General Electric Company

James V Petrizzi

Robert P Thomas

Radoslaw Narel

Geoff F Butland

Rajaiah Karanam

Patrick Meagher

Sunil Mathur

Drew Baigent

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

Virtual modular relay device

A power management control system provides control and graphical representation of a plurality of electrical devices and components of an electrical distribution system. The control system includes a virtual three-dimensional annunciator panel for displaying an indication of the status or condition of a plurality a plurality of electrical devices of an electrical distribution system. The virtual annunciator panel includes an array (6&times;8) of indicator buttons that represent a particular device, event or group of events of the PMCS. The buttons are displayed in different colors to indicate different alarm systems. The annunciator panel functions to notify the user/operator of an alarm condition of a device, as well as permits the user to acknowledge alarms. The development of the virtual annunciator panel display is automated using software, namely an Annunciator Panel Wizard. The Panel Wizard provides the automated configuration of the annunciator panel graphic as well as a built-in event mapping to the annunciator buttons which is user configurable. The Panel Wizard allows the user to generate the virtual annunciator panel display without any programming skills or detailed device knowledge.

Man-machine interface for a virtual annunciator panel display

Software (,) is loaded into the host computer (,) and includes an Ethernet server (,), a Modbus (DDE) server (,), an MMS server (,), and a third-party proprietary protocol server (,). Each of these servers (,, and,) allows external programs (,) running on the host and view node computers (,, and,) to access power management data from the various devices (,) in the power management control system (,). Modbus server (,) allows external programs (,) to access power management data from devices (,), which communicate using the Modbus protocol. MMS server (,) allows external programs (,) to access power management data from MMS/UCA2 compliant devices (,), which communicate using the MMS protocol. Ethernet server (,) provides for network layer TCP/IP encapsulation for communications over Ethernet networks (,) and (,). Third party server (,) allows communications between external programs (,) and device (,), which uses any proprietary protocol. Power management control system (,) implements the UCA Version 2 architecture, having an Ethernet physical layer, a Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) network layer, and a Manufacturing Message Specification (MMS) application layer.

Utilities communications architecture compliant power management control system

A dynamic data exchange (DDE) server (,) which allows external programs to access power management data is presented. The DDE server (,) provides a mnemonic cross reference between register items and standardized, alphanumeric parameter names. This mnemonic interface allows the user to retrieve data from a device without knowledge of the actual device register item number. The DDE server (,) is optimized for either the Modbus RTU or Ethernet protocol. The DDE server (,) acts as a link between a client requesting device data and a field device which can provide the data. The DDE server (,) communicates to the field device through communication ports and to the client via DDE or NetDDE message link. A client sends its requests to server to read/write some device registers. The server maps each request to suitable device read/write request packets and carries out the necessary transaction with device. Then it relays the result back to the client after processing and casting the collected device data to proper format. To configure the DDE server (,), the user can export and import files containing register groups and mnemonics in comma separated value format. By importing and exporting register groups and mnemonics, the user can change the firmware revision register map or mnemonics of a device class supported by the DDE server (,), change the number or types of registers or mnemonics, or add a new generic device type.

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Tarriffville, CT, United States of America

James V Petrizzi