Web-Based Operator Control Interface to Generator Control Systems

• US 20130018490A1
• Filed: 07/11/2011
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Caffrey, Paul Oliver, Casteel, Jordan Brantley, Fowley, Douglas Gregg, Pearson, William Robert, Damodar, Dhanashree Sadanand, Jackson, Roy
• Application Number:
  US13/180,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20130018490A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric

Abstract

A web-based operator control interface system can include an operator interface section including a web browser application, a generator exciter section or a static starter section coupled to the operator interface section, a generator coupled to the generator exciter section and a web server application configured to receive processing requests from the web browser application, and further configured to internally process real-time generator functions.

Claims

1. A web-based operator control interface system, comprising:

an operator interface section including a web browser application;

at least one of a generator exciter section and a static starter section coupled to the operator interface section;

a generator coupled to the at least one of the generator exciter section and the static starter section; and

a web server application configured to receive processing requests from the web browser application, and further configured to internally process real-time system functions.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least one of the generator exciter and the static starter section further comprises an embedded controller, wherein the web server application resides on the embedded controller.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the web server application delegates generation of web pages for the web browser application via common gateway interface (CGI) calls.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the real-time system functions are processed via CGI calls that are generated and processed internal to the web server application.

5. The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein non-real time computational functions are processed on the operator interface section by processing requests to and from the embedded controller via Asynchronous JavaScript and extensible markup language (XML) (AJAX) calls.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a power source coupled to the at least one of the generator exciter and the static starter section; and

a power converter coupled to the power source and configured to generate a voltage output for the generator,

wherein the web server application is further configured to process command inputs from the operator interface section, for the real-time generator functions of the generator related to the power converter.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the power source is at least one of an alternating current (AC) power source and a direct current (DC) power source.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the voltage output is a variable DC voltage output for the exciter section.

9. The system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the power source is an alternating current (AC) power source, and wherein the voltage output is a variable three-phase AC voltage output.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the static starter section is configured to establish a rotation of the generator by starting the generator as a motor.

11. A web-based operator control interface method for a generator system, the method comprising:

receiving requests from a web browser application residing on an operator interface section of the generator system;

delegating generation of the requests for the web browser application via common gateway interface (CGI) calls;

internally processing requests in an embedded controller, related to real-time generator functions of the generator system via internal CGI functions; and

delegating non-real time tasks to the operator interface section.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 further comprising processing command inputs from the operator interface section, for the real-time generator functions of the generator related to converting power to output voltage for the generator.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11 further comprising processing command inputs from the operator interface section, for the real-time generator functions of the generator related to establishing a rotation of the generator by starting the generator as a motor.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the non-real time tasks are processed on the operator interface section by processing requests to and from the embedded controller.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the requests to and from the embedded controller are processed via Asynchronous JavaScript and extensible markup language (XML) (AJAX) calls.

16. A computer program product including a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions for causing a computer to implement a web-based operator control interface method for a generator system, the method comprising:

receiving requests from a web browser application residing on an operator interface section of the generator system;

delegating generation of the requests for the web browser application via common gateway interface (CGI) calls;

internally processing requests in an embedded controller, related to real-time generator functions of the generator system via internal CGI functions; and

delegating non-real time tasks to the operator interface section.

17. The computer program product as claimed in claim 16 wherein the method further comprises processing command inputs from the operator interface section, for the real-time generator functions of the generator related to converting power to output voltage for the generator.

18. The computer program product as claimed in claim 16 wherein the method further comprises processing command inputs from the operator interface section, for the real-time generator functions of the generator related to establishing a rotation of the generator by starting the generator as a motor.

19. The computer program product as claimed in claim 16 wherein the non-real time tasks are processed on the operator interface section by processing requests to and from the embedded controller.

20. The computer program product as claimed in claim 19 wherein the requests to and from the embedded controller are processed via Asynchronous JavaScript and extensible markup language (XML) (AJAX) calls.