Power management control system

• US 5,862,391 A
• Filed: 04/03/1996
• Issued: 01/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Burke, James, Meyer-Haack, Wolfgang, Murphy, Thomas A., Foster, Dana, Purkayastha, Indrajit, Salas, Patrick G., Bscheider, Jose, Doddy, Mary A., Brown, Donald R., Uecker, Sara, Yee, Edgar, Vandevanter, John S., Kertesz, Veronica, Broadnax, Grady W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Auve, Glenn A.
• Application Number:
  US08/626,102
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 395/750, 395/200.01, 395/200.02, 395/200.1, 395/750.01, 395/750.03, 395/750.07, 395/200.53, 395/200.54, 395/200.3, 395/200.31 , 395/200.47, 395/200.79, 364/483, 364/492, 364/493, 370/401, 370/466, 370/467
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

The power management control system comprises a computer having standard RS485 interface cards and adapters installed in its I/O slots defining multiple industry standard Modbus RTU networks. The computer contains software for monitoring and controlling selected aspects of power usage/consumption, as described in more detail hereinafter. The Modbus RTU protocol is a well known industry standard. Devices with a Modbus RTU interface can be connected directly to the Modbus and other devices which communicate on the Commnet protocol require a Modbus concentrator. The Modbus concentrator provides an interface between the Modbus RTU protocol and the Commnet protocol, whereby these other devices can communicate through the Modbus concentrator over the Modbus. Alternatively, standard Ethernet interface cards and adapters are installed in the computer'"'"'s I/O slots defining multiple standard Ethernet TCP/IP networks. The Ethernet TCP/IP protocol is a well known standard, which would allow a user of the power management control system of the present invention to use its existing LAN. Ethernet gateways are connected to the Ethernet TCP/IP networks to provide an interface between the Ethernet TCP/IP protocol and the Modbus RTU protocol.

Claims

1. A power management system comprising:

a computer;

an interface at said computer defining a first network having a first protocol;

a concentrator connected to said first network, said concentrator converting said first protocol to a second protocol and defining at least one second network, said concentrator comprising,

(a) a main processor for interfacing with said computer, and

(b) a plurality of segment processors, each interfacing with said main processor and said corresponding at least one power monitoring or control device;

at least one power monitoring or control device connected to said second network; and

a server associated with said computer for communicating in said first protocol over said first network and through said concentrator with said at least one device, said server processing data received from said at least one device to manage power use.

2. The power management system of claim 1 wherein said first network and protocol are a Modbus network and protocol.

3. The power management system of claim 2 wherein said second network and protocol are a Commnet network and protocol.

4. The power management system of claim 1 wherein said second network and protocol are a Commnet network and protocol.

5. The power management system of claim 1 wherein said at least one second network comprises a plurality of second networks, each having at least one of said devices connected thereto.

6. The power management system of claim 5 wherein said plurality of second networks comprises eight second networks.

7. The power management system of claim 1, wherein said main processor communicates with said computer through a command-response protocol.

8. A power management system comprising:

a computer;

a local area network interface at said computer defining a local area network having a local area network protocol;

a gateway connected to said local area network, said gateway converting said local area network protocol to a first protocol defining at least one first network;

at least one first power monitoring or control device connected to said first network;

a concentrator connected to said at least one said first network, said concentrator converting said first protocol to a second protocol defining at least one second network;

at least one second power monitoring or control device connected to said second network;

a server associated with said computer for communicating in said local area network protocol over said local area network and through said gateway with said at least one first device, said server for communicating in said local area network protocol over said local area network and through said concentrator and said gateway with said at least one second device, said server (a) processing data received from or (b) generating data transmitted to said at least one first and second devices to manage power use.

9. The power management system of claim 8 wherein said local area network and protocol are an Ethernet network and protocol.

10. The power management system of claim 9 wherein a transfer protocol for transferring data packets between said computer and said gateway comprises:

a header associated with each of the data packets; and

an authentication field disposed within said header for determining data packet validity.

11. The power management system of claim 10 wherein said gateway includes a plurality of ports and said header further comprises a gateway port number field for identifying which of the plurality of ports the data packet is to be transmitted on.

12. The power management system of claim 10 wherein the data packet is configuration packet for identifying configuration parameters to enable serial communications between said computer and said gateway.

13. The power Management system of claim 12 wherein the gateway port number is assigned a first value when said computer transmits new configuration parameters to said gateway.

14. The power management system of claim 13 wherein the gateway port number is assigned the first value when said gateway acknowledges the new configuration parameters.

