US 7,612,552 B2Granted

Electrical phase checking apparatus and method of metering

OwnerChristopher L. Dentinventor

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Abstract

An electrical phase checking apparatus includes a first voltage sensor, a first current sensor, a first binary indicator corresponding to the first voltage and current sensors, a second voltage sensor, a second current sensor, and a second binary indicator corresponding to the second voltage and current sensors. The first binary indicator is configured to indicate when a phase separation between a voltage waveform measured by the first voltage sensor and a current waveform measured by the first current sensor is not more than a first value, and the second binary indicator is configured to indicate when a phase separation between a voltage waveform measured by the second voltage sensor and a current waveform measured by the second current sensor is not more than a second value.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method of metering an electrical characteristic of a system, comprising in the following order:

a) providing an electrical phase checking apparatus, the electrical phase checking apparatus comprising:
a first voltage sensor;
a first current sensor;
a first binary indicator connected to said first voltage sensor and first current sensor, said first binary indicator configured to indicate when a phase separation between a voltage waveform measured by said first voltage sensor and a current waveform measured by said first current sensor is not more than a first value;
a second voltage sensor;
a second current sensor;
and
a second binary indicator connected to said second voltage sensor and second current sensor, said second binary indicator configured to indicate when a phase separation between a voltage waveform measured by said second voltage sensor and a current waveform measured by said second current sensor is not more than a second value, wherein the apparatus further comprises a first voltage probe connected to the first voltage sensor, a first current probe connected to the first current sensor, a second voltage probe connected to the second voltage sensor, and a second current probe connected to the second current sensor;
b) attaching at least two of said probes to at least one wire in said system;
c) reading a binary indication output by at least one of said binary indicators;
and
d) detaching at least one of said at least two of said probes and attaching it to a different wire in said system in response to said reading.

9 more elements

A method of metering an electrical characteristic of a system, comprising in the following order:

a) providing an electrical phase checking apparatus, the electrical phase checking apparatus comprising:
a first voltage sensor;
a first current sensor;
a first processor configured to determine a first power factor based at least in part on a voltage waveform measured by said first voltage sensor and a current waveform measured by said first current sensor;
a first binary indicator connected to said first processor and configured to indicate when said first power factor is not less than a first value;
a second voltage sensor;
a second current sensor;
a second processor configured to determine a second power factor based at least in part on a voltage waveform measured by said second voltage sensor and a current waveform measured by said second current sensor;
and
a second binary indicator connected to said second processor and configured to indicate when said second power factor is not less than a second value, wherein the apparatus further comprises a first voltage probe connected to the first voltage sensor, a first current probe connected to the first current sensor, a second voltage probe connected to the second vo1tage sensor, and a second current probe connected to the second current sensor;
b) attaching at least two of said probes to at least one wire in said system;
c) reading a binary indication output by at least one of said binary indicators;
and
d) detaching at least one of said at least two of said probes and attaching it to a different wire in said system in response to said reading.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.