Seismic detection in electricity meters
View Patent ↗An arrangement for recording seismic events includes an electricity meter sensor circuit, a digital processing circuit, and an accelerometer operably connected to the digital processing circuit. The accelerometer is configured to provide signals representative of seismic information to the digital processing circuit. A memory is configured to store data records relating to at least some of the seismic information.
1. An arrangement for recording seismic events, comprising:
an electricity meter sensor circuit within an electricity meter housing;
a digital processing circuit within the electricity meter housing;
an accelerometer supported by the meter housing and operably connected to the digital processing circuit, the accelerometer configured to provide signals representative of seismic information to the digital processing circuit;
a memory configured to store data records relating to at least some of the seismic information.
2. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the electricity meter sensor circuit includes at least one voltage sensor and at least one current sensor operably coupled to the digital processing circuit.
3. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the digital processing circuit includes an A/D conversion circuit configured to generate digital waveforms, each digital waveform comprising a series of samples of a waveform signal output generated by the accelerometer.
4. The arrangement of claim 3 , wherein the memory stores data records including at least one waveform.
5. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the digital processing circuit is configured to:
use a predetermined set of rules to determine if a data record is to be stored responsive to the signals representative of seismic information;
cause the data record to be stored in the memory responsive to the determination.
6. The arrangement of claim 5 , wherein the digital processing circuit is further configured to cause communication of a signal indicating an event responsive to the signals representative of seismic information and based on a second predetermined set of rules.
7. The arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising a communication circuit configured to communicate with a remote device, and wherein the digital processing circuit is further configured to cause communication of the data record to a remote device.
8. An arrangement for recording seismic events, comprising:
a meter housing;
an electricity meter sensor circuit disposed within the meter housing and operably coupled to generate voltage and current measurement signals representative of electrical power delivered to a load;
a digital processing circuit disposed within the meter housing and operably coupled to receive the voltage and current measurement signals;
an accelerometer supported by the meter housing, the accelerometer operably connected to the digital processing circuit, the accelerometer configured to provide signals representative of seismic information to the digital processing circuit;
a communication circuit configured to communicate information relating to at least some of the seismic information.
9. The arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the electricity meter sensor circuit includes at least one voltage sensor and at least one current sensor.
10. The arrangement of claim 9 , wherein the digital processing circuit includes an A/D conversion circuit configured to generate digital waveforms, each digital waveform comprising a series of samples of a waveform signal output generated by the accelerometer.
11. The arrangement of claim 8 , further comprising a memory storing data records relating to at least some of the seismic information.
12. The arrangement of claim 11 , wherein the digital processing circuit is configured to:
use a predetermined set of rules to determine if a data record is to be stored responsive to the signals representative of seismic information;
cause the data record to be stored in the memory responsive to the determination.
13. The arrangement of claim 12 , wherein the digital processing circuit is further configured to cause the communication circuit to communicate a signal indicating an event responsive to the signals representative of seismic information and based on a second predetermined set of rules.
14. The arrangement of claim 13 , wherein the communication circuit comprises at least one of the group consisting of a radio circuit, a power line carrier communication circuit, and an optical port.
15. The arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the communication circuit comprises a radio device.
16. The arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the communication circuit comprises a power line carrier communication circuit.
17. A system, comprising:
a plurality of electricity meters, each electricity meter configured to meter electrical energy provided to a load, each electricity meter including an accelerometer configured to detect seismic events and a communication device configured to transmit information representative of the detected seismic events;
a data collector configured to receive the information representative of detected seismic events from the plurality of electricity meters.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein each electricity meter further comprises a memory storing records of detected seismic events.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein each communication device comprises at least one of the group consisting of a radio circuit and a power line carrier communication circuit.
20. The system of claim 17 , wherein each communication device comprises at least one of the group consisting of a radio circuit and a power line carrier communication circuit.