Method, and Computer Based-System and Virtual Asset Register

• US 20080195576A1
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ABB Power Grids Switzerland AG (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ABB Technology Limited (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Werner, Thomas, Svensson, Erik, Gundersen, Lars, Sande, Gorm, Bugge, Jan, Vetter, Claus, Lund, Tormod, Vatland, Svein, Julian, Danny
• Application Number:
  US10/590,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20080195576A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/256 in federated or virtual databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/84 Mapping; Conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

A method and computer-based system for retrieving, accessing and storing data otherwise stored in a plurality of IT systems arranged for operating a part of one or more electrical power networks. The method and computer-based system provide integration of otherwise separate systems such as GIS, SCADA, ERP and/or CMMS. The integration includes an XML/CIM layer for data exchange and a virtual asset register containing references to objects representing assets in the power networks. A human-machine interface and a computer program for carrying out the method.

Claims

1. A method for retrieving and accessing data stored in a plurality of systems arranged for operating part of one or more electrical power networks which method comprises adding a new object into a first system, characterised by subsequently adding a copy of the new object into a plurality of relevant systems, establishing automatically a connection between said relevant systems and the new object, and replicating data related to the new object to other systems and relevant systems.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterised by maintaining object connections (links) for the new object and for any other object accessed, retrieved and/or stored by a SCADA system as well as by any system from the list of:

GIS system, ERP system, CMMS system, PM system, WO system, WMS system.

3. A method according to claim 2, characterised by establishing the consistency of accessed or retrieved data in the relevant systems by means of mapping the new object using a model based on a structured text document.

4. A method according to claim 3, characterised by checking the consistency of attributes of the accessed or retrieved data by identifying the new or a given object and/or copies of the new or a given object and comparing attributes of all copies of the same new or given object.

5. A method according to claim 4, characterised by mapping the new object and/or copies of the new object using a model based on a CIM/XML document.

6. A method according to claim 4, characterised by mapping attributes of the new object and/or copies of the new object using a model based on a CIM/XML document.

7. A method according to claim 1, characterised by establishing the automatic connection or connections between copies of the same object in different systems means of a CIM/XML layer (1).

8. A method according to claim 1, characterised by mapping the new object by means of a virtual asset register (10) dependent on the CIM/XML layer (1) and/or mapping.

9. A method according to claim 1, characterised by selecting an object by means of an identifier in any said relevant system.

10. A method according to claim 9, characterised in that the identifier may be a URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) compatible as an identifier with a standard for RDF (Resource Description Framework).

11. A method according to claim 6, characterised by accessing one or more object attributes of the new object and changing an object attribute of the new object in a source system (owner, the first system).

12. A method according to claim 6, characterised by updating an object attribute of the new object in the source system (owner, the first system).

13. A method according to claim 1, characterised by creating the new object in each relevant system based on object templates.

14. A method according to claim 1, characterised by deleting an object by deleting the object in all relevant systems.

15. A method according to claim 14, characterised by deleting an object by deleting a defined object in each system.

16. A method according to claim 15, characterised by deleting an object by deleting object connections (links) to a deleted object or deleted defined object.

17. A computer program for retrieving and accessing data stored in a plurality of systems arranged for operating part of one or more electrical power networks comprising software code portions or computer code to cause a computer or processor to carry out the steps of a method according any of claims 1-16.

18. A computer program product recorded on a computer readable medium which when read into a computer or processor will cause the computer or processor to carry out a method according to any of the steps of claims 1-16.

19. An asset register for retrieving and accessing data stored in a plurality of systems arranged for operating part of one or more electrical power networks, characterised in that said asset register comprises a list of power network assets which list comprises in turn cross reference and mapping data for objects represented and/or stored in a SCADA system as well as in any system from the list of:

GIS system, ERP system, CMMS system.

20. An asset register according to claim 19, characterised by a comprising a list of references for all objects representing individual items of physical and/or logical equipment comprised in the one or more parts of the said power network.

21. An asset register according to claim 20, characterised in that the list comprises a master list of all objects in the one or more parts of the said power network together with the mapping data for each object according to a CIM model.

22. An asset register according to claim 21, characterised in that object data for the objects comprised in the master list of the asset register is stored in at least one separate system including any of a system for:

SCADA, GIS, CMMS, ERP, PM, WO.

23. An asset register according to claim 21, characterised in that the asset register is a virtual asset register which does not comprise any object data for the objects comprised in the master list and comprises only link information or cross reference data or mapping data.

24. A human-machine interface for retrieving and accessing data stored in a plurality of systems arranged for operating part of one or more electrical power networks, which HMI comprises a display including data accessed or retrieved from or stored in a SCADA system, characterised by also comprising data accessed or retrieved from or stored in any from the list of:

GIS system, ERP system, CMMS system, PM system, WO system.

25. A human-machine interface according to claim 24, characterised by at least one graphical user interface with means for manipulation of the data retrieved from or stored in the SCADA and any of the systems for GIS and/or ERP and/or CMMS.

26. A human-machine interface according to claim 24, characterised by reading out any object property independent of source.

27. A human-machine interface according to claims 24-26, characterised by means to provide access to simultaneous data stored in or held by any of the list of:

SCADA system, GIS system, ERP system, CMMS system, PM system, WO system.

28. A computer-based system for retrieving and accessing data stored in a plurality of systems arranged for operating part of one or more electrical power networks, characterised in that said computer-based system comprises a plurality of databases and a data communication network and which system includes an HMI providing navigation and access to at least one SCADA system and/or database as well as to any system and/or database from the list of:

ERP, GIS, CMMS, WO, WMS, PM.

29. A computer-based system according to claim 28, characterised by comprising one or members for:

adding a new object;

automatically establishing a connection between said relevant systems and the new object; and

for replicating data related to the new object to other systems and relevant systems.

30. A computer-based system according to claim 29, characterised by comprising one or members for:

maintaining object connections;

providing connection or connections by means of a layer with a structured text document protocol; and

mapping the new object by means of a structured text document model.

31. A computer-based system according to claim 30, characterised in that any of:

the structured text document protocol layer, or the structured text document means for mapping the new object are implemented with a CIM/XML model.

32. A computer-based system according to claim 28, characterised by comprising one or members for checking the consistency of attributes of any data so accessed or retrieved data by identifying the or each new or given object and/or copies of the new or given object in any separate system, and comparing attributes of all such copies of the same new or given object from each of the separate systems.

33. A computer-based system according to claim 28, characterised by a virtual asset register.

34. A computer-based system according to claim 28, characterised by a virtual asset register implemented according to an XML or CIM model or document.

35. A computer-based system according to claim 28, characterised by an HMI that may comprise object data accessed or retrieved or stored in a SCADA system and/or database as well object data originating in any system and/or database from the list of:

ERP, GIS, CMMS, WO, PM.