Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02889455 2015-04-30
Device and Method for Acquiring Electricity Utilization Information
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of power electronics, and in
particular to a device and a method for acquiring electricity utilization
information.
Background
With the high speed development of economy, influence of energy
io consumption and environmental pollution on people's life has been paid
more and more attentions. Energy-saving and emission-reduction have
become a social problem concerning national welfare and the people's
livelihood. Scientific electricity utilization with the objects of rational
and
economical electricity utilization is one of the focuses of energy-saving
and emission-reduction. Scientific electricity utilization is based upon
timely and accurate acquisition of electricity utilization information, and
energy consumption analysis and power usage management based on
the electricity utilization information.
Fig. 1 shows a technical proposal for acquiring electricity utilization
information. As shown in Fig. 1, an isolated power supply 110 is
configured to convert an input AC power into a DC power to provide a
suitable voltage VDD to a data acquisition and processing circuit 120, and
to provide a suitable voltage VCC to a RS485 circuit 130. An isolated
DC/DC circuit 150 provides electrical isolation for VDD and VCC. The
value of voltage VDD is determined from the operation voltage of the data
acquisition and processing circuit 120; and the value of voltage VCC is
determined from the operation voltage of the RS485 circuit 130. The
isolated power supply 110 generally includes an isolation transformer and
a rectifying filtering circuit wherein the isolation transformer provides an
electrical isolation. The data acquisition and processing circuit 120 is
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configured to detect an operation parameter of a power supply circuit 900.
The operation parameter may include an operation current and an
operation voltage, etc of the power supply circuit 900. An optical coupling
component 140 located between the data acquisition and processing
circuit 120 and the RS485 circuit 130 is configured to isolate signal
transmission. The RS485 circuit 130 transmits the detected operation
parameter to a remote server 190 via a RS485 bus. Generally, the
isolated power supply 110, the data acquisition and processing circuit 120,
the optical coupling component 140, the RS485 circuit 130 and the
isolated DC/DC circuit 150 are enclosed in one measuring device 100
that is mounted in a distribution box for providing operation parameters of
one power supply circuit 900 to the remote server 190. A power supply
circuit generally includes a plurality of power supply sub-circuits. For
example, a power supply circuit may include a plurality of power supply
sub-circuits such as an illumination circuit, a receptacle circuit and an air
conditioning circuit.
In practical applications, one electric energy meter is provided for
each power supply circuit (such as the power supply circuit corresponding
to the above-mentioned measuring device 100) to measure the
consumed electrical energy. However, users, especially those consuming
energy heavily in civil buildings such as state organs' office buildings and
large size public buildings, can not find possible energy-saving links with
a definite object in view since they use one electric energy meter for
providing overall electricity utilization information of the power supply
Circuit.
In order to analyze energy consumption more accurately, it is desired
to be able to monitor energy consumption of individual power supply
sub-circuits at the same time, that is, to implement divided measurement
or sub-metering of electricity utilization. It has been proposed to
implement divided measurement of electricity utilization of each power
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supply sub-circuit by the measuring device 100 shown in Fig. 1. However,
since the isolated power supply 110 has a large volume, and the isolated
DC/DC circuit 150 and the optical coupling component 140 are required
for the RS485 circuit 130, the detection device 100 is bulky. If a plurality
of
the measuring devices 100 are used to monitor a plurality of power supply
sub-circuits, a large space will be occupied. Therefore, this proposed
solution is difficult to be applied in practice.
Summary
The present invention provides a device for acquiring electricity
utilization information that can both implement divided measurement of
electricity utilization and have the advantage of smaller volume.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
device for acquiring electricity utilization information comprising: a data
is
acquisition and processing circuit configured to detect an operation
parameter about a coupleable power supply circuit; a non-isolated power
supply configured to convert an AC power into a DC power to supply an
appropriate operation voltage to the data acquisition and processing
circuit; a data communication module configured to modulate the
detected operation parameter onto a predetermined frequency, wherein
the modulated operation parameter is transmitted with a predetermined
data transmission rate, and the predetermined frequency is higher than
the predetermined data transmission rate such that the transmitted
operation parameter can be demodulated; and an isolation component
configured to provide electrical isolation and signal transmission isolation
to isolate the modulated operation parameter.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
method for acquiring electricity utilization information comprising:
converting an AC power into a DC power to provide an appropriate
operation voltage; detecting an operation parameter of a coupleable
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power supply circuit with the operation voltage; modulating the detected
operation parameter onto a predetermined frequency, wherein the
modulated operation parameter is transmitted with a predetermined data
transmission rate, and the predetermined frequency is higher than the
predetermined data transmission rate such that the transmitted operation
parameter can be demodulated; and providing electrical isolation and
signal transmission isolation to isolate the modulated operation
parameter.
