Electrical event detection device and method of detecting and classifying electrical power usage

An apparatus configured to detect an electrical state of one or more electrical devices, the one or more electrical devices are coupled to an electrical power infrastructure and generate high-frequency electrical noise on the electrical power infrastructure, the apparatus comprises:

• a processing module configured to run on a processor of a computational unit;
• and
• a sensing device configured to be coupled to an electrical outlet, the sensing device comprising:
• a data acquisition receiver configured to receive the high-frequency electrical noise via the electrical outlet and convert the high-frequency electrical noise into one or more first data signals when the sensing device is coupled to the electrical outlet,
• wherein:
• the electrical outlet is electrically coupled to the electrical power infrastructure;
• the sensing device is in communication with the computational unit;
• the processing module is further configured to identify the electrical state of the one or more electrical devices at least in part using the one or more first data signals;
• the high-frequency electrical noise comprise electrical noise in a ten kilohertz to three megahertz range;
• the processing module is further configured to determine a baseline noise signature of the one or more first data signals;
• the processing module is further configured to determine one or more amplitude or frequency components in the one or more first data signals that are a predetermined threshold amount above the baseline noise signature of the one or more first data signals;
• and
• the processing module is further configured to associate at least one electrical device with the one or more amplitude or frequency components in the one or more first data signals.

An apparatus configured to detect an electrical state of one or more electrical devices, the one or more electrical devices are coupled to an electrical power infrastructure and generate high-frequency electrical noise on the electrical power infrastructure, the apparatus comprises:

• a processing module configured to run on a processor of a computational unit;
• and
• a sensing device configured to be coupled to an electrical outlet, the sensing device comprising:
• a data acquisition receiver configured to receive the high-frequency electrical noise via the electrical outlet and convert the high-frequency electrical noise into one or more first data signals when the sensing device is coupled to the electrical outlet,
• wherein:
• the electrical outlet is electrically coupled to the electrical power infrastructure;
• the sensing device is in communication with the computational unit;
• the processing module is further configured to identify the electrical state of the one or more electrical devices at least in part using the one or more first data signals;
• the high-frequency electrical noise comprises substantially continuous electrical noise on the electrical power infrastructure in a ten kilohertz to three megahertz range;
• and
• the substantially continuous electrical noise comprises high frequency signals that are cyclostationary with respect to an alternating current electrical cycle of the electrical power infrastructure.

A method of detecting and classifying electrical power usage by one or more electrical devices, the one or more electrical devices are coupled to an electrical power line, the method comprising:

• capturing two or more electrical signals on the electrical power line, the two or more electrical signals comprise continuous electrical noise;
• converting the continuous electrical noise in the two or more electrical signals into one or more first data signals;
• wirelessly transmitting the one or more first data signals to a computational unit;
• before detecting an occurrence of one or more electrical events, wirelessly receiving the one or more first data signals at the computational unit;
• detecting the occurrence of the one or more electrical events on the electrical power line using at least in part the continuous electrical noise in the two or more electrical signals;
• and
• associating the one or more electrical events with a change in an electrical state of at least one device of the one or more electrical devices,
• wherein:
• the continuous electrical noise in the two or more electrical signals comprises electrical signals that are identifiable on the electrical power line for a length of time greater than one second.

An electrical event detection device configured to detect two or more electrical events in a power line infrastructure of a structure, the electrical event detection device comprising:

• a receiving module configured to receive and process one or more electrical signals, the one or more electrical signals comprise a high-frequency component, the receiving module comprising:
• an electrical interface configured to couple to the power line infrastructure;
• one or more filter circuits coupled to the electrical interface and configured to pass one or more portions of the one or more electrical signals;
• and
• a converter module coupled to an output of the one or more filter circuits and configured to convert the one or more portions of the one or more electrical signals into one or more data signals, the one or more data signals comprise information regarding the high-frequency component of the one or more electrical signals;
• and
• a processing module configured to run on a processor, the processing module comprising:
• an event detection module configured to use the information regarding the high-frequency component of the one or more electrical signals to determine whether the two or more electrical events have occurred;
• a classification module configured to classify the two or more electrical events;
• and
• a training module configured to correlate a first type of event with a first event of the two or more electrical events and to correlate a second type of event with a second event of the two or more electrical events,
• wherein:
• the two or more electrical events comprise a turning on of one or more electrical devices coupled to the power line infrastructure of the structure and also comprise a turning off of the one or more electrical devices coupled to the power line infrastructure of the structure;
• and
• the high-frequency component of the one or more electrical signals comprise electrical signals in a ten kilohertz to three megahertz range;
• the high-frequency component of the one or more electrical signals further comprises substantially continuous electrical noise on the power line infrastructure;
• and
• the substantially continuous electrical noise comprises (a) first electrical noise that is identifiable on the power line infrastructure for a first length of time that is greater than one alternating current electrical cycle, or (b) second electrical noise that is identifiable on the power line infrastructure for a second length of time that is less than one alternating current electrical cycle but the second electrical noise are repeated in three or more alternating current electrical cycles.