Data integrity in a mesh network

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.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The Field of the Invention

In facilities, e.g. buildings or installations, where a significant amount of power is used among a variety of units, it would be desirable to allow the building owner to allocate energy costs to the different units, i.e. consumers, within the facility. For a commercial office building, these units may include the different tenants within the building or the common loads for the facility, such as the elevators or HVAC systems. For an industrial facility, these units may include the different production lines, machines or processes within the facility. As opposed to allocating costs based on a fixed or formulaic approach (such as pro-rata, e.g. dollars per square foot or based on the theoretical consumption of a process/machine), an allocation based on actual measurements using appropriate monitoring devices may result in more accurate and useful information as well as a more equitable cost distribution.

Both installation and ongoing, i.e. operational and maintenance, costs for these monitoring devices are important considerations in deciding whether a monitoring system is worth the investment. While monitoring devices may be read manually, which does not increase the installation cost, manual data collection may increase on-going/operational costs. Alternatively, monitoring devices may be interconnected and be automatically read via a communications link. However, typical communication links require wiring to interconnect the devices which increases the installation cost. In addition, a particular tenant in the building may wish to verify that they are being billed correctly by reading the energy meter or other energy monitoring device that is accumulating their energy usage. This may be a straightforward, although labor intensive and cumbersome, process with a typical energy meter which provides a display viewable by the tenant.

Emerging wireless mesh (or ad-hoc) networking technologies can be used to reduce the installation costs of monitoring devices while providing for automated data collection. Also called mesh topology or a mesh network, mesh is a network topology in which devices are connected with many redundant interconnections between network nodes. Effectively, each network node acts as a repeater/router with respect to received communications where the device is not the intended recipient in order to facilitate communications between devices across the network. Using wireless interconnections permits simpler and cost-effective implementation of mesh topologies wherein each device is a node and wirelessly interconnects with at least some of the other devices within its proximity using RF based links. Mesh networking technologies generally fall into two categories: high-speed, high bandwidth; and low speed, low bandwidth, low power. The first category of devices is typically more complex and costly than the second. Since energy monitoring does not typically require high speed/high bandwidth communication, the second category of devices is often sufficient in terms of data throughput.

Energy monitoring devices may include electrical energy meters that measure at least one of kWh, kVAh, kVARh, kW demand, kVA demand, kVAR demand, voltage, current, etc. Energy monitoring devices may also include devices that measure the consumption of water, air, gas and/or steam.

Poor data integrity may manifest itself as poor data quality. Poor data quality may restrict the ability to execute business plans and may cost organizations money. Poor data quality may manifest itself in a failure of analytics and a failure in business initiatives. Analytic systems that do not implement at least some data quality mechanisms may suffer from limited acceptance or failure due to the lack attention to data quality issues. A Global Data Management Survey by Pricewaterhousecoopers in 2001 recorded the 75% of enterprises reported significant problems as a result of data quality issues. More than 50% had incurred extra costs due to the need for internal reconciliation, 33% had been forced to delay or scrap new systems, 33% had failed to bill or collect receivables. 20% had failed to meet a contractual or service level agreement. As analytical systems begin to be used on energy measurements, there is a significant need to ensure that there are data quality mechanisms to increase the level of data quality within an energy analytic system. In addition, there is a significant need to report the level of data quality within the energy analytic system.

Companies' reliance on data may be increasing sharply and irreversibly in the future as more ‘automated’ decisions may be based on data. This increases companies' exposure to bad data and raises a need for data integrity to be addressed in an energy analytic system. An analytic system that relies on historical data stores and real time data to present data, analysis, or report and perhaps automatic decisions may have a significantly reduced value if a data integrity quality system and analysis is not addressed within the analytic system. There is an increasing need to have data integrity issues addressed within an energy analytic system especially within a wireless mesh communication system.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other limitations are overcome by embodiments of the invention, which relate to systems and methods for controlling or measuring data integrity in a mesh network. In one embodiment, a system for monitoring energy data that is representative of the energy from at least a point of an energy distribution system includes a wireless mesh network. A first radio frequency (“RF”) device operates to monitor energy at least at one point of the energy distribution system, construct energy data representative of at least a portion of the monitored energy, construct a communication packet containing the energy data, and transmit the communication packet on the wireless mesh network. A second RF device is coupled to the first RF device with a wireless link. The second RF device operates to receive the communication packet from the wireless mesh network and retransmit the communication packet over the wireless mesh network. The wireless link between the first RF device and the second RF device includes a data link. A data integrity function couples with at least one of the first and second RF devices, and operates to monitor data integrity of the energy data. The data integrity of the energy logs and communication system may be verified by using validation rules, estimation rules, editing rules and a data validation engine. The reporting of the data integrity may be facilitated by using a number of nines representation, alarm indications, signal to noise ratios and graphical depiction of the communication network with reliability indications. The data integrity of the logs within remote device may be preserved using a lossy style of compression, removing interval data and storing the data within remote devices accessible by a data link. The communication packet typically contains a value representative of at least a portion of the energy data.

In another embodiment, a system for controlling data quality within an energy distribution system includes a mesh network having a first RF device and a second RF device. The first RF device and the second RF device are able to communicate over a plurality of wireless links. The system also includes a communication validation function coupled to the first RF device and the second RF device. The communication validation function operates to monitor the plurality of wireless links in order to facilitate the transmission of energy data on the mesh network by adjusting at least one of the first RF device, the second RF device, and the plurality of wireless links.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Herein, the phrase “coupled with” is defined to mean directly connected to or indirectly connected through one or more intermediate components. Such intermediate components may include hardware, communication and software-based components. Additional intermediate components may include electrical field coupled and magnetic field coupled components. The figures included in this document refer to various groups of items using a number prefix and a letter as a suffix, such as120a,120b, and120c. The number listed alone without the letter suffix refers to at least one of these items. An example of this is when a group of items such as the energy sensors120are referred to as energy sensors120, this is meant to refer at least one of the energy sensors120a,120b,120c,120d,120e,120f,120g,120h, or120i.

The integrity of data on an energy management system is important to the overall analysis and billing potential of the energy management system. Bad data integrity can lead to data quality issues. Data quality issues within an energy management system may cause incorrect billing, maintenance problems, distribution issues and electrical failure. There are at least three areas for improvement that a data integrity function can assist with data quality issues within an energy management system. These three areas include ensuring a reliable communication network, preserving data during a network outage, and validating data. A data integrity function is a measure or control of data quality within a communication and analysis network. A data integrity function may include a system that may ensure a reliable communication network, a system that may preserve data during a communication network breakdown, or a system for validating, estimating, and editing data measured or received by a device or system.

Two of the benefits of data integrity system, ensuring reliable communication network and preserving data during a network outage, may be particularly of interest with a wireless network such as a wireless mesh network; however methods covering all three data integrity methods are disclosed within this document.

The present embodiments reduce the costs of energy metering by reducing the installation costs and commissioning costs for metering points. In addition, the present embodiments reduce the need for additional external components such as potential transformers, current transformers, and measurement cabinets. The present embodiments are able to reduce these costs by using various combinations of the following technology discussed below. By reducing these costs, the number of metering points within an energy distribution system, such as an electrical energy distribution system, may be increased; similar approaches may be used to increase the number of metering points throughout other energy distribution systems such as water, air, gas and steam distribution systems.

Referring now toFIG. 1, a wireless network composed of a radio frequency (“RF”) repeater converter110, RF repeater115, and energy sensors120are used to transmit communication data packets between the energy management station100and the energy sensors120. As shown inFIG. 1, this wireless network may be deployed within a commercial building space. An RF device includes at least one of RF repeater converter110, RF repeater115, energy sensors120, RF signal strength sensors, or RF display devices140. The RF devices make use of an RF mesh network for communication. Using RF communications, the present embodiments may be able to reduce the cost of metering an additional point or to reduce the cost of communicating an existing metering point in an energy distribution system back to the energy management station100or SCADA software by significantly reducing the cost of making communication wires available at the metering point and maintaining the communication wires between the energy management station100and the metering point.

The energy management station100may be software residing on a computer or firmware residing on an intelligent electronic device (IED). The energy sensor120is an IED that is able to meter at least one energy related parameter and communicate over an RF mesh network. An energy sensor120may include various measurement coupling devices. This allows the energy sensor120to measure or couple with measurements of various forms of energy. An alternate embodiment of the energy sensor120may include a measurement coupling device such as a digital input used for a pulse counter used to read pulses. An example is shown inFIG. 1, where an energy sensor120ais monitoring pulses from a flow meter125over a pulse connection. These pulses may originate from another energy meter that may measure water, air, gas, electrical or steam energy. An alternative embodiment may contain a measurement coupling device that directly couples with the energy being measured.

The energy management station100is coupled with a RF repeater converter110via the communication backbone105. The RF repeater converter110may allow the energy management station100to communicate over the network and receive data from the energy sensors120within the wireless network. The energy management station100may have a connection to a communication backbone105, such as an Ethernet Network, LAN or WAN, or to an alternative communication medium and may be able to communicate to the wireless network through a RF repeater converter110that is connected to an alternative medium, such as a satellite or telephone connection. The alternative communication medium or communication backbone can be composed of any communication channel such as a phone network, Ethernet, intranet, Internet, satellite, or microwave medium.

InFIG. 1, the wireless communication paths150represent some of the possible wireless communication paths possible between the RF devices. The wireless network technology used is an adhoc wireless mesh network technology. An adhoc network may have no infrastructure or may comprise an unplanned infrastructure. The adhoc network allows for a communication network to be setup while careful infrastructure planning in advance is typically required with communication networks such as wired Ethernet networks. A mesh network is a network that may contain multiple paths to communicate information. A mesh network comprises a number of RF devices. Typically each RF device is capable of receiving messages from other RF devices and that RF device retransmitting the message onto the mesh network.

An example of this is shown inFIG. 1, where the energy sensor120emay transmit a message or communication packet(s)1000containing an energy measurement it has taken to the intended recipient the energy management station100. The initial transmission from sensor120emay only be received by the RF devices within transmission range of sensor120e. The communication packet1000may contain transmission route information1020such as how many hops, or direct device to device communication transfers, between RF devices were required last time a message was sent or received from energy management station100. If another RF device, such as energy sensor120g, receives the message from energy sensor120e, it may be able to compare the number of hops the transmissions usually take to be received by the destination and compare this to the number of hops indicated in the communication packet1000and determine if it should retransmit the message based on a reduction in the number of hops required from the transmission. The same evaluation process may be carried out by other communication indicators such as a measure of signal to noise ratio or a measure of success rate. In the above example, energy sensor120dwould determine that it is one hop closer to the energy management station100and retransmit the communication packet1000. The energy sensor120dmay add it's route information such as how many hops between other RF devices where required last time a message was sent or received from energy management station100to itself. Further, storing and evaluating the route information allows the RF devices and the mesh network system to monitor and react to the communications efficiency of data communications.