In the device for acquiring electricity utilization information according
io to the present invention, a non-isolated power supply is used to supply
an
operation voltage to a data acquisition and processing circuit, and a data
communication module modulates an operation parameter detected by
the data acquisition and processing circuit onto a predetermined
frequency. In addition, an isolation component for achieving electrical
is isolation and signal transmission isolation is further provided to
perform a
coupling isolation for the modulated operation parameter. Therefore, the
device not only can realize divided measurement of electricity utilization,
but also have the advantage of smaller volume. It is easy for the device
for acquiring electricity unzation information according to the present
20 invention to be applied widely in practice.
Brief Description of Drawings
The above-mentioned and other features, characteristics,
advantages and benefits of the present invention will become more
25 apparent by the detailed description in conjunction with accompanying
drawings, wherein:
Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional device for
acquiring electricity utilization information;
Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a device for acquiring
30 electricity utilization information according to one embodiment of the
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present invention;
Fig. 3A is a schematic diagram showing a non-isolated power supply
according to one embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 3B is a schematic diagram showing a non-isolated power supply
according to another embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 4A is a schematic diagram showing an ASK (amplitude shift
keying) modulation pattern according to one embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 4B is a schematic diagram showing an FSK (frequency shift
io keying) modulation pattern according to another embodiment of the
present invention;
Fig. 40 is a schematic diagram showing a PSK (phase shift keying)
modulation pattern according to yet another embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 5 is a flow chart of a method for acquiring electricity utilization
information according to one embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a device for acquiring
electricity utilization information according to another embodiment of the
present invention;
Fig. 7 shows a schematic diagram of modulating an operation
parameter by use of an ASK modulation mode according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a device for acquiring
electricity utilization information according to another embodiment of the
present invention;
Fig. 9 is a flow chart of a method of generating a control signal
according to one embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a device for acquiring
electricity utilization information according to yet another embodiment of
the present invention;
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Fig. 11 shows a schematic diagram of an operation of a simulating
leaking device according to one embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a device for acquiring
electricity utilization information according to yet another embodiment of
the present invention;
Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a device for acquiring
electricity utilization information according to yet another embodiment of
the present invention; and
Fig. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a system for acquiring
electricity utilization information according to one embodiment of the
present invention.
Like reference numerals indicate similar or corresponding features or
functions throughout the figures.
Detailed Description
Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a device for acquiring
electricity utilization information according to one embodiment of the
present invention. As shown in Fig. 2, a non-isolated power supply 210 is
configured to convert an input AC power into a DC power to provide an
appropriate operation voltage VDD to a data acquisition and processing
circuit 220. The value of voltage VDD is determined according to the
operation voltage of the data acquisition and processing circuit 220. The
data acquisition and processing circuit 220 is configured to detect an
operation parameter of a coupleable power supply circuit 900A. The
operational parameter may include an operation current, an operation
voltage, a residual current, a power factor and an operation temperature,
etc. of the power supply circuit 900A. Here, the power supply circuit 900A
may be the power supply circuit 900 for one measuring device 100 shown
in Fig. 1, or may be any one of sub-circuits that constitute the power
supply circuit 900. In one embodiment, the power supply circuit 900A is
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an illumination circuit. In another embodiment, the power supply circuit
900A is an air conditioning circuit. A data communication module 230 is
configured to modulate the detected operation parameter onto a
predetermined frequency, wherein the modulated operation parameter is
transmitted with a predetermined data transmission rate, and the
predetermined frequency should be much higher than the predetermined
data transmission rate such that the transmitted operation parameter can
be demodulated. In one embodiment, when the data transmission rate is
expressed by a bit rate (or baud rate B) (the data transmission rate may
lo also be expressed by a "bit time (Td)" that is the time required for
transmitting one binary bit, Td=1/B), if the data transmission rate is 9600
bps (namely baud rate B=9600 bits per second), then the predetermined
frequency is 120 kHz or higher, such that a receiving end for receiving the
modulated operation parameter can demodulate the operation parameter
accurately. An isolation component 240 is configured to perform a
coupling isolation for the modulated operation parameter. The isolation
component 240 is a passive coupling isolation component. In one
embodiment, the isolation component 240 is a magnetic coupling
isolation transformer with a primary to secondary turn ratio of 1:1. The
isolation component 240 can enhance immunity from interference of
communication while providing electrical isolation and signal transmission
isolation.
Fig. 3A shows one embodiment of the non-isolated power supply 210
shown in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 3A, the non-isolated power supply 210A
includes: a step-down capacitor Cl, a rectifying filtering circuit composed
of a diode D1 and a capacitor 02, and a voltage stabilizing circuit
composed of a diode D2 and a voltage stabilizer Si. The step-down
capacitor Cl is configured to decrease an electric potential generated by
at least one phase AC power of a three phase AC power. The AC power
with the reduced potential is rectified by the diode D1 and filtered by the
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filter 02, and then supplied to the diode 02 and the voltage stabilizer Si.
The diode D2 and the voltage stabilizer Si stabilize the voltage output
from the filter C2. The voltage-regulated power supply U1 may be used to
provide an operation voltage VDD to the data acquisition and processing
circuit 220 shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 3B is a schematic diagram showing a non-isolated power supply
210B according to another embodiment of the present invention. In Fig.
