CN113884755A

CN113884755A - System and method for setting up a sensor system

Info

Publication number: CN113884755A
Application number: CN202010635145.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 丹尼·塞文; 雅克·克瓦姆
Original assignee: Green Copper Technology Co ltd
Current assignee: Green Copper Technology Co ltd
Priority date: 2020-07-03
Filing date: 2020-07-03
Publication date: 2022-01-04

Abstract

A method for setting up a sensor system that facilitates setting up at least one sensor in the sensor system through a data transmitter communicatively coupled to an analytics engine for a building management system, wherein an application is configured to run on a mobile device and interact with the at least one sensor. The method comprises the following steps: communicating with the at least one sensor via the application to display a visual indicator; capturing, by a camera of the mobile device, visual data representative of the visual indicator; and associating the at least one sensor with a circuit of the building power system based on the captured visual data.

Description

System and method for setting up a sensor system

[ technical field ] A method for producing a semiconductor device

The present patent application relates generally to power sensors (power sensors), and more particularly to systems and methods for providing power sensors.

[ background of the invention ]

In related art embodiments, the building management system is typically a proprietary monitoring system custom designed for commercial buildings that alerts when critical equipment fails. These related art building management systems rely on facility managers and engineers to set up systems and study power performance metrics to calibrate the amount of power used to keep a building running 24 hours a day. Some building management systems allow facility managers and engineers to remotely manage specific settings of important equipment.

In related art systems, electrical energy metering may be used to determine how much electricity a consumer is using. In related art systems, metering is typically accomplished by using an electricity meter attached to the power line between the building (home, business, or other location) and the utility company. However, such systems typically provide only information about the total power usage of the entire building and do not provide information about the power consumption associated with specific circuits within the building.

Related art smart metering systems are used to analyze individual circuits within a building by connecting sensors to each circuit (typically at a breaker box). However, these related art systems may involve either powering down the entire circuit breaker box, resulting in lost operating time, or connecting the sensors to the energized power lines, which may be dangerous.

Further, installing and setting up these related art sensor networks typically requires a great deal of training, expertise, and time. In the related art, power tracking involves installing multiple sensors in each room of a building, and this may involve replacing electrical appliances and digging walls, and thus may encounter connection problems in transmitting collected data.

[ summary of the invention ]

In an embodiment, the power performance of a building is monitored in real-time by a plurality of sensors located at a central power distribution point (central distribution point) of the building.

The present patent application provides a system and method for setting up a sensor system. In one embodiment, a method for setting up a sensor system facilitates setting up at least one sensor in the sensor system through a data transmitter communicatively coupled to an analytics engine for a building management system, wherein an application is configured to run on a mobile device and interact with the at least one sensor. The method comprises the following steps: communicating with the at least one sensor via the application to display a visual indicator; capturing, by a camera of the mobile device, data representative of the visual indicator; associating the at least one sensor with a circuit of a building power system based on the captured data; capturing, by the camera, data representative of a power distribution panel of the building power system; and identifying the circuit associated with the at least one sensor based on the data representative of the power distribution panel. The step of capturing data representative of the power distribution panel includes: capturing spatial information associated with circuit settings within the power distribution panel; and detecting color information associated with electrical connections within the power distribution panel.

Preferably, the visual indicator displayed by the at least one sensor comprises an illuminated LED located on the at least one sensor.

Preferably, the application transmits the pattern displayed by the light emitting LED to the at least one sensor to associate the at least one sensor with the circuitry of the building power system.

Preferably, the method for setting up a sensor system further comprises: starting a panel setting interface through the application program to guide a user to determine the position of the component to be connected; and instructing a user to set a voltage tap on one of the circuit breakers to provide power to the at least one sensor and the data transmitter.

Preferably, a voltage-tapped cable is connected to a terminal block of the data transmitter, and a voltage-tapped circuit breaker can be opened.

Preferably, the method for setting up a sensor system further comprises controlling the data transmitter by the application program to generate a visual signal indicative of the success of the voltage tap setting.

In another embodiment, a system for setting up a sensor system includes: at least one sensor; a transmitter communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor; a camera communicatively coupled to the transmitter; and a processor controlled by an application program, the application program interacting with the at least one sensor, the processor: communicating with the at least one sensor to display a visual indicator; the processor capturing data representative of the visual indicator via the camera; and associating the at least one sensor with a circuit of a building power system based on the captured data, wherein: the processor further captures, via the camera, data representative of a power distribution panel of the building electrical system and identifies circuitry associated with the at least one sensor based on the data representative of the power distribution panel; in capturing data representative of a power distribution panel of the building power system, the processor: capturing spatial information associated with circuit settings within the power distribution panel; and detecting color information associated with electrical connections within the power distribution panel.

Preferably, the visual indicator displayed by the at least one sensor comprises an illuminated LED located on the at least one sensor; transmitting, with the processor, a pattern displayed by the light emitting LED to the at least one sensor to associate the at least one sensor with the circuitry of the building power system.

Preferably, the processor captures the data representative of the visual indicator by controlling a sensing device.

Preferably, the sensing device is associated with a mobile device.

In yet another embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable medium stores a program for causing a computer to perform a method for setting up a sensor system, the method facilitating setting up at least one sensor in the sensor system through a data transmitter communicatively coupled to an analytics engine for a building management system; wherein an application is configured to run on the mobile device and interact with the at least one sensor, the method comprising: communicating with the at least one sensor via the application to display a visual indicator; capturing, by a camera of the mobile device, data representative of the visual indicator; and associating the at least one sensor with a circuit of a building power system based on the captured data.

