Robert C Sonderegger

US Patent:

20050090995, Apr 28, 2005

Filed:

Oct 27, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/976103

Inventors:

Robert Sonderegger - Berkeley CA, US

International Classification:

G01R015/00

US Classification:

702057000

Abstract:

A method of determining an energy load on a power distribution component, and a system for storing such method are presented. The method entails collecting meter data (in various formats) and weather data. The meter data and the weather data are correlated to generate tuning equations, each of which is associated with at least one of the meters and indicates a weather sensitivity of that meter. Any meter data that is in the hourly or daily format are normalized to generate normalized hourly loadshapes that are independent of weather conditions and weekly variations. These normalized hourly loadshapes are combined with the tuning equations to generate a set of model coefficients for each of the meters. The set of model coefficients reflects weather conditions and weekly variations for one of the meters, and is useful for determining an energy load on the power distribution component.

US Patent:

20100117856, May 13, 2010

Filed:

Nov 11, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/268660

Inventors:

Robert C. Sonderegger - Berkeley CA, US

Assignee:

Itron, Inc. - Liberty Lake WA

International Classification:

G08C 15/06

US Classification:

34087002

Abstract:

A meter data management system includes one or more application servers configured to receive, validate and estimate received meter data. The one or more application servers may include various memory/media elements for storing raw and transformed meter data as well as software in the form of computer-executable instructions, which are executed by a processor to implement a variety of functions, including establishing a mapping between the plurality of external devices and a plurality of preconfigured processing workbins (e.g., collections of meter channels in the same time zones), transforming the received meter data into a plurality of data files identified by timing parameter and workbin, validating data provided in each data file, estimating missing or invalid data, and automatically writing validated (and optionally estimated) data as import files to a database server. Such clean data files are then imported to one or more dedicated databases installed on the database server.

US Patent:

20200363454, Nov 19, 2020

Filed:

Aug 1, 2020

Appl. No.:

16/945835

Inventors:

- Liberty Lake WA, US
Robert Sonderegger - Oakland CA, US

International Classification:

G01R 11/24
G01R 22/06
G01R 19/165

Abstract:

Techniques for identifying electrical theft are described herein. In an example, a secondary voltage of a transformer may be inferred by repeated voltage and current measurement at each meter associated with the transformer. A difference in measured voltage values, divided by a difference in measured current values, estimates impedance at the meter. The calculated impedance, together with measured voltage and current values, determine a voltage at the transformer secondary. Such voltages calculated by each meter associated with a transformer may be averaged, to indicate the transformer secondary voltage. A transformer having lower-than-expected secondary voltage is identified, based in part on comparison to the secondary voltages of other transformers. Each meter associated with the identified transformer may be evaluated to determine if the unexpected voltage is due to a load on the transformer. If a load did not result in the unexpected secondary voltage, power diversion may be reported.

US Patent:

20180156851, Jun 7, 2018

Filed:

Dec 4, 2017

Appl. No.:

15/831028

Inventors:

- Liberty Lake WA, US
Hartman Van Wyk - Montloius sur Loire, FR
Robert Sonderegger - Oakland CA, US
Chris Higgins - Wake Forest NC, US

International Classification:

G01R 25/00
G01D 4/00

Abstract:

Determination of electrical network topology and connectivity are described herein. A zero-crossing is indicated at a time when the line voltage of a conducting wire in an electrical grid is zero. Such zero-crossings may be used to measure time within a smart grid, and to determine the connectivity of, and the electrical phase used by, particular network elements. A first meter may receive a phase angle determination (PAD) message, including zero-crossing information, sent from a second meter, hereafter called a reference meter. The first meter may compare the received zero-crossing information to its own zero-crossing information. A phase difference may be determined between the first meter and the reference meter from which the PAD message originated. The first meter may pass the PAD message to additional meters, which propagate the message through the network. Accordingly, an electrical phase used by meters within the network may be determined.