3B, three parallel connected step-down capacitors C1, 03 and 04 are
connected with A, B and C phases of a three-phase AC power supply,
io respectively. Diodes D1, 03 and D4 are connected with step-down
capacitors Cl, C3 and 04, respectively and diodes D1, D3 and 04 are all
connected with the filtering capacitor C2 so as to constitute a rectifying
filtering circuit for rectifying and filtering the AC power with reduced
voltage. The diode D2 and the voltage stabilizer Si control the
is stabilization of the output voltage U1. The non-isolated power supply
shown in Fig. 3B can provide a stabilized voltage U1 in case that one or
two phases of the three-phase AC power supply fail, thereby enhancing
the system's reliability.
In the device 200 for acquiring electricity utilization information
20 shown in Fig. 2, the data communication module 230 may utilize an ASK
modulation mode to modulate an operation parameter onto a
predetermined frequency; may also utilize an FSK modulation mode to
modulate an operation parameter onto a predetermined frequency; or
may also utilize a PSK modulation mode to modulate an operation
25 parameter onto a predetermined frequency. Figs. 4A, 4B and 40 show
schematic diagrams of modulating an operation parameter with the ASK,
FSK and PSK modulation modes respectively.
In the device 200 for acquiring electricity utilization information
shown in Fig. 2, the data communication module 230 for modulating an
30 operation parameter onto a predetermined frequency can be
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implemented by a computer software or by a hardware circuit. The data
communication module 230 may be a module independent of the data
acquisition and processing circuit 220 or may be also integrated in the
data acquisition and processing circuit 220. Furthermore, in the device
200 for acquiring electricity utilization information shown in Fig. 2, a
display component may be further provided to in time display operation
parameters detected by the data acquisition and processing circuit 220.
As compared with the measuring device 100 shown in Fig. 1, since
no isolated power supply 110 is used and no isolated DC/DC circuit 150
lo and optical coupling component 140 for the RS485 circuit 130 are
provided, it is possible to significantly reduce the volume of the device
200 for acquiring electricity utilization information when the non-isolated
power supply 210, the data acquisition and processing circuit 220, the
data communication module 230 and the isolation component 240 are
assembled in one box to be used as the device 200 (shown in Fig. 2).
Fig. 5 is a flow chart of a method for acquiring electricity utilization
information according to one above-mentioned embodiment of the
present invention. As shown in Fig. 5, firstly, at least one phase AC power
of a three-phase AC power supply is converted into a DC power by a
non-isolated power supply 210 to provide an appropriate operation
voltage VDD to a data acquisition and processing circuit 220 (step S10).
The value of voltage VDD is determined according to the operation
voltage of the data acquisition and processing circuit 220. The data
acquisition and processing circuit 220 detects an operation parameter of
the power supply circuit 900A (step S20). The operational parameter may
include an operation current, an operation voltage, a residual current, a
power factor and an operation temperature and so on of the power supply
circuit 900A. A data communication module 230 modulates the detected
operation parameter onto a predetermined frequency (step S30), wherein
the modulated operation parameter is transmitted with a predetermined
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data transmission rate, and the predetermined frequency should be much
higher than the predetermined data transmission rate such that the
transmitted operation parameter can be demodulated. An isolation
component 240 performs a coupling isolation for the modulated operation
parameter (step S40). The coupling isolation may include an electrical
isolation and signal transmission isolation. The isolation component 240
is a passive coupling isolation component. In one embodiment, the
isolation component 240 is a magnetic coupling isolation transformer with
a primary to secondary turn ratio of 1:1.
Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a device for acquiring
electricity utilization information according to another embodiment of the
present invention. In Fig. 6, a non-isolated power supply 310, a data
acquisition and processing circuit 320, a data communication module 330,
and an isolation component 340 have identical or similar structures and
is
functions with the non-isolated power supply 210, the data acquisition and
processing circuit 220, the data communication module 230 and the
isolation component 240 as shown in Fig. 2, respectively, and thus the
description thereof will be omitted herein for simplicity. Since no isolated
power supply is used, it is possible to significantly reduce the volume of a
device 300 for acquiring electricity utilization information when the
non-isolated power supply 310, the data acquisition and processing
circuit 320, the data communication module 330 and the isolation
component 340 are assembled in one box to be used as the device 300.
In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, the data communication module
330 modulates an operation parameter associated with a power supply
circuit 900B detected by the data acquisition and processing circuit 320
onto a predetermined frequency. The modulated operation parameter is
output to a bus 800 via the isolation component 340 and then transmitted
to a remote server 700 at a predetermined data transmission rate. The
bus 800 can transmit data by means of a bus contention communication
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mode, as to be detailed below with reference to Fig. 7. The remote server
700 may receive the operation parameter transmitted via said bus 800
and generate electricity utilization information from the operation
parameter. The electricity utilization information is supplied to a user (for
example, displayed to the user), which can be used for energy
consumption analysis and electricity utilization management of the user.