Preferably, said method for setting up a sensor system further comprises capturing data representative of a power distribution panel of the building power system by the camera; and identifying the circuit associated with the at least one sensor based on the data representative of the power distribution panel.

Preferably, the step of capturing data representative of the power distribution panel comprises: capturing spatial information associated with circuit settings within the power distribution panel; and detecting color information associated with electrical connections within the power distribution panel.

[ description of the drawings ]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a parsed feature (paired signature) analysis according to an embodiment of the present patent application;

2A-2C are schematic diagrams of exemplary components of a current transformer sensor system according to an embodiment of the present patent application;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a setup process according to an embodiment of the present patent application;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary Panel setup (panel setup) user interface according to an embodiment of the present patent application;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary user interface for voltage tap (voltage tap) setting according to an embodiment of the present patent application;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary user interface for a current transformer arrangement according to an embodiment of the present patent application;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary user interface for photo recognition (photo recognition) according to an embodiment of the present patent application;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary user interface for connecting to a network according to one embodiment of the present patent application;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a power distribution system (power distribution system) utilizing an exemplary current transformer, according to one embodiment of the present patent application;

FIGS. 10-18 are schematic diagrams of a series of user interfaces that may be used to set up a process (marketing process) according to an embodiment of the present patent application;

FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary computing environment including an exemplary computing device suitable for use in some embodiments of the present patent application.

[ detailed description ] embodiments

The following detailed description provides further details regarding the drawings and embodiments of the present patent application. For the sake of clarity, reference numerals and descriptions of elements that are repeated between the figures are omitted. The terminology used throughout the description is provided as an example and is not intended to be limiting. For example, use of the term "automatic" may include fully automatic or semi-automatic embodiments, involving control of certain aspects of the embodiments by a user or administrator, depending on the desired implementation by one of ordinary skill in the art practicing embodiments of the present application. The user may make the selection through a user interface or other input means, or through an appropriate algorithm. The embodiments described in this patent application can be implemented individually or jointly and the functions of an embodiment can be implemented in any way depending on the desired implementation.

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a parsed feature (parsed signature) analysis according to one embodiment of the present patent application. A user interface 100 presenting analytical feature analysis according to one embodiment of the present patent application is shown in fig. 1. Referring to fig. 1, a plurality of circuit-based sensors 105 (e.g., current transformers) may be coupled to a local power system 110 to monitor the total power usage of a location (e.g., commercial, industrial, or residential building). In one embodiment, a plurality of circuit-based sensors 105 may be located at a central power distribution point (e.g., distribution panel 110 (e.g., a switchboard, a breaker panel, an electrical panel, etc.) at the location to collect power usage data. According to one example system, a plurality of circuit-based sensors 105 may be used in an electrical panel 110, on which they are located. In this example, one sensor is attached to each circuit, and the sensors may be interconnected with a data transmitter to connect to a cloud analysis system 120. For example, multiple circuit-based sensors may be used for ultra-high frequency decomposition (e.g., 8 kilohertz).

Each circuit-based sensor 105 may capture a power consumption signal (represented by power consumption features 115a-115 e) associated with a separate circuit in the local power system 110, each separate circuit being connected to a separate device. The individual power consumption characteristics (power draw signatures)115a-115e may be separated from the total characteristics 125 (e.g., the total power consumption of the local power system 110). The present embodiment may provide a user interface 130 to display the overall characteristic 125, the overall characteristic 125 being overlaid with the individual power consumption characteristics 115a-115e in the user interface.

According to an embodiment, the one or more circuit-based sensors 105 may be current transformers 205 described below. Each current transformer 205 may be connected to each circuit of the local power system and collect power consumption information that is analyzed to determine power performance of each device connected to the local power system.

Fig. 2A-2C are schematic diagrams of exemplary components of a current transformer sensor system according to one embodiment of the present patent application. As shown, sensors (e.g., current transformer sensor 205) are attached to circuit lines within a power distribution box and connected to a data transmitter 225. The data transmitter 225 is coupled to an analysis engine (e.g., an analysis processor or software running on a computing device such as the computing device 1905 described below in fig. 19). Various arrangements are available for sensors and data transmission as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, each sensor may include a near-field communication (near-field communication) means to transmit the collected data to the analysis engine via the data transmitter 225. In some embodiments, the plurality of current transformer sensors 205 may be interconnected and connected to a hub (hub) that includes the data transmitter 225 to provide reliable communication and reduce signal interference at the switchbox of the local power system.

In one embodiment, the current transformer 205 may include a body 215 including an upper half; a lower half hinged to the upper half; and a latch mechanism 207. The latch mechanism includes a slider mechanism that can open the body 215 into upper and lower halves to surround the wires of the building circuit. The current transformer 205 may also include an indicator element 206, such as an LED or other visual indicator, to provide status and/or indicating information such as connection status, signal status, or any other information for the mobile application. By providing an opening, live cables of the circuit can be inserted into the sensing gap 204. The current transformer 205 draws (extract) current from the live cable passing through the sensing gap 204. The upper and lower halves can be separated by pulling a grip tab 207 away from the sensing gap 204. The exemplary structure of the current transformer 205 may allow the upper and lower halves of the body to be opened safely with one hand, even when wearing gloves.

