METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL POWER VISUALIZATION

• US 20150154770A1
• Filed: 02/13/2015
• Published: 06/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enphase Energy Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Enphase Energy Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Benjamin, Wolfe, Jonathon, Eich, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 9,495,774 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/001 Texturing; Colouring; Generation of texture or colour inpainting G06T5/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/20 Drawing from basic elements, e.g. lines or circles

Abstract

A method and apparatus for visualization of power generated by a plurality of distributed generator (DG) components. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving power information representing an amount of power generated by each DG component in the plurality of DG components; displaying a two-dimensional image showing an image representation of each DG component in the plurality of DG components; associating a color with each image representation; and varying at least one characteristic of the color associated with each image representation in accordance with the amount of power generated by the DG component that is represented by the image representation.

Claims

1. A method of visualization of power generated by a plurality of distributed generator (DG) components, comprising:

receiving power information representing an amount of power generated by each DG component in the plurality of DG components;

displaying a two-dimensional image showing an image representation of each DG component in the plurality of DG components;

associating a color with each image representation; and

varying at least one characteristic of the color associated with each image representation in accordance with the amount of power generated by the DG component that is represented by the image representation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each DG component in the plurality of DG components comprises a photovoltaic (PV) module coupled to a power converter.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the power converter is a DC-AC inverter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic is at least one of saturation or intensity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional image is displayed remotely from a location where the power information is received.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional image depicts an arrangement of the plurality of DG components in accordance with a physical arrangement of the plurality of DG components.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional image is displayed via a web browser.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, for each image representation, the at least one characteristic of the color is varied in real-time based on the amount of power generated by the corresponding DG component.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein, for each DG component of the plurality of DG components, the amount of power generated is measured over a period of time and the two-dimensional image is displayed in a time-lapse depiction for the period of time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of power generated is an absolute power generated scaled by a time of use (TOU) rate.

11. Apparatus for visualization of power generated by distributed generator (DG) components, comprising:

a controller for receiving power information representing an amount of power generated by each DG component in a plurality of DGs and for generating information to be displayed regarding the amount of power being generated; and

a display for receiving the information from the controller and for displaying a two-dimensional image showing an image representation of each DG component in the plurality of DG components, where a color is associated with each image representation and at least one characteristic of the color is varied in accordance with the amount of power generated by the DG component that is represented by the image representation.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each DG component in the plurality of DG components comprises a photovoltaic (PV) module coupled to a power converter.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the power converter is a DC-AC inverter.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the at least one characteristic is at least one of saturation or intensity.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the two-dimensional image depicts an arrangement of the plurality of DG components in accordance with a physical arrangement of the plurality of DG components.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the two-dimensional image is displayed via a web browser.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein, for each image representation, the at least one characteristic of color is varied in real-time based on the amount of power generated by the corresponding DG component.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein, for each DG component of the plurality of DG components, the amount of power generated is measured over a period of time and the-two dimensional image is displayed in a time-lapse depiction for the period of time.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the amount of power generated is an absolute power generated scaled by a time of use (TOU) rate.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the display is remotely located from the controller.