Systems, methods, and devices for managing emergency power supply systems

• US 8,359,248 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2008
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Generac Power Systems Incorporated (Generac Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Blue Pillar, Inc. (Generac Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Witter, Bradley Jay, Butler, Thomas Joseph, Scoufis, Joseph J., Reichel, Eric D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUCHANAN, CHRISTOPHER R
• Application Number:
  US12/143,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20080313006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,677 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 13/006 measuring volume in function of time
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/40 Testing power supplies testing photovoltaic devices H02S50/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/10 Complex mathematical operations function generation by table look-up G06F1/03; evaluation of elementary functions by calculation G06F7/544
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063118 Staff planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06395 Quality analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/10 using a centralized architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/86 Performing a diagnostic of the sensing device
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 : Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to systems and methods for managing and monitoring a plurality of emergency power supply systems (EPSS'"'"'s) at a facility via an emergency power management system (EPMS). The EPMS generally comprises EPSS equipment, a management computer system for managing, monitoring, and testing the operational characteristics of the EPSS equipment, and a plurality of interface modules for providing unified communication capabilities between the management computer system and the EPSS equipment. Additional aspects relate to methods for easily and efficiently creating and installing an EPMS at a facility. Further aspects are directed to providing predictive analyses related to the EPSS equipment. Also, aspects of the present disclosure relate to normalizing EPSS equipment information across varying vendors, makes, and models of equipment so as to provide a unified view of all equipment across a given facility.

Claims

1. A method for configuring one or more independent, pre-existing emergency power supply systems (EPSS'"'"'s) distributed amongst one or more locations within a site to provide an emergency power management system (EPMS), the EPMS comprising one or more EPSS'"'"'s, EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment required for configuring the EPMS, an EPMS management computer system for managing operational characteristics of the EPMS, and at least one interface module operatively connected to the EPSS'"'"'s for normalizing and transmitting information between the EPSS'"'"'s and the EPMS management computer system, comprising the steps of:

receiving EPSS inventory information at the EPMS management computer system, the EPSS inventory information including information corresponding to properties of one or more items of EPSS equipment that are physically present in the one or more locations within the site;

storing the EPSS inventory information for the one or more items of EPSS equipment in one or more databases;

determining via the EPMS management computer system each specific item of EPSS equipment at the site based on the properties of the one or more items of EPSS equipment identified from the EPSS inventory information;

for each specific item of EPSS equipment, retrieving a predefined equipment profile corresponding to the specific item of EPSS equipment, wherein the predefined equipment profile indicates EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment required for incorporating the specific item of EPSS equipment into the EPMS and enabling collection of EPSS operational data from the one or more items of EPSS equipment;

based on each retrieved predefined equipment profile corresponding to each specific item of EPSS equipment;

(a) generating via the EPMS management computer system one or more order documents for installing the EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment necessary for incorporating each specific item of EPSS equipment into the EPMS at the site; and

(b) generating via the EPMS management computer system a management software configuration file indicating specifics for configuring management software to be used by the EPMS management computer system to operate the EPMS; and

based on each retrieved predefined equipment profile corresponding to each specific item of EPSS equipment, the one or more order documents, and the management software configuration file, configuring one or more interface modules for operatively connecting each specific item of EPSS equipment to the EPMS management computer system, wherein the one or more interface modules are configured to receive EPSS operational data from the one or more items of EPSS equipment, normalize the EPSS operational data into a predetermined format, and communicate the normalized EPSS operational data to the EPMS management computer system,