In embodiments, the current transformer 205 may include enclosed (encapsulated) upper and lower ferrite cores (ferrite core) and a circuit board in combination with a hall effect sensor that draws current through the live cable passing through the sensing gap 204. In some embodiments, although a Hall-effect sensor (Hall-effect sensor) is between the lower ferrite core pieces, other types of sensors may be incorporated into the area around the sensing gap 204 to monitor and detect the current through the sensing gap 204 in a non-contact manner. For example, a temperature sensor, a flow sensor, or any other type of sensor that may be apparent to one skilled in the art.

Additionally, in some embodiments, the current transformer 205 can draw current from live cables passing through the sensing gap 204. Further, in some embodiments, a bladed protrusion (bladed projection) may be incorporated into the sensing gap 204 to allow an energized cable passing through the sensing gap 204 to be penetrated (perforated) and tapped (tapped) directly (e.g., monitored directly or in contact).

As shown in fig. 2B, a current transformer 205 may be attached to each circuit of the local power system. In some embodiments, multiple

current transformers

205a, 205b may be interconnected by multiple connectors 210. For example, the current transformer 205a may include one connector 210a, and the connector 210a may be connected with one receiver (receiver) 211b of another current transformer 205b, e.g., in a daisy chain configuration. The daisy chain structure minimizes space and wiring (wiring) within the electrical distribution box. Other embodiments may include a bus or switching topology (switching topology) for connecting sensors (e.g., current transformers 205) with the data transmitter 225.

As shown, the current transformer 205 includes a body that includes a female (male) connector 210 and a male (male) connector 211. For example, the female connector 210 may include a female mini-HDMI port and the male connector 211 may include a male mini-HDMI plug. However, other types of ports and plugs may be apparent to those skilled in the art. In some embodiments, one or both of the female connector 210 and the male connector 211 may be connected to a sensor via a cable. The female connector 210 and the male connector 211 may be used to implement a connection between a plurality of

current transformers

205a and 205 b. For example, one female connector 210a of one current transformer 205a may be connected to one male connector 211B of another current transformer 205B as shown in fig. 2B.

As described in detail below, installing the sensor system may include the

current transformer sensors

205a and 205b being attached to the circuit lines 5a-5c within the switchbox 7, the

current transformer sensors

205a and 205b being interconnected with the plurality of connectors 210 and connected to the data transmitter 225, the data transmitter 225 being connected to an analysis engine (e.g., an analysis processor or software running on a computing device such as the computing device 1905 described below in fig. 19). For example, the first and last sensors in the daisy chain configuration may be connected to the data transmitter 225 by extension cables. To accommodate (accmodate) different layouts or types of switchboards, the data transmitter 225 may be daisy-chained with more than one sensor. During installation of the sensor system, various additional components may be included to accommodate construction and physical assembly, such as the extension cable 9, the voltage tap cable 11, and other mounting features such as a nipple (13 a) and a locknut (13 b). In the present embodiment, preferably, the extension cable 9 is a 200mm, 1m, 3m current transformer chain extension cable, the joint 13a is a 1 "joint, and the locknut 13b is a 1" locknut.

As shown in fig. 2B and 2C, installing the current transformer may include opening the upper and lower halves of the current transformer and clamping the current transformer to the circuit to be monitored, connecting the current transformer chain with an extension cable and guiding wires through knock-out holes (knock-out) into the FWC. A certain distance needs to be left between the adjacent current transformers.

Fig. 3 is a flow chart of a provisioning (committing) process 300 according to an embodiment of the present patent application. The process may be used to register (register) or set up a sensor (e.g., current transformer 205) as part of a power management or monitoring system connected to a power distribution system, such as the power distribution system of a building. In some embodiments, an application (e.g., a mobile application running on a computing device such as computing device 1905 described in fig. 19 below) may facilitate (factitioate) installation and setup of sensors in adaptation to an analysis engine of the power management or monitoring system. The application may run on a handheld device (e.g., a smartphone) and interact with the sensor during sensor installation. The plurality of sensors may include indicator elements 206, such as LEDs or other visual indicators, to provide status and/or indicator information, such as connection status, signal status, or any other information, to the mobile application.

In step 310, the application launches a panel setup interface to guide the user in determining the location of the component to be connected. The application may allow a user to identify or designate each circuit in the circuit panel and any devices associated with each circuit in the circuit panel (e.g., heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system circuits, lighting circuits, server room circuits, etc.). For example, a generic (generic) schematic of a circuit panel may be provided to allow a user to specify which circuits of the circuit panel are to be set. In other embodiments, a particular circuit panel setting may be retrieved from the library based on the model number or other unique identifier (identifier).

In step 320, the application may direct the user to set voltage taps on one of the circuit breakers to provide power to the sensors and data transmitters. If there is at least one spare (spare) breaker per phase, the voltage tap can be set without closing any breaker. For example, a user may open the panel and look for one spare circuit breaker on each phase. If there is no backup breaker, but there is a slot in the panel, a backup breaker can be inserted and used for voltage tapping. Otherwise, the power supply may be briefly turned off by the voltage tap breaker.

The voltage tap cables may be connected to data transmitter terminal blocks (terminal blocks) and the voltage tap breakers may be opened. The data transmitter voltage tap may include a built-in-line fuse and may not require additional fuse protection. In some embodiments, a light ring on the data transmitter 225 may be used to indicate that the voltage tap setting was successful. For example, a pulsing white light may indicate that the system is functioning properly and a flashing (blinking) red light may indicate that troubleshooting is to follow.

