Out-of-Band Grid Sensor Network for Real-Time Anomaly Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current power grid monitoring systems face challenges due to high costs, delayed data reporting, and loss of power and communication during grid failures, leading to fragmented data and delayed detection, which can result in public safety issues and inefficient monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A system of broadly distributed, secure, cloud-supported sensors connected to a power grid via a communications network separate from the power grid, allowing for real-time data collection and analysis, including consensual voting analysis for anomaly detection and situational awareness, using a central processing application to determine normalized ranges and identify outliers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional monitoring equipment is installed at power substations, then data collection coverage is achieved, but data reporting is delayed and communication is lost during power failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a communications network as an intermediary system that is independent of the power grid. Sensors connected to this separate communications network can report data even when the power grid fails, eliminating the coupling between power availability and communication capability. This mediator system ensures continuous monitoring and data reporting regardless of power grid status.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the monitoring system into independent components: sensors, communications network, and central processing application. This segmentation allows the communications network to operate independently from the power grid, ensuring that data collection and reporting can continue even when power is lost at substation locations.
2Measurement precision
If more sensors are deployed for better coverage, then monitoring granularity is improved, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes existing communications network infrastructure serve dual purposes: its original communication function and power grid monitoring. By utilizing already-deployed communications network nodes as sensor platforms, the system achieves broad geographic coverage and fine monitoring granularity without the cost of deploying dedicated sensor infrastructure in every location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent leverages the self-existing communications network infrastructure to provide monitoring services. The communications network nodes themselves serve as the platform for data collection, eliminating the need for separate, costly sensor deployment infrastructure. The system uses existing resources to achieve enhanced monitoring capabilities.
3Productivity
If centralized monitoring is implemented, then data analysis capability is improved, but data fragmentation from multiple power companies persists
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges data from multiple power companies into a unified central processing application. The communications network serves as a common platform that collects data from sensors across different utility jurisdictions, and the central processing application consolidates this fragmented data into a comprehensive view, enabling cross-utility analysis and eliminating information silos.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for data collection and aggregation using a distributed network of communications enabled sensors connected to another primary network to achieve a secondary out-of-band monitoring perspective, for example, in power grids. The data collection system includes an aggregation and processing server configured to collect data from a variety of sensors adjacent to the monitored network each sensor includes secondary power such that it can continue data transmission even during power grid outages. The data collection system includes a method for secure real-time data ingest, machine learning enabled analysis, risk assessment, and anomaly detection on a broad geographic scale irrespective of isolated network boundaries.