15. The power management system of claim 13 wherein the gateway port number is assigned a second value when said gateway detects an error in the configuration parameters.

16. The power management system of claim 12, wherein the gateway port number is assigned a third value when said computer transmits a request for the current configuration parameters to said gateway.

17. The power management system of claim 10, wherein said header further comprises an error status field for indicating whether any serial communications errors have occurred.

18. The power management system of claim 10 wherein said header further comprises a number of bytes field for identifying the number of bytes that follow the header.

19. The power management system of claim 10, wherein said header further comprises a checksum field for providing a checksum for the header.

20. The power management system of claim 8 wherein said first network and protocol are a Modbus network and protocol.

21. The power management system of claim 8 wherein said first network and protocol are a Modbus network and protocol.

22. The power management system of claim 8 wherein said second network and protocol are a Commnet network and protocol.

23. The power management system of claim 22 wherein said local area network and protocol are an Ethernet network and protocol.

24. The power management system of claim 23 wherein said first network and protocol are a Modbus network and protocol.

25. The power management system of claim 22 wherein said first network and protocol are a Modbus network and protocol.

26. The power management system of claim 8 wherein said at least one first network comprises a plurality of first networks, each having at least one of said first devices connected thereto.

27. The power management system of claim 26 wherein said plurality of first networks comprises four first networks.

28. The power management system of claim 8 wherein said at least one second network comprises a plurality of second networks, each having at least one of said second devices connected thereto.

29. The power management system of claim 28 wherein said plurality of second networks comprises eight second networks.

30. The power management system of claim 28 wherein said at least one first network comprises a plurality of first networks, each having at least one of said first devices connected thereto.

31. The power management system of claim 30 wherein:

said plurality of first networks comprises four first networks; and

said plurality of second networks comprises eight second networks.

32. The power management system of claim 8 wherein said gateway comprises:

a central processing unit card for receiving gateway configuration data and gateway diagnostic data.

33. The power management system of claim 32 wherein the gateway configuration data includes baud rate, number of data bits, number of stop bits and parity setting for said gateway.

34. The power management system of claim 32 wherein the gateway configuration data includes a gateway socket identifier.

35. The power management system of claim 32 wherein the gateway configuration data includes a host socket identifier.

36. The power management system of claim 32 wherein the gateway configuration data includes an Ethernet frame type.

37. The power management system of claim 32 wherein the gateway configuration data includes a data element which enables or disables output of messages by said central processing unit card.

38. The power management system of claim 32 wherein the gateway diagnostic data includes an instruction for testing the transmission of messages from the local area network to the first network and from the first network to the local area network.

39. The power management system of claim 32 wherein said gateway further comprises an Ethernet card for receiving gateway configuration data.

40. The power management system of claim 39 wherein the gateway configuration data includes baud rate, number of data bits, number of stop bits and parity setting for said communications card.

41. The power management system of claim 39 wherein the gateway configuration data includes a data element which enables or disables output of messages by said central processing unit card.

42. The power management system of claim 8, wherein said concentrator comprises a multiple channel data converter/multiplexer.

43. The power management system of claim 8, wherein said concentrator comprises:

a main processor for interfacing with said computer; and

a plurality of segment processors, each interfacing with said main processor and said corresponding at least one power monitoring or control device.

44. The power management system of claim 43, wherein said main processor communicates with said computer through a command-response protocol.

45. A power management system comprising:

a computer;

a local area network interface at said computer defining a local area network having a local area network protocol;

a gateway connected to said local area network, said gateway converting said local area network protocol to a first protocol defining at least one first network;

at least one power monitoring or control device connected to said first network;

a server associated with said computer for communicating in said local area network protocol over said local area network and through said gateway with said at least one device, said server (a) processing data received or (b) generating data transmitted to said at least one device to manage power use; and

a system level tester associated with said server, said system level tester automatically identifying and monitoring said at least one device.

46. The power management system of claim 45, wherein the system level tester sequentially queries each address on the first network to identify each of said devices.

47. The power management system of claim 46, wherein the system level tester writes configuration data for each identified device to a file which is accessed by said server to display metering data for each device.

48. The power management system of claim 45, wherein the system level tester transmits data on the first network at multiple data rates and determines if any of said devices has been configured with an incorrect data transmission rate.

49. The power management system of claim 45, wherein the system level tester stores system configuration data and produces reports based on the system configuration data.

