Man machine interface for power management control systems

Abstract

A power management and control system having a dynamic data exchange (DDE) server simulator for simulating supervisory management and control of electrical distribution systems is presented. The DDE server simulator is an alternative DDE server which simulates device values rather than acquiring data from real devices. The DDE server simulator generates and calculates device data from user generated electrical property profiles and updates DDE compliant clients. The DDE server simulator accepts the actual topics and item names and power profiles are user configurable with an option to apply white noise to the data, which provides true-to-life values to the user. These simulated measured values are used to calculate derived parameters and pre-set arrays provide wave form data in the proper format. Device events and trips can be interjected by the user and properly interpreted by the simulator. The data is passed to the clients via DDE.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of data exchange comprising: 
 designating a device;    associating a mnemonic name with a memory location, said mnemonic name indicative of said device;    configuring a communication port for communication between said device and a server;    polling said device to acquire data therefrom; and    storing said data at said memory location.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 time stamping said data.  
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 time synchronizing said device or said data acquired from said device.  
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 maintaining a status of said device.  
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising: 
 changing said status when said device responds to a poll.  
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of polling comprises polling at multiple rates.  
     
     
         7 . A method of data exchange comprising: 
 designating a device;    associating a memory location with said device;    configuring a communication port for communication between said device and a server;    polling said device to acquire data therefrom;    storing said data at said memory location; and    time synchronizing said device or said data acquired from said device.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising: 
 time stamping said data.  
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising: 
 maintaining a status of said device.  
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising: 
 changing said status when said device responds to a poll.  
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said step of polling comprises polling at multiple rates.  
     
     
         12 . A method of data exchange comprising: 
 designating a device;    associating a memory location with said device;    configuring a communication port for communication between said device and a server;    polling said devices to acquire data therefrom;    storing said data at said memory location;    maintaining a status of said device; and    changing said status when said device responds to a poll.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising: 
 time stamping said data.  
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said step of polling comprises polling at multiple rates.  
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for data exchange comprising: 
 means for designating a device;    means for associating a mnemonic name with a memory location, said mnemonic name indicative of said device;    means for configuring a communication port for communication between said device and a server;    means for polling said device to acquire data therefrom; and    means for storing said data at said memory location.    
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  further comprising: 
 means for time stamping said data.  
 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15  further comprising: 
 means for time synchronizing said device or said data acquired from said device.  
 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15  further comprising: 
 means for maintaining a status of said device.  
 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of claim IS further comprising: 
 means for changing said status when said device responds to a poll.    
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said means for polling comprises: 
 means for polling at multiple rates.  
 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus for data exchange comprising: 
 means for designating a device;    means for associating a memory location with said device;    means for configuring a communication port for communication between said device and a server;    means for polling said device to acquire data therefrom;    means for storing said data at said memory location; and    means for time synchronizing said device or said data acquired from said device.    
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21  further comprising: 
 means for time stamping said data.  
 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22  further comprising: 
 means for maintaining a status of said device.  
 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23  further comprising: 
 means for changing status when said device responds to a poll.  
 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein said means for polling comprises: 
 means for polling at multiple rates.  
 
     
     
         26 . An apparatus for data exchange comprising: 
 means for designating a device; means for associating a memory location with said device;    means for configuring a communication port for communication between said device and a server;    means for polling said device to acquire data therefrom;    means for storing said data at said memory location;    means for maintaining a status of said device; and    means for changing said status when said device responds to a poll.    
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 26  further comprising: 
 means for time stamping said data.  
 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 26  wherein said means for polling comprises: 
 means for polling at multiple rates.  
 
     
     
         29 . A method of generating an electrical distribution elevation window indicative of the actual electrical distribution, comprising: 
 selecting a cabinet wizard;    locating said cabinet wizard in a window;    selecting component wizards;    locating said component wizards in said window at the same relative positions on said cabinet wizard as the actual electrical distribution;    selecting electrical device wizards; and    locating said electrical device wizards in said window at the same relative positions on said cabinet wizard as the electrical distribution.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein each of said electrical device wizards has a dialog box associated therewith, said dialog box providing a navigational link between said window and another window displaying detailed information for the actual corresponding electrical device.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29  further comprising: 
 logging information for the actual corresponding electrical device.  
 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising: 
 collating said information into a plurality of categories for analysis.  
 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29  further comprising: 
 generating said electrical wizards.  
 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said step of generating further comprises: 
 configuring setup data for each of said electrical device wizards.  
 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said step of generating further comprises: 
 assigning an identifier for each of said electrical device wizards.  
 
     
     
         36 . A method of power management comprising: 
 retrieving waveform data from a metering device; and    displaying, remotely from the metering device, at least two waveform parameters simultaneously on an amplitude axis and a phase axis.    
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein said at least two waveform parameters includes at least two of I a , I b , I c , V a , V b , and V c .  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36  wherein said at least two waveform parameters includes I a , I b , I c , V a , V b , and V c .  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36  further comprising: 
 capturing waveforms at the metering device to generate the waveform data.  
 
     
     
         40 . A power management system comprising: 
 a first converter for converting a first protocol to a second protocol;    a second converter adapted for communicating in said second protocol and for converting said second protocol to a third protocol, said second converter for communicating with a power monitoring device or a control device in said third protocol; and    a server for communicating in said first protocol through said first and second converters with the power monitoring device or the control device, said server (a) processing data received from or (b) generating data transmitted to the power monitoring device or the control device to manage power use.    
     
