Systems for in the field configuration of intelligent electronic devices
First Claim
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1. A method of modifying the operation of an intelligent electronic device installed in the field, the method comprising:
- operating the intelligent electronic device with a software configuration to monitor electrical energy;
accessing a datafile of the intelligent electronic device with a virtual meter site via a network, wherein the datafile is stored external to the intelligent electronic device;
verifying that a copy of the software configuration in the datafile matches the software configuration operable in the intelligent electron i.e. device;
selecting modifications of the software configuration in the datafile with the virtual meter site; and
revising the software configuration operable in the intelligent electronic device over the network with the virtual meter site as a function of the selected modifications of the software configuration in the datafile.
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Abstract
A system for modifying the functionality of intelligent electronic devices installed and operating in the field is disclosed. Each of the intelligent electronic devices operates with a software configuration to monitor electrical energy. A copy of the software configurations may be maintained in a database. Changes to the operation of one or more of the intelligent electronic devices may be made as a function of modifications to the database.
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Citations
71 Claims
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1. A method of modifying the operation of an intelligent electronic device installed in the field, the method comprising:
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operating the intelligent electronic device with a software configuration to monitor electrical energy; accessing a datafile of the intelligent electronic device with a virtual meter site via a network, wherein the datafile is stored external to the intelligent electronic device; verifying that a copy of the software configuration in the datafile matches the software configuration operable in the intelligent electron i.e. device; selecting modifications of the software configuration in the datafile with the virtual meter site; and revising the software configuration operable in the intelligent electronic device over the network with the virtual meter site as a function of the selected modifications of the software configuration in the datafile. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of modifying the configuration of an intelligent electronic device installed in the field, the method comprising:
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applying power to the intelligent electronic device; executing a first portion of a software configuration stored in the intelligent electronic device; retrieving a second portion of the software configuration from elsewhere in a network as a function of instructions within the first portion of the software configuration; combining the first and second portions of the software configuration to form a first software configuration; operating the intelligent electronic device with the first software configuration to monitor electrical energy; communicating over the network to modify a duplicate copy of the first software configuration stored external to the intelligent electronic device in a database; generating a first software revision as a function of the modification of the duplicate copy; initiating transfer of the first software revision over the network to the intelligent electronic device; updating the first software configuration with the first software revision to create a second software configuration; and operating the intelligent electronic device with the second software configuration. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of modifying the functionality of a plurality of intelligent electronic devices installed and operating in the field, the method comprising:
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accessing a virtual meter site via a network; specifying an identifier for a group of intelligent electronic devices that are accessible by the virtual meter site over the network; accessing with the virtual meter site a database having stored therein a data file of each of the intelligent electronic devices in the group, wherein the data file of each of the intelligent electronic devices in the group is associated with the identifier and is indicative of a current software configuration operable in a corresponding intelligent electronic device; contacting each of the intelligent electronic devices in the group of intelligent electronic devices with the virtual meter site to verify that the current software configuration indicated with the data file matches the software configuration currently operable in each of the intelligent electronic devices in the group of intelligent electronic devices; with the identifier, initiating the creation of group update to the software configuration of all of the intelligent electronic devices in the group with the virtual meter site once it is verified that to indicated current software configuration and the software configuration currently operable in each of the intelligent electronic devices in the group of intelligent electronic devices match; transferring the update to each of the corresponding intelligent electronic devices in the group over the network; and modifying the software configuration in each of the intelligent electronic devices with the update. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A system for modifying the functionality of an intelligent electronic device previously installed in the field and operating, the system comprising:
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a server computer, the intelligent electronic device in communication with the server over a network, the intelligent electronic device operated with a software configuration stored therein; wherein the software configuration is stored in a memory of the intelligent electronic device comprising volatile memory and non-volatile memory, wherein a first portion of the software configuration is stored in the non-volatile memory and a second portion of the software configuration is stored in the volatile memory; and a storage device in communication with the server, the storage device comprising a database, wherein a copy of the software configuration is stored in the database, the server is operable to modify the operation of the intelligent electronic device as a function of modifications to the copy of the software configuration stored in the database. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A system for modifying the functionality of an intelligent electronic device previously installed in the field and operating, the system comprising:
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a server computer in communication with the intelligent electronic device over a network; a database accessible by the server computer, wherein the database is configured to store a copy of a software configuration operable in the intelligent electronic device; the intelligent electronic device operable upon power up to execute a first portion of the software configuration stored in a memory of the intelligent electronic device, and to retrieve from over the network a second portion of the software configuration as a function of execution of the first portion of the software configuration; wherein the intelligent electronic device is further operable to store the second portion of the software configuration in the memory to form the software configuration that is operable in the intelligent electronic device; and wherein the server computer is further operable to generate and transmit to the intelligent electronic device a software revision of the software configuration that is operable by the intelligent electronic device in response to a modification of the software configuration storable in the database. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70)
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71. A method of modifying the configuration of an intelligent electronic device installed in the field, the method comprising:
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operating the intelligent electronic device with a software configuration to monitor electrical energy; communicating over a network to modify a duplicate copy of the software configuration stored external to the intelligent electronic device in a database; transferring the software configuration currently in operation in the intelligent electronic device over the network to verify that the duplicate copy of the software configuration matches the software configuration currently in operation in the intelligent electronic device; after verification is successful, receiving with the intelligent electronic device a first software revision in response to modification of the duplicate copy of the software configuration; updating the software configuration currently in operation in the intelligent electronic device with the first software revision to create a revised software configuration; and operating the intelligent electronic device with the revised software configuration.
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Specification