IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,837,995
Granted Patent B2
US 10,837,995 · App. 15/625,500 · Granted Nov 17, 2020

Composite fault mapping

Inventors: David L. Herlong, II (North Palm Beach, FL); Eric D. Schwartz (Palm Beach Gardens, FL); Ronald A. Capute (Palm Beach Gardens, FL); Alexandra J. Hayes (West Palm Beach, FL); Michael A. Gonzalez (Boca Raton, FL); Prashant R. Kansakar (West Palm Beach, FL); Carmen J. Seppy (Palm Beach Gardens, FL); Andres Gomez (Hollywood, FL); Giovanni Herazo (Pembroke Pines, FL)
Assignee: Florida Power & Light Company
G01R31/088G01R19/2513G01R31/085G01R31/086
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,837,995
App. No.
15/625,500
Granted
Nov 17, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods to combine line fault location probabilities. A first and second location probability distribution are received for a location of an line fault along an electrical line based upon at least electrical current measurements reported by a first electrical current monitor at a first location and at least a second electrical current measurements reported by a second electrical current monitor at a second location. The second electrical current measurements being made within a time interval of the first electrical current measurements. A composite location probability distribution is determined for the location of the line fault along the electrical line based on an algorithm processing the first location probability distribution and the second location probability distribution. The composite location probability distribution is provided.

Claims (81)

1. A method of combining line fault location probabilities, the method comprising:

receiving a first report comprising a first location probability distribution for a location of a line fault along an electrical line based upon at least a first electrical current measurements that were made based on an occurrence of a first reported event and reported by a first electrical current monitor at a first location along the electrical line, where the first location probability distribution comprises a first set of probability estimations of the location of the line fault at a plurality of positions along portions of the electrical line;

receiving a second report comprising a second location probability distribution of the location of the line fault along the electrical line based upon at least a second electrical current measurements that were made based on an occurrence of a second reported event and reported by a second electrical current monitor at a second location along the electrical line, where the second location probability distribution comprises a second set of probability estimations of the location of the line fault at a plurality of positions along portions of the electrical line;

determining a determined time interval based on at least one of a type of event that is the first reported event or a type of event that is the second reported event;

determining that the first reported event occurred within the determined time interval of the second reported event;

determining, based on determining that the first reported event occurred within the determined time interval of the second reported event, a composite location probability distribution for the location of the line fault along the electrical line based on an algorithm processing the first location probability distribution and the second location probability distribution; and

providing the composite location probability distribution.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the composite location probability distribution is based on combining likelihood values according to an algorithm, the method further comprising:

receiving, based on a physical observation of the line fault, a determined location of the line fault along the electrical line; and

updating the algorithm used to process the first location probability distribution and the second location probability distribution based on a correspondence between the determined location and probabilities within the first location probability distribution and the second location probability distribution.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising directing, based on determining the composite location probability distribution, a service inspection by service personal to a particular location to perform the physical observation of the line fault, the particular location being based upon the composite location probability distribution.

4. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the electrical line receives power from a power source,

wherein the second electrical current monitor is electrically farther from the power source than the first electrical current monitor, and

wherein the determining the composite location probability distribution comprises selecting the second location probability distribution as the composite location probability distribution based upon the second electrical current monitor being farther from the power source than the first electrical current monitor.

5. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the electrical line receives power from a power source,

wherein the second electrical current monitor is electrically farther from the power source than the first electrical current monitor,

wherein a third electrical current monitor is electrically farther from the power source than the first electrical current monitor and the second electrical current monitor and wherein the second electrical current monitor is upstream from and electrically closest to the third electrical current monitor,

wherein the third electrical current monitor does not report measurements indicating the line fault, and

wherein the determining the composite location probability distribution comprises selecting the second location probability distribution as the composite location probability distribution based upon the second electrical current monitor being electrically closest to and upstream from the third electrical current monitor.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical line comprises a plurality of line segments,

wherein the first location probability distribution comprises a respective first likelihood value for each line segment in the plurality of line segments,

wherein the second location probability distribution comprises a respective second likelihood value for each line segment in the plurality of line segments, and

wherein the determining the composite location probability distribution comprises determining a respective composite likelihood value for each line segment based upon a combination of the respective first likelihood value and the respective second likelihood value for each line segment in the plurality of line segments.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein each respective first likelihood value comprises a respective first color value and each respective second likelihood value comprises a respective second color value, and

wherein the respective composite likelihood value comprises a respective composite color value for each line segment, the respective composite color value for a respective particular line segment being determined based on a mapping of the respective first color value and the respective second color value for the respective particular line segment.