RF devices such as RF repeater converters110, RF repeaters115, energy sensors120, and RF display devices140that use the adhoc wireless mesh networking technology may be automatically recognized by the other RF devices within communication range. These additional RF devices can be used to extend the wireless network range, bandwidth, throughput, and robustness. For example, if an energy sensor120iis installed in an area that is not currently within the range of the mesh network, the installer need only add at least one appropriate RF repeater115to extend the range of the mesh network. In another example, the system may be designed with a second RF repeater115bthat overlaps some of the service area of the first RF repeater115a, in this scenario the energy sensor120ithat is in the overlapped area has at least two different communication paths back to the energy management station100. This increases the robustness of the system in that if the first RF repeater is damaged or is temporarily blocked due to RF noise, the energy sensor120may still be able to communicate via the second RF repeater115. The mesh network can be made secure such that additional RF devices must be either secured to the network or contain a security key that is accepted by an authentication device within the network. The communication security may comprise a public and private key system where the encrypted or signed data and the public key are transmitted on the RF mesh network.

The RF devices may be able to automatically modify their RF transmission power to only be as strong as required to reach an RF repeater or other RF device in the mesh network with adequate signal to noise ratio (SNR). This adjustment of RF transmission power may be referred to as a RF power control. For example, the microprocessor825(seeFIG. 7) within the RF device may slowly increase power until at least one RF device closer to the target, for instance the energy management station100, successfully receives the message. Alternatively, when a communication packet1000is received from another RF device, that packet may contain the set transmission power of that RF Transceiver875. The transmission power information may be used by itself or with another measure such as signal to noise by the microprocessor825to determine the required RF transmission power of the RF Transceiver875.

Another example of microprocessor825controlling the RF transmission power of the RF Transceiver875may occur if a transmission is sent from the source RF device and is picked up by at least two separate RF devices. The source RF device may receive the communication packet as retransmitted by both RF device and may either modify the next communication packet so that it is not repeated by one of the devices or modify the transmission power of its RF transceiver875so that only one RF device is within RF range of the transmission. This has an added benefit of reducing the range of the RF transmission zones to increase security as well as reduce the power requirement of the RF repeater. If the RF device that transmits the communication packet does not receive confirmation of successful transmission or does not see the packet retransmitted from another RF device, the transmitting RF device may increase the transmission power in an attempt to reach another RF device within the mesh wireless network.

The RF device's control over the RF transmission power may be used to create mesh zones. An RF zone may be used if a number of RF devices are within communication range of each other but by limiting their RF transmission power they would limit their range of their RF transmissions to be within a RF zone. At least one of the RF devices participating within this RF zone would act as a repeater or gateway to the rest of the mesh network. The RF device may be able to dynamically modify their RF transmission power depending on the communication packets intended destination or next intended hop to their destination.

As a result of the RF devices ability to modify their transmission range, the network security may be enhanced as RF power is set to a minimum required level. In addition, the RF devices power supply requirements are lowered.

The installation of mesh networks such as the energy sensor120or RF repeater115can be complicated by intermittent network connections due to marginal transmission and reception of data over the network. During the commissioning of the system, all that may normally be done is to verify that each RF device120may ultimately communication with the energy management system100. This verification simply tells the installer that the system is currently working properly, but it does not tell how much operating margin the radios have. For low cost devices, it is usually not feasible to include measurement of signal strength.

The operating conditions of a mesh network radio can change due to near body effects, temperature, interference, fading and multipaths. If RF device120reception is close to the operating limit of the radio, then small changes of the operating conditions can render a RF device120non-communicating, potentially resulting in one or more RF devices120no longer in communication to the energy management station100.

This disclosure proposes the use of a RF device120with a variable RF power to validate the correct operation of the system at a reduced RF power level. During commissioning the system is switched to lower power mode. The RF device120may have either or both a variable RF transmission power and a variable RF reception capability. Once the mesh network has been verified to be fully operational, the system is switched to operating mode. This verification may require the installation of appropriate RF repeater115or RF repeater converters110to complete the network. During normal operation the mesh network node power may be increased to a higher (normal) power level assuring that the reception and transmission of mesh network data is well above any marginal radio operating parameter. Alternatively, the power level may be allowed to be increased to the higher (normal) power level if the RF device is operable to automatically adjust it's transmission power during normal operation.

The RF repeaters115are used to receive and retransmit wireless packets between the energy sensors120and the energy management station100or between two RF devices. For example, the RF repeater115may facilitate communication between energy sensor120iand energy sensor120hor RF display device140. These RF repeaters115may be capable of performing routing of the wireless packet. These routing tables may be stored in the RF repeater in non-volatile memory so that after a power outage, network communication can quickly be restored. The RF devices may use a self-healing feature that makes use of a network architecture that can withstand a failure in at least one of its transmission paths such as a mesh or partially mesh network. The self-healing feature may allow an RF device to redirect a communication packet such as to avoid a nonfunctioning RF repeater115or RF device. In addition, the RF repeaters115may be able to determine if they are the final destination for a communication packet, decode the packet, and further carry out the instruction provided. This instruction can be the modification of a setup within the RF device, request to read a register, part of a firmware upgrade, communication acknowledgment, or an instruction to generate an alternate communication packet. At least a portion of the RF repeater115may be implemented within an ASIC chip.

The RF repeater converters110or gateway device110may be used to repeat the RF signals as necessary in a similar manner as the RF repeaters115. In some cases, the RF repeater115functionality may be left out of the RF repeater converters110to reduce cost; however, when the RF repeater converters110have this capability there can be an additional cost savings as the network is extended without the requirement of a RF repeater115. In addition, the RF repeater converters110may be operable to provide a bridge between the wireless mesh network and other communication devices such as a Ethernet backbone, power line carrier, phone network, internet, other wireless technologies, microwave, spread spectrum, etc. In addition, the RF repeater converters110may be able to determine if they are the final destination for a communication packet, decode the packet, and further carry out the instruction provided. This instruction can be the modification of a setup within the RF device, part of a firmware upgrade, communication acknowledgment, or an instruction to generate an alternate communication packet. At least a portion of the RF repeater converter110may be implemented within an ASIC chip.

The energy sensors120may be capable of repeating the RF signals in the same way as the RF repeaters115. In some cases, the RF repeater115functionality may be left out of the energy sensor120to reduce cost; however, when the energy sensors120have this capability there can be an additional cost savings as the network is extended without the requirement of an RF repeater115. Energy sensors120that can act as RF repeaters115can increase the range and robustness of the network as well as reduce the number of components required to make up the wireless mesh network. The sensors120have the additional task of generating a communication data packet containing a measurement that they have taken or calculated. In addition, the energy sensor120may report the status of the energy sensor120. In addition, the energy sensors120may be able to determine if they are the final destination for a communication data packet, decode the packet, and further carry out the instruction provided. This instruction can be the modification of a setup within the energy sensor120, request to read a register, part of a firmware upgrade, communication acknowledgment, or an instruction to change an output or control a device. An energy sensor120is used to monitor or measure at least one energy parameter. This energy parameter may be monitored directly, indirectly or via another monitoring device such as an energy meter with a pulse output or an energy meter with a communication port. Alternately, the energy sensor120may monitor a parameter that has an effect on an energy distribution system such as temperature, vibration, noise, breaker closure, etc. At least a portion of the energy sensor120may be implemented within an ASIC chip.

The RF devices may include wireless RF display devices140. These RF display devices140may be mobile, mounted or adhered to the outside of a measurement cabinet. The RF display devices140may display readings or alarms from one or more energy sensors120. These energy sensors120may be within the measurement cabinet, in the vicinity of the RF display device140, or accessible via communications over the RF network. The display devices140may contain user interfaces such as keypads, stylists or touch screens that allow access to various displays and quantities within the energy sensors. The RF display device140may be mobile and used to communicate to more than one energy sensor120. Alternatively, the RF display device140may communicate to the energy management station100and display information or alarms from the energy management station100. In addition, these RF display devices140are able to correlate various readings from different energy sensors120or specified values, perform calculations and display various parameters or derivations of parameters from the energy sensors120they have access to the wireless mesh network. For example, if an IED135is able to measure the voltage on the bus or the voltage is a specified constant and the expected power factor is supplied, the RF display device140is able to correlate the values and calculate various energy parameters, such as kVA, kVAR and kW with at least usable accuracy, and display them on the screen or log them into memory. A permanently or semi-permanently mounted RF display device140may be usable as active RF repeater115to boost the RF signals from sensors within a measurement cabinet or within the vicinity of the RF display device140. At least a portion of the RF display device140may be implemented within an ASIC chip.

The energy sensors120are able to take a measurement directly and provide the data wirelessly to the energy management station100via the RF repeaters115and RF repeater converters110. Alternatively, the energy sensors120or other RF devices can be built into the IED135directly such as represented with IED135. In this example, the energy sensor120band energy sensor120cmay communicate to the energy management station100through a RF gateway integrated into IED135which is connected to communication backbone105. Depending on the integration of the RF device within the IED135, the RF device may be able perform IED setup, modification to registers, firmware upgrade and control of the IED135. In an alternate configuration, a RF repeater converter110may be connected to a communication port such as a RS232 port on the IED135. For example, the communication port870may be wired directly to a RS 232, RS 485, universal serial bus (“USB”) or Ethernet port on the IED135. The RF device, such as the repeater converter110, may be operable to receive wireless communication over the mesh network and if that communication is addressed to an IED135connected to the RF device, the RF device would provide the information to the IED135over the communication port870. Further, if the IED135sent a message or a response to a message received over the RF device, the RF device may be able to transmit the message onto the wireless mesh network. This effectively would enable a legacy IED135, an IED135device without RF wireless communications, to send and receive packets over the wireless mesh network, using the RF device to send and receive communication packets. The RF device acting as this interface may modify the communication packets to change protocol or add routing information. The RF device may act as a data concentrator where the energy data may be manipulated before transmission such as receiving voltage data from one sensor and current data from another sensor and combining such data. More than one legacy device or IED135may be connected to the communication port. This may be complete using more than one communication channel for example two RS 232 interfaces or using an interface such as RS 485 that allows more than one device sharing one communication channel. For example, if there were a number of IEDs connected over RS 485, the RF device would be able to coordinate communication to each individual IED on the RS 485 communication line. Alternatively, there may be a more direct coupling between the two communication ports.

