System and method for processing control data

• US 20040049480A1
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Strategic Power Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Strategic Power Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Dunn, Kevin, Steele, Robert Jr., Turpin, David, Christiansen, Thomas, DellaVilla, Salvatore A. Jr., Burrill, Garth
• Granted Patent: US 7,333,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70

Abstract

A data collection engine for collecting a stream of dynamic data from a plant, comprising: a first computer process for receiving the dynamic data and for saving the dynamic data as database records in a series of log files within a file folder; and a second computer process for reading the database records from the log files, and storing the database records in a database.

Claims

1. A data collection engine for collecting a stream of dynamic data from a plant, comprising:

a first computer process for receiving the dynamic data and for saving the dynamic data as database records in a series of log files within a file folder; and

a second computer process for reading the database records from the log files, and storing the database records in a database.

2. The data collection engine of claim 1, wherein the first computer process operates at a relatively higher priority than the second computer process.

3. The data collection engine of claim 1, wherein the second computer process deletes each log file after the database records are stored in the database.

4. The data collection engine of claim 1, further comprising a transformation system for evaluating data points in the stored database records to identify critical data points.

5. The data collection engine of claim 4, wherein the data points are evaluated against a predetermined criteria.

6. The data collection engine of claim 4, wherein the data points are evaluated against other data points.

7. The data collection engine of claim 4, wherein the critical data points are outputted to a second database and made available for viewing via a graphical user interface.

8. The data collection engine of claim 7, wherein the graphical user interface includes an interface for dynamically displaying a current operational status of the plant in near real-time.

9. The data collection engine of claim 7, wherein the graphical user interface includes an interface for dynamically displaying an ignition summary of a turbine unit at the plant.

10. The data collection engine of claim 7, wherein the graphical user interface includes an interface for displaying an operating report for the plant over a selected span of time.

11. The data collection engine of claim 7, wherein the graphical user interface includes an interface for displaying operational data for a turbine selected from the group consisting of:

temperature, speed, emissions, trips, and starts.

12. The data collection engine of claim 7, wherein the critical data points are further outputted to a permanent database for secure storage.

13. The data collection engine of claim 1, wherein the database records comprise SQL insert records.

14. A method for collecting a stream of dynamic plant data, comprising:

using a first computer process to receive the dynamic plant data and to save the dynamic plant data as database records in a series of log files within a file folder; and

using a second computer process to read the database records from the log files and store the database records in a database.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising the further step of using the second computer process to delete each log file after the database records are stored in the database.

16. The method of claim 14, comprising the further step of evaluating data points in the stored database records to identify critical data points.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising the further step of dynamically outputting critical data points to a graphical user interface.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising the further step of outputting critical data points to a permanent storage database.

19. The method of claim 16, comprising the further step of processing critical data points to generate transformed data points.

20. A system for utilizing reliability data from a plant to dynamically calculate an expended life for a selected part, comprising:

a central database for storing service data for parts within the plant;

a data collection engine for dynamically collecting operational data from the plant in a near real-time manner; and

a lifetime calculation engine for implementing a lifetime calculation equation for the selected part, wherein the lifetime calculation equation utilizes the service data and the operational data to determine the expended life of the selected part.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the service data for the selected part includes information selected from the group consisting of:

installation date, maintenance records, and part specifications.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the operational data includes information selected from the group consisting of:

hours of operation, number of starts, number of trips, and operating temperature.

23. The system of claim 20, further comprising an output for dynamically displaying expended life information.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the expended life information is outputted in a near real-time manner.

25. A method of utilizing reliability data from a plant to dynamically calculate an expended life for a selected part, comprising:

storing service data for plant parts;

dynamically collecting operational data from the plant in a near real-time manner; and

calculating the expended life of the selected part using a lifetime calculation equation for the selected part, wherein the lifetime calculation equation utilizes the service data and the operational data.

26. The method of claim 25, comprising the further step of outputting expended life information in a near real-time manner.