In one embodiment, the power supply circuit 900B is an illumination
circuit. According to the operation parameter such as the operation
voltage and the operation current of the power supply circuit 900B, the
io remote server 700 can calculate the electrical energy consumed by the
illumination circuit. In case of too high energy consumption, certain
measures should be taken to avoid waste of power. For example, it is
possible to control the lighting switching times or replace energy-saving
lighting appliances according to the demand for the illumination
is environment.
The bus contention communication mode used by the bus 800 will be
described in detail below with reference to Fig. 7. In one embodiment
using an ASK modulation mode, a bit "0" is defined as a transmission
mode (that is, the bus is in an occupied state), and a bit "1" is defined as
20 an idle mode (that is, the bus is in an idle state). Fig. 7 is a
schematic
diagram showing modulating data (namely, an operation parameter) with
the ASK modulation mode. In one embodiment, it is prescribed that "0"
has a higher priority than "1". A priority of data to be transmitted is
expressed with a set of binary numerals of bits "0" and "1" as a control
25 field. Generally, data requiring urgent processing has a higher priority
than data representing ordinary information. For example, when an
operation temperature of the power supply circuit 900B is high and tends
to cause fire, it is required to send an alarm signal to the remote server
700 for prompting the user that a potential electrical safety hazard may
30 exist in the power supply circuit 900B. As compared with the priority of
the
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signal that for example indicates the energy consumed by the power
supply circuit 900B, the priority of the alarm signal should be set higher.
Different types of data to be transmitted may be set with respective
priorities in advance. In a preferred embodiment, the control field
representing priority is set in a data frame at a position close to a frame
head as much as possible.
According to the bus contention communication mode, a
communication device such as the data communication module 330
needs to listen for a bus s-nultaneously while transmitting the data to be
transmitted to the bus. If it is found out that another communication
device connected with the bus is transmitting data with a higher priority,
then the communication device must stop transmission of the data and
exit bus contention. In the above-mentioned embodiment, if the control
field for representing priority of data to be transmitted as sent via the
is isolation component 340 by the data communication module 330 has a bit
value 1, and the control field for representing priority of data to be
transmitted as sent by another communication device and received via
the bus has a bit value 0, then this indicates that a bus contention occurs
and the data transmitted by the another communication device has a
priority higher than that transmitted by the communication device.
Therefore, the communication device must stop data transmission and
give up the bus to make the bus available for said another communication
device.
With the bus contention communication mode, data requiring urgent
processing can take precedence for transmission, which improves the
response speed of the system.
In addition, as shown in Fig. 7, a signal modulated by the data
communication module 330 is an AC signal. Since an AC signal is
transmitted on the bus 800, even when one communication node (e.g.,
the device 300 for acquiring electricity utilization information) fails, the
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communication node can still exhibit a certain AC impedance on the bus
800, which therefore will not cause short circuit of the entire
communication line for transmission over the bus 800, so as to effectively
improve the stability of the system. Furthermore, since the
communication node can not transmit data, it is possible to locate the
failed node quickly.
The device for acquiring electricity utilization information proposed
according to the present invention can implement a divided measurement
of electricity utilization. Furthermore, the detected power supply circuit is
io analyzed to determine from the modulated operation parameter whether
there is any potential electrical safety hazard such as electrical leakage,
overload, and abnormal power line loss in the detected power supply
circuit , and thus further countermeasures such as disconnecting the
power supply circuit or providing warning information are taken, which is
another advantage of the present invention.
Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a device for acquiring
electricity utilization information according to another embodiment of the
present invention. In Fig. 8, the device includes a control unit 360. The
control unit 360 receives an operation parameter detected by a data
acquisition and processing circuit 320. By comparing the operation
parameter to a predetermined threshold, the control unit 360 can
generate a control signal for disconnecting said power supply circuit 900B
and/or an alarm signal for indicating that there is a potential electrical
safety hazard in said power supply circuit 900B.
Fig. 9 shows a specific embodiment of generating the control signal
and/or the alarm signal. As shown in Fig. 9, firstly, during a first
predetermined period of time, e.g., 20 milliseconds, the control unit 360
receives an operation voltage and an operation current about the power
supply circuit 900B as detected by the data acquisition and processing
circuit 320 at different sampling instants. Based on the operation voltage
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Ui and the operation current Ii about the power supply circuit 900B as
detected at a sampling instant Ti, it is possible to obtain the operation
power value Pi at the sampling instant Ti, namely: Pi=Ui*Ii. According to
the detected operation parameters, the control unit 360 may obtain a set
s of operation power values about the power supply circuit 900B during the
first predetermined period of time (step S710). Base on the set of
operation power values, it is possible to calculate the average of the
operation power values over the first predetermined period of time,
thereby obtaining a fast average power PF of the power supply circuit
900B (step S720). In one embodiment, N sets of operation voltages and
operation currents are acquired during the first predetermined period of
time, then:
PF=(Ui* fi)IN
It is determined from comparing the fast average power PE to a first
threshold whether or not to generate the control signal or the alarm signal
(step S730). In one solution, if the fast average power PF is greater than
the first threshold, then the control unit 360 generates the control signal
that can start the operation of disconnecting the power supply circuit
900B. In one embodiment, the control signal may be supplied to an
electric relay (not shown). By the operation of the electric relay, it is
possible to disconnect the power supply circuit 900B. If the fast average
power PF approximates the first threshold but does not exceed the first
threshold, then the control unit 360 generates an alarm signal. The alarm
signal is modulated onto a predetermined frequency by the data
communication module 330 and transmitted to the bus 800 via the
isolation component 340. The remote server 700 receives the alarm
signal via the bus 800. The alarm signal will be provided to the user,
which is used as an alerting message indicating that the power supply
circuit 900B is risking a potential electrical safety hazard. For example, it
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is possible to display the alerting message on a display; or to alert the
user by providing an illuminating device or a speaker device.