Further, the RF repeater converter110may be able to draw power from the communication port of the device to power itself and provide full communication to the device over the wireless mesh network. Three examples of the power available from a communication port are power provided by a USB communication port, power over Ethernet, or parasitic power drawn from an RS-232 port. Alternatively, the RF repeater converter110can be powered from an external power source or powered by an alternative power source described later on in this document.

An RF device200may be powered by an intermittent or non-reliable power supply such as a solar panel. The above power sources may be intermittent or have periods of being unable to produce enough power for the RF device. The present embodiments may make use of a super capacitor to store the power when it is available and allows for short higher power draws for the RF device. For example, an RF repeater115can sit in a low power listening mode, when it receives a packet, the power requirement may increase for the device and finally if the RF repeater is required to retransmit the particular packet, the power requirement will increase again to a sufficient level to transmit to the next RF device in the routing path. The super capacitor is able to store excess energy not required in the low power listening mode and provide extra energy as required in the higher power modes such as when the RF device is required to transmit information or when the microprocessor825in the RF device needs additional power to perform a quick, more complex calculation. Other energy storage devices815such as a rechargeable battery may be able to function similarly to the super capacitor. An alternative embodiment may be the use of a non-rechargeable battery that may be replaceable to supply any additional power requirements not supplied by the alternative power sources discussed in above in this document.

By using the super capacitor or battery to store energy, the RF devices are operable to transmit a message to the Energy Management Station100when the RF device's alternative power supply has diminished or has been removed. The RF devices can be setup with a tolerance threshold such that a momentary (user defined) time must elapse when the power supply is able to provide less power than set by an additional threshold or when the power is cut off entirely before the RF device transmits that power has been removed. This requirement of a passing of a user specified amount of time when the power supplied is less than a threshold reduces the network traffic of the mesh network due to a regular periodic outage that only lasts a short time is not reported.

Alternatively, the RF device can be configured to transmit a message saying that power is low within the device. One of the recipients of this type of message may be the energy management station100. This message may be sent when both the power supply and the reserved power held by the super capacitor or battery is running low and may indicate that either a better alternative power supply may be used or it may be necessary to charge the reserve power.

Both of the above messages, “power supply low or removed” and “power low within device”, can contain any child RF nodes that may lose communication to the rest of the RF mesh network due to the loss of the RF device that has an imminent power loss. Alternatively, this information may be determinable by the energy management station100.

The RF devices may use long life batteries to power the devices for an extended period of time. These batteries can be made of various technologies such as lithium-ion batteries that can last up to 10 years with a low power draw or other technologies that allow the batteries to have a long life. This solution can be used to give the installer one of the easiest RF devices200to install. The RF device200can simply be outfitted with a strong adhesive or a magnetic mount. For example, to extend the RF mesh network, the installer only has to take an RF repeater that uses a long life battery and simply stick or magnetically mount it in almost any location.

The RF devices, such as the repeater converters110or the repeaters115, can be built to fit general form factors, and able to draw power off of these standard form factors. For example, an RF device may be made to have a form factor with an interface to a general purpose outlet. This allows the RF mesh network to be extended to any location the repeater can be plugged into a general purpose outlet. Typically this form factor may have a general purpose outlet interface to allow another plug to be plugged into it. For example, if the general purpose outlet (GPO) was already being used, the RF repeater may fit between the GPO and the existing plug. Another similar example is building a repeater115into a form factor that may allow it to screw into a standard Edison light socket and allow the light bulb to screw into the repeater form factor. These implementations may use the appliance or light bulb as an RF antenna. Even though the Edison light socket may not always be powered on, when it is powered on the repeater may store energy in a super cap or rechargeable battery.

The RF devices may have a configurable setting that can indirectly determine what average power is required for the device to perform. For example on the energy sensors120, the user is able to modify sleep, transmit, and sample intervals. For instance, if the sample interval is increased from say a sample every 30 seconds to a sample every 1 minute, the energy sensor120is only required to take one reading each minute instead of two readings per minute which may reduce the power required to run the energy sensor120. This reduction in power may increase the battery life of an energy sensor120that relies on battery power. In addition, it may increase the ride through time of the energy sensor120if power supplied to the device were insufficient or removed. Further by modifying the transmit interval on an energy sensor120, the data the energy sensor120collected may be stored in the energy sensor120and only sent at a specific interval in order to send more data in each communication data packet but be able to transmit the data less often. For example, an energy sensor120that samples each minute may only transmit each hour thus significantly reducing the overall power required within an hour to transmit versus an energy sensor120that transmits sixty times in an hour. Likewise, a repeater115or repeater converter110may queue received communication data packets until a specified time interval or timeout has expired when all the data may be transmitted in one transmission. In addition, the RF devices may queue data until sufficient power is stored to allow transmission of the data and continued operation. The data queued within a RF device may be stored within non-volatile memory such that it is not lost due to a power failure. Alternatively, the data may be transferred into non-volatile memory before a power failure on the RF device.

An external power supply can be used to supply extra power allowing the RF device to charge the super cap or rechargeable battery. Typically this may be used either just before installation of the RF device or during commissioning to provide the extra power required to perform setup commands or to handle extra RF communication to set up the device. Alternatively, the external power supply may be used to charge the super capacitor during a period when the device has low power or when the device has indicated that it has low power. This external power supply is a device that is able to generate an electromagnetic field that in turn is used to power the RF device. This means that there is not a requirement for a direct physical connection. Using the electromagnetic field to charge the RF device has the advantage that there is no requirement for a conductive wire or pad on the RF device that may corrode over time. Alternatively the external power can be designed to directly couple to the device where there is a requirement for a physical connection. There may be communication between the RF device and the external power supply such that the external power supply may be able to indicate to the user the level of charge within the RF device.

The RF devices may contain non-volatile memory to store RF device configuration. This is to prevent loss of the configuration if power to the device is momentarily lost. In addition, the RF device may store at least a portion of the routing tables within non-volatile memory. This facilitates a fast network recovery if power is lost. For example, when an RF device powers up after a power down, it may know which RF repeater115or RF device to send communication packets to without the requirement of a broadcast packet or repeating a network routing table discovery phase.

A large cost associated with adding a metering point is the installation cost. Typically this installation cost comprises labor and material cost. There are a number of individual costs associated with installing a metering point in an energy distribution system. The RF devices may reduce or eliminate many of these costs and simplify the installation by using various form factors, powering methods, mounting techniques and installation methods. These methods are further discussed in the following paragraphs.

As discussed earlier, one of these costs is running communication wire to each IED135or energy sensor120. Often installation sites require that any run wire must be enclosed within a conduit. This significantly increases the cost of enabling communication in a device; however, communication is often important to an energy management system. The IEDs135and energy sensors120may use RF wireless mesh networks. A preferred embodiment is an RF wireless mesh network including of RF repeaters115and RF repeater converters110. In using this wireless network, communication wire need not be brought to each installation point. In fact, an energy management system that uses purely a wireless RF mesh network need not have any communication wire installed; however, in practice, communication wiring may be used in conjunction with a repeater converter110that facilitates communication between the traditional communication medium and the mesh network. One example where both communication wiring and RF wireless mesh networks may be used may be where there are existing wired communications perhaps to a substation. In this case, a repeater converter110may be connected to the existing wired communication and provide connection to the energy sensors120using wireless RF communication packets. In another case, a repeater converter110may be used in conjunction with a telephone, cellular, or satellite modem to provide a connection over a large distance to the RF mesh network of energy sensors120and other RF devices.

The physical installation of the energy sensor120or IED135is another significant installation cost. The physical installation typically requires creating a mounting hole or a method of securing the sensor to the measurement cabinet200b. In many cases, a hole must be cut in the measurement cabinet200bfor the metering devices display to be mounted.

Additional physical installation costs for an energy sensor120or IED135installation are inserting the energy sensor120or IED135into the primary or secondary current loop which means using a CT shorting block or de-energizing the point in the electrical distribution system, breaking the secondary current loop, and adding the new device into the loop. There are significant wiring costs to connect the meter to the current transformer. Even with using a non-intrusive CT there is wiring that needs to be installed and worked around to connect the non-intrusive CT to the metering device during the installation process. In addition, connection must be made to the electrical bus or the potential transformer to measure voltage. In addition, it is often necessary to wire separate control power to the metering device.

The energy sensor120and RF devices may reduce these installation costs by using powering technologies already described. These powering technologies may not require a directly wired connection to an electrical power supply. In addition, the energy sensor may incorporate a non-intrusive current transformer (CT) as described in the following paragraphs so that the primary or secondary current loop need not be broken. Further, the energy sensor may incorporate a non-intrusive capacitive voltage detection as described later in the document.

The IED135and energy sensor120may incorporate a non-intrusive CT. This allows simple and inexpensive installation comprising the non-intrusive CT, which incorporates the sensor microprocessor and may incorporate the wireless communication hardware, is separated, slipped over the current carrying wire or fuse, and reconnected to form a CT core around the wire or fuse.FIG. 6depicts an electrical energy sensor500comprised of sections925and930separated operable for a current carrying wire put inside the925section of the electrical energy sensor500. An electrical energy sensor500is an embodiment of the energy sensor120used for monitoring electrical energy parameters. The section930is coupled with section925to form a non-intrusive CT sensor. The electromagnetic field generated by the current carrying wire is captured by the CT and may be used to power the microprocessor in addition to allowing the current carried by the wire to be measured. The electrical energy sensor500may incorporate tabs905that may be bent when installing the sensor over a wire or a fuse. These plastic tabs are then able to hold onto the wire or fuse due to the friction and pressure created by inserting the wire into the electrical energy sensor500. As the electrical energy sensor500is able to hold its location on the current carrying wire or fuse, it is not required to mount the sensor to any location in the cabinet. In cases where it is desired to monitor two or more phases of current, the electrical energy sensors500may have wires that extend from them to one or more other non-intrusive CTs. Alternatively two or more separate electrical energy sensors500may be used where these two or more electrical energy sensors500communicate their reading wirelessly to a master electrical energy sensor500or alternatively to the energy management station or an additional RF device. It is possible for the master electrical energy sensor500, additional RF device, or the energy management station100to correlate these two or more readings.

