Systems and methods for phase identification using relative phase angle measurements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025023351-A1
Application number	US-202418901536-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 30, 2024
Priority date	Jul 2, 2020
Publication date	Jan 16, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems for determining a phase of a device coupled to an electrical distribution system. The system includes a number of gateway devices configured to transmit a synchronization signal. The gateway device receives a node response message from a first node device that includes a duration value indicating a time between a receipt of the transmitted synchronization signal and a detected zero crossing. The gateway device compares the duration value against duration values received from node devices with a known phase connection and determines a phase of the first node device based on the comparison.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for determining a phase of one or more nodes coupled to an electrical distribution system, the system comprising:
a device in electronic communication with one or more node devices connected to a power distribution network and having a memory and one or more electronic processors configured to: transmit a synchronization message; receive a message from a first node device of the one or more node devices, wherein the message includes a time value indicating a time period between a receipt of the transmitted synchronization message and a detected zero crossing; compare the time period against previous time periods received from at least a second node device with a known phase connection; and determine a phase of the first node device based on the comparison.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more node devices are electrically coupled to a power distribution system and comprise a memory and one or more electronic processors configured to:
receive the synchronization message; determine a zero crossing of an AC waveform of the power distribution system occurring subsequent to receiving the synchronization message; calculate the time period between the receipt of the synchronization message and the determined zero crossing; generate the message comprising the time period; and transmit the message.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein message further comprises a node identification value, and a synchronization ID value; and
wherein the synchronization ID value is associated with the received synchronization message.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the synchronization message is transmitted using a wireless communication protocol.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the wireless communication protocol is an RF communication protocol.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more node devices are selected from a group consisting of electronic metering devices, sensors, and distribution automation devices.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more electronic processors of the device are further configured to transmit the determined phase to the first node.

8 . A method for determining a phase at a node device connected to a power distribution network, the method comprising:
transmitting a first synchronization message to one or more node devices; receiving a data message from a first node device of the one or more node devices, wherein the data message includes a duration value; comparing the duration value received from the first node device against duration values received from at least a second node devices with a known phase connection; determining a phase of the first node device based on the comparison.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the method is performed by a central computing device.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the method is performed by a plurality of gateway devices in electronic communication with the one or more nodes.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein determining the phase of the first node device comprises determining a relationship of the duration value of the first node device to the durational values received from the at least one node device with a known phase connection, and wherein the phase of the first node device is determined to be one of a same phase, a +120° offset phase, and a −120° offset phase based on the determined relationship.

12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving, at the first node device, the first synchronization message; determining, at the first node device, a zero crossing of an AC waveform of the power distribution network occurring immediately subsequent to receiving the first synchronization message; calculating, at the first node device, the duration value between the receipt of the first synchronization message and the determined zero crossing; generating, at the first node device, the data message comprising the duration value, a node identification value, and a synchronization ID value; and transmitting, by the first node device, the data message.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the synchronization ID value is associated with the received synchronization message.

14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
receiving the determined phase at the first node device; and storing the determined phase in a memory of the first node device.

15 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the duration values received from the at least one node device with a known phase connection are determined based on the first synchronization message.

16 . A system for determining a phase of one or more nodes coupled to an electrical distribution system, the system comprising:
a gateway device in electronic communication with a plurality of node devices connected to a power distribution network and having a memory and one or more electronic processors configured to: transmit a synchronization message to the plurality of node devices; receive a message from each of one or more of the plurality of node devices, wherein the message includes a time value indicating a duration between a receipt of the transmitted synchronization message and a detected zero crossing; group the received messages based on the duration value; compare the duration values against previous duration values received from at least a first node device with a known phase connection; and determine a phase of the first node device based on the comparison.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of node devices are grouped based on having substantially similar duration values.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the substantially similar duration values have a variation of ±15° or less.

19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of node devices are selected from a group consisting of electronic metering devices, sensors, and distribution automation devices.

20 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the one or more electronic processors of the gateway device are further configured to transmit the determined phase to the one or more plurality of node devices.

Assignees

• Aclara Tech Llc

Inventors

• Fleck Christopher
• Smith Roger
• Ross Rebecca

Classifications

• H02J13/1331

  using wireless data transmission · CPC title

• H02J13/12

  Monitoring network conditions, e.g. electrical magnitudes or operational status · CPC title

• H04L7/02

  Speed or phase control by the received code signals, the signals containing no special synchronisation information {(H04L7/0075 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G01R29/18

  Indicating phase sequence; Indicating synchronism · CPC title

• H02J3/26

  Arrangements for eliminating or reducing asymmetry in polyphase networks · CPC title