Computer implemented systems and methods for pre-emptive service and improved use of service resources

• US 7,779,290 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2006
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marici Holdings The Netherlands B.V.
• Original Assignee: Fat Spaniel Technologies, Inc. (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Beekhuis, Christiaan Willem
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Dieu-Minh
• Application Number:
  US11/919,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20090313496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• Field of Search: 714/1, 714/2, 714/4, 714/37, 714/47
• US Class Current: 714/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06393 Score-carding, benchmarking or key performance indicator [KPI] analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for collecting, aggregating, and analyzing data associated with the installation and deployment of systems. Energy systems, (500) specifically renewable energy generation systems, are used as examples. The aggregated data serve as the basis for a variety of services that improve the system performance, improve the installation, lower the cost, and provide monitoring and service to maintain optimum performance. Finally, services are provided that facilitate the optimization of responses to poor system performance based on criticality of the failure, servicing of the system by a Certified VAR, or other prioritization method.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for generating a demand for hardware in response to a decrease in system performance, comprising:

connecting an installed System (500)to a central database (505) via a network (504);

identifying a decrease in System Performance metrics due to a hardware failure (301);

notifying the System Integrators, VARs, and OEM manufacturers of the results of troubleshooting or corrective action activities, said results indicating a need for replacement hardware (302);

generating a demand for said replacement hardware (303);

determining if said hardware failure might be expected based on aggregated lifetime data contained within said central database (304);

generating instructions to an Installation Technician to properly discard or recycle the failed hardware if said hardware failure might be expected based on aggregated lifetime data contained within said central database (305); and

generating instructions to said Installation Technician to return said failed hardware to said OEM manufacturer if said hardware failure might not be expected based on aggregated lifetime data contained within said central database (306).

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said System comprises an energy system.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said energy system comprises an energy usage system an energy storage system, an energy management system, or an energy generation system.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said energy generation system comprises a renewable energy generation system.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said renewable energy generation system comprises a solar energy generation system, a wind turbine energy generation system, a tidal energy generation system, a geothermal energy generation system, or a waste to energy system.

6. A computer implemented method for determining the priority of Service activities, comprising:

connecting an installed System (500)to a central database (505) via a network (504);

establishing a Critical Failures List of failures that may require attention (401);

establishing a list of Certified VARs (401);

identifying a decrease in System Performance metrics due to a hardware failure (402);

notifying the System Integrators, VARs, and OEM manufacturers of the results of troubleshooting or corrective action activities, said results indicating a need for replacement hardware or an on-site Service call (403);

determining if said System Performance metrics may fall below a performance guarantee for the current guarantee period (406);

determining if said hardware failure is on said Critical Failures List (404);

generating a demand for said replacement hardware if said hardware failure is on said Critical Failures List (405);

generating a request for dispatch of the closest Certified VAR for an on-site Service call if said hardware failure is on said Critical Failures List (407); and

placing said system in a “

First-In-First-Out”

(FIFO) queuing system for response if said system is not serviced by a VAR on said Certified VAR list or said System Performance metrics may not fall below said performance guarantee for the current guarantee period, and said hardware failure is not on said Critical Failures List (408).

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said System comprises an energy system.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said energy system comprises an energy usage system an energy storage system, an energy management system, or an energy generation system.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said energy generation system comprises a renewable energy generation system.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said renewable energy generation system comprises a solar energy generation system, a wind turbine energy generation system, a tidal energy generation system, a geothermal energy generation system, or a waste to energy system.