In step 330, the application (application) prompts the user to assign (assign) one sensor (e.g., current transformer 205) to each circuit of the local power system. The application may receive communications from within the sensor through an indicator on the sensor (e.g., LED206 or other visual indicator), assigning a tag to each circuit. In some embodiments, each selected circuit breaker may be flagged by the application (flagged as "switch for VS sub-metering").

In step 340, a photo recognition sequence may capture information conveyed by the pointer using a camera of the handheld device. For example, the LED206 on the sensor may flash at a particular frequency or color that is captured by the camera of the handheld device, and the application may associate the sensor with the assignment circuit.

In some embodiments, it may be determined in step 345 whether all sensors that need to be assigned have already been assigned. For example, the user may be provided the option of assigning more sensors. If not all sensors have been assigned (e.g., no at step 345), the process 300 may return to step 330 and

steps

330 and 340 may repeat. Conversely, if all sensors have been assigned (e.g., a yes outcome to step 345), the process 300 may proceed to step 350.

In step 350, the application may establish a network connection through the data transmitter to transmit the collected data to a computing device (e.g., computing device 1905 described below in fig. 19). The network connection may be a wireless network connection, a bluetooth network connection, a cellular (cellular) communication network connection, or any other type of network connection apparent to those skilled in the art.

In step 360, the application may selectively provide the user with various troubleshooting options using an indicator (e.g., LED206 or other visual indicator) associated with each sensor and/or an LED ring of the data transmitter. Table 1 below describes exemplary troubleshooting (troubleshooting) information transmitted by indicators or data on sensors, or by handheld devices.

Table 1: exemplary troubleshooting information

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary panel settings user interface 400 according to an embodiment of the present patent application. The user interface 400 may be displayed on a display screen of a computing device, such as the computing device 1905 of fig. 19. As shown, the user interface 400 may provide a plurality of fields (fields) or control selections 405 and 430 for setting the panel. The field 405 may be used to identify the panel name or provide a name for the panel. A selection box (check box)410 may be used to identify a three-phase panel (three-phase panel). Control field 415 may be used to identify the voltage of the panel. Control field 420 may be used to identify a split-phase panel. The control field 425 may be used to identify wire diameters (sizes) or breakers that exceed a certain threshold (e.g., wire diameters greater than 4AWG or breaker rated current greater than 75A). Further, the control area 430 may be used to specify (specify) the color of the cable or wire associated with the panel.

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary user interface 500 for setting voltage tap settings according to an embodiment of the present patent application. The user interface 500 may be displayed on a display screen of a computing device, such as the computing device 1905 of fig. 19. As shown, the user interface 500 can provide a plurality of fields or control selections 505 and 520 to assist a user in setting voltage taps to provide power to the data transmitter 225. The field 505 may be used to specify whether the voltage tap is set using a backup breaker or using a wired breaker. Fields 510 may provide a warning or prompt to the user (e.g., "ensure circuit breaker closed. connect voltage tap cable to circuit breaker.") fields 515 and 520 may provide instructions to the user that can be executed to set the voltage tap without having to consult an operating manual or assembly manual.

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary user interface 600 for a current transformer setup according to an embodiment of the present patent application. The user interface 600 may be displayed on a display screen of a computing device, such as the computing device 1905 of fig. 19. As shown, the user interface 600 may provide a plurality of fields or control

selections

605 and 620 to assist the user in setting each current transformer or sensor that is used to monitor the panel settings through the user interface 400 described above. Field 605 may provide the current state of the setup or debug process (e.g., a time line or other indication of the setup phase). The field 610 may provide instructions and diagrams to show the user how to set each current transformer. The field 615 may provide a user with a region to name or identify the circuit associated with each current transformer. Control field 620 may allow a user to specify the cable or wire color associated with each current transformer that is set.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary user interface 700 for photo recognition according to an embodiment of the present patent application. The user interface 700 may be displayed on a display screen of a computing device, such as computing device 1905 of fig. 19. As shown, the user interface 700 may provide a plurality of

fields

705 and 715 to assist a user in setting up a current transformer using photo recognition. Field 705 may provide the current state of the setup or debug process (e.g., a time line or other indication of the setup phase). The field 710 may provide instructions to show the user how to setup the current transformer with photo recognition (e.g., please take a high definition photo for the panel). The field 715 may identify (identify) an area of the user interface 700 in which a panel or a particular current transformer should be placed for photo identification.

The photo recognition user interface 700 may utilize a camera or an uploaded picture of the mobile device to assist in setting up the sensor. In one embodiment, a user may acquire or upload an image of a tag assigned to an installed circuit. For example, electricians typically place a labeled (label) schematic on the side door within a power distribution box to identify where a particular room or equipment is serviced by a circuit (service). Thus, an image taken with the schematic may include tags that specify that circuit 1 serves air conditioning, circuit 2 serves outdoor lights, circuit 3 serves a closet in the third floor, and so on. The user may also acquire an image of the actual switchbox including the sensor attached to the circuit.

