Wireless synchronized measurements in power distribution networks

A system for determining a phase of a power supply coupled to a metering device connected to a power distribution network, the system comprising:

• a plurality of collection devices, each of the collection devices in electronic communication with a metering device connected to a power distribution network and having a memory and one or more electronic processors configured to:
• receive a first beacon signal;
• measure a phasor based on receiving the first beacon signal;
• store the phasor in the memory along with an identification value associated with the device that transmitted the first beacon signal and a first time;
• receive a second beacon signal, the second beacon signal comprising a request message;
• extract data from the request message, wherein the extracted data includes a time data value;
• determine if the extracted time matches the first time stored in the memory;
• and
• based on determining that the extracted time matches the first time stored in the memory, transmit a response data packet comprising the stored phasor, the stored identification value, and the first time to a data collection unit.

A method for determining a phase of a power supply coupled to a metering device, wherein a first collection device is in electronic communication with the metering device, and incudes a memory and one or more electronic processors, the method comprising:

• receiving a first beacon signal at the first collection device;
• measuring, via the collection device, a phasor of a power signal at the metering device in response to receiving the first beacon signal;
• storing the measured phasor, a first time, and an identification value associated with the device that transmitted the first beacon signal in the memory;
• receiving a second beacon signal at the first collection device;
• extracting data from the request message by the first collection device, wherein the extracted data includes a time data value and a reference phasor value;
• determining, by the first collection device, whether the extracted time data value matches the first time stored in the memory;
• and
• calculating, by the first collection device, the phase of the power line connected to the metering device by comparing the reference phasor data to the stored measured phasor.