Power monitoring system

• US 8,868,378 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2008
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Briggs & Stratton LLC (Briggs & Stratton Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
• Inventors: Batzler, Brandon M., Stair, Kenny J., Nordman, Russell C., Fiorenza, John A., Sodemann, Wesley C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teixeira Moffat, Jonathan C
• Assistant Examiner(s): BETSCH, REGIS J
• Application Number:
  US12/441,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20090240377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,225 Days
• Field of Search: 702/188
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/063 related to remote communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0216 Human interface functionality, e.g. monitoring system providing help to the user in the selection of tests or in its configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/066 characterised by the use of dynamo-electric machines H02J9/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/08 requiring starting of a prime-mover
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• 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: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems

Abstract

The invention provides a hierarchically accessible monitoring system configured to be used with a standby generator, and a method of remotely accessing generator information from a standby generator. The hierarchically accessible monitoring system includes an interface unit configured to receive information from the standby generator and to communicate the generator information, and a remote data server in communication with the interface unit. The remote data server receives the generator information from the interface unit, stores the generator information, and controls access to the generator information based upon at least two hierarchical levels, each hierarchical level having different access privileges. The hierarchically accessible monitoring system also includes a user interface configured to display the generator information from the remote data server to at least one user. The user has access privileges to read the generator information based upon the user'"'"'s assigned hierarchical level.

Claims

1. A hierarchically accessible monitoring system for use in a manufacturing supply chain that includes a manufacturer, a dealer, and a client, the system comprising:

a plurality of standby generators each manufactured by the manufacturer, each standby generator including an interface unit configured to receive information from the standby generator and to communicate the generator information;

a remote data server in communication with the interface unit, wherein the remote data server receives the generator information from the interface unit, stores the generator information, and controls access to the generator information based upon at least three hierarchical levels, each hierarchical level having different access privileges; and

a user interface configured to display the generator information from the remote data server to at least one user, wherein the user has access privileges to read the generator information based upon the user'"'"'s assigned hierarchical level;

wherein a first of the at least three hierarchical levels is associated with the client and has access privileges to read a set of generator information related to only one of the plurality of standby generators, a second of the at least three hierarchical levels is associated with the dealer and has access privileges to read the set of generator information related to only a subset of the plurality of standby generators, the subset including more than one standby generator and fewer than all of the plurality of standby generators, the subset also including the one of the plurality of standby generators accessible by a user having the first of the at least three hierarchical levels, and a third of the at least three hierarchical levels associated with the manufacturer that has access privileges to read the set of generator information related to all of the standby generators of the plurality of standby generators, wherein each and every standby generator is accessible by only one dealer at the second hierarchical level.

2. The hierarchically accessible monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensors, each sensor in communication with one of the interface units.

3. The hierarchically accessible monitoring system of claim 2, wherein each sensor is selected from the group comprising a temperature sensor, a flood sensor, a carbon monoxide sensor, a fire sensor and a freeze sensor.

4. The hierarchically accessible monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the interface units further comprises a modem.

5. The hierarchically accessible monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the interface units further comprises a telephone dialer.

6. The hierarchically accessible monitoring system of claim 5, wherein at least one of the telephone dialers is configured to be activated to dial a pre-programmed destination number, and to transmit a pre-programmed message.

7. The hierarchically accessible monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the interface units further comprises a RF transmitter.

8. The hierarchically accessible monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the interface units further comprises a microprocessor.

9. The hierarchically accessible monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the interface units further comprises local memory storage.

10. The hierarchically accessible monitoring system of claim 1, wherein each user interface is selected from the group comprising a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a personal data assistant (PDA), a cell phone, a facsimile machine, a service center, and a second home phone.

11. The hierarchically accessible monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the interface units comprises a broadband interface unit.

12. The hierarchically accessible monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the interface units includes communication with the remote data server via a network.

13. The hierarchically accessible monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the interface units further comprises a receptacle for accepting a diagnostic tool.

14. The hierarchically accessible monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the interface units is configured to wirelessly access and collect information of the generator.

15. A method of remotely accessing generator information for one or more of a plurality of standby generators, comprising:

providing a plurality of interface units, each unit in communication with one of the plurality of generators;

transmitting a set of generator information through each interface unit to a remote data server;

controlling access to the set of generator information based upon at least three protected hierarchical levels, each hierarchical level associated with the role of one and only one of a manufacturer, a dealer, and a client;

transmitting the set of generator information from the remote data server via a user interface to a user having access privileges based upon the hierarchical level associated with the user, wherein a first of the at least three hierarchical levels is associated with the client and has access privileges to read the set of generator information related to only one of the plurality of standby generators, a second of the at least three hierarchical levels, is associated with the dealer and has access privileges to read the set of generator information related to only a subset of the plurality of standby generators, the subset including more than one standby generator and fewer than all of the plurality of standby generators, the subset including the one of the plurality of standby generators, and a third of the at least three hierarchical levels is associated with the manufacturer and has access privileges to read the set of generator information related to all of the standby generators of the plurality of standby generators, wherein each and every standby generator is accessible by only one dealer at the second hierarchical level.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising authenticating a user as having access privileges to a hierarchical level.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

selectively sending a notification of a generator event to the user, wherein the user is a member of one of the first of the at least three hierarchical levels and the second of the at least three hierarchical levels.

18. The method claim 15 further comprising

searching the stored generator information by a user having the third level of hierarchical privileges.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the searching step further comprises sorting the information based on geographical area.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the searching step further comprises sorting the information based on dealer name.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the searching step further comprises sorting the information based on a parameter of the generator.