Power Meter Signal Paths for Unified Revenue and Power Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power metering systems face inefficiencies in providing both power quality and revenue measurement due to separate metadata sets and hardware requirements, limiting system capabilities and implementation possibilities.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an oversampled Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) data stream for both power quality and revenue calculations, using a Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filter to meet IEC 61000 4-30 requirements, with a decimated data stream for revenue, and maintaining existing Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate metadata sets are used for power quality and revenue data, then measurement accuracy is improved, but device complexity and hardware requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the previously separate metadata sets for power quality and revenue data into a unified metadata structure. The single metadata set contains all necessary information (sum, sum of squares, min/max values) for both power quality analysis and revenue calculations, eliminating the need for separate hardware processing paths while maintaining measurement accuracy for both functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The unified metadata structure serves multiple functions simultaneously - it supports both power quality measurements (for FFT and spectral analysis) and revenue calculations (for energy metering). This multi-functional approach allows a single processing path to handle diverse measurement requirements without compromising the precision of either function.
2Measurement precision
If separate processing paths are used for power quality and revenue data, then measurement accuracy is improved, but productivity and processing efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate processing paths into a single integrated processing path. The oversampled ADC data stream is processed once to generate unified metadata that serves both power quality and revenue functions, eliminating redundant processing operations and improving overall system productivity while maintaining the measurement accuracy required for both applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The single processing path enables continuous generation of unified metadata that simultaneously supports both power quality analysis and revenue calculations. This continuous processing approach eliminates the inefficiencies of alternating between separate processing modes and ensures both functions receive timely, accurate data without processing interruptions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If additional hardware components are added to meet IEC 61000 4-30 requirements, then power quality measurement capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent meets IEC 61000 4-30 requirements by changing the sampling parameter - using oversampled ADC data streams rather than additional hardware components. The oversampling approach provides sufficient frequency resolution for power quality measurements without requiring extra filters, amplifiers, or signal conditioning circuits, thereby maintaining device simplicity while achieving standard compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The existing ADC and processing components are made multi-functional to handle both revenue metering and power quality measurements. By programming the existing hardware to process oversampled data for unified metadata generation, the system achieves IEC 61000 4-30 compliance without adding dedicated power quality measurement hardware, reducing overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, devices, and systems are provided for improving efficiency of power quality and revenue-based computations which include receiving an input signal and oversampling the input signal to generate an oversampled data stream. In a first signal path, the oversampled data stream is filtered to generate a filtered data stream, and the filtered data stream is decimated to generate a decimated data stream. The filtered data stream and the decimated data stream include waveform data capable of use for generating power quality analysis information. In a second signal path, the oversampled data stream is downsampled to generate a downsampled data stream, and revenue quality power consumption data is generated based at least in part upon meta data from the downsampled data stream. Power quality data is generated based at least in part upon the decimated data stream and associated meta data.