whereby the EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment, the one or more order documents, and the one or more configured interface modules enable configuration of the EPMS.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more order documents comprise one or more work orders detailing work required to install the EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment required for incorporating each specific item of EPSS equipment into the EPMS.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more order documents comprise engineering schematics for use by installation personnel, the engineering schematics comprising information for interconnecting each specific item of EPSS equipment, the EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment, and the EPMS management computer system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the management software configuration file comprises an extensible markup language (XML) file including computer-readable instructions for configuring the EPMS at the site.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the management software comprises supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) software.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more order documents comprise one or more vendor orders for purchase of the EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment from one or more vendors.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the EPMS management computer system further includes an accounting system for tracking purchases of the EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment from the one or more vendors.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more order documents comprise a project plan describing timelines and tasks associated with installing and configuring the EPMS at the site.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically communicating the one or more order documents to installation personnel for installing the EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment at the site to make operative the EPMS.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the EPMS management computer system generates a price quote for configuring the EPMS at the site.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein an operator physically identifies and records the EPSS inventory information from the one or more EPSS'"'"'s associated with the site.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the EPSS inventory information is gathered by an operator via a portable data collection device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the properties of the one or more items of EPSS equipment comprise an equipment manufacturer, equipment model, and one or more rated values for each item of EPSS equipment.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the properties of the one or more items of EPSS equipment further comprise specific physical attributes of the one or more items of EPSS equipment that dictate specific EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment required for configuring the EPMS.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the properties of the one or more items of EPSS equipment further comprise a physical position indicative of suitability for installation of one or more items of EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment on or around the one or more items of EPSS equipment.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the EPMS management computer system further includes one or more servers for carrying out processing operations of the EPMS management computer system.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more items of EPSS equipment are selected from the group comprising:

generators, automatic transfer switches (ATS'"'"'s), switchgear, fuel supplies, and fuel management systems.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more items of EPSS equipment are preconfigured to include one or more items of EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of enabling a user of the EPMS to view stored EPSS inventory information associated with the site via an online portal.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition equipment is selected from the group comprising:

monitoring sensors, connectors required by particular types of monitoring sensors, power supplies, fuel gauges, power meters, gauges, status indicators, viewing cameras, microphones, vibration sensors, inertial sensors, motion sensors, actuation components, solenoids, and relays.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the monitoring sensors are selected from the group comprising:

thermocouples, resistive temperature detectors (RTDs), pressure sensors, current transformers (CTs), and limit switches.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the EPMS hardware is selected from the group comprising:

mounting racks, mounting hardware, and communication links.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the communication links are selected from the group comprising:

cables, fiber optics, wiring, and wireless equipment.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more order documents comprise a bill of materials for EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment required for enabling collection of EPSS operational data from the one or more items of EPSS equipment.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein each predefined equipment profile corresponds to a specific item of EPSS equipment based on the equipment manufacturer and equipment model of the specific item of EPSS equipment.

26. A method for configuring one or more independent, pre-existing emergency power supply systems (EPSS'"'"'s) distributed amongst one or more locations within a site to provide an electronically-monitored emergency power management system (EPMS), the electronically-monitored EPMS comprising the one or more EPSS'"'"'s, EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment required for configuring the EPMS, an EPMS management computer system for managing operational characteristics of the EPMS with automatically configurable management software, and at least one interface module operatively connected to the EPSS'"'"'s for normalizing and transmitting information between the EPSS'"'"'s and the EPMS, comprising the steps of:

receiving EPSS inventory information at the EPMS management computer system, the EPSS inventory information including information corresponding to;

(a) properties of one or more items of EPSS equipment that are physically present in the one or more locations within the site, and

(b) a position indicative of suitability for installation of one or more items of EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment on or around the one or more items of EPSS equipment;

storing the EPSS inventory information for the one or more items of EPSS equipment in one or more databases to define one or more inventoried EPSS'"'"'s;

receiving site information identifying the site that includes the one or more EPSS'"'"'s and their corresponding items of EPSS equipment in corresponding locations;

associating the identified site with the one or more inventoried EPSS'"'"'s;

determining via the EPMS management computer system each specific item of EPSS equipment at the site based on the properties of the one or more items of EPSS equipment identified from the EPSS inventory information;

for each specific item of EPSS equipment, retrieving a predefined equipment profile corresponding to the specific item of EPSS equipment, wherein the predefined equipment profile indicates EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment required for incorporating the specific item of EPSS equipment into the EPMS and enabling collection of EPSS operational data from the one or more items of EPSS equipment;

based on each retrieved predefined equipment profile corresponding to each specific item of EPSS equipment, automatically;