The setup application may analyze the schematic and the image of the sensor to suggest a label to assign for each sensor. For example, the application may analyze the schematic image using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to collect labels assigned to the circuit. The application may associate the tag of the schematic with a sensor attached to a corresponding location of the circuit. For example, the sensor (e.g., current transformer 205) of each location may be identified through the indicator interface 206 of the sensor. For example, the application may signal each sensor to display a different or alternating (altering) state via the indicator before acquiring the image. The application may analyze the image based on the status of each sensor. The application may automatically assign (assign) a tag to each sensor, the tag being used to classify the devices detected by the sensor during the power profiling process.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary user interface 800 for connecting to a network according to one embodiment of the present patent application. The user interface 800 is displayed on a display screen of a computing device, such as computing device 1905 of fig. 19. As shown, the user interface 800 may provide various fields or controls 805 and 820 to assist the user in setting up the network. The field 805 may provide the current state of the debugging or setup process (e.g., a schematic of a timeline (timeline) or phase of the debugging or setup process). The field 810 may provide instructions on how to connect to the network (e.g., "select the source of the data transmitter connection"). In some embodiments, field 810 may also provide device information (e.g., media access control address (Mac address), Internet Protocol (IP) address, etc.) related to the device on which the application is running (e.g., a computing device such as computing device 1905 of fig. 19, below). Control fields 815 and 820 may be used to specify the network or data transmission type to be used. For example, the data transmitter 225 may connect via long term evolution signals, Wi-Fi, ethernet connection, and the like.

Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a power distribution system 900 utilizing exemplary current transformers 909, 911, 913, 914, 916, 918, 919, according to one embodiment of the present patent application. The power distribution system as shown in fig. 9 may be set up and monitored using a set up or commissioning process as described herein.

As shown, the power distribution system 900 includes an ac power source 905 (e.g., an alternator or other ac power source as would be apparent to one skilled in the art) connected to a distribution line 907 (e.g., a power cable through which ac current may flow).

In the power distribution system 900, a series of current transformers 909, 911, 913, 914, 916, 918, 919 can be attached (tied) to any point along the length of the distribution line 907 to allow current to be drawn at any location along the length of the distribution line 907. Each current transformer 909, 911, 913, 914, 916, 918, 919 can be attached to the distribution line 907 by inserting the distribution line 907 into the sensing gap and closing the upper and lower current transformer halves.

Each current transformer 909, 911, 913, 914, 916, 918, 919 may draw current from the distribution line 907 and provide the current to a

device

910, 915, 920, 925, 930, 935, 940, each

device

910, 915, 920, 925, 930, 935, 940 connected to one of the current transformers 909, 911, 913, 914, 916, 918, 919. For example, the current transformer 909 may be connected to a personal computer device 910, such as a laptop computer or desktop computer, to supply power thereto. Further, the current transformer 911 may be connected to a portable electronic device 915 such as a personal music player, a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (personal digital assistant), a tablet computer, or a digital camera to supply power thereto. In addition, the current transformer 913 may be connected to a personal entertainment device 920, such as a television, a stereo (stereo) system, a DVD player, a blu-ray player, etc., to supply power thereto.

Further, the current transformer 914 may be connected to provide electrical power to a light source 925 such as, for example, a light bulb, a Light Emitting Diode (LED), a Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL), or other light emitting devices as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Additionally, the current transformers 916 may be connected to provide power to the server device 930, a mainframe (mainframe), or other networked computing devices.

Further, the current transformers 918 and 919 may be connected to supply electric power to

household appliances

935 and 940, such as a range, an oven, a microwave, a refrigerator, and the like. Additional current transformers may also be used to draw current from the distribution line 907 and provide power to any device that may be apparent to those skilled in the art.

10-18 are schematic diagrams of a series of user interfaces 1000-1800 that may be used in a setup process, such as the setup process 300 of FIG. 3 described above, according to embodiments of the present patent application. The user interface 1000-1800 may be displayed on a display screen of a computing device, such as the computing device 1905 of FIG. 19.

The user interface 1000 of fig. 10 may represent an initial (initialization) screen for initiating a setup or debugging process. As shown, the user interface 1000 may provide a number of fields or

controls

1005 and 1015 to allow a user to initiate a setup or debugging process. Field 1005 may provide information to the user such as a serial number, a media access control address (MAC address), or other information relevant to initiating a setup or debug procedure. Control 1010 may allow a user to specify a country or region in which the system setup process may be used. In some embodiments, different processes or different languages of the user interface 1000 may be initiated or switched based on the controls 1010. Control 1015 may allow a user to initiate a setup or debug process.

The user interface 1100 of fig. 11 may represent a panel verification or setup screen (panel verification or configuration screen) for verifying (verify) or setting a panel during a setup or debugging process. As shown, the user interface 1100 may provide a plurality of fields or

controls

1105, 1135 that may allow a user to verify or set the panel during a setup or debugging process. Field 1105 may provide the current state of the setup or debug process (e.g., a time line or other indication of the setup phase). Field 1110 may provide a name or identifier associated with the panel being verified or set. The name or identifier may be automatically detected through the photo recognition process described above or may be manually entered by the user using the user interface 1100.

Fields

1115 and 1120 may provide panel configuration and panel voltage information, respectively.

Fields

1115 and 1120 may be automatically detected by the photo recognition process described above or another automated process, such as measuring voltage, current, or phase of the power system, as is well known to those skilled in the art, or manually set by a user. Control 1125 may be used to specify the color of the cable associated with the panel and field 1130 may display the specified results provided by control 1125. Control 1135 may be used to transition to the next user interface in the sequence.

