Patents Assigned to Southern Company Services
  • Patent number: 8182583
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer readable storage medium for managing powdered activated carbon (PAC) injections for controlling mercury emissions from coal-fired boilers. A mercury concentration value received from a mercury continuous emissions monitor is stored in the plant control system database. A PAC injection rate from an activated carbon injection system also is stored in the plant control system database. If the mercury concentration value is greater than the mercury setpoint, a signal is sent to the activated carbon injection system to increase PAC injection by a predetermined value. If the mercury concentration value is less than the mercury setpoint, a signal is sent to the activated carbon injection system to decrease PAC injection by a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Southern Company Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Damon Eric Woodson, Charles Walter Conner, Lawrence Petoia, Calvin J. Hohenshell
  • Publication number: 20120119916
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for monitoring fuel usage and/or remaining run time of backup power sources. In one embodiment, a method includes tracking run time of a backup power source; determining a current fuel level associated with the backup power source; and providing a fuel level warning. In another embodiment, a system includes a fuel monitoring system including logic that obtains a current run time corresponding to a backup power source; logic that determines a current fuel level based at least in part upon the current run time, the current fuel level corresponding to a fuel source supplying the backup power source; and logic that provides a fuel level warning based upon the current fuel level and a predefined fuel level threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: SOUTHERN COMPANY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventor: Christopher James Burrow
  • Publication number: 20120109663
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for validating and filtering events related to an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) deployment. Events received from a vendor supplied AMI head-end can be validated by an AMI event filtering application, which can then store the validated event in a data store. The AMI event filtering application can also generate and publish destination filtered and/or composite events based at least upon destination filters and/or composite events defined in the data store. Subscribing systems can receive the destination filtered and/or composite events.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: SOUTHERN COMPANY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Gregory Ray Floyd, Eric A. Morris
  • Publication number: 20120101749
    Abstract: Systems and methods for visualization of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) deployments are disclosed. A status associated with communications towers or metering devices in an AMI deployment can be monitored based on alarms generated by a metering vendor system or based on thresholds specified in the AMI operations database. A user interface can be generated that allows the AMI deployment to be visualized, with status indicators associated with statuses overlaid on a map. The user interface can further facilitate visualization of progress of tasks associated with AMI operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: SOUTHERN COMPANY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph John Garrett, Brandon Keith Lundy, Derl Wayne Rhoades
  • Patent number: 8157476
    Abstract: The various embodiments of the present invention relate generally to remediation of contaminants in the environment, and more specifically to improved chemistries, systems, and methods for in-situ immobilization of contaminants in various media. More particularly, an aspect of the present invention is directed to an in-situ method for immobilizing a contaminant in a medium, comprising: contacting a medium in-situ with a chemical reagent, the medium comprising a contaminant, wherein the contacting the medium in-situ with a chemical reagent does not involve physical mixing of the medium and the chemical reagent; and immobilizing at least a portion of the contaminant in the medium in-situ to yield an immobilized contaminant in the medium, wherein the immobilized contaminant in the medium is neither extracted from the medium nor degraded by the chemical reagent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Southern Company Services, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Pugh, James C. Redwine, David W. Morris
  • Publication number: 20120062389
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for locating utility metering devices. Utility metering devices that are lost or stolen and that are facilitating unauthorized utility service access. Many AMI and/or AMR deployments lack the ability to remotely deactivate a meter. Accordingly, embodiments of this disclosure can generate a zone of interest in which an unauthorized utility metering device is located, and the unauthorized utility metering device can be subsequently located within the zone of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: SOUTHERN COMPANY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventor: Arnold Cory Solomon
  • Publication number: 20120062390
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for locating utility metering devices. Utility metering devices are those that are lost or stolen and that are facilitating unauthorized utility service access. Many AMI and/or AMR deployments lack the ability to remotely deactivate a meter. Accordingly, embodiments of this disclosure can generate a zone of interest in which an unauthorized utility metering device is located, and the unauthorized utility metering device can be subsequently located within the zone of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: SOUTHERN COMPANY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventor: Arnold Cory Solomon
  • Patent number: 8116916
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for selecting a transformer size for an industrial or commercial facility. A plurality of end-use connected load data for the facility is entered via a user interface into a memory of a computing system for determining facility load diversities. A base homogeneity is determined for the end-use connected load data. An initial facility diversity is determined based on the end-use connected loads and initial end-use diversities. A total facility diversity is determined based on the initial facility diversity, the base homogeneity, and a total connected load. An expected energy demand is determined based on the total facility diversity and a total connected load. The end-use diversity is adjusted for at least one end-use and a change in expected energy demand for the facility is allocated to each end-use. The transformer size is determined for a total expected energy demand and a total hours use for each connected load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Southern Company Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Jefferson G. Zeanah, Richard G. Huff
  • Patent number: 8117240
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer readable medium for controlling user access from a segmented network to shared remote applications stored on a remote server. The method begins by generating a folder/file structure for a remote application that is to be shared on the segmented network. A file server drive mapping to a linking infrastructure data is generated for the remote application and an icon associated with the remote application is retrieved. An application launcher file is generated for the remote application. Then, an application linker file associated with the application launcher file for the remote application is generated. A command file is generated for copying the application linker file to a user's desktop. The linker file is updated to point to the file server drive. A folder for user access to the remote application is then deployed that includes the remote application icon, the application linker file, the application launcher file, and the command file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Southern Company Services, Inc.
