Virtual modular relay device

• US 7,047,274 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2002
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Butland, Geoff, Karanam, Rajaiah, Mathur, Sunil, Petrizzi, James, Thomas, Robert P., Meagher, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLETT, STEPHAN F
• Application Number:
  US10/195,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20030061335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/243, 700/83, 700/295, 702/61, 717/105, 717/109, 717/113, 717/125, 717/762, 717/763
• US Class Current: 709/200
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/00 Programme-control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23258 GUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, labview
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23261 Use control template library
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25019 Parallel processors coupled to bus by configurable interface card
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25067 Graphic configuration control system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25092 Customized control features, configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25349 Operating system, Microsoft Windows
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36033 High level graphics language, gks
• 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: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems

Abstract

A computerized power management control system (10) includes a virtual modular relay device (82) for providing input and output data to and from a corresponding, actual modular relay device (47 or 49). Virtual modular relay device (82) is displayed in a window (90), with the upper left-hand corner of window (90) including a graphical depiction (92) of the modular relay device. Immediately below the graphical depiction (92) is a communications status indicator (94), which shows the status of communications (connected/disconnected) between the virtual device (82) and an inter-process communications server (52). Various fields (96) appear along the left-hand side of window to identify the modular relay unit (47 or 49). Below identification fields (96) are a plurality of buttons (98), each of which allow the user to activate a program module. Buttons (156 and 154) can be customized by the user to activate any program module. Tabbed pages (102) allow the user to quickly view numerous functions without cluttering the computer screen. The functions depicted on each of the tabbed pages (102) are user-defined. A program utility automatically configures the virtual modular relay device (82) graphic and links the virtual intelligent electronic device (82) to its actual counterpart (47 or 49) so that input and output signals may be sent between the two.

Claims

1. A method of generating a virtual modular relay device for a computerized power management control system having an actual modular relay device, the method comprising:

selecting a virtual modular relay device template;

initiating a utility for configuring a virtual modular relay device;

selecting a communication protocol type indicative of a communication protocol used on a network between said virtual modular relay device and an inter-process communications server and entering network identification data for an actual modular relay device, thereby allowing said virtual modular relay device to be configured for installation on a server computer, a local client computer, and a remote client computer;

selecting a first function to be provided by said virtual modular relay device representative of one of a plurality of functions provided by said actual modular relay device; and

providing a first number of tags required by said first function mapped to a first number of registers in said actual modular relay device;

wherein said selecting a first function allows said virtual modular relay device to be configurable and said actual modular relay device to be generic.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

selecting a model of modular relay device from a list including a plurality of models of modular relay devices.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a first graphic indicative of said first function on a second graphic indicative of a tabbed page;

selecting a second function to be provided by said virtual modular relay device representative of another of said plurality of functions provided by said actual modular relay device;

providing a second number of tags required by said second function mapped to a second number of registers in said actual modular relay device; and

displaying a third graphic indicative of said second function on a fourth graphic indicative of another tabbed page.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said entering network identification data for an actual modular relay device includes:

entering a group identification name, said group identification name identifying a group of intelligent electronic devices including said actual modular relay device.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

assigning a security access level value to said first function, whereby a user assigned a security access level of at least said panel security access level value may reset a condition of said first function.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a button; and

assigning a program module to said button for activating said program module when said button is selected.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said initiating a utility for configuring a virtual modular relay device is accomplished by clicking on said virtual modular relay device template.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a help button for invoking a help file that provides a user information on the features and operation of said virtual modular relay device.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a graphic indicative of a communication statue between said virtual modular relay device and an inter-process communications server.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying information for identifying said actual modular relay device, said information being provided by a signal from said actual modular relay device.

11. A method of generating a virtual modular relay device for a computerized power management control system having an modular relay device, the method comprising:

selecting a virtual modular relay device template;

initiating a utility for configuring a virtual modular relay device;

selecting a communication protocol type indicative of a communication protocol used on a network between said virtual modular relay device and an inter-process communications server and entering network identification data for an actual modular relay device, thereby allowing said virtual modular relay device to be configured for installation on a server computer, a local client computer, and a remote client computer;

selecting a model of modular relay device from a list including a plurality of models of modular relay devices;

providing a list of a plurality of functions provided by said model of modular relay device;

selecting a function to be provided by said virtual modular relay device representative of one of said plurality of functions provided by said model of modular relay device; and

providing a number of tags required by said function mapped to a number of registers in said actual modular relay device.

12. A method of generating a virtual modular relay device for a computerized power management control system having an actual modular relay device, the method comprising:

selecting an un-configured virtual modular relay device by activating an associated virtual modular relay device template;

initiating a utility for configuring the un-configured virtual modular relay device;

entering network identification data for an actual modular relay device;

selecting a first function to be provided by said virtual modular relay device representative of one of a plurality of functions provided by said actual modular relay device; and

providing a first number of tags required by said first function mapped to a first number of registers in said actual modular relay device;

wherein said selecting a first function allows said virtual modular relay device to be configurable and said actual modular relay device to be generic.