In practical applications, some electricity utilization equipments such
as an air conditioner would experience a large transient current upon
startup, which may cause the fast average power PE to exceed the first
threshold, so as to generate the control signal or the alarm signal. In order
to avoid wrongly generating of the control signal or alarm signal, several
secondary solutions are provided here. Combining one or more of these
secondary solutions with the above-mentioned method shown in Fig. 9
can enhance the accuracy of generating the control signal and/or the
alarm signal by the system.
In a secondary solution, during a second predetermined period of
time, the control unit 360 receives an operation voltage and operation
current about the power supply circuit 900B detected by the data
acquisition and processing circuit 320 at different sampling instants.
According to the detected operation voltages and operation currents, the
control unit 360 obtains a set of operation power values about said power
supply circuit during the second predetermined period of time. The
second predetermined period of time is longer than the first
zo predetermined period of time. For example, the first predetermined
period
of time is 20 milliseconds, and the second predetermined period of time is
10 seconds. According to the set of operation power values about said
power supply circuit during the second predetermined period of time, the
control unit 360 calculates a slow average power Ps of said power supply
circuit. In one embodiment, M sets of operation voltages and operation
currents are acquired during the second predetermined period of time (in
case of the same sampling rate, M>N), then:
Ps= Ciui./ipm
The control unit 360 determines from comparing the slow average
CA 02889455 2015-04-30
power Ps to a second threshold whether or not to generate the control
signal or the alarm signal. In one solution, if the fast average power PF is
greater than the first threshold and the slow average power Ps is also
greater than the second threshold, then the control signal is generated. If
the fast average power PF approximates the first threshold but does not
exceed the first threshold, and the slow average power Ps also
approximates the second threshold but does not exceed the second
threshold, then the alarm signal is generated.
In a further secondary solution, the control unit 360 calculates from
the detected operation voltages about the power supply circuit 900B an
amplitude of variation in the operation voltages. Based on the variation
amplitude of the operation voltages, it is determined whether or not to
generate the control signal or the alarm signal. For example, if the fast
average power PF is greater than the first threshold and the variation
amplitude of operation voltages from the power supply circuit 900B is also
greater than a predetermined threshold, then the control signal is
generated. If the fast average power PF approximates the first threshold
but does not exceed the first threshold, and the amplitude of variation in
operation voltages from the power supply circuit 900B does not exceed
the predetermined threshold, then the alarm signal is generated.
In a yet further secondary solution, an operation parameter detected
by the data acquisition and processing circuit 320 may include a residual
current of the power supply circuit 900B. The control unit 360 calculates
an amplitude of variation in residual currents according to the residual
currents. Based on the variation amplitude of the residual currents, it is
determined whether or not to generate the control signal or the alarm
signal. For example, if the fast average power PF is greater than the first
threshold and the amplitude of variation in residual currents of the power
supply circuit 900B is alsc greater than a predetermined threshold, then
the control signal is generated. If the fast average power PF approximates
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the first threshold but does not exceed the first threshold, and the
amplitude of variation in residual currents of the power supply circuit 900B
does not exceed the predetermined threshold, then the alarm signal is
generated. In this secondary solution, it is possible to effectively
differentiate inherent leakage of the system from dangerous leakage by
monitoring the residual current of the power supply circuit 900B. In
addition, when a climate or environment changes, inherent leakage of the
system may also change, thereby resulting in the detected residual
current with a small amplitude variation. By setting the above-mentioned
io predetermined threshold reasonably, it is possible to reduce influence
of
the climate or environment, and further to improve accuracy of generating
the control signal and/or alarm signal by the system.
In another secondary solution, an operation parameter detected by
the data acquisition and processing circuit 320 may include a power
is factor of the power supply circuit 900B. The control unit 360 determines
from the power factor whether or not to generate the alarm signal. For
example, if the power factor of the power supply circuit 900B is below a
predetermined threshold, then the alarm signal is generated.
In still further secondary solution, an operation parameter detected
20 by the data acquisition and processing circuit 320 may include an
operation temperature of the power supply circuit 900B. The control unit
360 determines from the operation temperature whether or not to
generate the control signal or the alarm signal. For example, if the
operation temperature of the power supply circuit 900B is greater than a
25 first predetermined threshold but does not exceed a second
predetermined threshold, then the alarm signal is generated. If the
operation temperature of the power supply circuit 9006 exceeds the
second predetermined threshold, then the control signal is generated.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 360
30 may also determine from odly any one of the above-mentioned secondary
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solutions whether or not to generate the control signal or the alarm signal.
