Wireless integrated control and monitoring system

Abstract

A technique is provided or integrating system design, sales, and manufacturing functions. Systems including networked and programmable electrical components, such as motor control centers, and other electrical power control arrangements are designed, and a database is created for the design, including component and system designation data. The database may further include configuration information, settings, and so forth. The database is used as a tool in establishing a sales solicitation proposal from which sales of the system are offered. The same database is then used to program the various components of the system, such as through a temporary network link or via a permanent data network once the system is assembled.

1 . A method for monitoring or controlling operation of an electrical industrial equipment system, the method comprising: 
 displaying a representation of programmable physical components of the system in a computer workstation for a human operator based upon display data;    detecting an operator selection of one of the physical components from the representation on the computer workstation;    wirelessly acquiring data representative of real time operation of the selected physical component based on the operator selection; and    displaying a monitoring or control window in the computer workstation based upon the acquired data.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising monitoring or controlling operation of the electrical industrial equipment over a wide area network, over a virtual private network (VPN) or over dedicated communication links, or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising monitoring or controlling operation of the electrical industrial equipment over the Internet to monitor or control operation of industrial equipment system.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the wirelessly acquired data is stored in a database accessible to a user.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the database stores data representative of a network address for the selected component, and wherein the wirelessly acquired data includes data acquired from the selected physical component at a network address.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the database stores designation data for the selected physical component that include data representative of a function of the selected physical component in the equipment system.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the physical components includes a memory object storing configuration parameters thereof, and wherein the wirelessly acquired data includes data acquired from a memory object of the selected physical component.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selected component includes an input/output circuit for receiving and transmitting data to an external device coupled to the component.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring or control window includes representations of virtual meters indicating operational parameters of the selected physical component.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring or control window includes a link to documentation descriptive of the selected physical component.  
   
   
       11 . A computer system for monitoring or controlling operation of an electrical industrial equipment system, the system comprising: 
 an human machine interface having an interface program configured to display a representation of programmable physical components of the system on a computer workstation for a human operator and to detect an operator selection of one of the physical components from the representation on the computer workstation; and    wherein the human machine interface program is configured to wirelessly acquire data representative of real time operation of the selected physical component, and to display a monitoring or control window in the computer workstation based upon the acquired data.    
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the wirelessly acquired data is acquired over a wide area network, over a virtual private network (VPN), or over dedicated communication links or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the wirelessly acquired data is acquired over the Internet to monitor or control operation of industrial equipment system.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the wirelessly acquired data is representative of a physical configuration of the component including data representative of a location of the component in the system.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the displayed data includes a dimensionally approximate representation of each component and a location of the component with respect to other components of the system.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a database for storing data representative of operational parameters of the selected physical component, wherein at least some of the wirelessly acquired data is stored in a database.  
   
   
       17 . An electrical industrial equipment system comprising: 
 a plurality of programmed physical components configured to control operation of electrical loads; and    a computer system coupled to the physical components for monitoring or controlling operation of the physical components, the computer system comprising:    an human machine interface having an embedded human machine interface program configured to display a representation of the programmable physical components of the system on a computer workstation for a human operator, and to detect an operator selection of one of the physical components from the representation on the computer workstation; and    wherein the human machine interface program is configured to wirelessly acquire data representative of real time operation of the selected physical component, and to display a monitoring or control window in the computer workstation based upon the acquired data.    
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a database for storing data representative of operational parameters of the selected physical component, wherein at least some of the wirelessly acquired data is stored in the database.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the database stores data representative of a network address for the selected component, and wherein the wirelessly acquired data includes data acquired from a selected physical component at a network address.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein each of the physical components includes a memory object storing configuration parameters thereof, and wherein the wirelessly acquired data includes data acquired from the memory object of the selected physical component.