US5808902A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Power quality transducer for use with supervisory control systems
Assignee: Basic Measuring Instruments
•
Filing: 1996-05-23
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Granted: 1998-09-15
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Expires: 2016-05-23
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for detecting power quality or disturbance events, such as voltage swells, sags or impulses, in power signals at remote locations of a power distribution system and for conveying information relating to the power disturbances to a central location. Voltage and/or current signals in electric power lines are monitored and converted to low level analog signals. The low level signals are processed by analog processing circuits or are digitally sampled and processed by digital processing circuits to detect power disturbances. Each power disturbance is characterized according to multiple parameters. The characterization information is encoded into a single signal. This is done by assigning a subset of a range of possible values of the signal to represent a parameter and then assigning a value within each subset of the range to represent another parameter. A sampling system located at the central location periodically samples the encoded signal at each remote location to collect information relating to power disturbances occurring throughout the power distribution system. Because sampling occurs only periodically, the encoded signal maintains its value for an amount of time after a power disturbance is detected that is long enough to ensure that it will be sampled. Then, the encoded signal returns to the level representative of an absence of a power disturbance until the next power disturbance occurs.
Inventors
- 👤 George Levert
- 👤 William Stuntz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 16:23
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B3/00; H04B3/54; H04B3/546; H04B2203/00; H04B2203/54; H04B2203/5462; H04B2203/5466; H04B2203/5483; H04B2203/5495
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
An apparatus for sensing a disturbance in an electric power signal and for forming a signal representative of the disturbance, the apparatus comprising: a. means for sensing a first signal; b. means for detecting coupled to the means for sensing for detecting a disturbance in the first signal; c. means for forming coupled to the means for detecting for forming a second signal having an amplitude representative of a first parameter of the disturbance wherein the second signal remains representative of the first parameter for a predetermined period after a disturbance is detected; and d. means for remotely sampling the second signal during the predetermined period.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
106 words
An apparatus for sensing a disturbance in an electric power signal and for forming a signal representative of the disturbance, the apparatus comprising: a. means for sensing a first signal; b. means for detecting coupled to the means for sensing for detecting a disturbance in the first signal; c. means for forming coupled to the means for detecting for forming a second signal having an amplitude representative of a first parameter of the disturbance wherein the second signal remains representative of the first parameter for a predetermined period after a disturbance is detected; and d. means for remotely sampling the second signal during the predetermined period.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the second signal becomes representative of an absence of a disturbance after the predetermined period.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for remotely sampling periodically samples the second signal according to a predetermined sampling interval.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the predetermined sampling interval is shorter than the predetermined period.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the amplitude of the second signal is also representative of a second parameter of the disturbance.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein further comprising means for adjusting the amplitude of the second signal in response to the occurrence of an additional disturbance detected between samples.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
84 words
An apparatus for sensing a disturbance in an electric power signal and for forming a signal representative of the disturbance, the apparatus comprising: a. means for sensing a first signal; b. means for detecting coupled to the means for sensing for detecting a disturbance in the first signal; and c. means for forming coupled to the means for detecting for forming a second signal having an amplitude representative of a first parameter of the disturbance and representative of a second parameter of the disturbance.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
84 words
An apparatus for sensing a disturbance in an electric power signal and for forming a signal representative of the disturbance, the apparatus comprising: a. means for sensing a first signal; b. means for detecting coupled to the means for sensing for detecting a disturbance in the first signal; and c. means for forming coupled to the means for detecting for forming a second signal having an amplitude representative of a first parameter of the disturbance and representative of a second parameter of the disturbance.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the first signal is an electric power signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the first parameter of the disturbance is representative of a duration of the disturbance.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the second parameter of the disturbance is representative of an amplitude of the disturbance.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the amplitude of the second signal is also representative of the absence of any disturbance.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
60 words
The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the amplitude of the second signal is representative of the first parameter of the disturbance and representative of the second parameter of the disturbance for a predetermined period after the disturbance is detected and wherein the amplitude of the second signal is representative of the absence of any disturbance after the predetermined period.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus according to claim 12 further comprising means for sampling the amplitude of the second signal having a sample period wherein the predetermined period is at least as long as the sample period.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising means for adjusting the amplitude of the second signal in response to the occurrence of an additional disturbance detected between samples.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising means for queuing a value representative of a parameter of an additional disturbance detected between samples.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
99 words
An apparatus for sensing a disturbance in an electric power signal and for forming a signal representative of the disturbance, the apparatus comprising: a. means for sensing a first signal; b. means for detecting coupled to the means for sensing for detecting a disturbance in the first signal; and c. means for forming coupled to the means for detecting for forming a second signal representative of a parameter of the disturbance wherein the second signal remains representative of the parameter of the disturbance for predetermined period and becomes representative of an absence of a disturbance after the predetermined period.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
99 words
