Method and apparatus for monitoring a power system

• US 7,913,181 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2009
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Grid Solutions LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: A, Hemanth Kumar, Jose, Chery, Kumar, Vivek
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US12/605,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20100138771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.4, 715/772, 700/286, 345/440
• US Class Current: 715/772
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0425 Safety, monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24048 Remote test, monitoring, diagnostic
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/22 The renewable source being solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/123 the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/40 Display of information, e.g. of data or controls
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems

Abstract

A power system includes a plurality of power generation units configured to generate power from a renewable energy source and a server that includes a display. The server is configured to establish a communication with the plurality of power generation units and display a status of the plurality of power generation units on the display.

Claims

1. A power system comprising:

a plurality of power generation units configured to generate power from a renewable energy source; and

,

a server comprising a display, said server configured to;

establish a communication with said plurality of power generation units; and

,

display a status of said plurality of power generation units on said display, wherein the status includes at least one of a communication status, a network usage, and a communication latency of said plurality of power generation units.

2. A power system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said server is further configured to display a graphical representation of said plurality of power generation units on said display.

3. A power system in accordance with claim 2, wherein the graphical representation includes at least one coloring representing the status of said plurality of power generation units.

4. A power system in accordance with claim 3, wherein an intensity level of the at least one coloring representing the status of said plurality of power generation units is changed based on the status of said plurality of power generation units.

5. A power system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said server is further configured to transmit a first status information request to said plurality of power generation units.

6. A power system in accordance with claim 5, wherein said server is further configured to monitor a response time of the first status information request from said plurality of power generation units.

7. A power system in accordance with claim 6, wherein said server is further configured to wait an amount of time based on the response time of the first status information request before sending a second status information request to said plurality of power generation units.

8. A method for monitoring a power system having a display and at least one solar panel, said method comprising:

establishing a communication with the at least one solar panel; and

,

displaying a status of the at least one solar panel on the display, wherein the status includes at least one of a communication status, a network usage, and a communication latency of the at least one solar panel.

9. A method for monitoring a power system in accordance with claim 8, further comprising assigning a unique identifier to the at least one solar panel.

10. A method for monitoring a power system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said displaying a status of the at least one solar panel further comprises displaying a graphical representation of the at least one solar panel on the display.

11. A method for monitoring a power system in accordance with claim 10, wherein the graphical representation includes at least one coloring representing the status of the at least one solar panel.

12. A method for monitoring a power system in accordance with claim 11, wherein an intensity level of the at least one coloring representing the status of the at least one solar panel is changed based on the status of the at least one solar panel.

13. A method for monitoring a power system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said method further comprises transmitting a first status information request to the at least one solar panel.

14. A method for monitoring a power system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said method further comprises monitoring a response time of the first status information request from the at least one solar panel.

15. A method for monitoring a power system in accordance with claim 14, wherein said method further comprises waiting an amount of time based on the response time of the first status information request before sending a second status information request to the at least one solar panel.

16. A solar panel network for use in a power system having a server and a display, said solar panel network comprising:

at least one solar panel;

at least one controller communicatively coupled to said at least one solar panel; and

,

at least one communication device communicatively coupled to said at least one controller, said at least one communication device configured to transmit a status to the server, wherein the status includes at least one of a communication status, a network usage, and a communication latency of said at least one solar panel.

17. A solar panel network in accordance with claim 16, further comprising at least one network connector coupled to said at least one communication device, wherein said at least one communication device is further configured to transmit a status of said at least one solar panel to the server using said at least one network connector.

18. A solar panel network in accordance with claim 16, wherein said solar panel array further comprises at least one inverter communicatively coupled to said at least one solar panel and to said at least one controller.

19. A solar panel network in accordance with claim 18, wherein said at least one communication device is configured to transmit a status of said at least one inverter to the server.