Alternatively the form factor depicted inFIG. 6may be used for a RF repeater115or RF repeater converter110. This form factor may allow for an easy method for extending the RF mesh network, as the form factor is able to draw power from the magnetic fields generated by the current carrying wire. This may allow for network range extension over large distances by installing this form factor RF repeater115or other RF device over electrical distribution wires. Alternatively, these repeaters may be able to act as RF repeaters115for communication, packets and frequencies from other RF systems. Some examples of these RF communications from other RF systems may include but not limited to cell phone frequencies, wireless Ethernet connections, and other radio frequency transmissions. Alternatively, a repeater converter110may be used in this form factor to detect power line carrier on the wire and be able to boost the signal, repeat the signal or convert the power line carrier to another communication medium such as the wireless mesh network.

Alternatively, the energy sensor120or the electrical energy sensor500may be manufactured to fit over a standard high rupturing capacity (HRC) fuse or other type of fuse. The energy sensors120may be able to use the fuse resistance to monitor the current flowing through the fuse by compensating for fuse resistance over current and temperature ranges. Alternatively, the energy sensors120may incorporate a non-intrusive CT to measure the current flowing through the fuse element. The energy sensors120can monitor parameters of the fuse, such as the various levels of current and temperature over time, to determine when the fuse needs to be replaced and the energy sensors120may be able to predict fuse failure and transmit fuse failure information over the RF network.

Another embodiment of the energy sensor120is incorporating the energy sensor120into a breaker. In this case, the breaker has an integrated energy sensor120with wireless communications. The wireless communications used in the present embodiments may form a wireless RF mesh network.

Alternative embodiments are building the RF device, such as the energy sensor120or RF repeater115, into a power bar, outlet box, general purpose standard outlet, or Edison light socket. These embodiments have the advantage of ease of installation and monitoring of a specific load.

As described above, a large cost of metering to certain points in an energy distribution system are running communication wires to each point; however, with the wireless mesh network used by the present embodiments only the wireless mesh network extends to the energy sensor120. Adding active RF repeaters115near the existing mesh network border extends the wireless mesh network. Alternatively using repeater converters110can extend the mesh network over existing communication means such as but not limited to a modem, Ethernet, telephone, satellite, spread spectrum, or RS485 communication methods. The RF repeaters are simple and inexpensive to install due to the power supply technology mentioned above in this document.

The RF devices may comprise an RF signal strength sensor. This RF signal strength sensor has an indication that measures the signal strength of the RF signal received from another device in the mesh network. In addition, it may indicate if an energy sensor mounted near the RF signal strength sensor may be able to communicate to the mesh network. This may include communication to the energy management station, an RF display device, or another RF device. This indication device may be incorporated within another RF device. This RF strength indication allows the installer or commissioning individual to determine where an RF repeater115needs to be installed to extend the network. The RF signal strength sensor may have the ability to indicate the number of independent paths from the current location to the energy management station or any specified location within the mesh network. Using this device, the installer may be able to determine the best locations for RF devices including energy sensors120, repeaters115, displays devices140, and repeater converters110as well as the best orientation for the RF device or RF antenna. This device may be used to troubleshoot or add additional routing paths to the network and overall increase the network reliability and robustness. At least a portion of the RF signal strength sensor detection circuit may be implemented within an ASIC chip.

The present embodiments' energy management station100, RF display device140, and RF signal strength sensor may have a user display that can show the RF routing paths available between various RF devices. This information can be coupled with the physical location of the device if it is known and the present embodiments are capable of showing the possible routing paths as well as indicating the strength of each RF link. The RF display device140, RF signal strength sensor and energy management station100may be able to analyze this data and indicate the best locations to add repeaters or sensors. Alternatively the installer or commissioner may be able to quickly pick out the best locations for an RF repeater115based on the presentation of the routing paths and signal strengths. For example,FIG. 1is a representation that may be displayed to the installer. Each RF link150shown may include an indication of signal strength such as a number, symbol, bar indicators or colors that indicate the signal strength over the communication link150. In addition, a distance, signal to noise ratio, and error rate of the communication path may be calculated, stored in a database103, and shown on the diagram. The distance for a communication path may be determined by sending a small communication “distance ping” between two RF devices and determining the distance based on the time the distance ping was sent and received at a RF device, hardware delay, and speed of communication medium.

Reducing the initial commissioning cost and cost of commissioning errors reduces the overall total cost of ownership in metering a point on an energy distribution system. Typically commissioning costs of energy metering points are relatively high. Often there is a need to have a factory representative on site to fully commission a system. In addition, there can be errors that are difficult to correct if the incorrect settings are sent to the metering device. An example of a commissioning error occurs when an electrical monitoring device is set to an incorrect PT or CT ratio for electrical energy monitoring as incorrect primary measurements may be calculated from the secondary measurements. Another example may include setting up an incorrect value per pulse for the monitoring of a pulse output from another metering device. Additional commissioning costs include the manual setup for communication of monitoring devices with the SCADA software. Each metering point connected may have communications configured at the metering point as well as at the software system. Any error in these configurations at either site can result in no communications and may require troubleshooting which further increases commissioning cost. The RF devices may reduce or eliminate many of the costs resulting from the commissioning of an energy sensor120or communication device by using automatic device detection, communication configuration and logging of data as described below. In addition, the RF devices may contain automatic or at least partially automatic location methods when commissioning the metering point. These methods are described below.

Referring toFIG. 6, the electrical energy sensors500may indicate the direction of energy flow in the wire505. The direction of energy flow is calculated from the phase detected of the current in the wire with the current CT and the phase of the voltage detected. The energy flow through the electrical energy sensor500may be used to indicate a supply or load of electrical energy through a metering point. A quick indication may be performed using two different color LEDs. For example, a red LED may indicate that the energy flow detected on the wire505corresponds to a generation or supply of power and the green LED corresponds to a load or demand of electrical power. The installer or commissioning of the electrical energy sensor500may be able to determine if the electrical energy sensor500is connected in the correct orientation on a wire505. For example, if the electrical energy sensor500is connected to a metering point that should register as a load and the LED illuminates indicating a supply or generation of power, the installer may reinstall the electrical energy sensor500the opposite orientation so that the flow of energy flows in the opposite direction through the electrical energy sensor500. Alternatively a single LED may be used to indicate energy flow direction through the electrical energy sensor500. This single LED may be able to indicate two different colors or simply indicate one of the two energy flow directions if illuminated and the opposite energy flow direction if not illuminated.

The RF devices and energy management station100may be operable to detect a new RF device when it is activated within the communication range of the mesh network. Using auto detection, the energy management station100may be able to auto configure all communication settings. In addition, the energy management station100and the RF devices may be able to automatically determine the routing method to use to communicate as well as alternate routing if available. As soon as the energy management station100has automatically detected and configured communication to the energy sensor120or IED135, it may be operable to start querying at least one reading or configuration setting of the RF device. These readings and configuration settings may be recorded in database103along with a device identification code. These recorded configuration settings may be used to detect configuration changes within the device or to assist in compensation for reading or displaying data recorded when incorrect configuration settings were used. The device identification code may be used to assist in locating the device within the energy distribution diagram or within a physical location. In addition, the energy management station100may allow a retroactive configuration change to be made. This means that if an error in the configuration of the RF device or energy sensor120is detected after some logging has taken place, the energy management station100may be able to calculate and correct logged parameters in the database103. Alternatively the energy management station100may be able to calculate corrected data and display this data to the user.

The energy management station100is coupled with a database103used to log data from the energy sensors120and energy information that may be at least partially derived from the data retrieved from the energy sensors120. The energy management station100may monitor and log the configuration and routing paths of the wireless network and any of the RF devices within the wireless network range. The energy management station100may be configured to auto detect any new repeater converter110, repeater115, sensor120, or RF display device140. When the energy management station100detects a new RF device, it may automatically add it to its routing table and determine which other RF devices are within range of the new RF device. The energy management station100may uses this information to modify the routing table to have more efficient communications. As cost may also be a factor within the network such as when there is a satellite, long distance carrier, or cellular phone connection within the routing, the energy management station100allows the operator to set an indicator representing the cost associated with certain communication links. The energy management station may be capable of trying to reduce costs in the communication routing by evaluating the cost of various paths. In addition, the energy management station100may be able to pick the most reliable and quickest routing path based on recorded history of alternate communication links. Alternatively at least a portion of the RF devices, contain routing intelligence and determine the best path for at least some of the communication. This may be done via a collaboration protocol or frequency between the RF devices. Using this auto-detect and auto configuration technology, the network is able to adapt to changes in the network such as new RF devices, failed RF devices, or inadequate power supply to an RF device.

An important process in commissioning is programming the location of the monitored devices into the energy management station100or the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software. Location of the energy sensor120may be the physical location or the point the energy sensor120is monitoring on an energy distribution network diagram (one line diagram). A one-line diagram is a standard term for a simple block diagram showing the energy distribution system. Alternatively, the physical location of the device may be preferred such as the building number, floor number, substation number, or geographic coordinates. Typically both the physical location and the point in the energy distribution system that the energy sensor120is monitoring are useful. It may also be useful to record the location of other RF devices within the communication network during commissioning. To reduce commissioning time and thereby reduce cost of ownership, the RF devices automate this process through various methods and alternatively provide some standardized record keeping for IED135and RF devices. The techniques used to automate and simplify the ability to locate RF devices, energy sensors120, and IED135are discussed below.

Referring now toFIG. 6, a number of commissioning location devices are depicted. The RF devices, such as energy sensors120, and IED may contain an identification tag. This identification tag may be represented by a barcode number615or may be embedded in a MAC address, or comprise some other at least semi-unique identification code. The identification tag may be stored within the memory of the RF device and may be retrieved via communications to the RF device. For example, the energy management station100may be able to retrieve a RF device's identification tag over the mesh network. There are other alternatives that can be used as an identification device or method such as Radio frequency identification (RFID). For example, any string capable as being used as a unique or at least semi-unique electronic fingerprint such as a serial number or a MAC address may be used to uniquely identify one device out of a number of RF devices. This identification code may be present on a removable portion of the RF device such as a peal-off label610or a break-off label605. The identification code may be represented by a barcode615aon the break off tag605, a barcode615bon the peel off tag610, or on the RF device itself as a barcode615c. These labels may have an area620aor620bthat can either be used for taking notes on the location of the RF device or required RF device settings. The information may be recorded in a manner that can be automatically read by the energy management station100such as a computer punch card or alternatively the energy management station100may be able to recognize symbols or handwriting in the area620aor620b. Information that may be recorded consists of items such as building, floor, bus, feeder etc. An example commissioning method using these break-off tags605or peal-off tags610consists of the energy sensor120or RF device being connected to a point in the energy distribution system, such as a current carrying wire, the commissioner of the RF device may break off a tag605or peel off a tag610and take notes on the tag in the areas620aor620b. Later at the energy management station100, the tag605or610is read into the energy management station100and any notes or RF device settings on the tag are either automatically read in or manually entered in. The energy management station100may be able to read the bar code615aor615bon the tag and match the settings or location to the RF device within the mesh network or communication ability of the energy management station100.