50. A power management system comprising:

a computer;

a local area network interface at said computer defining a local area network having a local area network protocol;

a gateway connected to said local area network, said gateway converting said local area network protocol to a first protocol defining at least one first network, said gateway including a plurality of ports and said computer including a communications abstraction layer which represents the plurality of communication ports included in said gateway as virtual communication port of said computer;

at least one power monitoring or control device connected to said first network; and

a server associated with said computer for communicating in said local area network protocol over said local are network and through said gateway with said at least one device, said server processing data received from said at least one device to manage power use.

51. A transfer protocol for transferring data packets between a computer and an Ethernet gateway device having at least one power monitoring and control device connected thereto, the transfer protocol comprising:

a header associated with each of the data packets;

an authentication field disposed within said header for determining data packet validity; and

wherein the Ethernet gateway device includes a plurality of ports and said header further comprises a gateway port number field for identifying which of said plurality of ports the data packet is to be transmitted on.

52. The transfer protocal of claim 51, wherein the data packet is a configuration packet for identifying configuration parameters to enable serial communications between said computer and said Ethernet gateway device.

53. The transfer protocol of claim 52, wherein the gateway port number is assigned a first value when the computer transmits new configuration parameters to the Ethernet gateway device.

54. The transfer protocol of claim 53, wherein the gateway port number is assigned the first value when the Ethernet gateway device acknowledges the new configuration parameters.

55. The transfer protocol of claim 53, wherein the gateway port numbered is assigned a second value when the Ethernet gateway device detects an error in the configuration parameters.

56. The transfer protocol of claim 52, wherein the gateway port number is assigned a third value when the computer transmits a request for the current configuration parameters to the Ethernet gateway device.

57. The transfer protocol of claim 51, wherein said header further comprises a checksum field for providing a checksum for said header.

58. A transfer protocol for transferring data packets between a computer and an Ethernet gateway device having at least one power monitoring and control device connected thereto, the transfer protocol comprising:

a header associated with each of the data packets;

an authentication field disposed within said header for determining data packet validity; and

wherein said header further comprises an error status field for indicating whether any serial communications errors have occurred.

59. A transfer protocol for transferring data packets between a computer and an Ethernet gateway device having at least one power monitoring and control device connected thereto, the transfer protocol comprising:

a header associated with each of the data packets;

an authentication field disposed within said header for determining data packet validity; and

wherein said header further comprises a number of bytes field for identifying the number of bytes that follow said header.

60. A power management system comprising:

a computer;

an interface at said computer defining a first network having a first protocol;

a concentrator connected to said first network, said concentrator converting said first protocol to a second protocol and defining at lest one a second network;

at least one power monitoring or control device connected to said second network;

a server associated with said computer for communicating in said first protocol over said first network and through said concentrator with said at least one device, said server processing data received from said at least one device to manage power use; and

a system level tester associated with said server, said system level tester automatically identifying and monitoring said at lest one device.

61. The power management system of claim 60, wherein the system level tester sequentially queries each address on the first network to identify each of said devices.

62. The power management system of claim 61, wherein the system level tester writes configuration data for each identified device to a file which is accessed by said server to display metering data for each device.

63. The power management system of claim 60, wherein the system level tester transmits data on the first-network at multiple data rates and determines if any of said devices has been configured with an incorrect data transmission rate.

64. The power management system of claim 60, wherein the system level tester stores system configuration data and produces reports based on the system configuration data.

65. A power management system comprising:

a computer;

an Ethernet network having an Ethernet network protocol, said computer connected to said Ethernet network;

a Modbus network having a Modbus network protocol;

a gateway connected to said Ethernet network and said Modbus network, said Ethernet network protocol including a transfer protocol for transferring data between said computer and said gateway, said transfer protocol including data embedded therein in said Modbus network protocol, said gateway receiving or transmitting data in said transfer protocol;

at least one power monitoring or control device connected to said Modbus network; and

a server associated with said computer for communicating in said Ethernet network protocol over said Ethernet network and through said gateway with said at least one device, said server for transferring-data between said computer and said gateway, said server receiving or transmitting data in said transfer protocol, said server (a) processing data received from or (b) generating data transmitted to said at least one device to manage power use.

66. The power management system of claim 65 wherein said transfer protocol comprises said Ethernet network protocol having an Ethernet header and an Ethernet data field, said Ethernet data field having data configured therein in said Modbus network protocol including a Modbus header and a Modbus data field.

67. The power management system of claim 66 wherein said gateway when receiving data from said Ethernet network strips said Ethernet header leaving said Ethernet data field comprising said Modbus header and said Modbus data field.

68. The power management system of claim 66 wherein said gateway when transmitting data to said Ethernet network adds said Ethernet header to said Modbus header and said Modbus data field.