The control unit 360 may also combine the above-mentioned technical
solution described with respect to Fig. 9 with any one or more of the
above-mentioned secondary solutions, or may combine two or more of
the above-mentioned secondary solutions to determine whether or not to
generate the control signal or the alarm signal. In one embodiment, the
amplitude of variation in operation voltage of the above-mentioned power
supply circuit 900B serves as a basic information of a state of the power
supply circuit, and the operation temperature of the above-mentioned
io power supply circuit 900B serves as an additional information of the
state
of the power supply circuit. The control unit 360 may determine from
combining the basic information and the additional information whether or
not to generate the control signal or the alarm signal. For example, in
case that the amplitude o variation in operation voltage of the power
supply circuit 900B exceeds a predetermined threshold, if the operation
temperature of the power supply circuit 900B also exceeds another
predetermined threshold, then the control signal is generated; but if the
operation temperature of the power supply circuit 900B does not exceed
another predetermined threshold, then the alarm signal is generated.
Since the control signal can start the operation of disconnecting the
power supply circuit 900B, and the alarm signal can in time alert the
customer to pay attention to electrical safety, the safety performance of
the monitored electricity utilization system can be enhanced further.
In the embodiment shown in Fig. 8, the control unit 360 may be an
independent module, or may also be integrated in the data acquisition
and processing circuit 320, or may also be integrated with the data
communication module 330. Since no isolated power supply is used, it is
possible to significantly reduce a volume of a device 400 for acquiring
electricity utilization information when the non-isolated power supply 310,
the data acquisition and processing circuit 320, the control unit 360, the
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data communication module 330 and the isolation component 340 are
assembled in one box to be the device 400.
Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a device for acquiring
electricity utilization information according to another embodiment of the
present invention. In Fig. 10, the device includes a simulating leakage
device 450. The simulating leakage device 450 can enter a simulating
leakage state in response to the above-mentioned control signal. While
the simulating leakage device 450 is in the simulating leakage state, the
simulating leakage device 450 simulates to generate a leakage current.
The simulated leakage current would cause an electric leakage protector
420 connected with the power supply circuit 900B to detect the leakage
current arising in the power supply circuit 900B, and then to disconnect
the power supply circuit 900B.
The operation of the simulating leakage device 450 will be described
is in detail below with reference to Fig. 11. As shown in Fig. 11, the
simulating leakage device 450 may include a switch 452 and a current
shunting line L3. The electric leakage protector 420 may include a zero
sequence transducer (not shown in the figure). In a normal operating
condition, the switch 452 is in an OFF state. A load L in the power supply
circuit 900B is supplied with power via an 1_1-L2 loop. If no leakage current
occurs in the power supply circuit 900B, the input current 11 of the power
supply circuit 900B would be substantially equal to the return current 12 of
the power supply circuit 900B. Therefore, the electric leakage protector
will not carry out an operation of disconnecting power supply circuit 900B.
When the simulating leakage device 450 receives the control signal, the
switch 452 will be closed in response to the control signal. The current 11
input into the power supply circuit 900B are shunted into a current 12 along
a branch L2 and a current 13 along a current shunting line L3, where /1= 12+
/3. That is, the closing operation of the switch 452 simulates to generate a
leakage current 13. Since 1, is not equal to 12, the electric leakage
protector
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CA 02889455 2015-04-30
420 in the L1-L2 loop would consider that a leakage current arises in the
power supply circuit 900B, and thus carry out the operation of
disconnecting the power supply circuit 900B.
In one embodiment, the switch 452 may be an electric relay. In
another embodiment, the switch 452 may be a semiconductor device
such as a transistor, an isolated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) or a metal
oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) to reduce the
driving power for the switch 452.
In the embodiment shown in Fig. 10, the simulating leakage device
450 can be assembled in a box 500 together with the non-isolated power
supply 310, the data acquisition and processing circuit 320, the data
communication module 330, the isolation component 340 and the control
unit 360, or may also be arranged outside the box 500. Similarly, the
electric leakage protector 420 can be mounted in the box 500, or may
also be arranged outside the box 500.
Since no isolated power supply is used, it is possible to significantly
reduce a volume of a device 500 for acquiring electricity utilization
information when the non-isolated power supply 310, the data acquisition
and processing circuit 320, the data communication module 330, the
isolation component 340, the control unit 360 and the simulating leakage
device 450 are assembled in one box to be the device 500.
Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a device for acquiring
electricity utilization information according to yet another embodiment of
the present invention. As compared with the device shown in Fig. 6, a
local data processing device 350 is provided. In the embodiment shown in
Fig. 12, the data communication module 330 modulates an operation
parameter about the power supply circuit 900B detected by the data
acquisition and processing circuit 320 onto a predetermined frequency.
