SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATED AVAILABILITY AND/OR OUTAGE MANAGEMENT

• US 20130263035A1
• Filed: 10/13/2011
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gridspeak Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gridspeak Corporation
• Inventors: Simmons, Karl A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,977,976 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/772
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/128 involving the use of Internet protocol

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for instantly and electronically reporting generation outages and/or availability to the grid operator. More specifically, the invention relates to systems for creating outage requests on a mobile device or web interface, accepting outage requests, processing the outage request, submitting the outage request to the grid operator electronically, receiving and communicating acknowledgement of receipt, acceptance or rejection of the outage request and starting the outage when an outage request is approved. In some embodiments, workflow design for processing the outage request may occur on a mobile device or web interface.

Claims

1. An automated availability and/or outage management system comprising:

a workflow designer hosted on a device with a display, wherein the workflow designer is configured to accept a user input via a graphical interface shown on the display; and

a workflow engine in communication with the workflow designer over a network, wherein the workflow engine is configured to process the user input in accordance with one or more workflow rules, and wherein the workflow engine is configured to communicate power availability and/or outage related information with a grid operator.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the user input alters one or more workflow rules.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the user input includes at least one of the following:

location of an outage, magnitude of an outage, time of an outage, duration of an outage, outage type, criteria for an outage management process, or a checklist for an outage management process.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the workflow designer is pre-configured to follow one or regulation.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the power availability and/or outage related information includes one or more of the following:

outage request, outage start, or forced outage reports.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the device is a mobile device.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the workflow engine is configured to process outages differently according to outage type.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the outage type has one or more of the following characteristics:

planned outage, unplanned outage, intermittency, location of outage, magnitude of outage, timing of outage, duration of outage, source of outage.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising an outage management reporter configured to display a status of one or more outage requests or information on power availability.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the grid operator provides feedback to the workflow engine, wherein the feedback is whether an outage requested by the workflow engine has occurred.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising an email client configured to generate outage related notification messages based on information received from the workflow engine.

12. A method for automated availability and/or outage management, said method comprising:

providing a management system comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the management system is configured to store one or more availability and/or outage task within the memory;

accepting, at the management system, a workflow rules input and outage information; and

providing, from the management system, one or more outage request, wherein said outage request is generated using the processor of the management system based on the workflow rules input and the outage information.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the workflow rules input includes one or more of the following:

adding, removing, or modifying an existing task.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the outage information is provided by one or more of the following sources:

user, grid operator, or utility meter.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the outage request is received by a grid operator.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining whether one or more conditions for the outage are met, if the grid operator approves the outage request.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising powering down one or more power generator if the conditions for outage are met.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the one or more conditions are met when one or more of the following occurs:

a predetermined length of time has elapsed, a predetermined time has been reached, one or more user inputs have been provided, one or more environmental condition has been reached, or one or more power load level has been reached.