Referring toFIG. 6, an optical port625is shown on the RF device or energy sensor120. A handheld computing device635, such as a WinCETM or PalmOSTM device, may be able to establish an IRDA or other type of optical communication link630via the optical port645to the RF device or energy sensor120on the optical port625. Alternatively a laptop, palmtop, or cell phone may be used to establish a communication link630to the RF device or energy sensor120. Alternatively the communication link may be hard wired or using a limited range RF communication. The handheld device635may be able to record the identification tag represented by the barcode615from the energy sensor120. Alternatively the handheld device635may be able to read the Radio frequency identification (RFID). Alternatively the handheld device635may read the bar code615con the energy sensor120to record the identification tag. The operator of the handheld device635may be able to enter any location or setting notes into the handheld device635. This information may be added using the area620cor the keyboard650. This information can either be immediately sent over the RF mesh network to the energy management station100or recorded in the handheld device635and synchronized to the energy management station100at a later time. Alternatively the handheld device635may comprise at least a part of the energy management station100. The handheld device635may contain an RF device and be operable to communicate directly on the RF mesh network. Alternatively, the handheld device635can connect to the RF mesh network via the IRDA communication link630made to the RF device. The handheld device635may be able to integrate itself into the mesh network and report s the identifications of the units around it. The handheld device635may be able to display routing information from the energy sensor120to the energy management station100in addition to the RF strength and RF robustness of the network between the RF device or energy sensor120and the energy management station100.

The installer or commissioner of the RF device can make use of a GPS (Global Positioning System) to determine the location of the metering point. This information may then be recorded on the break-off tag605, peel-off tag610, or handheld computing device635. Alternatively, the location information may be recorded by the installer manually and entered into the energy management station100. A preferred embodiment may include the GPS system630coupled with the handheld device635with the physical location being automatically recorded in the handheld device635. Alternatively another positioning system may be used as the GPS system630may not function correctly at some install sites.

The energy management station100may be operable to estimate the physical location of the RF device using triangulation. This is done by using the RF mesh network and existing knowledge of the location of at least one other RF device. The location detection is completed using RF devices at known locations, speed of RF transmission, as well as the strength of RF transmission from an RF device at a known location to the RF device.

A camera may be used to further indicate the RF device position and install location. A digital camera can be coupled with the handheld device635. This image may be communicated via a communication link to the energy management station100.

As depicted inFIG. 6, a microphone640is included in the RF device or energy sensor120. This microphone may contain an actuation button and can be used by the installer of the RF device to record a brief message. This message can be used to determine the location of a energy sensor120or RF device and the recommended settings for the RF device. The energy sensor120may use the RF mesh network to transmit the message to the energy management station100for retrieval by an operator at the energy management station100. Voice communications may be transmitted in between two RF devices or an RF device and the energy management station100. Alternatively, the energy management station100or the RF device may use voice recognition to determine the location from the installers message.

Referring toFIG. 7, a block diagram of the internal components that may be used in an energy sensor120is depicted. The energy sensor120and other RF devices such as the RF repeater converter110, RF repeater115, RF display device140, and RF strength sensor may be derived from a limited combination of the internal components of a full featured energy sensor120described below.

The energy sensor120may contain five sections, a power section800, a measurement section826, a communication section858, control section883and a processor section890. Each of these sections is discussed in more detail below. The energy sensor120may be completely implemented within an ASIC chip or alternatively any combination of the blocks described to make up the energy sensor120may be implemented within an ASIC chip.

The power section800may comprise of a power coupling device805, a power rectifying circuit810, energy storage device815, and a power control unit820. The power-coupling device805is used to couple with the alternate power source. This may be but is not limited to a thermal electric generator, solar panel, electrical power, battery, vibration generator, or alternate energy converter used to harness one of the other alternate power supplies as described above in the power supply section in this document. The power rectifying circuit810is used to convert an alternating or fluctuating power source to a more stable DC power source. It may use the energy storage device815to store excess energy that in turn is able to supply power when the alternate power source is unable to supply required power for the device. The energy storage device815is typically a super capacitor or rechargeable battery. The power control unit820is controlled by the microprocessor825. The microprocessor825may be able to monitor the energy available via the power rectifying circuit810and determine how much power each component in the energy sensor120is to receive via the power control unit820. Alternatively, the power control unit820may contain a microprocessor and be operable to control at least part of the power distribution within the energy sensor120.

The measurement section826may comprise a measurement-coupling device830, an analog to digital converter835, a microphone840, a camera845, a digital input850, and a keypad865. The measurement-coupling device830may be used by the sensor120to make an analog measurement of an energy parameter. The A/D835converts this energy parameter from an analog signal to a digital signal. The microphone840is used to convert a sound recording to an analog signal. The A/D835may convert this to a digital signal. The microprocessor825may be able to store the sound recording in memory855and may be able to transmit the information recorded to the energy management station100or another RF device. Similarly, the camera845may be used to record an image or stream of images that may be stored in the memory855and may be transmitted to the energy management station100or another device. The digital input850couples with the microprocessor825and may be used to monitor the status of a switch, a breaker, or to monitor pulses from another metering device such as a flow meter, gas meter or electrical meter. The keypad865can be used to switch displays or make a change in the setup of the RF device.

The communication section858may comprise a display860, communication port870, RF transceiver875and RF antenna880. The microprocessor may use the display860to provide information to the user such as measurement parameters, setup information, and measurements. The communication port870may contain more than one communication channel. The communication port870may be used to drive the IRDA port and in addition another communication port870may directly coupled to an Ethernet, modem, power line carrier, or serial port. The RF transceiver875may be used by the microprocessor825to transmit and receive communication packets wirelessly on the RF mesh network. Alternatively, the RF transceiver875may be separated from the sensor120and may couple with the microprocessor825through the communication port870.

The control section883may comprise an analog output884and a digital output885. The analog output884may be used to transmit the measurement information via an analog signal to another device or be used to perform a control function such as but not limited to controlling a thermostat. The digital output885can be used to transmit the measurement information in the form of pulses or to perform a control action such as but not limited to tripping a breaker, resetting a breaker, turning on an alarm, etc.

The processing section890comprises a microprocessor825and a memory855. Some of the tasks the microprocessor825is used for include storing and reading data within the memory855, coordinating the power distribution in the sensor120via the power control unit820, creating and reading communication packets, encoding and decoding the communication packets for the wireless network, and reading measurement via the A/D835.

The memory855may be used to store any communication packets created by the microprocessor825or received from another RF device200within the memory855. The communication packet would be held in the memory855until such time they are transmitted on the mesh network or an acknowledgement is received that the packet has been received by another RF device200or by the energy management station100. These stored packets may consist of packets generated within the microprocessor825or communication packets received from another RF device being held for retransmission on the mesh network. If a transmission was received acknowledging that a received packet was either retransmitted using another RF device or acknowledgement from the target device was received, the stored communication packet may no longer be held for transmission. There may be a direct link between a component in the communication section858and the memory855to better facilitate this transfer of communication packets for storage. Alternately, the communication section858may make use of a separate memory area for storage.

This storage of communication packets may occur if the power control unit820logic shuts down any outgoing RF transmissions due to the power requirement to make such a transmission and where the communication packets created by the microprocessor825or received over the mesh network are stored until sufficient power is available to make the RF transmission. Any communication packet1000received over the mesh network or data created by the microprocessor825may be stored directly in the memory or processed by the microprocessor so that only relevant, important or high priority data is stored within the memory855or that the data or communication packet is compressed before storage.

At least some data within the communication packet1000that is received or created by the RF device200may be stored within a memory in the RF device200. This data may be stored until the space allocated within the memory855to store such data nears capacity, the data is deemed irrelevant, or a communication is received by the RF device200that the data was received by the target RF device200or the energy management station100. The energy management station100or target RF device200may send out a periodic communication packet1000that indicates a least one specific communication packet1000was received. If this communication packet1000is received by a RF device200holding a at least a piece of the communication packet1000referenced, the RF device200may delete or mark the for deletion any data stored for the referenced communication packet. Intermediate RF devices200may send a similar communication packet1000to the mesh network indicating the data it has received and is holding until acknowledgement is received that the original communication packet1000reached its destination. A RF device receiving this communication from an intermediate RF device200that is closer to the target RF device200or energy management station100may similarly delete or mark for deletion any data it is storing from the reference communication packet1000. Alternately any RF device200that receives a packet acknowledging receipt of a communication packet1000may log the fact that the data is being held at another RF device200but not immediately delete or mark for deletion the referenced communication packet1000.

The data integrity function in the RF devices200may delete or mark for deletion data in a non chronological manner. For instance, if a specific RF device200holds data for every fifteen minutes for the last day and has been unable to transmit this data to the energy management station100or another RF device200to be stored and the memory allocated to store the fifteen minute interval data is reaching capacity, rather than deleting the oldest data in the memory, the data integrity function may remove intermediate data such as every other fifteen minute data so that while data is being lost by the system there remains a distribution of data over the whole range. Eventually, the memory may only contain data with a half an hour interval or hour interval. The data integrity function may alter the remaining records such that data is not completely lost. For example, if average energy usage over a set interval was to be deleted, the data integrity function may merge the data with the next record in the memory log. Alternately, if the maximum demand over an interval was to be deleted, the data integrity function may modify the next chronological record to store the maximum of its recording and the recording to be deleted. Alternately, instead of the complete log entry for a specific timestamp being removed, the data integrity function may only remove specific data such as the lowest energy demand reading from the memory logs.

Alternately, the data integrity function may limit or reduce the number of bits of memory used to store numeric values and thus effectively reduce the number of significant figures within a numeric record. For example, rather than using 8 significant figures to store an accumulated energy reading, the data integrity function may dynamically reduce the number of significant figures in a data log storing only 7 significant figures and thus freeing up a few bits of memory space for each record stored. The number of significant figures or number of data bits used to store a value may be recorded by the RF device200and the energy management station100to indicate a confidence value to the stored reading in the database103.

The microprocessor825may be operable to perform energy calculations at a metering point and store the energy values in the memory855. In addition, it may be able to control the power distribution within the energy sensor120through the power control unit820. In addition the microprocessor is able to encode and decode the communication packets sent over the RF transceiver875.

