Electrical distribution system and method of monitoring and/or controlling same

Claim 2

An electrical distribution system, comprising: a communications network; a weather station coupled with said communications network, said weather station providing data to said communications network relating to at least one of: ambient temperature; wind speed; wind direction; relative humidity; barometric pressure; solar radiation; and precipitation; a transmission circuit; a plurality of distribution feeder circuits; at least one monitoring device, each said monitoring device associated with an operating parameter of one of said transmission circuit and one of said distribution feeder circuits; and a plurality of substations, each said substation being electrically connected between said transmission circuit and at least one of said distribution feeder circuits, each said substation including at least one controllable device and a control unit, said control unit including: a communications device independently coupled with said communications network for providing data to and receiving data from said communications network; and a processing circuit coupled with said communications device and at least one said monitoring device, said processing circuit at least intermittently receiving an output signal from said at least one monitoring device and at least intermittently transmitting an output signal to said communications network via said communications device, said processing circuit being configured to control operation of at least one said controllable device at said corresponding substation, and to control operation of at least one said controllable device at another said substation, said processing circuit being utilizing said data from said weather station to calculate a transmission capacity of at least one of said transmission circuit and said plurality of distribution feeder circuits.

Claim 3

The electrical distribution system of claim 1 , wherein said processing circuit is configured to output an alarm signal when a transmission capacity of said associated distribution feeder circuit is exceeded.

Claim 4

The electrical distribution system of claim 2 , wherein said processing circuit is configured to control operation of at least one said controllable device at said corresponding substation or said another substation dependent upon said data from said weather station.

Claim 5

The electrical distribution system of claim 1 , further comprising a geographic information system coupled with said communications network, said geographic information system providing data to said communications network relating to at least one of: locations of said controllable devices associated with at least one said substation; and specific types of said controllable devices associated with at least one said substation.

Claim 6

The electrical distribution system of claim 1 , further comprising a customer information system coupled with said communications network, said customer information system providing data to said communications network relating to at least one of: status of a power outage condition; and rate information.

Claim 7

The electrical distribution system of claim 5 , further comprising a customer interface providing access to said data from said customer information system.

Claim 8

The electrical distribution system of claim 6 , wherein said customer interface comprises a modem connected to a global computer network.

Claim 9

The electrical distribution system of claim 1 , wherein at least one said monitoring device at each said substation is configured to detect a fault condition and provide a fault output signal to said communications network, and wherein each said processing circuit is configured to determine an approximate fault location using said fault output signal.

Claim 10

The electrical distribution system of claim 1 , wherein each said control unit further comprises a graphical user interface.

Claim 11

The electrical distribution system of claim 9 , wherein said processing circuit displays graphical information on said graphical user interface corresponding to at least one of: location of a cause of a power outage condition; location of at least one controllable device within at least one said distribution feeder circuit; and graphical illustration of other electrical devices within at least one said distribution feeder circuit.

Claim 12

The electrical distribution system of claim 1 , wherein at least one said monitoring device comprises an intelligent electronic device.

Claim 13

The electrical distribution system of claim 11 , wherein said intelligent electronic device comprises one of a power outage monitor and a meter.

Claim 14

The electrical distribution system of claim 1 , wherein each said controllable device comprises one of: a circuit breaker; a capacitor bank; a relay; and a switch.

Claim 15

The electrical distribution system of claim 1 , wherein each said monitoring device outputs a plurality of signals to said communications network, and wherein each said control unit comprises a long term memory for storing said plurality of signals.

Claim 16

The electrical distribution system of claim 14 , wherein said plurality of signals stored in said long term memory are time stamped.

Claim 17

The electrical distribution system of claim 1 , wherein said communications network comprises a wide area network.

Claim 18

A utility supply system, comprising: a communications network; a utility supply circuit; a plurality of distribution feeder circuits; at least one monitoring device, each said monitoring device associated with an operating parameter of one of said utility supply circuit and one of said distribution feeder circuits; a plurality of remote stations, each said remote station being electrically connected between said utility supply circuit and at least one of said distribution feeder circuits, each said remote station including at least one controllable device and a control unit, said control unit including: a communications device independently coupled with said communications network for providing data to and receiving data from said communications network; and a processing circuit coupled with said communications device and at least one said monitoring device, said processing circuit at least intermittently receiving an output signal from said at least one monitoring device and at least intermittently transmitting an output signal to said communications network via said communications device, said processing circuit being configured to control operation of at least one said controllable device at said corresponding remote station, and to control operation of at least one said controllable device at another said remote station; a geographic information system coupled with said communications network, said geographic information system providing data to said communications network relating to at least one of: locations of said controllable devices associated with at least one said remote station; and specific types of said controllable devices associated with at least one said remote station; and a customer information system coupled with said communications network, said customer information system providing data to said communications network relating to at least one of: status of a power outage condition; and rate information; said customer information system being coupled to the internet providing thereto graphical indications of geographical regions of the utility supply system from said geographic information system and operational status of the utility supply system.

Claim 19

A utility supply system, comprising: a communications network; a utility supply circuit; a plurality of distribution feeder circuits; at least one monitoring device, each said monitoring device associated with an operating parameter of one of said utility supply circuit and one of said distribution feeder circuits; a plurality of remote stations, each said remote station being electrically connected between said utility supply circuit and at least one of said distribution feeder circuits, each said remote station including at least one controllable device and a control unit, said control unit including: a communications device independently coupled with said communications network for providing data to and receiving data from said communications network; and a processing circuit coupled with said communications device and at least one said monitoring device, said processing circuit at least intermittently receiving an output signal from said at least one monitoring device and at least intermittently transmitting an output signal to said communications network via said communications device, said processing circuit being configured to control operation of at least one said controllable device at said corresponding remote station, and to control operation of at least one said controllable device at another said remote station; a geographic information system coupled with said communications network, said geographic information system providing data to said communications network relating to at least one of: locations of said controllable devices associated with at least one said remote station; and specific types of said controllable devices associated with at least one said remote station; and a customer information system coupled with said communications network, said customer information system providing data to said communications network relating to at least one of: status of a power outage condition; and rate information; said customer information system being coupled to the internet providing thereto graphical indications of geographical regions of the utility supply system from said geographic information system and operational status of the utility supply system.

Claim 20

The utility supply system of claim 17 , wherein said utility supply system comprises an electrical distribution system, said utility supply circuit comprises an electrical transmission circuit, and each said remote station comprises a remote substation.

Claim 23

The method of claim 19 , further including the step of coupling a geographic information system with said communications network, said geographic information system providing data to said communications network relating to at least one of: locations of said controllable devices associated with at least one said substation; and specific types of said controllable devices associated with at least one said substation.

Claim 24

The method of claim 19 , including the further steps of: coupling a customer information system with said communications network, said customer information system providing data to said communications network relating to at least one of status of a power outage condition, and rate information; and accessing said data from said customer information system using a customer interface.

Claim 25

The method of claim 19 , including the further steps of: outputting a fault output signal corresponding to a fault condition in at least one said distribution feeder circuit to said communications network from at least one said monitoring device; and determining an approximate fault location using said processing circuit at said first substation dependent upon said fault output signal.

Claim 26

The method of claim 19 , including the further steps of: providing a graphical user interface; and displaying graphical information on said graphical user interface corresponding to at least one of: location of a cause of a power outage condition; location of at least one controllable device within at least one said distribution feeder circuit; and graphical illustration of other electrical devices within at least one said distribution feeder circuit.