System for the monitoring and maintenance of remote autonomously powered lighting installations

• US 9,780,602 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2013
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clear Blue Technologies, Inc. (Clear Blue Technologies International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Clear Blue Technologies, Inc. (Clear Blue Technologies International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tuerk, John, Tuerk, Miriam, Windrim, Mark, Yafaoui, Ahmad
• Primary Examiner(s): KAPLAN, HAL IRA
• Application Number:
  US14/406,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20150115710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,582 Days
• Field of Search: 307 23
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/088 Aspects of digital computing
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/40 Testing power supplies testing photovoltaic devices H02S50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/08 Three-wire systems; Systems having more than three wires
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00006 characterised by information or instructions transport means between the monitoring, controlling or managing units and monitored, controlled or operated power network element or electrical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/28 The renewable source being wind energy wind motors F03D
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/40 wherein a plurality of decentralised, dispersed or local energy generation technologies are operated simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 : by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 : via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/22 : with communication between the lamps and a central unit
• 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: Y02B 90/20 : Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 : Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 : Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/123 : the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/246 : the system involving the remote operation of lamps or lighting equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/12 : characterised by data transport means between the monitoring, controlling or managing units and monitored, controlled or operated electrical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 : using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 : using wireless data transmission

Abstract

A system of monitoring and/or maintaining remotely located autonomously powered lights, security systems, parking meters, and the like is operable to receive data signals from a number of the devices, and provide a comparison with other similar devices in the same geographic region to detect a default condition of a particular device, and/or assess whether the defect is environmental or particular to the specific device itself. The system includes memory for storing operating parameters and data, and outputs modified control commands to the devices in response to sensed performance, past performance and/or self-learning algorithms. The system operates to provide for the monitoring and/or control of individual device operating parameters on an individual or regional basis, over preset periods.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and controlling an operating status of electrical loads and operating parameters of a plurality of autonomously powered discrete devices, said discrete devices being disposed as part of an array located at a first geographic region, the system further including a processing device provided in a second geographic region remote from said first region,

each discrete device comprising at least one associated electric load, a generator for generating electricity, a battery for storing electricity produced by said generator and providing electric power to said at least one associated load, a device controller for regulating or controlling a flow of electric power from said generator to said battery and from said battery to said at least one associated load, and a data transmission assembly operable to receive input control signals for said device controller and transmit output data representative of the operating parameters of power generation performance, battery storage or discharge performance and the at least one associated load,

a system memory for storing said output data of each said discrete device in said array,

the processing device being actuable to:

receive for a future period of time at least one of predicted near-term weather data for said first geographic region comprising predicted weather forecast data for up to three weeks, and predictive seasonal forecast data for said first geographic region,

compile said output data stored in said memory to determine a regional operating profile for said array for at least one of average power generation performance and average battery storage or discharge performance over a selected monitored period of time,

compile said output data stored in said system memory to determine a device operating profile for a selected one of said discrete devices for at least one of device power generation performance, and device battery storage or discharge performance over said selected monitored period of time,

wherein the selected monitored period of time is associated with the future period of time on the basis of environmental conditions,

compare at least one said regional operating profile and said device operating profile, and

output a control signal to the device controller of the selected discrete device, wherein the control signal is selected to control at least one of flow of electric power to said battery and flow of electric power from said battery to said at least one associated load during said future period of time based on the comparison of the device operating profile and the regional operating profile over the monitored period of time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each discrete device includes a plurality of said electric loads,

the electric loads comprising at least one of an LED light, a security camera, a bicycle charging stand, parking meter, a video sensing camera, a motion detector and an infrared light sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected monitored period of time is associated with the future period of time based on like weather events, the control signal output to the device controller being operable to effect said device controller to vary power output from said battery to said at least one associated load on a weighted basis, based on said device power generation performance or average power generation performance over said selected monitored period of time.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the generator comprises a combination wind/solar generator including at least one wind turbine and at least one solar panel.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the discrete devices comprise solar powered lamp posts and the at least one associated load includes at least one light.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one said discrete device includes an environmental sensor for generating environmental data, the processing device being operable to compile said output data based on said environmental data, and wherein the output control signal to the selected discrete device is weighted based on the environmental data.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein environmental conditions comprise at least one like weather event selected from the group consisting of sun position, temperature, UV intensity, fog, snow, wind intensity and cloud cover, and said processing device is further operable to effect the transmission of said input control signals to the device controller to modify at least one operating configuration selected from the group consisting of a configuration of said generator, a charging schedule of said battery, a level of power flowing to said at least one associated load, and an operating schedule of said associated load, based on at least one of the regional operating profile over the selected monitored period and the device operating profile over the selected monitored period of time.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said output control signal is selected to provide a distinction between operation anomalies resulting from environmental conditions and operation anomalies that result from a hardware failure.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said discrete devices are selected from the group consisting of solar light poles, parking meters, charging stations, bike rental platforms, display boards, environmental sensors, and telecommunication installations.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said discrete devices in said array further comprises environmental sensors for detecting at least one environmental parameter selected from the group consisting of temperature, air movement, and light intensity, said data transmission assembly being further operable to transmit data representative of said environmental parameters for storage in said system memory.