The modulated operation parameter is output onto the bus 800 via the
isolation component 340 and transmitted to the local data processing
CA 02889455 2015-04-30
device 350 via the bus 800 The local data processing device 350 reports
the operation parameter to the remote server 700 via a transmission line
810. The transmission line 810 may use a bus contention communication
mode. The transmission line 810 may be any one of the three AC power
lines; or may also be a dedicated communication line, such as an
Ethernet line, twisted pair line or telephone line, etc. The remote server
700 implements energy consumption analysis and electricity utilization
management according to the received operation parameter.
After receiving the operation parameter transmitted via the bus 800,
io the local data processing device 350 may forward the operation
parameter to the remote server 700 directly, or may first generate custom
information for the power supply circuit 900B by preliminary processing of
the operation parameter, and then transmit the custom information to the
remote server 700. In one embodiment, the local data processing device
is 350 may calculate from the operation parameter an electrical energy
consumed by the power supply circuit 9006 during a predetermined time
of period (for example one day) and send the consumed electrical energy
as the custom information to the remote server 700.
Furthermore, the local data processing device 350 can not only
zo receive and process the operation parameter about the power supply
circuit provided by one box 300, but also can receive and process the
operation parameters of corresponding power supply circuits transmitted
via the bus 800 by a plurality of boxes 300. The local data processing
device 350 transmits the operation parameters provided by one or more
25 of boxes 300 as the electricity utilization information to the remote
server
700.
The solution of generating the control signal or alarm signal by the
control unit 360 and various secondary solutions as described above with
reference to Fig. 9 may also be implemented by the local data processing
30 device 350. In other words, the local data processing device 350 may
also
21
CA 02889455 2015-04-30
compare a received operation parameter with a predetermined threshold
to generate a control signal for disconnecting the power supply circuit
900B or an alarm signal. In one embodiment, the local data processing
device 350 provides the generated control signal to the box 300 via the
bus 800. The isolation component 340 in the box 300 may receive the
control signal transmitted via the bus 800 and provide the control signal to
the data communication module 330. The data communication module
330 receives the control signal transmitted via the isolation component
340 and starts the operation of disconnecting said power supply circuit
io according to the control signal. In one embodiment, the data
communication module 330 may provide the control signal to an electric
relay (not shown); and trigger an electric leakage protector by an
operation of the relay to disconnect the power supply circuit 900B.
Furthermore, the solution of generating the control signal or alarm
is signal by the control unit 360 and various secondary solutions as
described above with reference to Fig. 9 may also be implemented by the
remote server 700. That is, the remote server 700 may compare a
received operation parameter with a predetermined threshold to generate
a control signal for disconnecting the power supply circuit 900B or an
20 alarm signal. In one embodiment (referring to Fig. 12), the remote
server
700 may send the generated control signal through a transmission line
810. The local data processing device 350 may forward the control signal
transmitted through the transmission line 810. The isolation component
340 in the box 300 provides the control signal forwarded through the bus
25 800 to the data communication module 330. The data communication
module 330 may start an operation of disconnecting said power supply
circuit according to the control signal. In another embodiment (referring to
Fig. 6), the remote server 700 may send the generated control signal
through the bus 800. The isolation component 340 in the box 300 may
30 receive the control signal transmitted via the bus 800 and provide the
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CA 02889455 2015-04-30
control signal to the data communication module 330. The data
communication module 330 may receive the control signal transmitted via
the isolation component 3,1.0 and start an operation of disconnecting said
power supply circuit according to the control signal.
Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a device for acquiring
electricity utilization information according to yet another embodiment of
the present invention. As shown in Fig. 13, a non-isolated power supply
310, a data acquisition and processing circuit 320, a data communication
module 330, an isolation component 340, a control unit 360 and a
io
simulating leakage device 450 are assembled in one box 600. An electric
leakage protector 420 is arranged outside the box 600. In Fig. 13,
components with reference numerals identical to those of components in
the above-mentioned Figs. 3 to 11 have identical or similar structures and
functions, and will not be described any more herein for simplicity.
In the device shown in Fig. 13, as described in the above
embodiments, the operation of generating a control signal or an alarm
signal may be implemented by the control unit 360, or by a local data
processing device 350, or may also be implemented by a remote server
700.
Furthermore, the remote server 700 can further generate an
instruction. In the above-mentioned embodiment in which the local data
processing device 350 generates the control signal or the alarm signal
(referring to Fig. 12), the local data processing device 350 may receive
the instruction transmitted via a transmission line 810 and update a
corresponding predetermined threshold according to the instruction. In
the above-mentioned another embodiment in which the control unit 360
generates the control signal or the alarm signal (referring to Fig. 8), the
remote server 700 may send the generated instruction via the bus 800
(the instruction is transmitted via the bus 800 after being modulated). The
isolation component 340 in the box 400 may receive the instruction
23
CA 02889455 2015-04-30
transmitted via the bus 800 and supply the instruction to the data
communication module 330. The control unit 360 may update a
corresponding predetermined threshold according to the instruction
provided by the data communication module 330 (i.e., demodulating the
instruction). In the above-mentioned one embodiment in which the control
unit 360 generates the control signal or the alarm signal (referring to Fig.
