IP Library Granted Patent US 8,000,913
Granted Patent B2
US 8,000,913 · App. 12/355,769 · Granted Aug 16, 2011

System and method for providing power distribution system information

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,000,913
App. No.
12/355,769
Granted
Aug 16, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system, method and computer program product for processing utility data of a power grid is provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a datamart comprised of a plurality of physical databases storing utility data, a plurality of applications comprising an automated meter application configured to process power usage data from a plurality of automated meters, a power outage application configured to identify a location of a power outage, and a power restoration application configured to identify a location of a power restoration. The system may include an analysis engine comprising a plurality of analysis objects with each analysis object configured to process data to provide a specific analysis, wherein said analysis engine is accessible via one or more of the plurality of applications, and the system may include a report module configured to receive an output from the analysis engine and to output a report. The plurality of applications may also include a fault analysis application, a transformer analysis application, a theft detection application, a power flow application, a substation automation application, a load shed application and others.

Claims (69)

1. A system for processing utility data of a power grid, comprising:

one or more computers having one or more memories for storing a plurality of applications executable by the one or more computers including:

a power outage application configured to identify a location of a power outage and to output information of the location of the power outage;

a power restoration application configured to identify a location of a power restoration and to output information of the location of the power restoration;

a fault analysis application configured to detect a fault and to output information of a location of a detected fault; and

an incipient cable fault application configured to predict a location of a fault of an underground power cable.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of applications further comprises a high impedance fault detection application configured to identify a location of a high impedance fault.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of applications further comprises a substation automation application configured to configure one or more components at a substation.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of applications further comprises a load control application configured to perform load shedding.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of applications further comprises:

a substation automation application configured to configure one or more components at a substation; and

a load control application configured to perform load shedding.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of applications further comprises four or more of the following applications:

a substation automation application configured to configure one or more components at a substation;

an load control application configured to perform load shedding;

a theft detection application configured to identify a location of a power theft;

a transformer analysis module configured to identify an overloaded transformer;

a high impedance fault detection application configured to identify a location of a high impedance fault;

a load forecasting application configured to output a forecast of power demand; and

a conservation voltage reduction application configured to control an output voltage of a substation.

7. The system according to claim 1 ,

further comprising a conservation voltage reduction application configured to control an output voltage of a substation.

8. The system according to claim 1 ,

further comprising an load control application configured to perform load shedding.

9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of applications further comprises:

a power flow application configured to control the flow of power through the power grid.

10. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium encoding a computer program for executing on a computer system to provide a computer process for providing information related to a power distribution system based on information provided by a plurality of nodes, wherein the process comprises:

processing utility data to identify a location of a power outage and output a power outage location;

processing the utility data to identify a location of a power restoration and output a power restoration location;

transmitting control messages to configure one or more components at a substation; and

processing utility data to predict a location of a fault of an underground power cable and to output information identifying a location of the predicted fault.

11. The computer program product according to claim 10 , wherein the process further comprises processing power usage data from a plurality of automated meters to output billing information.

12. The computer program product according to claim 10 , wherein the process further comprises processing utility data to identify a location of a fault and to output a location of the fault.

13. The computer program product according to claim 10 , wherein the process further comprises two or more of the following processes:

processing utility data to provide a forecast of power demand of portions of the power grid and to output a forecast report;

processing utility data to identify a location of a power theft and to output information identifying a location of the power theft; and

processing utility data to identify an overloaded transformer and to output information identifying the overloaded transformer.

14. The computer program product according to claim 10 , wherein the process further comprises two or more of the following processes:

processing utility data to identify a location of a high impedance fault;

outputting control messages to control an output voltage of a substation; and

outputting control messages to control the flow of power through the power grid.

15. The computer program product according to claim 10 , wherein the process further comprises

processing utility data to identify a location of a high impedance fault and to output location data for the detected high impedance fault.

16. The computer program product according to claim 10 , wherein the process further comprises outputting an alarm notification if processing of utility data satisfies one of a plurality of predetermined conditions.

17. A system for processing utility data of a power grid, comprising:

one or more computers having one or more memories for storing a plurality of applications executable by the one or more computers including:

a power restoration application configured to process utility data to identify locations of power restorations and to output restoration location data;

a power outage application configured to process utility data to identify locations of power outages and to output power outage location data;

a substation automation application configured to transmit control messages to configure one or more components at a substation; and

a fault analysis application configured to process utility data to identify a location of a fault and to output a location of the fault.

18. The system according to claim 17 ,

further comprising an incipient cable fault application configured to process utility data to predict a location of a fault of an underground power cable and to output an incipient fault location.

19. The system according to claim 18 ,

further comprising a power flow application configured to control the flow of power through the power grid.

20. The system according to claim 17 , further comprising a measurement data processing application configured to process utility data that comprises voltage data derived from measurements taken at a plurality of distribution transformers and to output an analysis report.

21. The system according to claim 17 , further comprising a meter application configured to receive power usage data derived from a plurality of automated meters and to output billing data.

22. The system according to claim 17 , further comprising a high impedance fault detection application configured to process utility data to identify a location of a high impedance fault and to output a location of a high impedance fault.

23. The system according to claim 17 , further comprising a load control application configured to transmit control messages to perform load shedding.

24. The system according to claim 17 , further comprising

a conservation voltage reduction application configured to process utility data to control the output voltage of a substation.

25. The system according to claim 17 , further comprising four or more of the following applications:

an incipient cable fault application configured to process utility data to predict a location of a fault of an underground power cable and to output an incipient fault location;

a theft detection application configured to process utility data to identify a location of a power theft and to output a theft location;

a transformer analysis application configured to process utility data to identify an overloaded transformer and to output a transformer report;

a high impedance fault detection application configured to process utility data to identify a location of a high impedance fault and to output a location of a high impedance fault;

a load forecasting application configured to provide a forecast of power demand and to output a forecast report;

a conservation voltage reduction application configured to process utility data to control the output voltage of a substation to reduce power consumption; and

a power flow application configured to process utility data to control the flow of power through the power grid.

26. The system according to claim 17 , further comprising an alarm application configured to output an alarm notification if processing of utility data satisfies one of a plurality of predetermined conditions.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 19, 2009
From: KREISS, DAVID G.; BRANCACCIO, DANIEL S.
To: CURRENT COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES, LLC
Reel/Frame 022285/0395 →