Connectivity in an energy generation network

• US 9,887,581 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2015
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: SolarCity Corporation (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Hobbs, Tara Elizabeth, Carlson, Eric Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Chea, Philip
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Wuji
• Application Number:
  US14/808,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20160336747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• 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: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• 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

Abstract

Techniques for managing connections within an energy generation network may be provided. Real-time data associated with network-connected energy generation devices at a location may be collected to determine communication channels between the devices. If it is determined that an inverter of the network is solar-powered, a wizard application may be launched to help a technician determine whether a meter will lose connectivity with a gateway device. The wizard application may provide instructions to power down the inverter. Once the inverter is powered down, it may be determined whether the metering device has lost its network connection with the gateway. If so, an instruction to install a repeater device during the installation may be provided.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile computing device at a site connected to an electrical grid, first information that identifies first connections within a mesh-connected energy generation network at the site, the first information received from a server computing device, and the energy generation network comprising;

a gateway device;

an energy generation inverter; and

a metering device;

confirming, based at least in part on the received first information, communication between the gateway device and the metering device;

providing, by the mobile computing device, an instruction to remove power to the energy generation inverter;

receiving, from the server computing device, second information that identifies second connections within the mesh-connected energy generation network;

identifying, based at least in part on the second information, a loss of communication between the gateway device and the metering device;

determining, based at least in part on the second information and the loss of communication between the gateway device and the metering device, whether the loss of communication was due to removal of the energy generation inverter from the mesh-connected energy generation network;

providing, via a user interface, an instruction to establish a communication link between the gateway device and the metering device when the communication link between the gateway device and the metering device is not detected, the instruction to establish the communication link including identification of a repeater device for establishing the communication link;

receiving an identifier of the repeater device;

providing the identifier of the repeater device to the server computing device; and

causing the server computing device to associate the identifier of the repeater device with the installation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the energy generation inverter is powered only by photovoltaic energy of the energy generation network.

3. A computing device, comprising:

a memory configured to store computer-executable instructions; and

a processor configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to implement an application for confirming communication between a metering device and a gateway device at an installation, the application configured to;

receive first information that identifies first connections within a mesh-connected energy generation network at the site, the first information received from a server computing device;

confirm, based at least in part on the received first information, communication between the gateway device and the metering device;

provide an instruction to remove power to the energy generation inverter;

receive, from the server computing device, second information that identifies second connections within the mesh-connected energy generation network;

identify, based at least in part on the second information, a loss of communication between the gateway device and the metering device;

determine, based at least in part on the second information and the loss of communication between the gateway device and the metering device, whether the loss of communication was due to removal of the energy generation inverter from the mesh-connected energy generation network;

provide, via a user interface, an instruction to establish a communication link between the gateway device and the metering device when the communication link between the gateway device and the metering device is not detected, the instruction to establish the communication link including identification of a repeater device for establishing the communication link;

receive an identifier of the repeater device;

provide the identifier of the repeater device to the server computing device; and

cause the server computing device to associate the identifier of the repeater device with the installation.

4. The computing device of claim 3, wherein the instruction to remove power to the energy generation inverter is provided via a user interface of the application.

5. The computing device of claim 3, wherein the instruction to remove power to the energy generation inverter is provided to the energy generation inverter.

6. The computing device of claim 3, wherein the first information indicates that the energy generation inverter is powered by a photovoltaic cell, and wherein the first information comprises an identifier of the energy generation inverter or an identifier of the installation.

7. The computing device of claim 3, wherein the determination of whether a loss of communication between the gateway device and the metering device has occurred is based at least in part on connection information received from the server computing device in communication with at least the gateway device.

8. The computing device of claim 3, wherein the determination of whether a loss of communication between the gateway device and the metering device has occurred is based at least in part on network information that identifies a number of network hops between the gateway device and the metering device.

9. The computing device of claim 3, wherein the application is further configured to receive network information associated with the installation that indicates whether the communication link between the gateway device and the metering device is present.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for confirming communication between a metering device and a gateway device at an installation that, when executed by a computer system, configure the computer system to perform operations comprising:

receiving first information that identifies first connections within a mesh-connected energy generation network at the site, the first information received from a server computing device;

confirming, based at least in part on the received first information, communication between the gateway device and the metering device;

providing an instruction to remove power to the energy generation inverter;

receiving, from the server computing device, second information that identifies second connections within the mesh-connected energy generation network;

identifying, based at least in part on the second information, a loss of communication between the gateway device and the metering device;

determining, based at least in part on the second information and the loss of communication between the gateway device and the metering device, whether the loss of communication was due to removal of the energy generation inverter from the mesh-connected energy generation network;

providing, via a user interface, an instruction to establish a communication link between the gateway device and the metering device when the communication link between the gateway device and the metering device is not detected, the instruction to establish the communication link including identification of a repeater device for establishing the communication link;

receiving an identifier of the repeater device;

providing the identifier of the repeater device to the server computing device; and

causing the server computing device to associate the identifier of the repeater device with the installation.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instruction to remove power to the energy generation inverter is provided to the energy generation inverter or via the user interface of a mobile application.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the determination of whether a loss of communication between the gateway device and the metering device has occurred is based at least in part on connection information received from the server computing device in communication with at least the gateway device or network information that identifies a number of network hops between the gateway device and the metering device.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise receiving network information associated with the installation that indicates whether the communication link between the gateway device and the metering device is present.