Remote activation of communication modules of self-powered intelligent electronic devices

An intelligent electronic device (IED) (104) for remote activation of a communication module (112) of the IED, wherein the IED controls an auto recloser (102), wherein the auto recloser and the IED are mounted on an electric pole (106) of a power distribution network, wherein the IED is electrically coupled with a power line with a current transformer (208) to measure the current flowing in the power line and provide a trip signal (218) to interrupt the current in the power line, and wherein the IED is self-powered from the power extracted from the current transformer, the IED comprises:

• an optical sensor (314) to detect a trigger signal (316) provided by a trigger source (108), and convert the trigger signal into an electrical signal (332), wherein the trigger source provides the trigger signal to activate the communication module, and wherein the trigger source is positioned within a predefined distance from the IED;
• a signal conditioning unit (312) to convert the electrical signal obtained from the optical sensor into an activation signal (334);
• and
• a controller (310) to:
• receive the activation signal from the signal conditioning unit;
• generate a control signal (318) for powering the communication module from a power supply module (326) based on the activation signal;
• enable the power supply module to powering the communication module for a duration controlled with the control signal;
• and
• activate the communication module for communicating a plurality of data associated with the IED to a remote communication device (114) upon enabling the power supply module for the communication module.