Waveform capturing arrangement in a distributed power network

For use in a monitoring arrangement which is controlled by a user-operated control station and which monitor power lines carrying a power-related waveform in a distributed power network, a circuit monitor comprising:

• a sensor circuit, disposed adjacent the power line, for sensing a plurality of power-related parameters associated with the power-related waveform;
• a sampling circuit including:
• a first microcomputer,
• a multiplexer, responsive to the first microcomputer and to the sensor circuit, for sampling the power-related parameters and providing a plurality of output signals therefrom, and
• an analog to digital converter circuit which converts the multiplexer output signals,
• wherein the first microcomputer receives the converted power-related waveform samples to detect zero crossings therein and to perform power-related computations;
• and
• a second microcomputer, receptive of the power-related computations, which communicates with the user-operated control station.

A circuit monitoring arrangement for monitoring power lines in a distributed power network, wherein the power lines carry a power-selected waveform, the arrangement comprising:

• a plurality of circuit monitors which are situated adjacent at various points along the power line, each said circuit monitor having:
• a sensor, disposed adjacent the power line, for sensing power-related parameters associated with the power-related waveform:
• a sampling circuit, responsive to a control signal generated from a control center, for sampling the power-related waveform at a time prescribed by the control signal, said sampling circuit including:
• a first microcomputer,
• a multiplexer, responsive to the first microcomputer and to the sensor circuit, for sampling the power-related waveform, and
• an analog to digital converter circuit which converts the power-related waveform samples from the multiplexer,
• wherein the first microcomputer receives the converted power-related waveforms samples to detect zero crossings therein and to perform power-related computations;
• and
• a second microcomputer, receptive of the power-related computations, which communicates with the user-operated control station;
• said control center being remotely coupled to receive data representative of the power-related waveform samples from said plurality of circuit monitors and to send the control signal to said plurality of circuit monitors so that each of said plurality of circuit monitors samples the power-related waveform approximately simultaneously.

For use in a circuit monitoring arrangement which is controlled by a user-operated control station and which monitors power distributed to a plurality of powered equipment, wherein a power-related waveform passes from a non-residential loadcenter to each of the powered equipment through a power line, a circuit monitor comprising:

• a sensor circuit, disposed adjacent the power line and between the non-residential loadcenter and at least one of the powered equipment, for sensing a plurality of power-related parameters associated with the power-related waveform;
• sampling means, responsive to a control signal generated from the control station, for sampling the power-related waveform at a time prescribed by the control signal;
• generation means, responsive to said sampling means, for generating data representative of the power-related waveform;
• and
• receiving means, coupled to said sampling means, for receiving the control signal from the control station for instructing said circuit monitor to sample the power-related waveform at a prescribed future point in time wherefrom said generation means determines power-related information of the power line between the non-residential loadcenter and the powered equipment.