System and method for updating wind farm software

• US 20070118626A1
• Filed: 11/18/2005
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Langen, Reinhard
• Granted Patent: US 8,543,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A method is provided for updating software of at least one installation in a wind farms wherein the at least one installation is connected to a wind farm network. The method including the steps of establishing a connection between a remote control center and a connection unit of the wind farm, transmitting an update software from the remote control center to the connection unit of the wind farm, transmitting the update software from the connection unit of the wind farm to the at least one installation via the wind farm network, and updating the software of the at least one installation with the update software.

Claims

1. A method for updating software of at least one installation in a wind farm, wherein the at least one installation is connected to a wind farm network, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing a connection between a remote control center and a connection unit of the wind farm;

transmitting an update software from the remote control center to the connection unit of the wind farm;

transmitting the update software from the connection unit of the wind farm to the at least one installation via the wind farm network; and

updating the software of the at least one installation with the update software.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the update software comprises a plurality of files.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein transmitting the update software comprises transmitting the update software to a plurality of wind turbines.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the update software is transmitted to the plurality of wind turbines in parallel.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the connection unit of the wind farm is a remote access server.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the connection unit confirms successful transmission of the update software to the remote control center and the remote control center is disconnected from the connection unit after receiving the confirmation.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein update information is stored in a database and wherein an upload engine automatically transmits the update software based on the update information stored in the database.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the update information contains at least one of the following information:

a software update, programmer identity, an identification number, a dial-in number, a wind turbine type, a wind turbine location, an installed software version, an update status, a scheduled time for updating, time and date of the last update, average connection speed, number of successful uploads, number of failed uploads, and upload times.

9. A system for updating wind farm software, said system comprising:

at least one installation in a wind farm, wherein the at least one installation is connected to a wind farm network;

a connection unit of the wind farm being connected to the wind farm network; and

a remote control center which can be connected to the connection unit of the wind farm, wherein the remote control center is adapted for transmitting an update software to the connection unit; and

wherein the connection unit is adapted for transmitting the update software to the at least one installation via the wind farm network so that the software of the at least one installation can be updated with the update software.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein the connection unit of the wind farm is a remote access server.

11. The system according to claim 9 wherein the update software comprises a plurality of files.

12. The system according to claim 9 wherein the wind farm comprises a plurality of wind turbines and wherein the connection unit is adapted for transmitting the update software to the plurality of wind turbines in parallel.

13. The system according to claim 9 wherein the connection unit is adapted for confirming successful transmission of the update software to the remote control center and wherein the remote control center is adapted for disconnecting from the connection unit after receiving the confirmation.

14. The system according to claim 9 wherein the remote control center is connected to a database storing update information and wherein the remote control center comprises an upload engine adapted for automatically transmitting the update software based on the update information stored in the database.

15. The system according to claim 14 wherein the update information stored in the database contains at least one of the following information:

a software update, programmer identity, an identification number, a dial-in number, a wind turbine type, a wind turbine location, an installed software version, an update status, a scheduled time for updating, time and date of the last update, average connection speed, number of successful uploads, number of failed uploads, and upload times.