Grid topology mapping with voltage data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016109491-A1
Application number	US-201414518564-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 20, 2014
Priority date	Oct 20, 2014
Publication date	Apr 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A power line configuration or topology may be determined by identifying metering nodes that have time-stamped voltage values that correlate with voltage values measured at a transformer or other metering nodes at substantially the same time. A correlation between the time-stamped voltage values may be calculated by, in some examples, comparing a difference of a first time-stamped voltage value of a meter and a second time-stamped voltage value of a transformer or the second metering node to a predetermined threshold. If the difference is below the threshold, the metering node may be determined to be connected to the transformer or second metering node by a power distribution line.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
receiving a first voltage value measured at a metering node of a power distribution system; receiving a second voltage value measured at a transformer of the power distribution system; calculating a correlation between the first voltage value and the second voltage value; and determining if the metering node is connected to the transformer by a power distribution line, based at least in part on the correlation.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first voltage value is associated with a first time-stamp and the second voltage value is associated with a second time-stamp, the first and second time-stamps representing a substantially same time.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving location information associated with the metering node, wherein the determining is based at least in part on the location information.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the calculating the correlation comprises calculating a difference between the first voltage value and the second voltage value and determining that the difference is within a predetermined threshold.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the predetermined threshold comprises an order of magnitude of 1 volt.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, prior to the calculating, the first and second voltage values are stored in a memory remote from the transformer and the metering node.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first voltage value is derived from received metering data.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first voltage value comprises a representation of a power distribution voltage provided to the metering node.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the calculating the correlation comprises a calculation independent of a phase of the first or second voltage values.

10 . A method comprising:
receiving a plurality of time-stamped voltage values, each of the time-stamped voltage values corresponding to one of a plurality of metering nodes or one of a plurality of transformers; storing the plurality of time-stamped voltage values in a memory; calculating, for a subset of the plurality of time-stamped voltage values that share a common time-stamp, a correlation; and determining which of each of the plurality of metering nodes are connected to which of each of the plurality of transformers by a power distribution line, based at least in part on the correlation.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the calculating comprises determining if the subset of time-stamped voltage values have a substantially same voltage value by comparing a difference of each of the time-stamped voltage values of the subset to a predetermined threshold.

12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising displaying the determined connections of the plurality of metering nodes to the plurality of transformers in a data structure, the data structure comprising at least one of a list, a spreadsheet, a diagram, a flow-chart, or a map.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising sending the data structure to a computing device for display.

14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising calculating, for a second subset of the plurality of time stamped voltages values that share a second common time-stamp, a second correlation, and comparing the first correlation to the second correlation.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising displaying the determined connections of the plurality of metering nodes to the plurality of transformers in a data structure, and updating the data structure based on the comparison of the first correlation to the second correlation.

16 . A system comprising:
a processing unit configured to perform operations comprising:
receiving a first voltage value associated with a first device;
receiving first location information associated with the first device;
receiving a second voltage value associated with a second device;
receiving second location information associated with the second device;
calculating a correlation between the first and second voltages;
determining connection information of the first device to second device based at least in part on the correlation; and
displaying the connection information on a map, the map showing the first device at a first location corresponding to the first location information and the second device at a second location corresponding to the second location information.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the first device comprises a first metering node and the second device comprises a second metering node.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the first device comprises a metering node and the second device comprises a transformer.

19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the connection information comprises a power distribution line configuration or location.

20 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the calculating, determining, or displaying is triggered by a request to generate a report.

21 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the request to generate a report is initiated responsive to at least one of a power outage, a service call, a discrepancy from a previous correlation, a manual request, or an elapsing of a predetermined amount of time.

22 . The system of claim 16 , further comprising providing an instruction to service the first device or the second device, based at least in part on the correlation.

Assignees

• Itron Inc

Inventors

• Kann James Lee

Classifications

• G01R19/2513

  Arrangements for monitoring electric power systems, e.g. power lines or loads; Logging · CPC title

• G01R31/66 Primary

  Testing of connections, e.g. of plugs or non-disconnectable joints (testing for incorrect line connections G01R31/55) · CPC title

• G01R29/18

  Indicating phase sequence; Indicating synchronism · CPC title

• G01D4/00

  Tariff metering apparatus (in taximeters G07B13/00; apparatus actuated by coins, cards or the like with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas, or electricity G07F15/00) · CPC title

• G01R13/02

  for displaying measured electric variables in digital form · CPC title