Data logging in a voltage regulator controller

• US 5,500,806 A
• Filed: 11/18/1993
• Issued: 03/19/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens Energy Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Energy & Automation Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Hoffmann, Mark, Laplace, Carl, Trainor, John J., Bellin, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOI, KYLE JAEHUN
• Application Number:
  US08/154,315
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 364/483, 364/492, 364/493, 364/550, 364/551.01, 364/554, 323/255, 323/258, 324/416
• US Class Current: 700/298
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/14 using tap transformers or tap changing inductors as final control devices

Abstract

A voltage regulator controller including three types of data logs which are operator selectable and configurable. An operator can enable data logging to occur at specific times and intervals. The voltage regulator controller includes a real time clock/calendar and interval timer to support this function. In a preferred embodiment, the controller includes an event log, a snapshot interval log and a minimum/maximum metered parameter log. Advantageously, the event log can be programmed to monitor configuration changes made from the voltage regulator controller'"'"'s front panel or from a remote device. The voltage regulator controller also includes a memory card interface which enables the log contents to be uploaded to a removable PCMCIA standard memory card.

Claims

1. A voltage regulator controller for an electrical power distribution system, comprising:

interface means for coupling the voltage regulator controller to a regulator transformer;

processor means, coupled to the interface means, for monitoring electrical parameters present in said regulator transformer and for providing control signals to the regulator transformer responsive to at least one of the electrical parameters;

operator interface means, coupled to the processor means, for receiving operator selected configuration data selected by an operator of the voltage regulator controller, the operator selected data including time interval data representative of a time interval, and parameter data representative of at least one electrical parameter;

a log memory coupled to the processor means; and

,

log task means, coupled to the operator interface means, said processor means and said log memory, said log means including;

(a) means for capturing, in the log memory, information indicative of at least a subset of the electrical parameters in the memory when an event specified by the operator selected configuration data occurs;

(b) means for capturing, in the log memory, the information indicative of the subset of the electrical parameters when the time interval represented by the time interval data has elapsed; and

,

(c) means for capturing minimum and maximum values of the at least one of the electrical parameters represented by the parameter data along with time data indicative of the times the minimum and maximum values of the electrical parameters occurred.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory card interface coupled to the log memory and wherein the processor means includes means for uploading log data stored in the log memory to a removable memory card.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the log task means comprises means for monitoring changes to the configuration data made by the operator and for capturing information indicative of the changes in the memory along with a time stamp indicative of when the changes were made.

4. A method of operating a voltage regulator controller of a type used to control a step-type regulator having an internal multi-tap transformer, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving configuration data selected by an operator of the voltage regulator controller, the configuration data including specifications of log triggering conditions, wherein the log triggering conditions include;

(i) occurrence of an event relating to regulator control; and

(ii) elapse of a recurring time interval;

(b) monitoring the voltage regulator controller and the voltage regulator transformer for occurrence of the log triggering condition;

(c) monitoring electrical parameters present in the regulator transformer; and

,

(d) capturing data indicative of at least some of the electrical parameters in a memory when the log triggering condition is detected.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein data indicative of the log triggering condition in step (a) is stored in the memory along with the electrical parameters in step (d).

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the event receivable in step (a) as the log triggering condition includes occurrence of a tap change in the regulator transformer.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of:

uploading log data stored in the memory to a removable memory card.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the data stored in the memory include minimum, maximum, instantaneous and demand values for the voltage regulator'"'"'s load voltage, load current, real power, reactive power, and apparent power;

the voltage regulator'"'"'s instantaneous power factor;

the voltage regulator'"'"'s power factor at minimum and maximum apparent power;

the voltage regulator'"'"'s instantaneous minimum and maximum tap position; and

a total operations count indicative of a number of tap changes occurring in the voltage regulator during the recurring time interval.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein step (b) comprises monitoring changes to the configuration data and wherein step (d) comprises capturing information indicative of the changes in the memory along with a time stamp indicative of when the changes were made.

10. The method of claim 4 comprising the further steps of determining when a new minimum or maximum value for at least one of the electrical parameters has occurred and storing information indicative of each of the new minimum or maximum values in the memory along with a time stamp indicative of when the new minimum or maximum value occurred.

11. A voltage regulator controller, coupled to a regulator transformer, comprising:

an operator interface, coupled to the voltage regulator controller, which receives operator selected configuration data selected by an operator of the voltage regulator controller;

a processor, coupled to the operator interface and to the regulator transformer, which monitors electrical parameters of the regulator transformer and provides control signals in response to the monitored parameters, and which further monitors log-triggering conditions specified by the operator selected configuration data; and

a memory, coupled to the processor, which stores data, including at least some of the electrical parameters, in response to the log-triggering conditions specified by the operator selected configuration data, the log-triggering conditions including;

(a) occurrence of events relating to the control of the regulator transformer, wherein the data stored in the log memory also includes data indicative of the event; and

(b) elapse of a recurring time interval.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein at least one of the events is a tap change of the regulator transformer.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the data stored in the memory include minimum, maximum, instantaneous and demand values of the transformer'"'"'s load voltage, load current, real power, reactive power, and apparent power;

the transformer'"'"'s instantaneous power factor;

the transformer'"'"'s power factor at minimum and maximum apparent power;

the transformer'"'"'s instantaneous minimum and maximum tap position; and

a total operations count indicative of a number of transformer tap changes occurring during the recurring time interval.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a real time clock coupled to the processor.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein at least one of the log-triggering conditions specified by the operator selected configuration data is a change in the minimum and maximum values of at least some of the monitored electrical parameters.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the data stored in the memory is indicative of the change in minimum and maximum values of at least some of the monitored electrical parameters, and further wherein the data includes time and date data indicative of the time and date the change occurred.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein at least one of the log-triggering conditions specified by the operator selected configuration data is an operator change of the configuration data.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the data stored in the memory is indicative of the change in the operator selected configuration data, and further wherein the data includes time and date data indicative of the time and date the change was made.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a removable memory means coupled to the memory wherein the processor uploads the data stored in the memory to the removable memory means.