Automated hierarchy classification in utility monitoring systems

A method of automatically determining the hierarchy of devices arranged within a power system, wherein devices at the top of the hierarchy generally measure more power than devices lower on the hierarchy, comprising:

• receiving electrical parameter data from each device in said power system at periodic time intervals for a predetermined time period;
• arranging said electrical parameter data into a data table that tabulates said electrical parameter data for each device at each of said periodic time intervals;
• forming at least a portion of a correlation matrix that includes correlation coefficients between at least some combination pairs of said devices;
• determining the highest correlation coefficient among said correlation coefficients, said highest correlation coefficient being associated with an interrelated combination pair of said combination pairs of said devices;
• and
• storing, on a computer-readable medium, data representing that the two devices of said interrelated combination pair are connected to one another.

A method of automatically determining how devices in a multi-level hierarchy are linked to one another, comprising:

• receiving data from at least some of said devices in said hierarchy, said data representing a unidirectional flow of a utility measured by said at least some of said devices;
• producing a correlation coefficient based on respective data received from a first device of said devices and from a second device of said devices;
• responsive to the producing, automatically determining whether at least a first device and a second device are mutually linked in the multi-level hierarchy by at least comparing said correlation coefficient against at least one coefficient;
• and
• responsive to the automatically determining, storing data representing how said first device and said second device are linked.

A method of automatically determining how devices in a multi-level hierarchy are linked to one another, comprising:

• receiving data from at least some of said devices in said hierarchy, said data representing a unidirectional flow of a utility measured by said at least some of said devices;
• determining whether at least a first device and a second device are mutually linked responsive to producing a correlation coefficient based on respective data received from said first device and from said second device;
• and
• storing data representing how said first device and said second device are linked, wherein said determining includes identifying said first device and said second device as being directly linked to one another when said correlation coefficient between said first device and said second device exceeds a threshold.