SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR THE CONFIGURATION AND MANAGEMENT OF INTELLIGENT ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20110078574A1
• Filed: 05/04/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Shimizu, Koh, Cargnelli, Claudio, Bowe, David W., Deveaux, Robert, Luo, Wenhui, Li, Brian
• Application Number:
  US12/773,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20110078574A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/00 Error detection; Error correction; Monitoring error detection, correction or monitoring in information storage based on relative movement between record carrier and transducer G11B20/18; monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing G11B27/36; in static stores G11C29/00

Abstract

According to some embodiments, data may be received from a plurality of intelligent electronic devices (e.g., such as a set of protective relays). For each intelligent electronic device, status information may be stored based on the received data. Moreover, the status information may be displayed via a graphical user interface for the plurality of the intelligent electronic devices. The stored status information may also be transmitted to a remote central server via a communication network.

Claims

1. A monitoring apparatus, comprising:

a communication device to receive data from a plurality of intelligent electronic devices;

a processor coupled to the communication device; and

a storage device in communication with said processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to;

for each intelligent electronic device, store status information based on the received data,

display, via a graphical user interface, status information for the plurality of the intelligent electronic devices, and

transmit the stored status information to a remote central server via a communication network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the intelligent electronic devices comprises:

(i) a protective relay, (ii) a power meter, or (iii) an Ethernet switch.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the status information includes at least one of:

(i) a serial number, (ii) an age of an intelligent electronic device, or (iii) a hardware revision identifier.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said transmitting is associated with at least one of:

(i) the Internet, (ii) a web site, (iii) hypertext transfer protocol, or (iv) hypertext mark-up language.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage device further stores instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to:

monitor the status information for the plurality of remote intelligent electronic devices, and

provide a combined indication representing the plurality of remote intelligent electronic devices.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the monitored status information includes at least one of:

(i) configuration information, (ii) an installation method, or (iii) an age of a device.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the combined indication is associated with at least one of:

(i) an overall system health, (ii) a current status, or (iii) a security risk.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage device further stores instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to:

receive additional information from the central server in connection with at least one of the intelligent electronic devices.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the additional information comprises at least one of:

(i) a document, (ii) a service bulletin, (iii) a product advisory, or (iv) a recommendation associated with an expected lifespan of the intelligent electronic device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the additional information comprises a notification pushed through a web link from the central server based on an effectiveness of an intelligent electronic device.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage device further stores instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to:

generate a report associated with at least one of the intelligent electronic devices.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the report includes an estimate of a lifespan remaining for a first intelligent electronic device and is generated based on at least one of:

(i) an age of the first intelligent electronic device, (ii) a total time installed of the first intelligent electronic device, (iii) an operating environment, (iv) temperature information, (v) electrical transient levels, or (vi) vibration levels.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the storage device further stores instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to configure and manage the intelligent electronic devices.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the report includes a prioritized list of intelligent electronic devices that should be replaced or upgraded.

15. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving data from a plurality of remote intelligent electronic devices;

for each intelligent electronic device, storing into a local database status information based on the received data;

displaying, via a graphical user interface, status information for the plurality of the intelligent electronic devices;

transmitting the stored status information to a remote central server via a communication network;

automatically monitoring, by a processor, the status information for the plurality of remote intelligent electronic devices; and

providing to a user a combined indication representing the plurality of remote intelligent electronic devices.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one of the intelligent electronic devices comprises:

(i) a protective relay, (ii) a power meter, or (iii) an Ethernet switch.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

automatically outputting a report associated with at least one of the intelligent electronic devices, including an estimate of a lifespan based on at least one of (i) an age of the intelligent electronic device, (ii) a total time installed, (iii) an operating environment, (iv) temperature information, (v) electrical transient levels, or (vi) vibration levels.

18. A computer-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method, said method comprising:

receive data from a plurality of remote power devices;

for each power device, store into a local database status information based on the received data;

display to a user status information for the plurality of power devices;

transmit the stored status information to a remote central server via a communication network;

automatically monitor the status information for the plurality of power devices; and

provide to the user a combined indication representing the plurality of power devices.

19. The medium of claim 18, wherein at least one of the power devices comprises:

(i) a protective relay, (ii) a power meter, or (iii) an Ethernet switch.

20. The medium of claim 18, wherein the medium further stores instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to automatically create a report associated with at least one of the power devices, including an estimate of a lifespan based at least in part on:

(i) an age of the power device, (ii) a total time installed of the power device, (iii) an operating environment, (iv) temperature information, (v) electrical transient levels, or (vi) vibration levels.