Systems and methods to isolate lower amplitude signals for analysis in the presence of large amplitude transients

1. A method of isolating low amplitude signals in one or more electrical signals, the method comprising:

using a data acquisition device to acquire one or more electrical signals, the one or more electrical signals comprise one or more transient signals and one or more first signals, amplitudes of the one or more first signals are less than amplitudes of the one or more transient signals, and the data acquisition device is configured to acquire the one or more electrical signals from at least one electrical outlet as one or more analog signals and convert the one or more analog signals to one or more digital signals such that the one or more electrical signals comprise the one or more digital signals;

using a first processor to compute one or more first parameters related to the one or more electrical signals, wherein using the first processor to compute the one or more first parameters comprises:

determining a median amplitude of the one or more electrical signals; and

determining a median slope of the one or more electrical signals;

using the first processor to determine one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals that comprise the one or more transient signals, wherein determining the one or more first portions comprises:

using the first processor to determine the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals where at least one of the following is true:

an amplitude of the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals is greater than the median amplitude of the one or more electrical signals by a first predetermined amount; or

a slope of the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals is greater than the median slope of the one or more electrical signals by a second predetermined amount;

using the first processor to create one or more output signals; and

adjusting a gain of the data acquisition device based upon one or more second parameters of the one or more output signals.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

using the first processor to compute the one or more second parameters related to the one or more output signals, wherein using the first processor to compute the one or more second parameters comprises:

determining a median amplitude of the one or more output signals;

wherein the one or more second parameters comprise the median amplitude of the one or more output signals.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

adjusting the gain of the data acquisition device comprises:

adjusting the gain of the data acquisition device such that the median amplitude of the one or more output signals is a predetermined percentage of a predetermined maximum gain range of the data acquisition device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

using the first processor to create the one or more output signals comprises:

using the first processor to selectively mask the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals to create the one or more output signals, comprising:

using the first processor to apply a linear interpolation technique to selectively mask the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

using the first processor to create the one or more output signals comprises:

using the first processor to selectively mask the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals to create the one or more output signals, comprising:

using the first processor to apply an inverted window function to selectively mask the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing one or more locations of the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

associating the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals with usage of electrical power by one or more first electrical appliances.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the one or more transient signals are caused by actuation of one or more first electrical appliances.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first predetermined amount is scaled as a function of the one or more second parameters of the one or more output signals; and

the second predetermined amount is scaled as a function of the one or more second parameters of the one or more output signals.

10. A signal processing device configured to isolate low amplitude signals in one or more electrical signals, the signal processing device comprising a first processor, the signal processing device comprising:

a data acquisition apparatus configured to acquire one or more electrical signals, the one or more electrical signals comprise one or more transient signals and one or more first signals, amplitudes of the one or more first signals are less than amplitudes of the one or more transient signals, and the data acquisition apparatus is configured to acquire the one or more electrical signals from at least one electrical outlet as one or more analog signals and convert the one or more analog signals to one or more digital signals such that the one or more electrical signals comprise the one or more digital signals;

a processing module configured to run on a first processor to (a) calculate a median amplitude of the one or more electrical signals and (b) calculate a median slope of the one or more electrical signals;

a determination module configured to run on the first processor and further configured to determine one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals that comprise the one or more transient signals, the determination module is further configured to determine one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals where at least one of the following is true:

an amplitude of the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals is greater than the median amplitude of the one or more electrical signals by a first predetermined amount; or

a slope of the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals is greater than the median slope of the one or more electrical signals by a second predetermined amount; and

a masking module configured to run on the first processor and further configured to create one or more output signals; and

an adjustment module configured to adjust a gain of the data acquisition apparatus based upon one or more second parameters of the one or more output signals.

11. The signal processing device of claim 10 , wherein:

the determination module is further configured to determine a median amplitude of the one or more output signals.

12. The signal processing device of claim 11 , wherein:

the adjustment module is further configured to adjust the gain of the data acquisition apparatus such that the median amplitude of the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals is a predetermined percentage of the maximum gain range of the data acquisition apparatus.

13. The signal processing device of claim 10 , wherein:

the masking module is further configured to selectively mask the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals to create the one or more output signals and to use the first processor to apply a linear interpolation technique to selectively mask the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals.

14. The signal processing device of claim 10 , wherein:

the masking module is further configured to selectively mask the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals to create the one or more output signals and to apply an inverted window function to selectively mask the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals.

15. The signal processing device of claim 10 , further comprising:

a storage module configured to store one or more locations of the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals.

16. The signal processing device of claim 10 , further comprising:

an association module configured to associate the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals with usage of electrical power by one or more first electrical appliances.

17. The signal processing device of claim 10 , wherein:

the one or more transient signals are caused by actuation of one or more first electrical appliances.

18. The signal processing device of claim 10 , wherein:

the first predetermined amount is scaled as a function of the one or more second parameters of the one or more output signals; and

the second predetermined amount is scaled as a function of the one or more second parameters of the one or more output signals.

19. The signal processing device of claim 10 , wherein:

the data acquisition apparatus comprises:

one or more filters;

an analog to digital converter; and

at least one digital signal processor; and

the first processor comprises at least one digital signal processor.

20. A method of isolating low amplitude signals in one or more electrical signals, the method comprising:

using a data acquisition device to acquire one or more electrical signals, the one or more electrical signals comprise one or more transient signals and one or more first signals, amplitudes of the one or more first signals are less than amplitudes of the one or more transient signals, and the data acquisition device is configured to acquire the one or more electrical signals from at least one electrical outlet as one or more analog signals and convert the one or more analog signals to one or more digital signals such that the one or more electrical signals comprise the one or more digital signals;

using a first processor to compute one or more first parameters related to the one or more electrical signals, wherein using the first processor to compute the one or more first parameters comprises:

determining a median amplitude of the one or more electrical signals; and

determining a median slope of the one or more electrical signals;

using the first processor to determine one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals that comprise the one or more transient signals, wherein determining the one or more first portions comprises:

using the first processor to determine the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals where at least one of the following is true:

an amplitude of the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals is greater than the median amplitude of the one or more electrical signals by a first predetermined amount; or

a slope of the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals is greater than the median slope of the one or more electrical signals by a second predetermined amount; and

using the first processor to selectively mask the one or more first portions of the one or more electrical signals to create one or more output signals; and

adjusting a gain of the data acquisition device based upon one or more second parameters of the one or more output signals, wherein adjusting the gain comprises:

determining a median amplitude of the one or more output signals; and

adjusting the gain by a predetermined amount related to the median amplitude of the one or more output signals.