8. A composite fault map processor, comprising:

a processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor;

the processor, when operating, being configured to:

receive a first report comprising a first location probability distribution for a location of an line fault along an electrical line based upon at least a first electrical current measurements that were made based on an occurrence of a first reported event and reported by a first electrical current monitor at a first location along the electrical line, where the first location probability distribution comprises a first set of probability estimations of the location of the line fault at a plurality of positions along portions of the electrical line;

receive a second report comprising a second location probability distribution of the location of the line fault along the electrical line based upon at least a second electrical current measurements that were made based on an occurrence of a second reported event and reported by a second electrical current monitor at a second location along the electrical line, where the second location probability distribution comprises a second set of probability estimations of the location of the line fault at a plurality of positions along portions of the electrical line;

determine a determined time interval based on at least one of a type of event that is the first reported event or a type of event that is the second reported event;

determine that the first reported event occurred within the determined time interval of the second reported event;

determine a composite location probability distribution for the location of the line fault along the electrical line based on an algorithm processing the first location probability distribution and the second location probability distribution; and

provide the composite location probability distribution.

9. The composite fault map processor of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to compute the composite location probability distribution based on combining likelihood values according to an algorithm, and is further configured, when operating, to:

receive, based on a physical observation of the line fault, a determined location of the line fault along the electrical line; and

update the algorithm used to process the first location probability distribution and the second location probability distribution based on a correspondence between the determined location and probabilities within the first location probability distribution and the second location probability distribution.

10. The composite fault map processor of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured, when operating, to direct, based on determining the composite location probability distribution, a service inspection by service personal to a particular location to perform the physical observation of the line fault, the particular location being based upon the composite location probability distribution.

11. The composite fault map processor of claim 8 ,

wherein the electrical line receives power from a power source,

wherein the second electrical current monitor is electrically farther from the power source than the first electrical current monitor,

wherein the processor is configured to determine the composite location probability distribution by at least selecting the second location probability distribution as the composite location probability distribution based upon the second electrical current monitor being farther from the power source than the first electrical current monitor.

12. The composite fault map processor of claim 8 ,

wherein the electrical line receives power from a power source,

wherein the second electrical current monitor is electrically farther from the power source than the first electrical current monitor,

wherein a third electrical current monitor is electrically farther from the power source than the first electrical current monitor and the second electrical current monitor and wherein the second electrical current monitor is upstream from and electrically closest to the third electrical current monitor,

wherein the third electrical current monitor does not report measurements indicating the line fault, and

wherein the processor is configured to determine the composite location probability distribution by at least selecting the second location probability distribution as the composite location probability distribution based upon the second electrical current monitor being electrically closest to and upstream from the third electrical current monitor.

13. The composite fault map processor of claim 8 ,

wherein the electrical line comprises a plurality of line segments,

wherein the first location probability distribution comprises a respective first likelihood value for each line segment in the plurality of line segments,

wherein the second location probability distribution comprises a respective second likelihood value for each line segment in the plurality of line segments, and

wherein the processor is configured to determine the composite location probability distribution by at least determining a respective composite likelihood value for each line segment based upon a combination of the respective first likelihood value and the respective second likelihood value for each line segment in the plurality of line segments.

14. The composite fault map processor of claim 13 , wherein each respective first likelihood value comprises a respective first color value and each respective second likelihood value comprises a respective second color value, and

wherein the respective composite likelihood value comprises a respective composite color value for each line segment, the respective composite color value for a respective particular line segment being determined based on a mapping of the respective first color value and the respective second color value for the respective particular line segment.