Referring toFIG. 8, the measurement-coupling device830doubles as a power-coupling device805. For example, the energy sensor120may incorporate a non-intrusive CT and be used to monitor electrical current in a non-intrusive manner such as the electrical energy sensor500shown inFIG. 6. The current induced in the measurement-coupling device830(non-intrusive CT) may be switched to the power rectifying circuit810or the analog to digital converter by a switch895. Typically, when a measurement is being taken, the output of the measurement-coupling device830is switched by the microprocessor825to the analog to digital converter835to reduce the CT burden of the energy sensor120, during this time, the energy sensor120is powered from the energy storage device815otherwise the current is switched to the power rectifying circuit810. The energy sensor120is able to measure the current flowing through the conductor900that passes through the center of the sensor120. As shown inFIG. 6, the current carrying wire may be held in place by the tabs905effectively holding the sensor to the current carrying wire. The electrical energy sensor500embodiment of energy sensor120may contain two main separable pieces,925and930. The section925may contain all the electronics as well as a large section of the non-intrusive CT; however, it is possible for both sections to contain the electronics. The remaining section930can be removed so that the electrical energy sensor500can be placed around the current carrying wire at which time the section930is connected to the section925which in combination comprises a CT core around the current carrying wire900.

The indication of the actual voltage may be supplied over a RF link or by an operator. The operator may use a standard voltage meter to measure the voltage and input the measured value into the electrical energy sensor500, a handheld unit635or energy management station100. Alternatively, there may be voltage leads or voltage terminals on the energy sensor500that allows direct measurement of voltage. This may allow the computation of additional power parameters in the electrical energy sensor500such as kW, kVAR, kVA, etc.

The electrical energy sensor500may be able to use a specified voltage and power factor to calculate energy and power information from the current readings of the electrical energy sensor500. An electrician may specify the voltage and power factor. Alternatively the power factor may be able to be determined using a voltage phase detection with a capacitive voltage detector as described above. Alternatively, voltage may be provided to the electrical energy sensor500from another IED device that may be monitoring voltage at another location where the voltage in the wire can be derived. This may be calculated by using a known voltage on another bus and the PT ratio or electronic equipment used to couple the two electrical busses together. Alternatively, the calculations for power factor, voltage, energy, and power may be done in the other RF devices such as the RF display device140. Alternatively the handheld device635or the energy management station100may be used.

The energy sensor120may be able to monitor any meter, such as a water, air, gas, electric or steam meter, via the digital input or an analog sensor used as the measurement coupling device830and wirelessly transmit the data to another RF device or the energy management station100.

The energy management station100may be software residing on a computer, handheld device635, or firmware residing on an intelligent electronic device (IED) such as IED135. The energy management station100is coupled with a repeater converter110athat allows it to communicate over the network and receive data from the energy sensors120within the wireless mesh network. Alternatively, the energy management station100is able to communicate directly on the RF mesh network. The energy management station100is operable to receive power up and power down messages from the RF devices and alert the system operator.

The energy management station100may automatically detect new RF devices added to the mesh network or added within the communication range of the energy management station such as through a serial connection, existing modem connection, wireless transceiver, Ethernet connection, or a combination of these communication mechanisms or other communication mechanisms. The energy management station100may automatically configure communication with the RF device and may immediately start to record configuration, identification, and measurement data from the RF device or energy sensor120into the database103. If the configuration data is changed in the future, the option may be made available to make the change retroactive within the database. This allows the correction of any setup error or delay in the entry of the configuration settings.

The data that is collected at the energy management station100in the database103may be used for energy cost analysis. The RF devices may reduce the cost of ownership of each metering point and therefore may allow many additional metering points monitoring energy further down the energy distribution system closer to the individual loads. This allows a large amount of data to be known throughout the complete energy distribution system. The energy management station100may be able convert this data to energy distribution system knowledge and may present it in such a way as to make the economic consequence of various energy consuming loads, energy storage, and energy generation clear to the system operator. This allows the system operator to make informed decisions concerning the use of energy dollars within a facility.

It may be possible to have additional energy management stations100within an energy distribution monitoring system. A preferred embodiment utilizing more than one energy management station comprises stations that may coordinate communication activities with one of them taking on the role of a master station and the others as client stations. An alternative embodiment of using more than one energy management station100comprises at least one of the additional energy management stations100acting independently of the rest, logging, displaying, analyzing, and alarming on the data independently.

The energy management station100may be able to send a known or specified voltage and power factor to an energy sensor120. This may allow the energy sensor120to calculate energy and power information from the current sensed in a current carrying wire. Alternatively the additional calculations to determine the power and energy parameters may be done at the energy management station100either as the real time values arrive or at a later time based on the data collected from the energy sensor120. The voltage may be a specified by the system operator or alternatively the energy management station100may be able to estimate the voltage based on the voltage read through another energy sensor120or IED135that it is able to communicate to. In addition, the energy management station100may be able to analyze the supplied energy distribution system and calculate the voltage passed through various transformers, breakers, or switches to determine what the voltage may be at the energy sensor120. For example, if the voltage can be measured at a 480V bus the energy management system may be able to recognize a transformer on the one line energy distribution network diagram and determine what the voltage might be at the load side of the bus where the energy sensor120is installed. These calculations may include transformer and line loss calculations. Similarly it may be able to estimate power factor using this method as well as knowledge of the load and the electrical components between the power factor that is being measured and the load.

The voltage, phase, and current readings may be used to calculate other energy and power parameters such as kW, kVAR, and kVA. The voltage and phase may be specified by a system operator, measured from another energy sensor or voltage meter, or be calculated based on various specified and measured values throughout the energy distribution system as discussed above. The energy management station100may be operable to store the measured, specified, and calculated parameters within the database103. Alternatively the RF devices may be able to store these parameters within an internal database. These parameters may include a measured current, specified power factor, specified voltage, calculated kW, calculated kVAR, and calculated kVA. Alternatively the voltage phase may be detected using the capacitive voltage detection discussed above. The voltage phase may be used to calculate the power factor. In addition, the capacitive voltage detection may be able to determine a change in the line voltage from the specified voltage. If available, the measured voltage and calculated power factor may be stored in the database and may be at least partially used in the energy and power calculations. Other information may be stored in the database103such as specified error tolerances for specified values and calculated error tolerances for calculated and measured values. In addition, timestamp information, physical device location, device identification, other energy parameters, energy events, etc may be stored within the database103.

The energy management station100may be able to access the RF signal strength within each wireless connection on the mesh network and estimate the coverage of the mesh network. It may be able to display this information on a geographical map showing the estimated and measured coverage of the RF mesh network. The RF signal strength, error rate, signal to noise ratio and utilization of each wireless connection may also be represented on the diagram. Alternatively this information may be displayed on an energy distribution diagram. In addition, the energy management station100may be able to analyze the mesh network and based on signal strength and error rate, and may be able to suggest where an RF repeater115may be located to increase the coverage and robustness of the network.

The energy management station100may be able to perform an upgrade on an RF device over a wireless link. Preferably this wireless link is an RF mesh network and at least one routing path may exist between the RF device and the energy management station100. Alternatively, a portion of the communication path may be an alternate communication medium such as an Ethernet connection. In addition, if more than one routing path exists to the RF device, it may be possible for a faster communication rate and thereby a faster firmware upgrade to the device. The RF devices may be able to signal to the energy management station100if they have sufficient backup power for a firmware upgrade in the event that an external power supply fails.

The microprocessor in the energy sensor120, RF devices, and the energy management station100may assemble the RF communication data packets1000. In addition the microprocessor825in the energy sensor120may be able to calculate energy parameters as well as construct, encode and decode RF communication data packets1000. This RF communication data packet1000may be optimized for efficient, high speed, low collision communications. In addition, the communication data packet1000may be highly flexible in that it may contain only a few energy parameters to a large amount of energy parameters and from only a few pieces of routing information to a large amount of routing information. As shown inFIG. 5, some of the information that may be contained within the RF wireless payload includes a packet start marker1005or preamble, sensor ID1010, EEM data1015, routing information1020, signal strength1022, battery life1025, time of data collected1030, time sync information, physical location1035, energy distribution metering location, volts1040, power factor1045, current1050, I2R1052, V2h1053, watts1055, VAR1060, VA1065, public security key1070error codes1073and a packet end marker1075.

The error codes1073may comprise of a cyclic redundancy error checking or preferably contain forward error correction. The forward error correction may be used by the receiving RF device or energy management station100to correct information in the data packet that may have been corrupted during transport. Using forward error correction may increase the wireless mesh network range, decrease the required RF antenna, decrease the transmit power required at each RF device and assist in any corruption of the data packet occurring during transport such as transport over long distances or outside of a partial RF shield. The RF devices may be able to intelligently assemble the information in each packet so not to include redundant or unnecessary information within the RF payload. A RF device or energy management station100may assemble a communication data packet1000to be used as a time sync another RF device or energy management station100. An RF device or energy management station100receiving or processing the communication packet1000containing the time sync, may be able to adjust it's time to correspond to the time sync sent in the communication packet. The time syncing process may account for any packet decoding delays and speed of communications. The communication packet1000may be digitally signed and may use a private key and public key signing system. Alternatively the communication packet1000may be digitally encrypted and may use a private key and public key exchange between two or more RF devices including the energy management station100.

Referring now toFIG. 2, an example of a communication diagram is show that depicts radio frequency (“RF”) devices communicating on a wireless mesh network. The wireless mesh network composed of radio frequency (“RF”) devices200used to transmit communication data packets between the energy management station100and the RF devices200. An RF device200includes at least one of RF repeater converter110, RF repeater115, energy sensors120, RF signal strength sensors or RF display devices140. This figure shows RF device200alinked to RF device200bover wireless communication link150a, and RF device200blinked to RF device200dover communication link150b. RF device200dis linked to RF device200cover communication link150eand to the repeater converter110. RF device200cis linked to repeater converter110over communication link150c. The repeater converter110is linked to the energy management station100over a direct link205. The energy management station100is connected to a database103.

With any communication network tying together energy sensors, it is important to ensure the robustness of the network. Typically this is sometimes taken for granted with a wired communication system; however, even in a wired case problems may appear and data can be lost. With a wireless network, especially a low powered, adhoc network such as mesh wireless communication system, critical paths may be disabled and communication between energy sensors and energy management station or data storage location may be delayed. In a wireless communication network, especially an ad-hoc mesh network, there may be additional reasons to employ a communication validation function. A communication validation function may provide a measure of robustness or redundancy between communication paths. This may be during the commissioning of a system to ensure better operation after the commissioning process.

