Abstract: A power management intergrated circuit for monitoring a parameter of a power system is disclosed. The integrated circuit comprises an analog front end operative to receive and at least one of amplify, attenuate and filter analog signals representative of at least one of voltage and current in a power system to produce modified analog signals. The integrated circuit further comprises an analog to digital converter coupled with the analog front end. The analog to digital converter is operative to produce digital signals representative of the modified analog signals. The integrated circuit further comprises logic coupled with the analog to digital converter, operative to receive the digital signals and produce a power parameter. The logic comprises a processor core. The integrated circuit further comprises a random access memory coupled with the logic and operative to store the power parameter. The logic is operative to implement a setpoint to detect when the power parameter is outside a determined range.

Abstract: A power management integrated circuit for monitoring a parameter of a power system includes: an analog front end operative to receive and at least one of amplify, attenuate and filter analog signals representative of at least one of voltage and current in a power system to produce modified analog signals; an analog to digital converter operative to produce digital signals; the logic coupled with the analog to digital converter operative to receive the digital signals and produce a power parameter and the logic includes a processor core; a random access memory coupled with the logic operative to store the power parameter and the logic is operative to implement a setpoint to detect when the power parameter is outside a determined range; and a digital output coupled with the first logic and the digital output is useable to control a switching circuit outside the power management integrated circuit.

Abstract: An improved method of upgrading the firmware of an electronic device is disclosed. The method is executed over a communications link. The method includes compression of a portion of the new firmware, but does not require the device to have any pre-existing decompression algorithms built into it. A system and device capable of executing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reclassifying instrument transformers. A line mounted device that includes a sensor that can be attached to a power line. The line mounted device generates data or representations of the power parameters of the power line. A processor in the line mounted device produces modified representations of the power parameters that are transmitted wirelessly to a microprocessor based device. The microprocessor based device also receives second representations of the power parameters from legacy instrumentation. Compensation data is produced based on the modified representations from the line mounted device and the second representations from the legacy instrumentation. The compensation data can be used to compensate or correct the representations of the power parameters from the legacy instrumentation even after the line mounted device is no longer attached to the power line.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reclassifying instrument transformers. A line mounted device that includes a sensor that can be attached to a power line. The line mounted device generates data or representations of the power parameters of the power line. A processor in the line mounted device produces modified representations of the power parameters that are transmitted wirelessly to a microprocessor based device. The microprocessor based device also receives second representations of the power parameters from legacy instrumentation. Compensation data is produced based on the modified representations from the line mounted device and the second representations from the legacy instrumentation. The compensation data can be used to compensate or correct the representations of the power parameters from the legacy instrumentation even after the line mounted device is no longer attached to the power line.

Abstract: Methods and devices for monitoring distributed electric power are disclosed, including energy devices with a sensor for monitoring an electric circuit, and a memory to store sensor measurements. Various techniques are disclosed for using polymeric RAM, 1T-DRAM, enhanced SRAM, magnetoresistive RAM, organic RAM, chalcogenide RAM, holographic memory, PLEDM, single-electron RAM, fractal cluster glass memory and other technologies in energy devices with high-endurance, high-density, high-capacity, non-volatile, solid-state, or removable memories.

Abstract: An energy measurement system including a radio frequency (“RF”) device powered by a solar panel. The RF device comprising a wireless communication port operative to transmit and receive communication over a wireless network of additional RF devices. The energy measurement system able to transmit energy parameters of the RF device over the wireless network.

Abstract: A system and method of specifying reconfigure to order electronic devices is disclosed. A customer interacts with a reseller to specify the electronic device they wish to purchase, any software to be loaded on the electronic device prior to shipment. A portion of the software is provided by the customer to the reseller. An electronic device is selected from inventory stock and reconfigured. The electronic device is delivered to the customer capable of being used within the customer's specific application without further configuration by the customer.

Abstract: A power management architecture for an electrical power distribution system, or portion thereof, is disclosed. The architecture includes multiple electronic devices distributed throughout the power distribution system to manage the flow and consumption of power from the system using real time communications. Power management application software and/or hardware components operate on the electronic devices and the back-end servers and inter-operate via the network to implement a power management application. The architecture provides a scalable and cost effective framework of hardware and software upon which such power management applications can operate to manage the distribution and consumption of electrical power by one or more utilities/suppliers and/or customers which provide and utilize the power distribution system.

Abstract: An energy monitoring device including procedures for secure communication of data from the is disclosed. The energy monitoring device includes a public/private key pair used to encrypt and/or digitally sign communications by the device. This allows the receivers of these communications to authenticate the communications to ensure that the device and/or communications have not been compromised. The energy monitoring device is further capable of communications via an ad-hoc “mesh” network, thereby facilitating communications among devices which are substantially inaccessible due to either physical or economic limitations.

Abstract: A system and method of specifying built and configured to order intelligent electronic devices (“IED's”) is disclosed. A customer interacts with an order processing interface to specify the type and model of IED they wish to purchase, any hardware options they wish installed and custom software to be loaded on the IED prior to shipment. The custom software includes object oriented frameworks which are functional applications custom developed by the customer. Once produced according to the customer's specifications, an IED is delivered to the customer which is capable of being used within the customer's specific application without further configuration by the customer.