15. A computer program product for determining a composite fault map, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising instructions for:

receiving a first report comprising a first location probability distribution for a location of an line fault along an electrical line based upon at least a first electrical current measurements that were made based on an occurrence of a first reported event and reported by a first electrical current monitor at a first location along the electrical line, where the first location probability distribution comprises a first set of probability estimations of the location of the line fault at a plurality of positions along portions of the electrical line;

receiving a second report comprising a second location probability distribution of the location of the line fault along the electrical line based upon at least a second electrical current measurements that were made based on an occurrence of a second reported event and reported by a second electrical current monitor at a second location along the electrical line, where the second location probability distribution comprises a second set of probability estimations of the location of the line fault at a plurality of positions along portions of the electrical line;

determine a determined time interval based on at least one of a type of event that is the first reported event or a type of event that is the second reported event;

determine that the first reported event occurred within the determined time interval of the second reported event;

compute, based on determining that the first reported event occurred within the determined time interval of the second reported event, a composite location probability distribution for the location of the line fault along the electrical line based on an algorithm processing the first location probability distribution and the second location probability distribution; and

providing the composite location probability distribution.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the instructions for determining the composite location probability distribution determine the composite location probability distribution based on combining likelihood values according to an algorithm, the computer readable program code further comprising instructions for:

receiving, based on a physical observation of the line fault, a determined location of the line fault along the electrical line; and

updating the algorithm used to process the first location probability distribution and the second location probability distribution based on a correspondence between the determined location and probabilities within the first location probability distribution and the second location probability distribution.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 , the computer readable program code further comprising instructions for directing, based on determining the composite location probability distribution a service inspection by service personal to a particular location to perform the physical observation of the line fault, the particular location being based upon the composite location probability distribution.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 ,

wherein the electrical line receives power from a power source,

wherein the second electrical current monitor is electrically farther from the power source than the first electrical current monitor,

wherein a third electrical current monitor is electrically farther from the power source than the first electrical current monitor and the second electrical current monitor and wherein the second electrical current monitor is upstream from and electrically closest to the third electrical current monitor,

wherein the third electrical current monitor does not report measurements indicating the line fault, and

wherein the instructions for determining the composite location probability distribution comprise instructions for selecting the second location probability distribution as the composite location probability distribution based upon the second electrical current monitor being electrically closest to and upstream from the third electrical current monitor.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the electrical line comprises a plurality of line segments,

wherein the first location probability distribution comprises a respective first likelihood value for each line segment in the plurality of line segments,

wherein the second location probability distribution comprises a respective second likelihood value for each line segment in the plurality of line segments, and

wherein the instructions for determining the composite location probability distribution comprise instructions for determining a respective composite likelihood value for each line segment based upon a combination of the respective first likelihood value and the respective second likelihood value for each line segment in the plurality of line segments.

20. The method of claim 1 , where the first report further comprises a report of the first reported event and the second report further comprises a report of the second reported event.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE SECOND ASSIGNOR'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 043661 FRAME: 0215. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 4, 2017
From: HERLONG, II, DAVID L.; SCHWARTZ, ERIC D.; CAPUTE, RONALD A.; HAYES, ALEXANDRA J.; GONZALEZ, MICHAEL A.; KANSAKAR, PRASHANT R.; SEPPY, CARMEN J.; GOMEZ, ANDRES; HERAZO, GIOVANNI
To: FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY
Reel/Frame 045256/0513 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INVENTORS NAMES PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 042735 FRAME 0908. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE INVENTORS NAMES ARE BEING CORRECTED. Recorded Aug 24, 2017
From: HERLONG, DAVID L., II; SCHWARZ, ERIC D.; CAPUTE, RONALD A.; HAYES, ALEXANDRA J.; GONZALEZ, MICHAEL A.; KANSAKAR, PRASHANT R.; SEPPY, CARMEN J.; GOMEZ, ANDRES; HERAZO, GIOVANNI
To: FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY
Reel/Frame 043661/0215 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2017
From: HERLONG, DAVID L.; SCHWARZ, ERIC; CAPUTE, RONALD; HAYES, ALEXANDRA; GONZALEZ, MICHAEL; KANSAKAR, PRASHANT; SEPPY, CARMEN; GOMEZ, ANDRES; HERAZO, GIOVANNI
To: FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY
Reel/Frame 042735/0908 →
Continuity (1)
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