(a) generating a bill of materials for the EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment required for configuring the EPMS for the identified site;

(b) generating one or more work orders for work required to install the EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment from the bill of materials to configure the EPMS at the identified site;

(c) creating engineering schematics for use by installation personnel for installing the EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment from the bill of materials at the identified site, the engineering schematics comprising connection instructions between the one or more inventoried items of EPSS equipment, the EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment, and the management computer system;

(d) configuring the management software with automatically-generated software configuration information to enable the management computer system to operate with the data acquisition equipment; and

(e) configuring one or more interface modules for operatively connecting each specific item of EPSS equipment to the EPMS management computer system, wherein the one or more interface modules are configured to receive EPSS operational data from the one or more items of EPSS equipment, normalize the EPSS operational data into a predetermined format, and communicate the normalized EPSS operational data to the EPMS management computer system,

whereby the EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment are acquired and installed by the installation personnel in accordance with the work orders and the engineering schematics, the management software is configured, the one or more interface modules are installed, and the EPMS is activated to provide the electronically-monitored EPMS.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein an operator physically identifies and records the EPSS inventory information from the one or more EPSS'"'"'s associated with the identified site.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the EPSS inventory information is gathered by an operator via a portable data collection device.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the properties of the one or more items of EPSS equipment comprise an equipment manufacturer, equipment model, and one or more rated values for each item of EPSS equipment.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the properties of the one or more items of EPSS equipment further comprise specific physical attributes of the one or more items of EPSS equipment that dictate specific EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment required for configuring the EPMS.

31. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of automatically communicating the one or more work orders to the installation personnel.

32. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of automatically generating one or more vendor orders for purchase of the EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment from the bill of materials from one or more vendors.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the EPMS management computer system further includes an accounting system for tracking purchases of the EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment from the one or more vendors.

34. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of automatically generating a price quote for configuring the EPMS.

35. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of automatically creating a project plan describing timelines and tasks associated with installing and configuring the EPMS at the identified site.

36. The method of claim 26, wherein the automatically-generated software configuration information comprises an extensible markup language (XML) file including computer-readable instructions for configuring the EPMS at the identified site.

37. The method of claim 26, wherein the EPMS management computer system further includes one or more servers for carrying out processing operations of the management computer system.

38. The method of claim 26, wherein the one or more items of EPSS equipment are selected from the group comprising:

generators, automatic transfer switches (ATS'"'"'s), switchgear, fuel supplies, and fuel management systems.

39. The method of claim 26, wherein the position indicative of suitability for installation of particular items of EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment comprises the physical position of the particular items of EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment on or around the one or more items of EPSS equipment.

40. The method of claim 26, wherein the one or more items of EPSS equipment are preconfigured to include one or more items of EPMS hardware and data acquisition equipment.

41. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of enabling a user of the EPMS to view EPSS inventory information associated with the identified site via an online portal.

42. The method of claim 26, wherein the data acquisition equipment is selected from the group comprising:

monitoring sensors, connectors required by particular types of monitoring sensors, power supplies, fuel gauges, power meters, gauges, status indicators, viewing cameras, microphones, vibration sensors, inertial sensors, motion sensors, actuation components, solenoids, and relays.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the monitoring sensors are selected from the group comprising:

thermocouples, resistive temperature detectors (RTDs), pressure sensors, current transformers (CTs), and limit switches.

44. The method of claim 26, wherein the EPMS hardware is selected from the group comprising:

mounting racks, mounting hardware, and communication links.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the communication links are selected from the group comprising:

cables, fiber optics, wiring, and wireless equipment.

46. The method of claim 26, wherein the management software comprises supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) software.

47. The method of claim 26, wherein each predefined equipment profile corresponds to a specific item of EPSS equipment based on the equipment manufacturer and equipment model of the specific item of EPSS equipment.