Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc.

Siemens Power Transmission & Distribution, Inc.

Michael A Bellin

Carl J Laplace

John J Trainor

Wayne Mitchell Zavis

Jeffery Cullen Mizener

Mark R Hoffmann

James J Honochick

James H Harlow

Jack Trainor

Joseph F Reilly

Mark Hoffmann

A controller for a voltage regulator has an input keypad for designating selected operating parameters of the voltage regulator. The keypad is formed with a dedicated function portion and a menu navigation portion, and the parameters are divided into first and second categories. The controller has a display for displaying the parameters, and a computer is connected to the input and to the display for controlling the display in response to activation of the keypad. Any parameter in the first category can be displayed on the display by activation of the dedicated function portion of the keypad. Any parameter in the second category can be displayed by activation of the menu navigation portion. The menu navigation portion can optionally also be used to control display of parameters in the first category.

Man-machine interface

An electrical apparatus (100) line actuator (102), such as a voltage regulator or circuit breaker, has resident therein a personality module, electronically reconfigurable memory device (126) which stores actuator operational information, such as specifications (132), historical and maintenance information. An apparatus controller (106) communicates with the personality module (126) and can change the operational information stored therein. If either or both of the controller (106) and actuator (102) is replaced at a site, the controller (106) of the replacement apparatus configuration (100) can read the operational information stored in the personality module (126) and adapt its operational interaction with the actuator (102) in conformance with the information.

Electrical power distribution system apparatus-resident personality

A voltage regulator controller having integral expansion ports. The expansion ports are provided by way of an I/O expansion chassis which is electrically coupled to the controller's microprocessor.

Expansion chassis for a voltage regulator controller

A voltage regulator controller including means for creating multiple regulator setpoint configurations. Configurations can be selected upon demand, by time/date activation, or by an external trigger source.

Multiple setpoint configuration in a voltage regulator controller

A voltage regulator controller is provided with multiple control programs. At any given time, one of the control programs is selected to be 'active' depending on the existing operating conditions. An operator (user) configures the voltage regulator control to change its active control program based on a number of factors, which can include, for example, demand metering values, the time and/or date, external inputs such as the measured transformer oil temperature, commands received via a serial communications port and fault/maintenance status. In a preferred embodiment, the configuration settings for activation are handled in accordance with a priority scheme when more than one of the conditions occur simultaneously.

Voltage regulator control system with multiple control programs

A voltage regulator controller including three types of data logs which are operator selectable and configurable. An operator can enable data logging to occur at specific times and intervals. The voltage regulator controller includes a real time clock/calendar and interval timer to support this function. In a preferred embodiment, the controller includes an event log, a snapshot interval log and a minimum/maximum metered parameter log. Advantageously, the event log can be programmed to monitor configuration changes made from the voltage regulator controller's front panel or from a remote device. The voltage regulator controller also includes a memory card interface which enables the log contents to be uploaded to a removable PCMCIA standard memory card.

Data logging in a voltage regulator controller

A controller for a line regulation device such as a voltage regulator is provided with an interface to a removable memory module. The memory module is preferably of the memory card type which can be carried by a field engineer in a clothing pocket. When the memory card is inserted into an externally accessible slot in the controller, its presence is signaled to the controllers microprocessor. In response, the microprocessor reads user selected control parameters which are entered via the controller's front panel. Depending on the control parameters, the microprocessor updates the programming code in its internal memory, executes the code stored in the memory card while it is present but does not update its internal memory, or dumps selected status information to the memory card so that it can be analyzed at a different location.

Removable field programmable data memory storage module

A monitor is provided for use with an AC voltage regulator having a number of taps including a neutral tap and a tap changer capable of activating any of the taps. The voltage regulator receives an input voltage and produces an output voltage and is constructed so that the output voltage bears a relationship to the input voltage that depends on the activated tap. The tap changer is constructed to activate different taps as necessary to maintain the output voltage close to a target level despite fluctuations of the input voltage or load. The monitor apparatus includes a switch responsive to activation of the neutral tap for providing initial activated-tap information and a dead-reckoning computation device responsive to changes of the activated tap for updating the activated-tap information in accordance with changes of the activated tap made after the activation of the reference tap.

Growing community of inventors

Brandon, MS, United States of America

Michael A Bellin