User interface 1200 of fig. 12 may represent a tap assignment (tap assignment) screen for setting and assigning voltage taps during a debugging or setup process. As shown, the user interface 1200 can provide a plurality of fields or

controls

1205 and 1225 that can allow a user to assign and set voltage taps. A field 1205 may provide the current state of the setup or debug process (e.g., a time line or other indication of the setup phase). Controls 1210-1220 may be used to specify the voltage tap color based on the particular installation of the user. Controls 1225 may be used to transition to the next user interface in the sequence.

The user interface 1300 of fig. 13 may represent a sensor (current transformer) setup or configuration screen for a first sensor to be installed. As shown, the user interface 1300 may provide a plurality of fields or

controls

1305, 1345, which may allow a user to set up and configure a first of a plurality of sensors attached to the power system. Field 1305 may provide information or instructions to the user plus diagrams 1310 and 1315 to allow the user to understand each step of the setup process. For example, as shown, when the system controls a particular sensor to blink in a particular manner so that the user knows which sensor he should place first, the user may be instructed to look for the blinking light on the particular sensor.

Control 1320 allows a user to specify whether a terminal block (terminal block) is used in combination with a sensor. In some embodiments, sensors may be used that must be connected to the terminal block as shown in FIG. 1310. In other embodiments, a clip-on (clip) sensor as shown in FIG. 1315 may be used.

Controls 1325 may be used to assign (assign) identifiers or names to sensors that are set through user interface 1300. Control 1330 can be used to specify the color of the cable associated with the sensor being set. Control 1335 may be used to specify whether an alternating current measurement sensor (e.g., a rogowski coil) is used. Field 1340 may indicate a current associated with a sensor that is set through user interface 1300. This current may be automatically detected by a sensor or manually adjusted by a user. Control 1345 may be used to transition to the next user interface in the sequence.

The user interface 1400 of fig. 14 may represent a sensor (current transformer) setup or configuration screen for additional sensors to be installed. As shown, the user interface 1400 may provide a plurality of fields or controls 1405- > 1445 that may allow a user to set up and configure additional sensors attached to the power system. Field 1405 may provide information or instructions to the user plus diagrams 1410 and 1415 to allow the user to understand each step of the setup process. For example, as shown, when the system controls a particular sensor to blink in a particular manner so that the user knows which sensor he should place first, the user may be instructed to look for the blinking light on the particular sensor.

Control 1420 allows the user to specify whether the sensor is associated with the same circuit breaker as the previous sensor. Controls 1425 allow the user to specify whether a terminal block is to be used in combination with the sensor. In some embodiments, sensors may be used that must be connected to the terminal block as shown in fig. 1410. In other embodiments, a clip-on sensor as shown in FIG. 1415 may be used.

The control 1430 may be used to assign an identifier (identifier) or name to the sensor that is set through the user interface 1400. Control 1435 may be used to specify the cable color associated with the sensor being set. Control 1440 may be used to specify whether an ac current measurement sensor (e.g., a rogowski coil) is used. The field 1445 may indicate a current associated with a sensor that is set through the user interface 1400. This current may be automatically detected by a sensor or manually adjusted by a user. Control 1450 may be used to transition to the next user interface in the sequence.

The user interface 1500 of fig. 15 may represent a sensor summary (summary) screen for checking (review) assigned cable colors of a plurality of sensors disposed through the user interfaces 1300 and 1400 of fig. 13 and 14. The sensors may form a sensor chain (e.g., a sensor daisy-chain) by being connected together as described above. As shown, the user interface 1500 may include a plurality of fields or controls 1505 and 1525. Control 1505 may allow the user to return to a last set sensor (e.g., a current transformer). Fields 1510-1520 may display the sensor name or identifier and cable color assigned through user interfaces 1300 and 1400. Control 1525 may be used to transition to the next user interface in the sequence.

The user interface 1600 of fig. 16 is a network selection screen that may be used to select a network type. As shown, the user interface 1600 may provide various fields or

controls

1605 and 1615 to assist the user in selecting a network type. Field 1605 may provide the current state of the debugging or setup process (e.g., a timeline or phase diagram of the debugging or setup process).

Controls

1610 and 1615 may be used to specify the type of network or data transfer that should be used. For example, the data transmitter 225 may connect via Long Term Evolution (LTE) signals, Wi-Fi, ethernet connections, and so on.

The user interface 1700 of fig. 17 is a network setting screen that can be used to set a network that has been selected. As shown, the user interface 1700 may provide various fields or controls 1705 and 1730 that may be used to set up a network. Control 1705 can be used to return to user interface 1600 to select a different network type. A field 1710 may provide network identification information that has been automatically detected. Control 1715 may be used to select a custom (custom) network identification (identification) to be entered. Field 1720 may be used to enter a password associated with a network. Control 1725 may be used to obtain (access) additional network settings. Controls 1730 may be used to submit network settings entered via user interface 1700.

The user interface 1800 of fig. 18 is a network status screen that can be displayed after the network setup is completed. As shown, the user interface 1800 may provide various fields or controls 1805 1820 that may be used to reset or change the network state.

Fields

1805 and 1810 may provide information to the user regarding the current network state or setup process. Control 1815 may be used to end the debugging or setup process. Control 1820 may be used to return to user interface 1700 of FIG. 17 to modify network configuration settings.

FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram of an example computing environment 1900 including an example computing device 1905 suitable for use in some embodiments. The computing device 1905 in the computing environment 1900 may include one or more processing units, cores or processors 1910, memory 1915 (e.g., random access memory, read only memory, etc.), internal memory 1920 (e.g., magnetic, optical, solid-state storage, and/or organic), and/or an input/output interface 1925, any of which may be coupled to a communication mechanism or bus 1930 for transmitting information, or embedded within the computing device 1905.

Computing device 1905 may be communicatively coupled to input/user interface 1935 and output device/interface 1940. Either or both of input/user interface 1935 and output device/interface 1940 can be wired or wireless interfaces and can be detachable. The input/user interface 1935 may include any physical or virtual device, component, sensor, or interface (e.g., buttons, touch screen interfaces, keyboards, pointing/cursor controls, microphones, cameras, braille (braille), motion sensors, optical readers, etc.) that may be used to provide input.

Output device/interface 1940 may include a display, television, monitor, printer, speakers, braille, etc. In some embodiments, an input/user interface 1935 (e.g., a user interface) and an output device/interface 1940 may be embedded in the computing device 1905 or physically coupled to the computing device 1905. In other embodiments, other computing devices may be used as or provide the functionality of input/user interface 1935 and output device/interface 1940 for computing device 1905. These elements may include, but are not limited to, the well-known Augmented Reality (AR) hardware inputs to enable a user to interact with the augmented reality environment.

Examples of computing devices 1905 can include, but are not limited to, devices that are constantly mobile (e.g., smart phones, devices in vehicles and other machines, human and animal-carried devices, etc.), mobile devices (e.g., tablets, laptops, personal computers, portable televisions, radios, etc.), and devices that are not designed for mobility (e.g., desktops, server devices, other computers, kiosks, televisions with one or more processors embedded therein, televisions with one or more processors coupled thereto, radios, etc.).

Computing device 1905 can be communicatively coupled (e.g., via input/output interface 1925) to external memory 1945 and network 1950 to communicate with any number of networked components, devices, and systems, including one or more computing devices of the same or different configurations. Computing device 1905 or any connected computing device may act as, provide services for, or be referred to as: a server, a client, a thin server (thin server), a general purpose machine, a special purpose machine, or another tag.

Input/output interface 1925 may include, but is not limited to, a wired and/or wireless interface using any communication or input/output protocol or standard (e.g., ethernet, 1902.11xs, a general system bus, WiMAX, modem, cellular network protocol, etc.) for communicating information to and/or from at least all connected components, devices, and networks in computing environment 1900. The network 1950 can be any network or combination of networks (e.g., the internet, a local area network, a wide area network, a telephone network, a cellular network, a satellite network, etc.).

Computing device 1905 may utilize and/or communicate using computer-usable or computer-readable media, including transitory media and non-transitory media. Transitory media include transmission media (e.g., metallic cables, optical fibers), signals, carrier waves, and the like. Non-transitory media include magnetic media (e.g., disks and tapes), optical media (e.g., compact disc read only memory (CD ROM), digital video discs, blu-ray discs), solid state media (e.g., random access memory, read only memory, flash memory, solid state memory), and other non-volatile memory or memory.

Computing device 1905 may be used to implement various techniques, methods, applications, processes, or computer-executable instructions in some example computing environments. Computer-executable instructions may be retrieved from a transitory medium and stored on and retrieved from a non-transitory medium. The executable instructions may be derived from one or more of any programming, scripting, and machine language (e.g., C, C + +, C #, Java, Visual Basic, Python, Perl, JavaScript, etc.).

In a local or virtual environment, processor 1910 may execute under any Operating System (OS) (not shown). One or more applications may be deployed including logic unit 1955, Application Programming Interface (API) unit 1960, input unit 1965, output unit 1970, visual data acquisition unit 1975, circuit identifier unit 1980, sensor/circuit association (association) unit 1985, and inter-unit communication mechanism 1995 for communicating the various units with each other, with the Operating System (OS), and with other applications (not shown).

For example, visual data acquisition unit 1975, circuit identifier unit 1980, and sensor/circuit association unit 1985 may implement one or more of the processes in fig. 3. The above-described units and components may differ in design, function, arrangement, or implementation and are not limited to the above description.

In some embodiments, when information or execution instructions are received by Application Programming Interface (API) unit 1960, the information or execution instructions may be transmitted to one or more other units (visual data acquisition unit 1975, circuit identifier unit 1980, and sensor/circuit association unit 1985). For example, the visual data acquisition unit 1975 may utilize the input/user interface 1935 to control a camera or image acquisition device to capture image data from one or more sensors and at least one circuit panel. Further, the circuit identifier unit 1980 may identify a circuit based on the captured visual data. Further, the sensor/circuit association unit 1985 may associate or assign at least one sensor to a circuit based on the captured visual data. Based on the association, a user interface containing electronic data of the circuit measured by the sensor may be displayed.

In some cases, the logic unit 1955 may be used to control the flow of information between units and direct the services provided by the Application Programming Interface (API) unit 1960, input unit 1965, visual data acquisition unit 1975, circuit identifier unit 1980, and sensor/circuit association unit 1985 in some embodiments described above. For example, the flow of one or more processes or implementations may be controlled by the logic unit 1955 alone or by the logic unit 1955 in conjunction with the Application Programming Interface (API) unit 1960.

