Electricity Meter Wiring Error Detection via Virtual Reconfiguration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electricity meters, especially those using low voltage current transformers and voltage transformers, often experience incorrect wiring due to human error or tampering, leading to non-technical losses and inaccurate energy calculations, which current methods struggle to detect and correct efficiently, especially in large-scale utility management.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a method within the electricity meter that analyzes connections using Argand diagrams and generates virtual re-configurations to correct wiring errors, allowing for real-time detection and notification of tampering, and calculates corrected energy consumption, enabling periodic verification of meter connections without physical reconnection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If physical reconnection verification is performed periodically, then connection accuracy is improved, but loss of time and productivity deteriorate due to manual intervention requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The electricity meter performs self-verification of its own connections by analyzing voltage and current signals internally. The processor automatically detects wiring errors by comparing measured values against expected patterns, eliminating the need for external manual verification while maintaining continuous monitoring capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual physical verification methods with automated electronic analysis. The system uses digital signal processing and computational algorithms to detect connection errors, substituting mechanical/manual intervention with electronic automation that operates continuously without time loss.
2Productivity
If automated analysis is implemented, then productivity is improved through continuous monitoring, but device complexity increases due to additional processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The existing electricity meter's processor is made multi-functional by programming it to perform both traditional energy measurement and connection verification tasks. The same hardware components (ADC, processor, memory) are utilized for dual purposes, avoiding additional dedicated hardware while enabling automated monitoring that improves productivity.
3Loss of energy
If connection errors are detected early, then non-technical losses are reduced, but measurement precision requirements increase to detect subtle wiring errors
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors voltage and current signals and provides feedback to the processor for analysis. By comparing real-time measurements against expected patterns and using iterative analysis, the system can detect subtle wiring errors early. The feedback mechanism enables continuous refinement of detection accuracy without requiring excessively high initial measurement precision.
Data Source
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AI summary
Apparatus and method provided herein are directed to an electricity meter for polyphase multiwire network, which determines a voltage vector sequence of a plurality of voltage vectors, a current vector sequence of a plurality of current vectors monitored at respective terminals of the electricity meter, phase differences between each of the voltage vectors, phase differences between each of the current vectors of the plurality of voltage vectors, and a quadrant location of each current vector. Based on the voltage vector sequence, the current vector sequence, the phase differences, and the quadrant locations, a virtual voltage distribution re-configuration and/or a virtual current distribution re-configuration are generated, and a revised power consumption based on the virtual voltage distribution re-configuration and/or the virtual current distribution re-configuration is calculated in an auxiliary register of the electricity meter while an active energy, measured as currently connected, is continues to be calculated in a main register.