Spectral analysis using wireless current sensors
AssigneeSchweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
InventorJames Mobley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to spectral analysis in wireless current sensors. For example, a wireless current sensor (WCS) includes current transformer windings that harvest electrical energy from a power line and allow the WCS to obtain current measurements of the power line. The WCS includes a processor that obtains the current measurements of the power line via the current transformer windings. The processor generates a frequency domain representation of the current on the power line using the current measurements. The processor sends a wireless signal indicating results from the frequency domain representation to an intelligent electronic device (IED) that monitors the power line to allow the TED to analyze the results for anomalies.
Claims19
A line-powered wireless current sensor (WCS), comprising:
- current transformer windings configured to harvest electrical energy from a power line and allow the WCS to obtain current measurements of the power line;
- an energy storage device configured to be charged via the current transformer windings;
- memory;
- and
- a processor operatively coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to:
- ensure that the energy storage device is charged to sample the current repeatedly within a predetermined period of time to obtain measurements at a rate that is sufficient to generate a frequency domain representation of current;
- obtain the current measurements of the power line via the current transformer windings;
- store the current measurements over the predetermined period of time in the memory of the wireless current sensor to allow for generation of the frequency domain representation;
- generate the frequency domain representation of the current on the power line using the current measurements;
- and
- send a wireless signal indicating results from the frequency domain representation to an intelligent electronic device (IED) that monitors the power line to allow the IED to analyze the results for anomalies.
A method, comprising:
- obtaining, via a wireless current sensor (WCS), electrical energy from a power line to power the WCS;
- ensuring, via the WCS, that an energy storage device of the WCS is charged to sample current repeatedly within a period of time to obtain measurements at a rate that is sufficient to generate a frequency domain representation of current;
- obtaining, via the WCS, current measurements indicating current of the power line;
- storing, via the WCS, the current measurements over the predetermined period of time in memory of the WCS to allow for generation of the frequency domain representation of current;
- generating, via the WCS, the frequency domain representation of the current on the power line using the current measurements;
- and
- sending, via the WCS, a wireless signal indicating results from the frequency domain representation to an intelligent electronic device (IED) that monitors the power line to allow the IED to analyze the results.
A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
- ensure that an energy storage device of a wireless current sensor (WCS) is charged to sample current repeatedly within a period of time to obtain measurements at a rate that is sufficient to generate a frequency domain representation of current;
- obtain current measurements of a power line via current transformer windings of the WCS;
- store, via the WCS, the current measurements over the predetermined period of time in memory of the non-transitory, computer-readable medium of the WCS to allow for generation of the frequency domain representation of the current;
- generate the frequency domain representation of the current on the power line using the current measurements;
- and
- send a wireless signal indicating results from the frequency domain representation to an intelligent electronic device (IED) that monitors the power line to allow the IED to analyze the results for anomalies.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.