Abstract: A control module for an electrical appliance is provided. The control module comprises a wireless interface, a processor coupled to the wireless interface and a plurality of pins extending from the bottom of the module coupled to the processor, the pins for twist lock interfacing with a receptacle of an appliance, wherein the processor can send and receive command related to the control of the appliance.

Abstract: A line device monitors at least one power parameter of an electric power line and produces at least one representation thereof. The at least one representation is communicated to a microprocessor based device. The representation is compared with a measurement of the at least one power parameter produced by legacy instrumentation.

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: An apparatus for powering a load from solar energy comprises a DC/DC converter, battery terminals coupled to an output of the DC/DC converter and coupleable to an energy storage device, and solar panel terminals coupled to an input of the DC/DC converter and coupleable to a solar panel. Logic is coupled to the converter to control its conversion rate. A detector is coupled to the converter and detects its power output. The logic is operable to adjust the conversion rate until the solar panel operates at the smaller of a maximum power point of the solar panel and a power point of the solar panel that results in a maximum desired power.

Abstract: A method, system and device for synchronizing a time period over which energy measurements are accumulated for an energy monitoring system including a plurality of energy monitoring devices is described. The method comprises transmitting a first radio frequency packet from a time reference device via at least a first and a second of the plurality of energy monitoring devices to a third of the plurality of energy monitoring devices. The method further comprises adjusting a time register within the third energy monitoring device based on the reception of the packet. The method further comprises accumulating a measure of energy consumption by the third energy monitoring device of a load coupled with the third energy monitoring device. The method further comprises transmitting the measure of energy consumption from the third energy monitoring device via at least a fourth and a fifth of the plurality of energy monitoring devices to a data aggregation device.

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: An energy monitoring device includes means for sensing current in a power line and generating an analog signal representative thereof. The energy monitoring device includes means for generating a digital representation of the current. The energy monitoring device includes means for assuming a voltage value and calculating at least one measure of power consumption using the sensed current and the assumed voltage. A method executable by said energy monitoring device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A system for modifying the functionality of intelligent electronic devices installed and operating in the field is disclosed. Each of the intelligent electronic devices operates with a software configuration to monitor electrical energy. A copy of the software configurations may be maintained in a database. Changes to the operation of one or more of the intelligent electronic devices may be made as a function of modifications to the database.

Abstract: Systems and methods for grouping mesh networks. Mesh networks enable energy data to be transferred from an energy sensing device to a destination device using various networks and reduces the need to install metering stations. Embodiments of the invention join or group mesh networks that otherwise are not able to communicate. The connections between the grouped mesh networks can be passive using directional antennas or passive antennas or active using higher power RF devices, solar repeaters, mobile mesh devices, etc. The energy data is routed in a smart manner, by performing load balancing at gateways, by monitoring the signal to noise ratio of available communication paths, etc. Mesh clusters can also be created to define low power clusters, address blocking clusters, and frequency based clusters. Grouping clusters facilitates the efficient transfer of energy data from an energy sensing device to a energy management station.

Abstract: Systems and methods for ensuring data integrity in a mesh network. A mesh network can include multiple RF devices. Transmitting quality data in or on the mesh network is improved using communication validation functions. The communication validation functions ensure a reliable communication network, preserve data during a network outage, and validate data. The communication validation functions can measure or control data quality within a communication and analysis network. The communication validation function operates to control data quality, for example, by measuring the quality of wireless links, ensuring the presence of redundant links, testing the ability of the mesh network to establish a backup communication path, generating alarms based on communication thresholds, tracking the communication path followed by communication packets, and identifying placement locations for additional RF devices.

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: 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: Systems and methods for monitoring power in a conductor. A flex circuit may include multiple layers including a voltage sensing layer, a coil layer, and a ground layer. The coil layer includes traces that form a coil structure around a conductor when the flex circuit is wrapped around the conductor. The coil layer generates a voltage that may be integrated to determine a current in the conductor. When the flex circuit is wrapped around the conductor, the voltage sensing layer is closest to the conductor. The voltage sensing layer forms a capacitor with the conductor. Using an adjustable capacitive voltage divider, the voltage of the conductor may be determined from a voltage signal received from the voltage sensing layer.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) includes a base module having a power monitoring circuit operative to monitor a parameter of a portion of a power distribution system and generate an analog signal representative thereof. The base module also includes a processor coupled with the power monitoring circuit, the processor having an analog to digital converter operative to convert the analog signal to a digital signal representative thereof. The processor operates to implement a first power management functionality and generate first power management data. At least one of a display and a communications interface couple with the processor and communicate the first power management data external to the IED. A first interface couples with the processor and the communications interface. The first interface operates to receive a first external function module.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting and responding to device tampering in an EM device is disclosed. The EM device is provided with mechanisms to detect and indicate unauthorized tampering with the device. Further, in response to detected unauthorized tampering, the device may take actions to protect the integrity of data generated by the device as well as protect any confidential data stored within the device. Such actions may include preventing further device operation, generating warnings to the device owner/user, marking subsequently generated data as suspect, destroying stored confidential data, etc.

Abstract: A revenue meter includes electronics for measuring the delivery of electrical energy from an energy supplier to a consumer through an electric circuit, a display and a cover. The electronics includes at least transducers, an analog to digital converter and logic. A meter cover encloses the revenue meter. Communications of data to and from the revenue meter may be done via a fiber optic communications link.

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: A security system for programmable revenue class electricity meters. Each programmable revenue class electricity meter includes a metering portion or stage that couples to a power line. The metering portion is responsive to and senses the electricity in the power line and provides a digital output. The programmable revenue class electricity meter includes a processor that runs programming that records, calculates, and/or stores data relating to the electricity sensed by the metering portion. In particular, the programming records, calculates, and/or stores revenue-related data that can be used for calculating charges for the electricity. The programming can be changed by authorized persons to modify the types of data that can be measured, calculated, recorded, displayed, communicated, and/or stored for any desired purpose and in particular for revenue-related purposes. Modification of the programming and access to information is limited to authorized persons by means of the security system.