US 2011/0218686 A1Published application

Power outage verification

AssigneeHunt Technologies, Inc.

InventorsStanley E. McHann, JR., Robert Zeppetelle

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Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for detecting a power outage. In one aspect, a status request requesting a status of a portion of a power distribution network is received, where the request includes a reference to a power meter that is located within the portion of the network. In response to the status request, a block of communications channels is selected, where the block includes a target communications channel over which a signal corresponding to the referenced power meter is received. In turn, an amplitude of the signal being received over the target communications channel is obtained. A determination is made whether the amplitude of the signal is less than an outage threshold and a status notification is provided that specifies the status of the portion of the power distribution network for which the status has been requested.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by a data processing apparatus, a status request requesting a status of a first portion of a power distribution network, the request including a reference to a referenced power meter that is located within the first portion of the power distribution network for which the status is requested;
selecting, by the data processing apparatus, a block of communications channels that includes a target communications channel over which a signal corresponding to the referenced power meter is received;
obtaining, by the data processing apparatus, an amplitude of the signal being received over the target communications channel;
determining, by the data processing apparatus, whether the amplitude of the signal being received over the target communications channel is less than an outage threshold for the target communications channel;
and
in response to determining whether the amplitude of the signal being received over the target communications channel is less than the outage threshold for the target communications channel, providing, by the data processing apparatus, a status notification that specifies the status of the first portion of the power distribution network for which the status has been requested.

3 more elements

A system comprising:

a data store storing a plurality of outage thresholds, each outage threshold corresponding to a communications channel over which a power meter in a power distribution network communicates;
and
a status subsystem coupled to the data store, the status subsystem comprising at least one processor configured to obtain an amplitude of a signal being received over a target communications channel, determine a status of a first portion of the power distribution network based on an amplitude of a signal being received over the target communications channel relative to the outage threshold corresponding to the target communications channel, and provide a status notification specifying the status of the first portion based on the determination.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/715,500Filed 2 Mar 2010
Published: 8 Sep 2011
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

H02J 13/12
Circuit arrangements for providing remote monitoring or remote control of equipment in a power distribution network: monitoring network…
H02J 13/1321
Characterised by the transmission of data to equipment in the power network: using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
H02J 13/1333
Using wireless data transmission: by means of mobile telephony
H02J 13/1335
Using wireless data transmission: involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi®, ZigBee® or Bluetooth®