11. A system for generating a demand for replacement hardware in response to a decrease in energy system performance, comprising:

one or more Energy Systems (500);

sensors contained within said Energy Systems to monitor said Energy Systems settings and performance attributes data;

sensors associated with said Energy Systems to measure environmental conditions data (502);

a local communications device for communicating said Energy Systems settings and performance attributes data and said environmental conditions data onto a network (503);

a network for transmitting said Energy Systems settings and performance attributes data and said environmental conditions data (504);

a centralized database for receiving and storing said Energy Systems settings and performance attributes data and said environmental conditions data (505);

a user interface for interacting with said centralized database (506-509, 603, 608, 609);

a computer readable medium containing procedures for acting upon said Energy Systems settings and performance attributes data and said environmental conditions data (612-617);

wherein said procedures comprise;

procedures for identifying a decrease in System Performance metrics due to a hardware failure (301);

procedures for notifying the System Integrators, VARs, and OEM manufacturers of the results of troubleshooting or corrective action activities, said results indicating a need for replacement hardware (302);

procedures for generating a demand for said replacement hardware (303); and

display output devices for displaying the results of said procedure action upon said Energy Systems settings and performance attributes data and said environmental conditions data (506-510, 604, 610).

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said one or more Energy Systems comprise at least one Energy System selected from the group consisting of an energy usage system, an energy storage system, an energy management system, and an energy generation system.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said energy generation system comprises a renewable energy generation system.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said renewable energy generation system comprises a solar energy generation system, a wind turbine energy generation system, a tidal energy generation system, a geothermal energy generation system, or a waste to energy system.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein said procedures further comprise:

procedures for establishing that the performance metrics of said Energy Systems do not conform to established benchmark metrics for Energy Systems performance metrics;

procedures for generating lists of suggested actions to improve said Energy Systems performance metrics to conform to said benchmark metrics; and

procedures for sending said lists to said display output devices.

16. A system for determining the priority of Service activities, comprising:

one or more Energy Systems (500);

sensors contained within said Energy Systems to monitor said Energy Systems settings and performance attributes data;

sensors associated with said Energy Systems to measure environmental conditions data (502);

a local communications device for communicating said Energy Systems settings and performance attributes data and said environmental conditions data onto a network (503);

a network for transmitting said Energy Systems settings and performance attributes data and said environmental conditions data (504);

a centralized database for receiving and storing said Energy Systems settings and performance attributes data and said environmental conditions data (505);

a user interface for interacting with said centralized database (506-509, 603, 608, 609);

a computer readable medium containing procedures for acting upon said Energy Systems settings and performance attributes data and said environmental conditions data (612-617);

wherein said procedures comprise;

procedures for establishing a Critical Failures List of failures that may require attention (401);

procedures for establishing a list of Certified VARs (401);

procedures for identifying a decrease in System Performance metrics due to a hardware failure (402);

procedures for notifying the System Integrators, VARs, and OEM manufacturers of the results of troubleshooting or corrective action activities, said results indicating a need for_replacement hardware or an on-site Service call (403);

procedures for determining if said System Performance metrics may fall below a performance guarantee for the current guarantee period (406);

procedures for determining if said hardware failure is on said Critical Failures List (404);

procedures for generating a request for dispatch of the closest Certified VAR for an on-site Service call if said hardware failure is on said Critical Failures List (407);

procedures for placing said system in a “

First-In-First-Out”

(FIFO) queuing system for response if said system is not serviced by a VAR on said Certified VAR list or said System Performance metrics may not fall below said performance guarantee for the current guarantee period, and said hardware failure is not on said Critical Failures List (408); and

display output devices for displaying the results of said procedure action upon said Energy Systems settings and performance attributes data and said environmental conditions data (506-510, 604, 610).

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said one or more Energy Systems comprise at least one Energy System selected from the group consisting of an energy usage system, an energy storage system, an energy management system, and an energy generation system.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said energy generation system comprises a renewable energy generation system.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said renewable energy generation system comprises a solar energy generation system, a wind turbine energy generation system, a tidal energy generation system, a geothermal energy generation system, or a waste to energy system.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein said procedures further comprise:

procedures for establishing that the performance metrics of said Energy Systems do not conform to established benchmark metrics for Energy Systems performance metrics;

procedures for generating lists of possible failures and suggested actions to improve said Energy System performance metrics to conform to said benchmark metrics; and

procedures for determining the priority of service response based on prioritization procedures comprising, failure corresponding to a failure on a Critical Failure List, warranty guarantees, Service Contracts, responsibility for the system by a VAR on a Certified VAR list, or First-In-First-Out scheduling.