Distributed micro-grid controller

• US 9,917,442 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2014
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Prolucid Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: Prolucid Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Beauregard, Graham, Tuli, Tarun, Leigh, Robert, Bergstrom, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Jason
• Application Number:
  US14/774,213
• Publication Number:
  US 20160043549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/04 involving the use of models or simulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/14 District level solutions, i.e. local energy networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A system for management of distributed control and real-time data for an electric utility network having remote devices and legacy subsystems includes a distributed communications network and a plurality of nodes coupled to the distributed communications network. Each of the nodes includes a multi-protocol interface having a boundary protocol convertor comprising a protocol validation engine to validate messages and commands from the remote devices and an in-field distributed data analyzer. The multi-protocol interface provides a standard data model for the remote devices.

Claims

1. A system for management of distributed control and real-time data for an electric utility network having remote devices and legacy subsystems comprising:

a distributed communications network;

a plurality of nodes coupled to the distributed communications network, each node comprising;

a multi-protocol interface having a boundary protocol converter comprising a protocol validation engine to validate messages and commands from the remote devices;

wherein the boundary protocol converter includes a protocol mapping identifier;

a common representation data model mapper; and

a Data Distribution Service (DDS) output module;

an in-field distributed power grid data analyzer; and

wherein the multi-protocol interface provides a standard data model for the remote devices;

wherein the remote devices are legacy devices; and

wherein a power grid is controlled by the system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the protocol validation engine verifies messages and commands that are received are from known ones of the plurality of nodes;

wherein the protocol validation engine inspects received commands for valid syntax prior to execution when delivered from external nodes; and

wherein the protocol validation engine rejects malformed messages and commands to ensure network communication stability and security.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the boundary protocol converter converts external communication protocols to a Data Distribution Service (DDS) protocol for transport across the distributed communications network.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the boundary protocol converter translates inter network communications using DDS to formats compatible with external nodes upon one of:

entering the distributed network; and

exiting from the distributed network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of nodes is configured as at least one of:

a control node;

a remote node;

an instrumentation node; and

wherein predetermined ones of the plurality of nodes collects and processes data locally.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a distributed processing network simulator for real-time simulation of one of a power grid comprising the distributed communications network, the plurality of nodes, the remote devices and the legacy subsystems.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the in-field distributed data analyzer and boundary protocol converter integrates with legacy subsystems including at least one of:

an outage management system (OMS) subsystem;

an energy management system (EMS) subsystem

a distribution management system (DMS) subsystem; and

a data historian and archival database subsystem.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication network in conjunction with the protocol validation engine is adapted to securely integrate legacy devices that use standard, insecure protocols, and

wherein at least one node connects with an insecure protocol to a remote device comprising one of:

a generation monitoring device;

a metering device;

a power quality monitor; and

a generation control device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of nodes further comprises an in-field distributed controller.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the protocol validation engine comprises:

a protocol dissector;

a protocol identifier; and

a malformed packets filter.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein in-field distributed data analyzer includes at least one of:

a power quality analyzer (PQA);

a power quality monitor (PQM);

a phasor measurement unit (PMU); and

a digital fault recorder (DFR).