Real-time grid disturbance location from frequency data
This technology uses a network of sensors placed at different points across an electrical power grid to detect when something goes wrong — like a generator tripping or a large load suddenly dropping — and then figures out exactly where in the grid that problem occurred. Each sensor records the precise timing of frequency shifts caused by the disturbance, and a central system analyzes the sequence and pattern of those readings across at least three sensors to triangulate the geographic source of the event. Think of it as a grid-wide seismic monitoring system, but for electrical disturbances instead of earthquakes. The approach allows grid operators to respond faster and more accurately than traditional methods that rely on manual reporting or coarser diagnostic tools.
What you could build
A real-time grid monitoring platform sold to regional transmission organizations (RTOs) and large utilities that automatically identifies the location of fault events, enabling faster dispatch of repair crews and faster root-cause analysis. Buyers would be grid operators, independent system operators, and large investor-owned utilities.
Who in Virginia should care
Dominion Energy, PJM Interconnection (which coordinates the mid-Atlantic grid including Virginia), and the defense installations relying on grid reliability in the state would be natural early customers or partners.
Readiness: Lab validated
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Robert Matthew Gardner, Zhian Zhong, Yilu Liu
- Granted
- April 14, 2009
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 7519454
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.