     
         41 . The power management system of  claim 40  wherein said first converter is configured for communicating with at least one other power monitoring or control device in said second protocol.  
     
     
         42 . The power management system of  claim 40  wherein said first protocol is an Ethernet protocol.  
     
     
         43 . The power management system of  claim 40  further comprising a transfer protocol for transferring data packets at said first converter, said transfer protocol including: 
 a header associated with each of the data packets; and  
 an authentication field disposed within said header for determining data packet validity.  
 
     
     
         44 . The power management system of  claim 43  wherein said header further comprises an error status field.  
     
     
         45 . The power management system of  claim 43  wherein said header further comprises a number of bytes field.  
     
     
         46 . The power management system of  claim 43 , wherein said header further comprises a checksum field.  
     
     
         47 . The power management system of  claim 40  wherein said second protocol is Ethernet protocol.  
     
     
         48 . The power management system of  claim 47  wherein said third protocol is a Modbus protocol.  
     
     
         49 . The power management system of  claim 40  wherein said second protocol is a Modbus protocol.  
     
     
         50 . The power management system of  claim 49  wherein said third protocol is a Commnet protocol.  
     
     
         51 . The power management system of  claim 42  wherein said second protocol is a Modbus protocol.  
     
     
         52 . The power management system of  claim 51  wherein said third protocol is a Commnet protocol.  
     
     
         53 . A power management system comprising: 
 a converter for converting a first protocol to a second protocol, said converter for communicating with a power monitoring device or a control device in said second protocol;    a server for communicating in said first protocol and through said converter with the power monitoring device or the control device, said server (a) processing data received from or (b) generating data transmitted to the power monitoring device or the control device to manage power use; and    a tester for identifying and monitoring the power monitoring device or the control device.    
     
     
         54 . The power management system of  claim 53 , wherein said tester queries to identify the power monitoring device or the control device.  
     
     
         55 . The power management system of  claim 54 , wherein said tester writes configuration data for the power monitoring or the control device identified to a file which is accessed by said server to display data for the power monitoring device or the control device.  
     
     
         56 . The power management system of  claim 53 , wherein said tester transmits data at multiple data rates and determines if the power monitoring device or the control device has been configured with an incorrect data transmission rate.  
     
     
         57 . The power management system of  claim 53 , wherein said tester stores system configuration data and produces reports based on the system configuration data.  
     
     
         58 . A power management system comprising: 
 a converter for converting a first protocol to a second protocol, said converter for communicating with a power monitoring device or a control device in said second protocol, said converter including a plurality of ports;    a communications abstraction layer which represents the plurality of communication ports included in said converter as virtual communication ports of a node; and    a server for communicating in said first protocol and through said converter with the power monitoring device or the control device, said server (a) processing data received from or (b) generating data transmitted to the power monitoring device or the control device to manage power use.    
     
     
         59 . A transfer protocol for transferring data packets between a node and an Ethernet gateway device having a power monitoring device or a control device connected thereto, the transfer protocol comprising: 
 a header associated with each of the data packets;    an authentication field disposed within said header for determining data packet validity; and    wherein the Ethernet gateway device includes a plurality of ports and said header further comprises a gateway port number field for identifying which of said plurality of ports the data packet is to be transmitted on.    
     
     
         60 . The transfer protocol of  claim 59 , wherein the data packet is a configuration packet for identifying configuration parameters to enable serial communications between the node and said Ethernet gateway device.  
     
     
         61 . The transfer protocol of  claim 60 , wherein the gateway port number is assigned a first value when the node transmits new configuration parameters to the Ethernet gateway device.  
     
     
         62 . The transfer protocol of  claim 61 , wherein the gateway port number is assigned the first value when the Ethernet gateway device acknowledges the new configuration parameters.  
     
     
         63 . The transfer protocol of  claim 61 , wherein the gateway port numbered is assigned a second value when the Ethernet gateway device detects an error in the configuration parameters.  
     
     
         64 . The transfer protocol of  claim 60 , wherein the gateway port number is assigned a third value when the node transmits a request for the current configuration parameters to the Ethernet gateway device.  
     
     
         65 . The transfer protocol of  claim 59 , wherein said header further comprises a checksum field for providing a checksum for said header.  
     
     
         66 . A transfer protocol for transferring data packets between a node and an Ethernet gateway device having a power monitoring device or a control device connected thereto, the transfer protocol comprising: 
 a header associated with each of the data packets;    an authentication field disposed within said header for determining data packet validity; and    wherein said header further comprises an error status field for indicating whether any serial communications errors have occurred.    
     
     
         67 . A transfer protocol for transferring data packets between a node and an Ethernet gateway device having a power monitoring device or a control device connected thereto, the transfer protocol comprising: 
 a header associated with each of the data packets;    an authentication field disposed within said header for determining data packet validity; and    wherein said header further comprises a number of bytes field for identifying the number of bytes that follow said header.    
     
     
         68 . A power management system comprising: 
 a converter for converting an Ethernet protocol to a Modbus protocol; and    a server for communicating in said Ethernet protocol and through said converter with a power monitoring device or a control device, said server (a) processing data received from or (b) generating data transmitted to the power monitoring device or the control device to manage power use.