The foregoing detailed description has set forth various embodiments of the devices and/or processes via the use of block diagrams, schematics, and examples. Where such block diagrams, schematics, and examples include one or more functions and/or operations, each function and/or operation within such block diagrams, schematics, or examples can be implemented, individually and/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware, or virtually any combination thereof. In one embodiment, the present technology may be implemented via Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs). However, the embodiments disclosed herein, in whole or in part, may be implemented equivalently in standard integrated circuits, as one or more programs executed by one or more processors, as one or more programs executed by one or more controllers (e.g., microcontrollers), as firmware, or as virtually any combination thereof.

While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the application. Indeed, the novel apparatus and methods described herein may be embodied in various other forms. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the methods and systems described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the protection provided by this application. The accompanying embodiments and equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the claims.

Some portions of the detailed description are presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations within a computer. These algorithmic descriptions and symbolic representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to convey the substance of their innovation to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is a defined series of steps leading to a desired end state or result. In some embodiments, the steps performed require physical manipulations of actual quantities to achieve an actual result.

Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as "processing," "computing," "calculating," "displaying," or the like, can include the operations and processes of a computer system, or other information processing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system's memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.

Embodiments may also relate to an apparatus for performing the operations described herein. The apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or it may comprise one or more general-purpose computers selectively activated or reconfigured by one or more computer programs. These computer programs may be stored in a computer readable medium, such as a computer readable storage medium or a computer readable signal medium. A computer readable storage medium may include tangible media such as, but not limited to, optical disks, magnetic disks, read-only memories, random access memories, solid state devices and drives or other types of tangible or non-transitory media suitable for storing electronic information. A computer readable signal medium may include a medium such as a carrier wave. The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus. A computer program may comprise a purely software embodiment containing instructions to carry out the operations of the required embodiment.

Various general-purpose systems may be used with programs and modules in accordance with the examples herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the desired method steps. In addition, embodiments are not described with reference to any particular programming language. It will be appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the embodiments as described herein. The instructions of the programming language may be executed by one or more processing devices, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), processor, or controller.

As is known in the art, the above-described operations may be performed by hardware, software, or some combination of software and hardware. Aspects of the embodiments may be implemented using circuits and logic devices (hardware), while other aspects may be implemented using instructions stored on a machine-readable medium (software), which if executed by a processor, will cause the processor to perform a method that implements the embodiments of the application. Furthermore, some embodiments of the present application may be implemented solely in hardware, while other embodiments may be implemented solely in software. Further, the various functions described may be performed in a single unit, or may be distributed across several components in any number of ways. When executed by software, the method may be performed by a processor, such as a general purpose computer, based on instructions stored on a computer-readable medium. The instructions may be stored on the media in a compressed and/or encrypted format, if desired.

In addition, other embodiments of the present application may be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the teachings of the present application. The various aspects and/or components of the described embodiments may be used alone or in any combination. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the application being indicated by the following claims.

Claims

1. A method for setting up a sensor system that facilitates setting up at least one sensor in the sensor system through a data transmitter communicatively coupled to an analytics engine for a building management system, wherein an application is for running on a mobile device and interacting with the at least one sensor, the method comprising:

communicating with the at least one sensor via the application to display a visual indicator;

capturing data representative of the visual indicator;

associating the at least one sensor with a circuit of a building power system based on the captured data;

capturing data representative of a power distribution panel of the building power system; and

identifying the circuit associated with the at least one sensor based on the data representative of the power distribution panel; wherein

The step of capturing data representative of the power distribution panel includes:

capturing spatial information associated with circuit settings within the power distribution panel; and

color information associated with electrical connections within the power distribution panel is detected.

2. The method for setting up a sensor system of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator displayed by the at least one sensor comprises a light emitting LED located on the at least one sensor.

3. The method for setting up a sensor system of claim 2, wherein the application transmits a pattern displayed by the light emitting LED to the at least one sensor to associate the at least one sensor with the circuitry of the building power system.

4. The method for setting up a sensor system of claim 1, further comprising:

starting a panel setting interface through the application program to guide a user to determine the position of the component to be connected; and

the user is instructed to set a voltage tap on one of the circuit breakers to provide power to the at least one sensor and the data transmitter.

5. The method for setting up a sensor system according to claim 4, wherein a cable of a voltage tap is connected with a terminal block of the data transmitter and a circuit breaker of the voltage tap can be opened.

6. The method for setting a sensor system of claim 5, further comprising controlling the data transmitter by the application to generate a visual signal indicative of the successful voltage tap setting.

7. A system for setting up a sensor system, comprising:

at least one sensor;

a transmitter communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor; and

a processor controlled by an application, the application interacting with the at least one sensor, the processor:

communicating with the at least one sensor to display a visual indicator;

capturing data representative of the visual indicator; and

associating the at least one sensor with a circuit of a building power system based on the captured data; wherein:

the processor capturing data representative of a power distribution panel of the building electrical system and identifying circuitry associated with the at least one sensor based on the data representative of the power distribution panel;

in capturing data representative of a power distribution panel of the building power system, the processor:

8. The system for setting up a sensor system of claim 7, wherein the visual indicator displayed by the at least one sensor comprises a light emitting LED located on the at least one sensor; and

the processor transmits a pattern displayed by the light emitting LED to the at least one sensor to associate the at least one sensor with the circuit of the building power system.

9. The system for setting up a sensor system of claim 7, wherein the processor captures the data representative of the visual indicator by controlling a sensing device.

10. The system for setting up a sensor system of claim 9, wherein the sensing device is associated with a mobile device.