System for Monitoring Electrical Power Usage of a Structure and Method of Same

An apparatus for measuring electrical current in one or more main electrical power lines of a structure, the structure having a breaker box, the breaker box comprising at least a first part of the one or more main electrical power lines and a metal panel over the first part of the one or more main electrical power lines, the apparatus comprising:

• a sensing device comprising:
• one or more electrical current sensors configured to provide two or more current measurements;
• and
• one or more magnets coupled to the one or more electrical current sensors;
• and
• a processing module configured to run on a computational unit and configured to use the two or more current measurements to determine the electrical current in the one or more main electrical power lines.

A method for providing a system for monitoring usage of electrical power of a structure, the structure having one or more main electrical power lines that supply the electrical power to a first load in the structure, the one or more main electrical power lines at least partially run substantially parallel to a first axis, the structure further having a panel that overlies at least part of the one or more main electrical power lines, the method comprising:

• providing a current sensor unit configured to be coupled to a surface of the panel, the current sensor unit configured to produce an output signal based on a magnetic field generated by the one or more main electrical power lines;
• and
• providing a processing unit configured to receive the output signal from the current sensor unit and further configured to process the output signal to determine one or more parameters related to the usage of the electrical power of the structure,
• wherein:
• providing the current sensor unit comprises:
• providing at least one magnetic field sensor with a length along a second axis, wherein the at least one magnetic field sensor is configured to detect the magnetic field generated by the one or more main electrical power lines;
• and
• mounting the at least one magnetic field sensor at the current sensor unit such that the second axis of the at least one magnetic field sensor is substantially perpendicular to the first axis when the current sensor unit is coupled to the surface of the panel.

A method for monitoring usage of electrical power of a structure using an electrical power monitoring system, the structure having one or more main electrical power lines that supply the electrical power to a first load in the structure, the method comprising:

• calibrating the electrical power monitoring system, wherein a first raw current in the one or more main electrical power lines and first calibration data are generated while calibrating the electrical power monitor system;
• storing the first calibration data and a measurement of the first raw current;
• measuring a second raw current;
• if the second raw current is not within a predetermined amount of the first raw current, performing a first recalibration of the electrical power monitoring system comprising:
• calibrating the electrical power monitoring system, wherein a third raw current in the one or more main electrical power lines and second calibration data are generated while performing the first recalibration of the electrical power monitor system;
• storing the second calibration data and a measurement of the third raw current;
• and
• calculating a first measured current using the second calibration data;
• and
• if the second raw current is within the predetermined amount of the first raw current, calculating the first measured current using the first calibration data;
• and
• displaying the first measured current.