US Patent:

20170315153, Nov 2, 2017

Filed:

Jul 17, 2017

Appl. No.:

15/651860

Inventors:

- Liberty Lake WA, US
Robert Sonderegger - Oakland CA, US

International Classification:

G01R 11/24
G01R 22/06
G01R 19/165

Abstract:

Techniques for identifying electrical theft are described herein. In an example, a secondary voltage of a transformer may be inferred by repeated voltage and current measurement at each meter associated with the transformer. A difference in measured voltage values, divided by a difference in measured current values, estimates impedance at the meter. The calculated impedance, together with measured voltage and current values, determine a voltage at the transformer secondary. Such voltages calculated by each meter associated with a transformer may be averaged, to indicate the transformer secondary voltage. A transformer having lower-than-expected secondary voltage is identified, based in part on comparison to the secondary voltages of other transformers. Each meter associated with the identified transformer may be evaluated to determine if the unexpected voltage is due to a load on the transformer. If a load did not result in the unexpected secondary voltage, power diversion may be reported.

US Patent:

20160320431, Nov 3, 2016

Filed:

May 3, 2015

Appl. No.:

14/702756

Inventors:

- Liberty Lake WA, US
Robert Sonderegger - Oakland CA, US

International Classification:

G01R 11/24
G01R 19/165

Abstract:

Techniques for identifying electrical theft are described herein. In an example, a secondary voltage of a transformer may be inferred by repeated voltage and current measurement at each meter associated with the transformer. A difference in measured voltage values, divided by a difference in measured current values, estimates impedance at the meter. The calculated impedance, together with measured voltage and current values, determine a voltage at the transformer secondary. Such voltages calculated by each meter associated with a transformer may be averaged, to indicate the transformer secondary voltage. A transformer having lower-than-expected secondary voltage is identified, based in part on comparison to the secondary voltages of other transformers. Each meter associated with the identified transformer may be evaluated to determine if the unexpected voltage is due to a load on the transformer. If a load did not result in the unexpected secondary voltage, power diversion may be reported.

US Patent:

20160154040, Jun 2, 2016

Filed:

Dec 2, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/558571

Inventors:

- Liberty Lake WA, US
Hartman Van Wyk - Montloius sur Loire, US
Robert C. Sonderegger - Oakland CA, US
Christopher M. Higgins - Wake Forest NC, US

International Classification:

G01R 25/00

Abstract:

Determination of electrical network topology and connectivity are described herein. A zero-crossing is indicated at a time when the line voltage of a conducting wire in an electrical grid is zero. Such zero-crossings may be used to measure time within a smart grid, and to determine the connectivity of, and the electrical phase used by, particular network elements. A first meter may receive a phase angle determination (PAD) message, including zero-crossing information, sent from a second meter, hereafter called a reference meter. The first meter may compare the received zero-crossing information to its own zero-crossing information. A phase difference may be determined between the first meter and the reference meter from which the PAD message originated. The first meter may pass the PAD message to additional meters, which propagate the message through the network. Accordingly, an electrical phase used by meters within the network may be determined.

US Patent:

20150241482, Aug 27, 2015

Filed:

May 16, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/280286

Inventors:

- Liberty Lake WA, US
Robert Sonderegger - Oakland CA, US

Assignee:

Itron, Inc. - Liberty Lake WA

International Classification:

G01R 19/00

Abstract:

Techniques for determining aspects of a topology of a smart grid are described herein, and particularly for determining if one or more electrical meters are connected to the same transformer. In one example, time-stamped voltage data is collected from at least two meters. The voltage data may indicate a slight transient change in voltage resulting from a consumer turning on or off an electrical load. In particular, the slight voltage changes may be sensed by all meters attached to a same transformer based on electrical load changes by any one of the customers on the same transformer. Using the time-stamped voltage data, a time-series of voltage-changes may be generated for each electrical meter. A correlation between the time-series of voltage-changes of pairs of meters may be calculated, to thereby determine an affinity between the meters, and particularly if they are connected to a same transformer.