The present embodiments' energy management station100, RF display device140, and RF signal strength sensor may have a user display that can show the RF routing paths available between various RF devices. This information can be coupled with the physical location of the device if it is known and the present embodiments are capable of showing the possible routing paths as well as indicating the strength of each RF link. The RF display device140, RF signal strength sensor and energy management station100may be able to analyze this data and indicate the best locations to add repeaters or sensors. Alternatively the installer or commissioner may be able to quickly pick out the best locations for an RF repeater115based on the presentation of the routing paths and signal strengths. For example,FIG. 2is a representation that may be displayed to the installer. Each RF link150shown may include an indication of signal strength such as a number, symbol, bar indicators or colors that indicate the signal strength over the communication link150. In addition, a distance, signal to noise ratio, and error rate of the communication path may be calculated, stored in a database103, and shown on the diagram. The distance for a communication path may be determined by sending a small communication “distance ping” between two RF devices and determining the distance based on the time the distance ping was sent and received at a RF device, hardware delay, and speed of communication medium.

There is a need to represent link quality between nodes using a simple measure. While the link quality can be disclosed using signal to noise ratio or bit error rate, the meaning of these terms are not always well understood by operators. A way to compile this data or engineering measures to a common link quality indicator is important. One method of representing the link quality between nodes can be through a number of nines indicator. For example, 2 number of nines may indicate that 99% or 99 out of 100 communication packets are successfully transmitted over the link. This could be referred to as probability of success. The communication validation function may be able to indicate the number of nines between two individual nodes directly or between two individual nodes using a network of intermediate nodes.

This representation of link quality may be able to indicate were wireless mesh repeaters need to be moved or added to increase the robustness of the mesh network while keeping the costs of adding additional repeater low. The communication validation function may be able to include redundant intermediate paths using various intermediate nodes between two communicating mesh nodes or a mesh node and the energy management system within the calculation of link quality indication.

The communication validation function may alarm when one or more communication links throughout the energy management system fall below a certain link quality. The alarm may be triggered by a percentage drop in the link quality from a normal or average link quality for a specific communication link or when the link quality passes a preset threshold. This link quality may be a representation such as the number of nines discussed above or signal to noise ratio measured between two RF devices. The communication validation function may alarm when communication to a node or through a communication path is no longer viable.

One way the communication validation function may ensure a good wireless communication network is to track the path taken by at least some of the packets.

Each RF device200may add a marker to packets it passes. The marker may be a few bits of information incorporated within or added on to either end of the communication packet1000. The route information1020within the communication packet1000may be used to contain this “route taken” information.

Alternatively, each RF device200may simply store an identification information from the communication packet to indicate that it received the packet. This identification information may be stored in the RF device200along with course of action information. For example, each RF device200may contain a log containing identification of each packet it received or created, where the packet was received from, time the packet was received, and what action was taken such as retransmitting the packet to the mesh network. This communication log may be transmitted to the energy management station100at a preset interval or upon request from the energy management station100. Alternatively, the communication log may be transmitted due to an failure within the mesh network or RF device200. The communication log may either be pushed from the RF device200to the energy management station100or be requested by the energy management station100. The communication log may be used by the communication validation function to track the use of the mesh network.

The communication verification function may be able to indicate the existence, usage and reliability of wireless links formed within the mesh network. For example, inFIG. 2, through analyzing the path at least some of the communication packets1000took, the communication verification function may be able to indicate that communications paths150a-150eas shown connect RF devices200a,200b,200c,200dand the repeater converter110. In addition, the communication verification function may be able to determine the number of proven paths a specific RF device200may be able to use to communication to the energy management station. For example, RF device200dmay use mesh link150dto communication directly to the repeater converter110or may use wireless link150e, RF device200c, and wireless link150cto communicate to the repeater converter110. The communication verification function may be able to determine critical paths such as indicated by RF device200bwith only one wireless link150bto get information to RF device200dand the rest of the network. Conceivably, if either wireless path150bor RF device200dwere not functioning properly or unavailable, the data in RF device200aand RF device200bwould be unable to reach the energy management station100. The communication verification function may be able to detect this possibility of only one critical path and take action such as create an alarm or indication to the user. The number of redundant paths required may be set by the user or commissioner of the system. For instance, the system may be set to ensure that there are at least 3 independent paths.

The communication verification function may temporarily disable certain wireless paths to check if the mesh network is able to generate a backup or redundant path. The command may indicate to only stop for a set amount of time or to stop until another command is received to resume. Before temporarily disabling the communication link150, the communication verification function may send a command to a device to transmit a message at a regular interval. By temporarily disabling a certain wireless path or a RF device200from repeating any mesh signals, the communication verification function may be able to find out if an alternate path exists. For example inFIG. 2, the communication verification function may send a message to RF device200aor RF device200bto transmit a packet to the energy management station100at a regular interval 1 minute interval. The internal may be set to any length. Then the communication verification function may send a signal or communication packet to RF device200dto stop retransmitting packets on the mesh network or the instruction may be more specific to stop transmitting packets sent from RF device200bto the mesh network for 5 minutes. By effectively disabling the communication path150b, the communication verification function is able to verify if the mesh network is able to adopt and determine if there is an alternate path. For instance, in the example above, the mesh network may find an alternate wireless path between RF device200aand RF device200din which the wireless path150bis not critical to operation but perhaps RF device200dis critical. Further the communication verification function may send a command to RF device200dto temporarily stop repeating any mesh communication from either RF device200aor RF device200b. In this case, the communication verification function may be able to determine if there is a link between RF device200aor RF device200bto any other the other RF devices200besides RF device200d. The communication verification function may alarm or set off an alarm within the energy management system100. The alarm may be transmitted over the wireless mesh network to a handheld device or mobile indicator140.

If the communication verification device is unable to determine enough alternate paths exists for the mesh network reliability, it may indicate that an additional repeater115or RF device200should be installed. The communication verification function may be able to indicate the general or specific area that this repeater115should be installed. Alternately, the communication verification function may indicate which RF nodes need an alternate communication path. For instance, as shown inFIG. 3, a RF repeater115was added that created direct links to RF device200a, RF device200band RF device200cover wireless communication links150g,150hand150i.

Referring toFIG. 4, an embodiment of mesh network is shown with multiple repeater converters110to used to convert the mesh wireless signals to a media and protocol that is able to interface with the energy management station. The communication path205between the repeater converters110aand110bmay be two independent communication connection from each repeater converters110aand110bto independent communication ports on the energy management station100such as but not limited to an RS 232 or USB connection. Alternately, these may share a signal communication interface such as but not limited to a wired or wireless Ethernet connection or RS-485 link. The repeater converter110amay be sufficient to send and receive communication to the whole of the mesh network; however, repeater converter110bmay be added to increase reliability of the mesh network. This repeater converter110bmay function as a mesh repeater to hop signals from RF device200ato RF device200cand may function as an additional path for the RF mesh devices200to send and receive communication packets1000to the energy management station100. This may reduce possibility of a network outage if repeater converter110ais temporarily unavailable.

The repeater converters110aand110binFIG. 4may communicate to each other which RF devices200each are primarily responsible for communication. For instance, repeater converter110bmay primarily repeat communication packets1000between the energy management station100and RF devices200aand200bwhile repeater converter110amay be the preferred mesh path for communication packets1000between the energy management station100and RF devices200cand200d. This organization between the repeater converters110bmay be a function of better quality data links to destination RF devices200, lower number of hops to destination RF devices and load balancing of communication packets1000between the RF devices200. In addition, the RF devices200and the repeater converters110aand110bmay alter their RF transmission power such that messages are only received by RF devices200within a limited RF range. This may allow for more than one message to be simultaneously carried by the mesh network. For example, this may allow repeater converter110ato communicate to RF device200dat the same time repeater converter110bis communication with RF device200a.

The RF devices200may determine the next RF device200that is typically the successful wireless path of communication packets1000sent to a specific destination. The RF device200may send the next communication packet it receives that has the same specific destination to the specific RF device200on the first retransmission attempt such to reduce the number of RF collisions by other RF devices200receiving and retransmitting the communication packet. For example, inFIG. 3, a wireless communication packet1000sent from RF devices200awith a target destination of the energy management station110may be able to be reached by both the RF device200band RF repeater115and potentially retransmitted from both. However, typically the quickest or most successful path for mesh communication from this RF device200aincludes the RF repeater115and not the RF device200b. This may be determined by RF device200afrom a communication packet1000from the energy management station100, RF device200bor RF repeater115acknowledging the receipt of the information and the most successful wireless path used to deliver the communication packet1000. Alternately the data integrity function in the energy management station100may determine the best wireless paths of the communication packet1000it received and if the that path was specified by the originating RF device200aand any intermediate RF devices200. If the path was not specified or incorrectly specified, the data integrity function may and for at least one specific destination and send out communication packets1000with instruction to specific RF devices200on the preferred path to use to retransmit data to that one specific destination to the RF devices200. With this information, the next communication packet1000sent by RF device200amay be specifically addressed to only be repeated by repeater115to the energy management station100. Repeater115may interpret the communication packet1000is to be sent to the energy management station100and then using it's own determined best path to the energy management station100, repeat the transmission and specifically address RF device200cwhich would then repeat it specifically to repeater converter110which would convert the communication packet1000to interface to the communication link205and send the communication packet to the energy management station100. The data integrity function within energy management station100may analyze the communication path taken by the packet, log the communication path taken, or instruct RF devices200within the mesh network of an alternate communication path this use with the next communication packet1000targeted to the same nodes.

The RF devices200and IED135may contain the data integrity function where the data integrity function includes routines to clean or self healing of the data. This may be referred to as a data validation engine (“DVE”) and at least a portion may be contained with the energy management station100. This data integrity function may include a self healing function where missing data is filled in or rebuilt from logged data within the original device or from other sensors. An example of this where energy data may be monitored at an incoming point at a certain energy junction as well as the outgoing points where one of the monitoring points data logs are missing data. The self healing function may recognize that energy metering flow into and out of this junction point nets zero meaning all energy supplied to this junction is accounting for by the outgoing energy meters. For example, inFIG. 1, the energy measured by IED135is distributed by the two feeders measured by energy sensors120band120c. If data is missing from energy sensor120b, the self healing function may be able to calculate the missing data from subtracting any data measured in energy sensor120bfrom IED135. Alternately, if the data is missing from both energy sensor120band120c, the self healing function may be able to determine the average percentage of energy delivered via both feeders and divide the energy measured by IED135. Alternatively, if the data is missing from IED135and the energy sensor120c, the self healing function may be able to closely estimate the IED135from the measured data in energy sensor120band the percentage energy that energy sensor120btypically monitors of the whole energy delivered by IED135. This type of data healing may occur from any of the energy sensors120or IED135within the system with some logged or preset data of the relationships between the energy sensors120or the IED135.