13), the remote server 700 may send the generated instruction via the
transmission line 810 (the instruction is transmitted via the bus 810 after
being modulated). The local data processing device 350 may forward the
io instruction transmitted through the transmission line 810. The isolation
component 340 in the box 600 may provide the forwarded instruction
transmitted through the bus 800 to the data communication module 330.
The control unit 360 may update a corresponding predetermined
threshold according to the instruction provided by the data
is communication module 330 (i.e., demodulating the instruction).
Fig. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a system for acquiring
electricity utilization information according to one embodiment of the
present invention. In Fig. 14, a divided measurement device 1000 for
electricity utilization may use any one of boxes 200, 300, 400, 500 and
20 600 in embodiments shown in Figs. 2 to 13. A local data processing
device 1100 may be the local data processing device 350 in the
embodiments shown in Figs. 12 to 13. A remote server 1200 may be the
remote server 700 in embodiments shown in Figs. 6 to 12. The divided
measurement device 100011 for electricity utilization, the divided
25 measurement device 100012 for electricity utilization ... and the
divided
measurement device 10001m for electricity utilization are mounted in box
1 with the local data processing device 11001 so as to provide electricity
utilization information of one electricity utilization unit (first electricity
utilization unit); the divided measurement device 100021 for electricity
30 utilization, the divided measurement device 100022 for electricity
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CA 02889455 2015-04-30
utilization ... and the divided measurement device 10002P for electricity
utilization are mounted in box 2 with the local data processing device
11002 so as to provide Plectricity utilization information of a second
electricity utilization unit; ...; and the divided measurement device 1000N1
for electricity utilization, the divided measurement device 1000N2 for
electricity utilization ... and the divided measurement device 1000N0 for
electricity utilization are mounted in box N with the local data processing
device 1100N so as to provide electricity utilization information of a Nth
electricity utilization unit.
io In one
embodiment, the box 1 is configured to detect operation
parameters of 4 power supply circuits. The divided measurement device
100011 for electricity utilization is configured to provide operation
parameters of an illumination circuit; the divided measurement device
100012 for electricity utilization is configured to provide operation
is
parameters of a receptacle circuit; the divided measurement device
100013 for electricity utilization is configured to provide operation
parameters of a kitchen electric appliance circuit; and the divided
measurement device 100014 for electricity utilization is configured to
provide operation parameters of an air conditioner circuit. The operation
20
parameters of the illumination circuit, the operation parameters of the
receptacle circuit, the operation parameters of the kitchen electric
appliance circuit and the operation parameters of the air conditioner
circuit are transmitted to the local data processing device 11001 via a bus
800. After receiving these operation parameters transmitted via the bus
25 800,
the local data processing device 11001 may forward these operation
parameters directly to the remote server 1200, or may also transmit
operation parameters over a predetermined channel. In one embodiment,
the local data processing device 11001 may transmit operation
parameters of the kitchen electric appliance circuit and operation
30
parameters of the air conditioner circuit as electricity utilization
CA 02889455 2015-04-30
information of large electricity utilization equipments to the remote server
1200 through a predetermined communication channel.
In the embodiment shown in Fig. 14, the number (M, P, Q)
of
divided measurement devices for electricity utilization in each box may be
determined according to the number of power supply circuits to be
detected. When a box contains only one divided measurement device
1000, the box may be used to detect a power supply circuit of one single
electricity utilization unit. Although in such a case, the box does not
provide electricity utilization information of each power supply sub-circuit
lo that constitutes the power supply circuit of the electricity utilization
unit,
the box has a substantially reduced volume for convenient installation as
compared with the prior art distribution boxes.
In the embodiment shown in Fig. 14, the remote server 1200 may
also transmit electricity utilization information of each electricity
utilization
unit to a central data server 1300 in a wired or wireless manner to
facilitate central energy consumption analysis and electricity utilization
management.
Some embodiments of the present invention have been described in
detail above with respect to accompanying drawings. These
embodiments may be combined as desired without departing from the
scope recited originally in the present invention.
In addition, the term "coupleable" as used in the description and the
claims means a direct connection or an indirect connection via an
electronic part. For example, the data acquisition and processing circuit is
configured to detect an operation parameter of a coupleable power supply
circuit, which means the data acquisition and processing circuit may be
connected directly or indirectly via an electronic part with the power
supply circuit, and the power supply circuit is not within a device (such as,
the divided measurement device 1000 for electricity utilization)
comprising the data acquisition and processing circuit.
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CA 02889455 2015-04-30
The present invention is not limited to these disclosed embodiments,
and other solutions derived therefrom by those skilled in the art are also
within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the
present invention should be defined by the appended claims.
It is to be noted thai in the claims, the term "include" does not
exclude the presence of elements, units or devices not recited in the
claims or the description. The term "a" or "an" preceding an element, a
unit or a device does not exclude the presence of a plurality of the
elements, units or devices. In a device claim enumerating several units,
io some of
these units may be implemented by the same kind of software
and/or hardware.
27