11. The monitoring system of claim 1, said processing device being operable to:

compile output data stored in memory to determine a current regional operating profile for said array for aggregate battery storage or discharge performance during said future period;

compile output data stored in said system memory to determine for the selected discrete device a current device operating profile for battery storage or discharge performance during said future period;

compare the current regional operating profile and the current device operating profile; and

output a data signal if the compared current device operating profile falls outside a predetermined threshold difference from the current regional operating profile, the data signal being indicative of a maintenance or control adjustment requirement for the selected discrete device.

12. A monitoring system for a solar light installation, the system comprising,

a solar light array comprising a plurality of discretely powered solar light poles operationally disposed in a first geographic region,

a processing assembly being disposed in a second geographic region remote from said first region, and

a memory,

each solar light pole having a power generator including at least one photovoltaic panel, a light providing an electrical load, a battery for receiving and storing electricity generated by the photovoltaic panel, a pole controller for controlling the power charging and discharge of the battery and at least one of the operating time and intensity of said light, at least one sensor for sensing weather events selected from the group consisting of an anemometer, a photovoltaic sensor, a pollution sensor, a wind vane, an environmental sensor and a battery temperature sensor, and a data transmission assembly operable to wirelessly receive input control signals for said pole controller and communicate output data both from said at least one sensor and data representative of the power generator performance and battery charging and discharge performance,

the memory provided for storing the output data for each light pole in the solar light array,

the processing assembly being actuable to:

receive for a future period of time predicted near-term weather data for said first geographic region, wherein said near-term weather data comprises predictive weather data for up to about three weeks,

compile said output data stored in said memory to generate a regional operating profile for said array for at least one of aggregate power generation performance and aggregate battery storage or discharge performance over a selected period of time, said regional operating profile being stored in said system memory as a predictive regional profile weighted by said sensed weather events,

compile said output data stored in said memory to generate a device operating profile for a selected one of said light poles for at least one of device power generation performance, and device battery storage or discharge performance over said selected period of time, said device operating profile being stored in said system memory as a predictive device profile weighted by said sensed weather events,

associate the selected period of time with the future period of time on the basis of like weather events, and output a control signal to the selected light pole pole controller to vary at least one of the power charging and discharge of the battery and the operating time or intensity of the light during said future period of time, based on at least one of the predictive regional profile and the predictive device profile,

compare at least one said regional operating profile and at least one said device operating profile, and

output a data signal if the compared device operating profile falls outside a predetermined threshold difference from the at least one said regional operating profile, the data signal being indicative of a potential maintenance requirement for said selected discrete device.

13. The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the solar light array comprises at least ten said light poles, and said first geographic region comprises an area of at least 0.5 hectares, the processing assembly and memory being disposed at geographic regions at least 100 km from the first geographic region.

14. The monitoring system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said processing assembly being actuable to receive and/or store predictive seasonal environmental data for said first geographic region, wherein said processing assembly outputs a control signal to said data transmission assembly to transmit programming signals to said selected light pole pole controller in response to said predictive seasonal environmental data.

15. The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein said processing assembly being operable to compile output data stored in said memory to generate a current regional operating profile for said array for aggregate battery storage or discharge performance during said future period,

compile output data stored in said memory to generate for the selected light pole a current device operating profile for battery storage or discharge performance during said future period,

compare the current regional operating profile and the current device operating profile, and

output a data signal if the compared current device operating profile falls outside a predetermined threshold difference from the current regional operating profile, the data signal being indicative of a maintenance requirement for the selected light pole.

16. A system for monitoring an operating status of a plurality of autonomously powered discrete devices, said devices selected from one or more of the group consisting of light poles, security camera installations, parking meters, charging stations, bike rental platforms, display boards, environmental sensors, and telecommunication installations, said discrete devices being disposed in an array located at a first geographic region, the system further including a processing assembly provided at a second geographic region remote from said first region,

each discrete device comprising a plurality of associated electric loads, a generator for generating electricity, a battery for storing electricity produced by said generator and providing electric power to said plurality of loads, a device controller for controlling a flow of charging electric power from said generator to said battery and discharge power from said battery to said electric loads, and a data transmission assembly,

the data transmission assembly being operable to transmit output data representative of the operating parameters of the power generation performance of the generator, the storage or discharge performance of the battery and the load status of the associated electric loads, and

a system memory for storing said output data from each said discrete device in said array, wherein

the processing assembly is operable to:

compile said output data stored in said memory to generate regional operating profiles for at least one of aggregate power generation performance of said array and aggregate battery storage or discharge performance of said array over a selected period of time, and

compile said output data stored in said memory to generate device operating profiles for a selected one of said discrete devices for at least one of device power generation performance of the selected device, and device battery storage or discharge performance for the selected device over said selected period of time,

compare at least one said regional operating profile and at least one said device operating profile, and output a data signal if the compared device operating profile falls outside a predetermined threshold difference from the at least one said regional operating profile,

wherein said processing assembly is actuable to receive environmental data selected from the group consisting of predictive near-term weather data for the first geographic region and predictive seasonal environmental data for the first geographic region, and wherein said processing device further outputs a programming signal to the data transmission assembly of each discrete device to effect a change in the flow of charging electric power or discharge power from the battery in response to said received environmental data, and wherein said programming signal is weighted based on said environmental data and at least one of said regional operating profile and said device operating profile.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the electric loads comprise at least one of an LED light, a security camera, a bicycle charging stand, a parking meter, a display, and a wireless telecommunication transmitter, and

the aggregate power generation performance or aggregate battery storage or discharge performance is calculated as one or more of an average performance, a mean performance, a median performance, and a projected trend performance.

18. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the memory stores further output data representative of the operating parameters of the power generation performance, battery storage or battery discharge performance of a plurality of said discrete devices provided in a further array, said further array being disposed at a third geographic location remote from both of said first and second geographic locations,

the processing assembly being actuable to compile said further output data to generate additional regional operating profiles for said further array, and compare the additional regional operating profiles and at least one of said regional operating profile and the compared device operating profile.

19. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said processing assembly is operable to effect the transmission of said programming signals to the data transmission assembly of each discrete device to modify at least one operating configuration selected from the group consisting of a configuration of said generator, a charging schedule of said battery, a level of power flowing to at least one of said associated loads, and an operating schedule of at least one of said associated loads.

20. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said output data signal is selected to provide a distinction between operation anomalies in said discrete device resulting from environmental conditions and operation anomalies that result from a hardware failure.

21. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said processing assembly is actuable to receive predictive seasonal environmental data for the first geographic region, and wherein said processing assembly further outputs programming signals to the data transmission assembly of each discrete device to effect a change in the regional operating profile for said array in response to said predictive seasonal environmental data.

22. A maintenance monitoring system for monitoring an operating status of electrical loads and operating parameters of a plurality of autonomously powered discrete devices, said discrete devices being disposed as part of an array located at a first geographic region, the system further including a processing device provided in a second geographic region remote from said first region,

each discrete device comprising at least one associated electric load, a generator for generating electricity, a battery for storing electricity produced by said generator and providing electric power to said at least one associated load, a device controller for regulating or controlling a flow of electric power from said generator to said battery and from said battery to said at least one associated load, at least one sensor for sensing weather events, and a data transmission assembly operable to transmit output data both from the at least one sensor and representative of the operating parameters of each of the power generation performance, the battery storage or discharge performance and the at least one associated load, the data transmission assembly being operable to receive input control signals to at least one said discrete device to effect a change in said flow of electricity by said device controller,

a memory for storing said output data of each said discrete device in said array,

the processing device being actuable to:

compile said sensed weather events as environmental data,

receive for a future period of time at least one of predicted near-term weather data for said first geographic region, wherein said predicted near-term weather data comprises predictive weather data for up to about three weeks, and predictive seasonal weather data for said first geographic region,

compile said output data stored in said memory to generate a regional operating profile for said array for at least one of average power generation performance and average battery storage or discharge performance over a selected period of time, said regional operating profile being stored in said memory as a predictive regional profile weighted by said sensed weather events,

compile said output data stored in said memory to generate a device operating profiles for a selected one of said discrete devices for at least one of device power generation performance, and device battery storage or discharge performance over said selected period of time, said device operating profile being stored in said memory as a predictive device profile weighted by said sensed weather events,

compare at least one said regional operating profile and at least one said device operating profile, output said input control signals to the selected discrete device in response to at least one of the compared at least one regional operating profile and the at least one device operating profile, and

associate the selected period of time with future period of time on the basis of weather events, and based on at least one of the predictive regional profile and the predictive device profile, output modified input control signals to the selected discrete device to vary at least one of the power charging and discharge of the battery during said future period of time.

23. The system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the processing device receives said predicted near-term weather data comprising predicted weather events for up to three weeks,

said predicted weather events and said sensed weather events being weather events at said first geographic region selected from the group consisting of sun position, temperature, UV intensity, fog intensity, snowfall, wind intensity and cloud coverage.

24. The system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said predetermined threshold difference is adjustable on the basis of one or more of a seasonal performance history of the array, a seasonal performance history of the selected discrete device and/or an operating history of the discrete devices.