An apparatus for sensing a disturbance in an electric power signal and for forming a signal representative of the disturbance, the apparatus comprising: a. means for sensing a first signal; b. means for detecting coupled to the means for sensing for detecting a disturbance in the first signal; and c. means for forming coupled to the means for detecting for forming a second signal representative of a parameter of the disturbance wherein the second signal remains representative of the parameter of the disturbance for predetermined period and becomes representative of an absence of a disturbance after the predetermined period.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the second signal is representative of one or more additional parameters of the disturbance.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus according to claim 16 further comprising means for sampling the level of the second signal having a sample period wherein the predetermined period is at least as long as the sample period.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the means for forming further comprises means for adjusting a level of the second signal in response to the occurrence of an additional disturbance detected between samples.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the means for forming further comprises means for queuing a value representative of a parameter of an additional disturbance detected between samples.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
74 words
A method for collecting data representative of disturbances in an electric power signal comprising the steps of: a. sensing an electric power signal; b. detecting a disturbance in the electric power signal; c. characterizing the disturbance according to a first parameter of the disturbance and according to a second parameter of the disturbance; d. generating an encoded signal having an amplitude that is representative of the first parameter and representative of the second parameter.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
74 words
A method for collecting data representative of disturbances in an electric power signal comprising the steps of: a. sensing an electric power signal; b. detecting a disturbance in the electric power signal; c. characterizing the disturbance according to a first parameter of the disturbance and according to a second parameter of the disturbance; d. generating an encoded signal having an amplitude that is representative of the first parameter and representative of the second parameter.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method according to claim 21 wherein the step of characterizing the disturbance comprises: a. measuring the first parameter of the disturbance; b. assigning a range of amplitudes to the encoded signal wherein the assigned range corresponds to the first parameter; c. measuring the second parameter of the disturbance; and d. selecting an amplitude within the assigned range wherein the selected amplitude corresponds to the second parameter.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method according to claim 22 wherein the first parameter is representative of a duration of the disturbance and wherein the second parameter is representative of an extreme amplitude of the disturbance.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method according to claim 22 wherein the first parameter is representative of a type of the disturbance and wherein the second parameter is representative of a severity of the disturbance.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 22 wherein the encoded signal is also representative of an absence of a disturbance.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method according to claim 25 wherein the encoded signal remains representative of the first parameter of the disturbance and representative of the second parameter of the disturbance for a predetermined amount of time before returning to a level representative of the absence of a disturbance.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 26 further comprising the step of periodically sampling the encoded signal for generating a series of sampled values.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 27 further comprising the steps of: a. transmitting the sampled values to a remote location; and b. storing the sampled values at the remote location.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
170 words
An apparatus for measuring and recording electric power parameters, the apparatus comprising: a. a receiving circuit coupled to receive electric power signals from an electric power line; b. a first converting circuit coupled to the receiving circuit for converting the electric power signals to low level analog signals; c. a second converting circuit coupled to the first converting circuit for converting the low level analog signals into a first series of digital values; d. an analyzing circuit coupled to the second converting circuit for analyzing the first series of digital values for determining whether a power disturbance has occurred and, if a power disturbance has occurred, determining a first parameter and a second parameter of the power disturbance and forming an encoded signal wherein the encoded signal is representative of the first parameter and the second parameter and, if no power disturbance has occurred, the encoded signal is representative of the absence of an occurrence of a power disturbance; and e. a sensing circuit for periodically sensing the encoded signal.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
170 words
An apparatus for measuring and recording electric power parameters, the apparatus comprising: a. a receiving circuit coupled to receive electric power signals from an electric power line; b. a first converting circuit coupled to the receiving circuit for converting the electric power signals to low level analog signals; c. a second converting circuit coupled to the first converting circuit for converting the low level analog signals into a first series of digital values; d. an analyzing circuit coupled to the second converting circuit for analyzing the first series of digital values for determining whether a power disturbance has occurred and, if a power disturbance has occurred, determining a first parameter and a second parameter of the power disturbance and forming an encoded signal wherein the encoded signal is representative of the first parameter and the second parameter and, if no power disturbance has occurred, the encoded signal is representative of the absence of an occurrence of a power disturbance; and e. a sensing circuit for periodically sensing the encoded signal.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to claim 29 wherein the encoded signal remains representative of the first parameter for a predetermined period after a disturbance is detected.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus according to claim 29 wherein the first parameter is representative of an extreme amplitude of the disturbance and the second parameter is representative of a duration of the disturbance.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 29 wherein the encoded signal is a binary signal.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 29 wherein the encoded signal is an analog signal.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus according to claim 29 wherein the encoded signal is converted from a binary signal into an analog signal.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 29 wherein the encoded signal is sensed from a remote location.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-09-14 | 2002-03-16 | 2002-09-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-09-14 | 2006-03-16 | 2006-09-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-09-14 | 2010-03-16 | 2010-09-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |