Customer extranet portal

• US 20040111325A1
• Filed: 11/19/2002
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Energy Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
• Inventors: Near, Lee A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,337,183 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the invention, a computerized method of providing information to a customer in the power industry includes automatically receiving data representing a plurality of characteristics of a power plant device associated with a power plant of the customer based on monitoring of the power plant device, in which the data is received at a location remote from the power plant, processing the data, generating one or more outputs representative of the processed data, displaying, by a web page of a website, at least one of the outputs in response to a request by the customer, and displaying, by the web page, diagnostic information related to the displayed output.

Claims

1. A computerized method of providing information to a customer in the power industry, comprising:

automatically receiving, for each of a plurality of independent customers, data representing a plurality of characteristics of a power plant device associated with a power plant of a respective independent customer based on monitoring of the power plant device, the data received at a location remote from the power plant;

processing the data;

generating one or more outputs representative of the processed data;

displaying, by a web page of a website, at least one of the outputs in response to a request by one of the plurality of independent customers; and

displaying, by the web page, diagnostic information related to the displayed output.

2. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a permission for each independent customer, the permission having a user identification and a password associated with each independent customer;

prompting a respective independent customer, in response to a request by the respective independent customer to access the website, for the user identification and the password;

receiving the user identification and the password; and

validating the user identification and the password via the permission.

3. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a home page of the website; and

displaying a plurality of links on the homepage.

4. The computerized method of claim 3, wherein displaying a plurality of links on the homepage comprises:

displaying a site statistics link;

displaying, in response to a selection of the site statistics link by the one independent customer, a plurality of outputs as links on a site statistics web page; and

displaying one of the outputs in response to the request by the one independent customer.

5. The computerized method of claim 3, wherein displaying a plurality of links on the homepage comprises:

displaying an outage plans link;

displaying, in response to a selection of the outage plans link by the one independent customer, an outage plan for a respective power plant device as a link on a outage plans web page; and

displaying the outage plan in response to a request by the one independent customer.

6. The computerized method of claim 3, wherein displaying a plurality of links on the homepage comprises:

displaying a news groups link; and

facilitating, in response to a selection of the news groups link by a respective customer, communication between the respective customer and an entity selected from the group consisting of a host of the website and another respective customer.

7. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the one or more outputs are selected from the group consisting of a chart, a graph, a list, and a table, and wherein the one or more outputs are indicative of an operation of the power plant device.

8. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the power plant device is of a certain type, and wherein displaying diagnostic information related to the displayed output comprises displaying averaged information related to power plant devices of the certain type that are possessed by some of the other independent customers.

9. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein displaying diagnostic information related to the displayed output comprises displaying historical information related to the power plant device.

10. A computerized method of providing information to a customer in the power industry, comprising:

automatically receiving data representing a plurality of characteristics of a power plant device associated with a power plant of the customer based on monitoring of the power plant device, the data received at a location remote from the power plant;

processing the data;

generating one or more outputs representative of the processed data;

displaying, by a web page of a website, at least one of the outputs in response to a request by the customer; and

displaying, by the web page, diagnostic information related to the displayed output.

11. The computerized method of claim 10, further comprising:

storing a permission for the customer, the permission having a user identification and a password for the customer;

prompting the customer, in response to a request by the customer to access the website, for the user identification and the password;

receiving the user identification and the password; and

validating the user identification and the password via the permission.

12. The computerized method of claim 10, further comprising:

displaying a home page of the website; and

displaying a plurality of links on the homepage.

13. The computerized method of claim 12, wherein displaying a plurality of links on the homepage comprises:

displaying a site statistics link;

displaying, in response to a selection of the site statistics link by the customer, a plurality of outputs as links on a site statistics web page; and

displaying one of the outputs in response to the request by the customer.

14. The computerized method of claim 12, wherein displaying a plurality of links on the homepage comprises:

displaying an outage plans link;

displaying, in response to a selection of the outage plans link by the customer, an outage plan for a respective power plant device as a link on a outage plans web page; and

displaying the outage plan in response to a request by the customer.

15. The computerized method of claim 12, wherein displaying a plurality of links on the homepage comprises:

displaying a library link;

displaying, in response to a selection of the library link by the customer, a plurality of electronic files representing technical information related to the power plant devices that the customer possesses as a link on a library web page; and

displaying one of the electronic files in response to a request by the customer.

16. The computerized method of claim 12, wherein displaying a plurality of links on the homepage comprises:

displaying a news groups link; and

facilitating, in response to a selection of the news groups link by the customer, communication between the customer and an entity selected from the group consisting of a host of the website and another customer.

17. The computerized method of claim 12, wherein displaying a plurality of links on the homepage comprises:

displaying an online seminars link; and

broadcasting, in response to a selection of the online seminars link by the customer, a seminar related to the power plant industry.

18. The computerized method of claim 12, wherein displaying a plurality of links on the homepage comprises:

displaying a quick meeting link; and

facilitating, in response to a selection of the quick meeting link by the customer, videoconferencing with the customer.

19. The computerized method of claim 10, further comprising displaying advertising on at least one web page of the website, the advertising customized for the customer.

20. The computerized method of claim 10, wherein the power plant device is selected from the group consisting of a turbine, a compressor, a generator, a boiler, a pump, a valve, and a bearing.

21. The computerized method of claim 10, wherein one of the plurality of characteristics is selected from the group consisting of pressure, temperature, time, position, speed, quality, vibration, and current output.

22. The computerized method of claim 10, wherein the automatically receiving step comprises automatically receiving over a communications network data representing a plurality of characteristics of a power plant device of the customer based on sensing of the characteristics.

23. The computerized method of claim 10, wherein the automatically receiving step comprises:

receiving data representing a plurality of characteristics of a power plant device of the customer; and

entering the data in a computer.

24. The computerized method of claim 10, wherein the one or more outputs are selected from the group consisting of a chart, a graph, a list, and a table, and wherein the one or more outputs are indicative of an operation of the power plant device.

25. The computerized method of claim 10, wherein the power plant device is of a certain type, and wherein displaying diagnostic information related to the displayed output comprises displaying averaged information related to power plant devices of the certain type that are possessed by other customers.

26. The computerized method of claim 10, wherein displaying diagnostic information related to the displayed output comprises displaying historical information related to the power plant device.

27. A website hosted by a manufacturer of power plant equipment, comprising:

a login web page querying a customer for a user identification and a password; and

a home page displaying a plurality of links on the homepage, the plurality of links comprising;

a site statistics link operable to display, in response to a selection of the site statistics link by the customer, a plurality of outputs as links on a site statistics web page, some of the outputs representative of a plurality of operating characteristics of a power plant device of the customer and some of the outputs representative of diagnostic information that is related to the operating characteristics of the power plant device;

an outage plans link operable to display, in response to a selection of the outage plans link by the customer, an outage plan for a power plant device of the customer as a link on a outage plans web page;

a library link operable to display, in response to a selection of the library link by the customer, a plurality of electronic files representing technical information related to the power plant devices that the customer possesses as a link on a library web page;

a news groups link operable to facilitate, in response to a selection of the news groups link by the customer, communication between the customer and a entity selected from the group consisting of a host of the website and another customer;

an online seminars link operable to facilitate the broadcasting, in response to a selection of the online seminars link by the customer, a seminar related to the power plant industry; and

a quick meeting link operable to facilitate, in response to a selection of the quick meeting link by the customer, a videoconference with the customer.

28. The website of claim 27, further comprising an advertising section associated with the home page, the advertising customized for the customer.

29. The website of claim 27, further comprising a customized section associated with the home page, the customized section including information related to the customer.

30. Logic encoded in media for providing information to a customer in the power industry, the logic operable to perform the following steps:

automatically receive data representing a plurality of characteristics of a power plant device associated with a power plant of the customer based on monitoring of the power plant device, the data received at a location remote from the power plant;

process the data;

generate one or more outputs representative of the processed data;

display, by a web page of a website, at least one of the outputs in response to a request by the customer

display, by the web page, diagnostic information related to the displayed output.

31. The logic encoded in media of claim 30, the logic further operable to:

store a permission for the customer, the permission having a user identification and a password for the customer;

prompt the customer, in response to a request by the customer to access the website, for the user identification and the password;

receive the user identification and the password; and

validate the user identification and the password via the permission.

32. The logic encoded in media of claim 30, the logic further operable to:

display a home page of the website; and

display a plurality of links on the homepage.

33. The logic encoded in media of claim 32, wherein the logic is further operable to:

display a site statistics link;

display, in response to a selection of the site statistics link by the customer, a plurality of outputs as links on a site statistics web page; and

display one of the outputs in response to the request by the customer.

34. The logic encoded in media of claim 32, wherein the logic is further operable to:

display an outage plans link;

display, in response to a selection of the outage plans link by the customer, an outage plan for a respective power plant device as a link on a outage plans web page; and

display the outage plan in response to a request by the customer.

35. The logic encoded in media of claim 32, wherein the logic is further operable to:

display a library link;

display, in response to a selection of the library link by the customer, a plurality of electronic files representing technical information related to the power plant devices that the customer possesses as a link on a library web page; and

display one of the electronic files in response to a request by the customer.

36. The logic encoded in media of claim 32, wherein the logic is further operable to:

display a news groups link; and

facilitate, in response to a selection of the news groups link by the customer, communication between the customer and a entity selected from the group consisting of a host of the website and another customer.

37. The logic encoded in media of claim 32, wherein the logic is further operable to:

display an online seminars link; and

broadcast, in response to a selection of the online seminars link by the customer, a seminar related to the power plant industry.

38. The logic encoded in media of claim 32, wherein the logic is further operable to:

display a quick meeting link; and

facilitate, in response to a selection of the quick meeting link by the customer, videoconferencing with the customer.

39. The logic encoded in media of claim 30, the logic further operable to display advertising on at least one web page of the website, the advertising customized for the customer.

40. The logic encoded in media of claim 30, wherein the power plant device is selected from the group consisting of a turbine, a compressor, a generator, a boiler, a pump, a valve, and a bearing.

41. The logic encoded in media of claim 30, wherein one of the plurality of characteristics is selected from the group consisting of pressure, temperature, time, position, speed, quality, vibration, and current output.

42. The logic encoded in media of claim 30, wherein the logic is further operable to automatically receive over a communications network data representing a plurality of characteristics of a power plant device of the customer based on sensing of the characteristics.

43. The logic encoded in media of claim 30, wherein the one or more outputs are selected from the group consisting of a chart, a graph, a list, and a table, and wherein the one or more outputs are indicative of an operation of the power plant device.

44. The logic encoded in media of claim 30, wherein the power plant device is of a certain type, and wherein the logic is further operable to display averaged information related to power plant devices of the certain type that are possessed by other customers.

45. The logic encoded in media of claim 30, wherein the logic is further operable to display historical information related to the power plant device.

46. A website, comprising:

a login web page querying a customer for a user identification and a password; and

a home page displaying a plurality of links on the homepage, the plurality of links comprising a site statistics link operable to display, in response to a selection of the site statistics link by the customer, a plurality of outputs as links on a site statistics web page, some of the outputs representative of a plurality of operating characteristics of a power plant device of the customer and some of the outputs representative of diagnostic information that is related to the operating characteristics of the power plant device.

47. The website of claim 46, further comprising an outage plans link operable to display, in response to a selection of the outage plans link by the customer, an outage plan for a power plant device of the customer as a link on a outage plans web page.

48. The website of claim 46, further comprising a library link operable to display, in response to a selection of the library link by the customer, a plurality of electronic files representing technical information related to the power plant devices that the customer possesses as a link on a library web page.

49. The website of claim 46, further comprising a news groups link operable to facilitate, in response to a selection of the news groups link by the customer, communication between the customer and a entity selected from the group consisting of a host of the website and another customer.

50. The website of claim 46, further comprising an online seminars link operable to facilitate the broadcasting, in response to a selection of the online seminars link by the customer, a seminar related to the power plant industry.

51. The website of claim 46, further comprising a quick meeting link operable to facilitate, in response to a selection of the quick meeting link by the customer, a videoconference with the customer.

52. The website of claim 46, further comprising an advertising section associated with the home page, the advertising customized for the customer.

53. The website of claim 46, further comprising a customized section associated with the home page, the customized section including information related to the customer.

54. The website of claim 46, wherein the diagnostic information is selected from the group consisting of historical information related to the power plant device and operating information related to a power plant device of another customer that is similar in type to the power plant device of the customer.