Abstract: Devices that couple to high voltage transmission lines obtain power themselves using the body capacitance of an element of the devices. The devices generate a comparatively lower voltage from the current flowing between the high voltage line and the element of the device that generates the body capacitance. The devices can be used to operate sensors that monitor the transmission lines or parameters of the power distribution system, such as current, line temperature, vibration, and the like. The devices can also be used as indicators, such as aircraft warning lights, information signs, etc. In addition, the devices can operate as RF transmission/reception or repeater devices, radar devices, mesh networking nodes, video/audio surveillance, sound emitting devices for scaring animals, drones that traverse the power line, etc. Because the devices operate in response to line voltage rather than current, the devices are reliable even in low current conditions.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) for monitoring at least one power parameter in a power system is disclosed. The IED comprises at least one voltage input operative to be coupled with at least one power line in the power system and operative to sense at least one voltage in the power system. The IED further comprises at least one current input operative to be coupled with the at least one power line and operative to sense a current flowing through the at least one power line. The IED further comprises at least one analog to digital converter coupled to the voltage input and the current input and operative to produce digital samples indicative of the voltage and current. The IED further comprises a processor coupled with the at least one analog to digital converter and operative to calculate the at least one power parameter. The IED further comprises a power supply operative to supply power to the IED.

Abstract: An apparatus for sensing the current in a power line of a power system and systems incorporating the apparatus are disclosed. The apparatus may comprise an enclosure providing a window operable to permit the passage of the power line therethrough. The apparatus may further comprise an active current transformer set within the enclosure and operative to produce a scaled version of the current. The apparatus may further comprise an amplifier coupled with the active current transformer and operative to reduce the phase shift and ratio error between the current and the scaled version of the current. The apparatus may further comprise a powering current transformer set within the enclosure and operative to receive power from the power line on a primary winding and deliver power on a secondary winding.

Abstract: A power management architecture for an electrical power distribution system, or portion thereof, is disclosed. The architecture includes intelligent electronic devices (“IED's”) with the capability to monitor and control attached slave devices, and provide capability to communicate between multiple devices in a variety of communication protocols. A master IED in the master/slave architecture performs power management functions on the data received from the slave IED's. Further, the IED's with master functionality provide web server capabilities, allowing a user to view processed data over an open Internet protocol, such as HTTP (“Hyper Text Transfer Protocol”).

Abstract: A power management integrated circuit for monitoring a parameter of a power system is disclosed. The integrated circuit comprises an analog front end operative to receive and at least one of amplify, attenuate and filter analog signals representative of at least one of voltage and current in a power system to produce modified analog signals. The integrated circuit further comprises an analog to digital converter coupled with the analog front end. The analog to digital converter is operative to produce digital signals representative of the modified analog signals. The integrated circuit further comprises logic coupled with the analog to digital converter, operative to receive the digital signals and produce a power parameter. The comprises a processor core. The integrated circuit further comprises a random access memory coupled with the logic and operative to store the power parameter. The logic is operative to implement a setpoint to detect when the power parameter is outside a determined range.

Abstract: A power management architecture for an electrical power distribution system, or portion thereof, is disclosed. The architecture includes multiple intelligent electronic devices (“IED's”) distributed throughout the power distribution system to manage the flow and consumption of power from the system using real time communications. Power management application software and/or hardware components operate on the IED's and the back-end servers and inter-operate via the network to implement a power management application. The architecture provides a scalable and cost effective framework of hardware and software upon which such power management applications can operate to manage the distribution and consumption of electrical power by one or more utilities/suppliers and/or customers which provide and utilize the power distribution system.

Abstract: A power management architecture for an electrical power distribution system, or portion thereof, is disclosed. The architecture includes intelligent electronic devices (“IED's”) with the capability to monitor and control attached slave devices, and provide capability to communicate between multiple devices in a variety of communication protocols. A master IED in the master/slave architecture performs power management functions on the data received from the slave IED's. Further, the IED's with master functionality provide web server capabilities, allowing a user to view processed data over an open Internet protocol, such as HTTP (“Hyper Text Transfer Protocol”).

Abstract: An electric power meter is disclosed. The meter comprises means for digitally sampling voltage and current. The meter further comprises means for storing the digitally sampled voltage and current. The meter further comprises means for performing power calculations upon the digitally sampled voltage and current, and converting the calculations and the digitally sampled voltage and current into at least one network protocol. The meter further comprises means for interfacing with an external network. A system for modifying the functionality of the electric power meter is also disclosed.

Abstract: Power quality detection, monitoring, reporting, recording and communication in a revenue accuracy electrical power meter is disclosed. All recorded and computed data is moved to non-volatile storage via direct memory access transfer in the event that a power quality event jeopardizes the operating power of the meter. The meter provides a power supply utilizing high and low capacitive storage banks to supply sufficient energy to survive short duration power quality events which jeopardize the meter's operating power. The power supply also enables the meter to initiate and complete a shut-down routine allowing the storage of he recorded and computed data. Further, a separate power supply utilizing a capacitive storage bank is utilized to operate a communications device when the operating power is lost.