Referring now toFIG. 9, an exemplary flowchart is used to illustrate one embodiment for monitoring data quality within a RF device200or IED135used within an energy management system. This example depicts a data quality system that includes at least one of two methods of verifying the quality of the energy data measured by a sensor or receive over communication packet from another sensor. These two methods are a validation and estimation of the energy data and a communication acknowledgment system. The blocks or sections within the data quality system960may span over multiple devices. Alternately, some of the validation, estimation and editing (“VEE”) functions or additional VEE functions may be performed in the energy management station100. The data quality system960is processed on at least one of measured energy data (block962) and energy data received over communication network (block964). The energy data or communication packet1000received may be stored in memory (block966) within the device such as but not limited to memory855. Storing the energy data in block966may be optional portion of this process and in some cases the whole communication packet1000may alternatively be stored with a memory. Alternately the energy data may come from historical data records already stored with the memory as shown in block961. The data quality process960may include a validation and estimation functions which may included one or more of the processes indicated by blocks968,970,972,974,976,978,980,982,984,986and987. The validation and estimation functions are described in the description the follows. If the validation and estimation functions are not included in the data quality process960, the process moves from storing the energy data in block966to transmitting the data to the network in block988. The data quality system960may include a communication acknowledgement system shown in block990,992and994discuss in the description to follow. If the data integrity system does not include the communication acknowledgment system, it may be complete at block988.

The communication acknowledgement system may wait for an acknowledgment to be received from another RF device200used to further transmit the communication packet1000to a designated endpoint or from the endpoint itself once it has received the communication packet1000either directly or through other RF devices200. This waiting for acknowledgment is shown in block990. If the acknowledgment is not received within a set amount of time as shown in block992, the communication packet may be retransmitted to the network in block998. The RF device200may change the communication packet1000before retransmitting to the network to affect routing within the network. Alternatively, the RF device200may use another method of communication if available. An example, the alternate method of communication may be but not limited to a backup method of communication using an interface over a plain old telephone system (“POTS”) line, a paging network, cellular network, alternate radio frequency or modulation, or a satellite connection. Using this communication validation system, once an acknowledgment is received, the data that may still be stored with the memory of the RF device200or IED135is marked as received by the endpoint or a subsequent RF device200within a wireless communication network.

The RF devices200and IED135data integrity function may include a validation function, estimation function and editing function. Any individual function or combination of these three functions may reside within a validation, estimation, editing (“VEE”) function. This VEE function may exist in any of the energy sensors120, repeaters115, and repeater converters110within the mesh network. The VEE function may comprise of one or more VEE rules. These VEE rules may comprise any number of validation rules, estimation rules and editing rules. Placing VEE functions and VEE rules into the IED135or RF devices200directly may reduce the processing burden on the energy management station100. In addition, any users that use an energy management station100that does not include a VEE module may still benefit when the actual measurement devices, such as the EED135or RF device200, or communication devices, such as the RF repeater115, RF repeater converter110, or any hardware used to receive and transmit communication packets, contain VEE functionality at the device level. The VEE function may be able to process a measurement or logged measurement made by an energy sensor120or EED135to ensure that reading complies with any preset VEE rules.

FIG. 9indicates one embodiment of this validation and estimation process within blocks968,970,972,974,976,978,980,982,984,986and987. As energy data enter this process at block968from either blocks961,962or964(may pass through block966) a validation process is run against the data using one or more validation rules. If the data passes the validation process at block970, the data is marked as validated meaning it has passed validation at block972and is transmitted to the network at block988. If the data did not pass the validation process at block970, it may be marked as failing validation at block974and may have estimation process and rules run on the energy data at976. This estimation process may use data from other RF devices200, IED135, or historical energy data intervals. At block978, if unable to calculate an estimation value using available estimation rules, the data is marked with an estimation failed indication (block986) as may stored within the memory (block987) for further editing or to run through this estimation process once new data is received or measured. If at block978, the estimation process is successful, the data may be marked as estimated (block980) and may have a validation process (block986) run against the newly estimated value. This validation process (block986) may use different validation rules from the validation process at block968. If the validation process is successful (block984), the data may be marked as passing validation; however, the data may retain the estimation indication from block980. The data or data record may then be stored or updated in the memory of the device at block987. If the second validation process was unsuccessful (block984), the data may be marked as estimation failed and may be stored within the memory (block987) for further editing or to run through the estimation process once new data is received or measured. The data may be transmitted on to the network at block988and carry through the process as already described.

For example, a validation rules may include but are not limited to the following examples. For example, a validation rule may check that the measured energy used over an specific interval does not exceed a maximum, check to ensure the energy readings did not increase by more than a set amount, and check another energy meters readings to verify both energy meters are within a preset percentage of each other. Another example of a validation rule may comprise of summing up all interval data during a billing period and comparing this summation to the difference between the cumulative energy reading at the end of the billing period and the one at the start of this billing period. These two numbers should be nearly equal or within a preset percentage. A typical VEE rule may compare those two numbers and accept them if they are within x % of each other.

Another validation rule example may compare any given interval data reading to the one before, and reject it if there is more than x % difference between them. Alternatively, the validation rule may compare each interval data reading to the same interval timeframe for the previous business day, month, year etc. For example, the kWh reading on Thursday from 10:15 to 10:30 should be within y % of the kWh reading on Wednesday from 10:15 to 10:30.

Another validation rule example may compare each interval data between a main meter and a backup or secondary meter. Typically all revenue metering points are nearby such that a wired or wireless communication would be possible. Again, these reading may be validated if they are within x % of each other. Typically x % may be a function of the meter's accuracy such that, for example, if both meters are class 0.2 meters, the difference between their readings should be less than 0.4%. Of course, it may be set to any value.

Another validation rule may be where the meter, RF device200or IED135may proactively recognize when specific events happen (error codes, power cycles . . . ) and flag the relevant intervals as requiring an estimation rule or editing rule. Alternatively, in the case that a measurement does not pass with a specific validation rule, the VEE function may flag the relevant interval to require an estimation rule or editing rule. This flag indication may be stored along side the measurement value or within the same set of data within the log memory855. This indication flag may be resilient or be made to be resilient so that the flag may remain with this set of data for the life of the data.

The estimation function may estimate the value based on previously logged measurement data, data from other sensors or alternatively mark the data unclean and wait for additional measurements. The VEE function may then use these new measurements and may use previous recorded measurements to estimate the data and replace the data. The VEE function may request data from other meters to assist the validation and estimation process. The new estimated value may have to pass the validation function before it is recorded in the memory log as valid data. An estimated value may be generated when the data being tested does not pass the validation function within the IED135or RF device200, the data is missing, the data is corrupt or otherwise unavailable.

Estimation rules that may be applied within the IED135or RF device200may include but are not limited to the following example. One example is an estimation rule that may replace bad or missing interval data with readings for the same intervals coming from the backup meter. This information may be transferred over a wired link, power line carrier, or a wireless communication link such as but not limited to IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11s optical link, or a wireless mesh network. When only one interval is missing or flagged as bad, an estimation rule may use the difference between cumulative energy reading at billing period end and cumulative energy reading at billing period start minus summation of all good interval data. For example, the billing period may begin at the start of the day and end at the completion of the day. The estimation may be calculate by the difference of the cumulative energy recorded at the beginning of the day and the cumulative energy reading at the end of the day minus the summation of all the energy demand intervals throughout the day. Another example of an estimation rule is using the average interval consumption for this site or using the same interval the day before.

The editing function may interface with a user interface, such as a display and keypad, on the IED135or RF device200and allow an operator to edit a recorded data value. The editing function may further comprise an editing rule that only allows data that was unable to pass the validation or estimation functions to be edited. Any data that has been edited may be marked with a flag to so indicate it has been edited. In addition, it may be marked by who the edit took place. The edit indication flag may be resilient or be made to be resilient such that the flag stays with the data for the life of the data. Another example of an editing rule may comprise a security process to ensure the operator attempting to change the value is authorized to edit a data value. The security process and authorization may be unique for different recorded values. For example, a recorded value such as an energy reading that may affect a bill may require different authorization than editing a voltage value. The editing process may involve the user using another device such as a handheld device635which comprises an user interface and is operative to communicate to the IED135or RF device200to edit a data value. Alternately, the energy management station100may be used to provide the user interface to allow the data value to be edited. This energy management station100may allow this edit process to be run locally at the energy management station100. Alternatively, the energy management station100may allow the edit to take place on the EED135or RF device200providing a user interface to the device via a communication link.

As part of the VEE function, the following interval data flags may be used. Raw data flag or no flag may indicate the data has not been through any VEE function. Any edited or estimated data may contain an edited/estimated flag. For Edited data, a trace also may be kept of the person who edited this data based on the authorization process or a user ID. Any data that has passed validation process may be marked with a validation passed flag. Any data that has failed a validation process may be marked with a validation failed flag. A verified data flag may indicate that data has failed at least one of the required validation checks but was determined to represent actual usage by either another validation flag or through an editing process. Typically a set of data may have some of its flags change as it progresses through the validation process; however, there may be 1 exception that is when the estimated or edited indication flag is set, it is resilient and remains with the specific set of data for the life of this set of data. For example, the meter accumulates a load profile for 24 hours, but the 9:00 to 9:15 interval is missing for whatever reason. The first validation attempts failed because of this missing interval, and the whole set of data is being marked as having failed validation. Then the meter estimates and creates this interval through one of the mechanisms described earlier, and flags this interval as having been estimated. Then, the whole set of data goes through validation again, and, this time, passes. At this point, the entire set of data gets marked as having passed validation, but the interval that was estimated remains marked as such forever, even though it is now part of a set of validated data.

The VEE function within the specific IED135, energy sensor120or other RF devices200may be able to request another measurement is taken by the original measurement device or another IED135or RF device200to assist in the validation and estimation process. Having the IED135or energy sensor120make this request rather than a VEE function on the energy management station100may decrease time required to take an unscheduled measurement to assist in the VEE function.

Whenever data is rebuilt from other data using the self healing function, VEE function, or other calculations, a confidence value or indicator may be generated to be stored with the data. This confidence value may indicate the level of confidence or cleanliness of the data. The confidence value may be contain a statistical probability indication of the data used within the log especially if the data was calculated using averages from the data log. In addition, the confidence value may indicate the accuracy of the sensor used to measure, calculate, or generate the energy data value. The data integrity function either within the energy management station100, the RF devices200or the IED135may alarm if the confidence level is outside of a preset tolerance or has significantly altered from historical levels.