consumption measurement device, the power consumption measurement device being mechanically coupled to a surface of a circuit breaker box overlying at least part of the one or more main electrical supply conductors for an electrical power infrastructure of a structure, and the at least one sensor comprising two or more electrical current sensors configured to sense a time-varying magnetic field produced by the one or more main electrical supply conductors;

calibrating the power consumption measurement device using at least in part the at least two first current sensor readings, wherein calibrating the power consumption measurement device comprises;

applying a Kalman filter using at least the at least two first current sensor readings to determine one or more first calibration coefficients for the power consumption measurement device;

after determining the at least two first current sensor readings, electrically coupling a first calibration load to the electrical power infrastructure;

while the first calibration load remains electrically coupled to the electrical power infrastructure, determining at least one second current sensor reading from the one or more main electrical supply conductors using the at least one sensor in the power consumption measurement device;

re-calibrating the power consumption measurement device using at least in part the at least two first current sensor readings and the at least one second current sensor reading, wherein re-calibrating the power consumption measurement device comprises;

applying the Kalman filter using at least the at least two first current sensor readings and the at least one second current sensor reading to determine one or more second calibration coefficients for the power consumption measurement device;

uncoupling the first calibration load from the electrical power infrastructure;

after uncoupling the first calibration load, determining at least one third current sensor reading from the one or more main electrical supply conductors using the at least one sensor in the power consumption measurement device; and

determining a first electrical power used by the electrical power infrastructure of the structure using at least the at least one third current sensor reading and the one or more second calibration coefficients.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

before re-calibrating the power consumption measurement device, determining at least one fourth current sensor reading from the one or more main electrical supply conductors using the at least one sensor in the power consumption measurement device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after uncoupling the first calibration load, electrically coupling a second calibration load to the electrical power infrastructure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

determining the first electrical power further comprises;

determining the first electrical power used by the electrical power infrastructure of the structure using at least the at least one third current sensor reading, the one or more second calibration coefficients, and a voltage across the electrical power infrastructure of the structure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

electrically coupling the first calibration load to the electrical power infrastructure comprises;

receiving a communication from a calibration device that the first calibration load has been electrically coupled to the electrical power infrastructure, wherein the calibration device comprises the first calibration load.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

uncoupling the first calibration load from the electrical power infrastructure comprises;

receiving a communication from a calibration device that the first calibration load has been uncoupled from the electrical power infrastructure.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each of applying the Kalman filter comprises;

using a first computer processor to apply the Kalman filter.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

before re-calibrating the power consumption measurement device, determining at least one fourth current sensor reading from the one or more main electrical supply conductors using the at least one sensor in the power consumption measurement device; and

after uncoupling the first calibration load, electrically coupling a second calibration load to the electrical power infrastructure.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after uncoupling the first calibration load, electrically coupling a second calibration load to the electrical power infrastructure,

wherein;

electrically coupling the second calibration load to the electrical power infrastructure comprises;

receiving a communication from a calibration device that the second calibration load has been electrically coupled to the electrical power infrastructure, wherein the calibration device comprises the second calibration load;

while the second calibration load remains electrically coupled to the electrical power infrastructure, determining at least one fourth current sensor reading using the at least one sensor in the power consumption measurement device; and

re-calibrating the power consumption measurement device comprises;

applying the Kalman filter using at least the at least two first current sensor readings, the at least one second current sensor reading, and the at least one fourth current sensor reading to determine the one or more second calibration coefficients for the power consumption measurement device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

determining the first electrical power further comprises;

determining the first electrical power used by the electrical power infrastructure of the structure using at least the at least one third current sensor reading, the one or more second calibration coefficients, and a voltage across the electrical power infrastructure of the structure;

the at least two first current sensor readings comprise a current measurement of a current and a phase angle measurement of the current;

the phase angle measurement of the current is relative to a phase of the voltage; and

electrically coupling the first calibration load to the electrical power infrastructure comprises;

receiving a communication from a calibration device that the first calibration load has been electrically coupled to the electrical power infrastructure, wherein the calibration device comprises the first calibration load.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

determining the first electrical power further comprises;

determining the first electrical power used by the electrical power infrastructure of the structure using at least the at least one third current sensor reading, the one or more second calibration coefficients, and a voltage across the electrical power infrastructure of the structure; and

electrically coupling the first calibration load to the electrical power infrastructure comprises;

receiving a communication from a calibration device that the first calibration load has been electrically coupled to the electrical power infrastructure, wherein the calibration device comprises the first calibration load.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

electrically coupling the first calibration load to the electrical power infrastructure comprises;

receiving a communication from a calibration device that the first calibration load has been electrically coupled to the electrical power infrastructure, wherein the calibration device comprises the first calibration load; and

uncoupling the first calibration load from the electrical power infrastructure comprises;

receiving a communication from the calibration device that the first calibration load has been uncoupled from the electrical power infrastructure.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein:

electrically coupling the first calibration load to the electrical power infrastructure comprises;

receiving a communication from a calibration device that the first calibration load has been electrically coupled to the electrical power infrastructure, wherein the calibration device comprises the first calibration load;

uncoupling the first calibration load from the electrical power infrastructure comprises;

receiving a communication from the calibration device that the first calibration load has been uncoupled from the electrical power infrastructure; and

each of applying the Kalman filter comprises;

using a first computer processor to apply the Kalman filter.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after uncoupling the first calibration load, electrically coupling a second calibration load to the electrical power infrastructure,

wherein;

electrically coupling the second calibration load to the electrical power infrastructure comprises;

receiving a communication from a calibration device that the second calibration load has been electrically coupled to the electrical power infrastructure, wherein the calibration device comprises the second calibration load;

while the second calibration load remains electrically coupled to the electrical power infrastructure, determining at least one fourth current sensor reading using the at least one sensor in the power consumption measurement device;

re-calibrating the power consumption measurement device comprises;

applying the Kalman filter using at least the at least two first current sensor readings, the at least one second current sensor reading, and the at least one fourth current sensor reading to determine the one or more second calibration coefficients for the power consumption measurement device; and

each of applying the Kalman filter comprises;

using a first computer processor to apply the Kalman filter.

15. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining a second electrical power used by the electrical power infrastructure of the structure using at least the at least one fourth current sensor reading and the one or more first calibration coefficients.

16. The method of claim 3, wherein:

electrically coupling the second calibration load to the electrical power infrastructure comprises;

receiving a communication from a calibration device that the second calibration load has been electrically coupled to the electrical power infrastructure, wherein the calibration device comprises the second calibration load.

17. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

while the second calibration load remains electrically coupled to the electrical power infrastructure, determining at least one fourth current sensor reading using the at least one sensor in the power consumption measurement device.

18. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the at least two first current sensor readings comprise a current measurement of a current and a phase angle measurement of the current.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein:

re-calibrating the power consumption measurement device comprises;

applying the Kalman filter using at least the at least two first current sensor readings, the at least one second current sensor reading, and the at least one fourth current sensor reading to determine the one or more second calibration coefficients for the power consumption measurement device.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the phase angle measurement of the current is relative to a phase of the voltage.