The present invention relates generally to a power management control system and in particular, to software that implements and automates the development of a virtual 3-D annunciator panel display including built-in event mapping to the annunciator tiles.
Power management control systems monitor and control a variety of intelligent electronic devices of an electrical distribution system. These control systems, generally, include an annunciator panel or board provided at a console of the operator or user. The annunciator panel includes an array of buttons that provide status information of selected devices of the distribution system. Each button is indicative of the status of a corresponding device of the distribution system. Each of the buttons illuminates with different colors, wherein each color is representative of the status of the selected device. For example, a green button may represent that the corresponding device is operating properly, and a red light may indicate that a fault condition exists. The panel provides an easy method of visually monitoring the condition or status of the electrical system. If a fault occurs that requires acknowledgement by the operator of the system before resetting the fault, the operator may attempt to reset the failure by depressing the button to acknowledge the fault.
Some power management control systems include a computer connected to a common bus that allows communication between the intelligent monitoring/control devices and a server. The control system provides graphical representations of and links to the devices of the distribution system to enable a user to monitor and operate the distribution system.
For these computer control management systems, there is a need for an equivalent virtual annunciator panel display that provides the same function of the annunciator panel described hereinbefore. Some power management control systems do offer a virtual three-dimensional annunciator panel displays; however, the system is not easily configurable without having programming knowledge and capability as well as intimate knowledge of each of the devices of the distribution system.
Current virtual annunciator panel displays also include an array of buttons or tiles that provide the status of selected intelligent devices of the distribution system. In order to functionally link buttons of the virtual annunciator panel to the selected devices, each virtual annunciator panel requires custom programming by a knowledgeable integrator.
The above discussed and other drawbacks and deficiencies are overcome or alleviated by a power management control system comprising a network, a first control device connected directly to said network and communicable with said network, a user configurable annunciator panel, said panel including an indicator for visually displaying the of status or condition of the first control device, and software defining an annunciator panel wizard, wherein the annunciator panel wizard provides user configuration of the annunciator panel.
The above discussed and other features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and drawings.