Patent ID: 7366773

Claim:
A method of conveying a first data record comprising information about a first transformer, the first transformer having a primary side adapted to receive power from a first feeder bus at a first voltage and a secondary side adapted to output power at a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage, the first data record moving from a first transmitter on the secondary side of the first transformer to a receiver in data communication with the first feeder bus, the method comprising: creating the first data record for output from the first transmitter, the first data record comprising information about the operation of the first transformer; transmitting the first data record onto a portion of an electrical distribution network using a power line carrier frequency; receiving at the receiver the first data record from the first transmitter comprising information about the first transformer through a second feeder bus that does not provide power to the primary side of the first transformer; decoding the first data record to identify that the data record was transmitted from the first transmitter and comprises information about the operation of the first transformer and; wherein the step of transmitting the first data record onto the portion of the electrical distribution network using the power line carrier frequency comprises transmitting the first data record onto the electrical distribution network between a first network protector on the secondary side of the first transformer and a local distribution network connected to the secondary side of the first transformer such that a data communication path between the first transmitter and the second feeder bus does not include the first network protector.