US 8,065,099 B2Granted

Power distribution monitoring system and method

AssigneeTollgrade Communications, Inc.

InventorsJeffrey A. Gibala, Regis J. Nero, Steven P. Day, Matthew G. Cimbala, Roger A. Smith

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A power distribution monitoring system includes a number of power line mounted monitors. Each monitor can acquire data regarding the delivery of electrical power in the power line, wirelessly transmit and receive messages, and electromagnetically acquire and store operating electrical power from electrical current flowing in the power line. The system also includes an aggregator that can wirelessly transmit and receive messages and wirelessly output beacon messages. In response to beacon signals wirelessly output by the aggregator, each monitor co-acts with the aggregator to dynamically build a wireless communication network for the wireless communication of the data acquired by the monitor regarding the delivery of electrical power in the power line to the aggregator.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A power distribution monitoring system comprising:

at least one power line mounted monitor including means for acquiring data regarding the delivery of electrical power in the power line, means for wirelessly transmitting and receiving messages, and means for electromagnetically acquiring operating electrical power from electrical current flowing in the power line;
and
an aggregator including means for wirelessly transmitting and receiving messages, said aggregator operative for wirelessly outputting beacon messages and for receiving monitor initiated messages wirelessly transmitted from each monitor, wherein, upon initially acquiring operating electrical power from electrical current flowing in the power line, each monitor is responsive to at least one of the beacon messages for wirelessly transmitting a first monitor initiated message to the aggregator which responds to the first monitor initiated message by wirelessly transmitting to the monitor a first aggregator initiated message that includes an assignment of the monitor to a unique communication slot of time of a time-based communication protocol that the monitor utilizes thereafter for wirelessly communicating subsequent monitor initiated messages to the aggregator.

A power distribution monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of power line mounted monitors each of which includes means for acquiring data regarding the delivery of electrical power in the power line, means for wirelessly transmitting and receiving messages, means for controlling the operation of the monitor, and means for electromagnetically acquiring and storing operating electrical power from electrical current flowing in the power line;
and
an aggregator including means for wirelessly transmitting and receiving messages, and means for controlling the operation of the aggregator, wherein under the control of beacon signals wirelessly output by the aggregator, each monitor co-acts with the aggregator to dynamically build a wireless communication network for the wireless communication of the data acquired by the monitor regarding the delivery of electrical power in the power line to the aggregator.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.