    Inventor: David C. Shelby, III
  • Publication number: 20120017157
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for a workstation management application. An identification of a user is obtained in a user interface. A listing of workstations that the user has accessed is rendered in the user interface. A selection of one of the workstations is obtained in the user interface. A listing of management tasks configured for the workstation is rendered in the user interface. One of a plurality of management tools is launched to perform a selected one of the management tasks for the workstation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: Southern Company Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Shane Bush
  • Patent number: 8095972
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer readable medium for facilitating user authentication for accessing an application hosted on an external web site by users in an enterprise network. A request is received from a user a request is received from a user to access the application on the external web site. The user is redirected to a secure web page on an enterprise server to log in to the enterprise server. Authentication information for the user is formatted in compliance with a login specification for the application hosted on the external web site. The authentication information is encrypted in compliance with the login specification for the application hosted on the external web site. The user is then directed to the application hosted on the external web site, wherein the user can access the application without having to reenter login information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Southern Company Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory R. Floyd, Steaven A. Rowe, Michael Peters
  • Patent number: 8082267
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer readable storage medium for management of land parcel records for a utility. The system includes a database for storing a plurality of documents pertaining to land parcels and at least one hardware server for executing a plurality of components. The plurality of components include a component for entering and storing a plurality of information for transmission lines; a component for entering and storing a plurality of information for distribution permits; a component for entering and storing a plurality of information for at least one of fee lands, land sales, land leases, and land easements; a component for querying the database to retrieve documents based on at least one search attribute; and a component for enabling a user to perform administrative actions on a plurality of project and land parcel records stored in the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Southern Company Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua T. Murphy, Janice D. Moore-Smith, Jason Ramsey, Evan Koch
  • Publication number: 20110289054
    Abstract: A content management migration manager method comprises accessing via a web interface executed by a computer an application interface, such as an API, for a first content management system and an application interface (API) for a second content management system. A site associated with the first content management system is thereafter replicated to the second content management system. Each document library folder in the replicated site is duplicated to the second content management system for the replicated site as well as all corresponding users, groups and their associated roles/permissions. Thereafter, one or more folders, users, or permissions existing in the second content management system not also existing in the first content management system may be removed by the content management migration manager.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: SOUTHERN COMPANY SERVICES
    Inventor: Rob Keith Johnson
  • Publication number: 20110270910
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for a dynamic work queue for applications. A message queue is included in a data store accessible to one or more computing devices. One or more network pages are generated in the one or more computing devices indicating which ones of multiple services are configured to obtain and process messages for an application from the queue. Each of the services is executed on a respective one of multiple servers. A request is obtained from a client to configure one or more of the services to obtain and process messages for the application from the queue. The one or more of the services are configured to obtain and process messages for the application from the queue in response to the request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: Southern Company Services
    Inventors: Gregory Ray Floyd, Eric A. Morris
  • Patent number: 7965630
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for dynamically routing query request messages to a database server resident on a computing system. A configurable port proxy service is created on the database server that listens on a particular port for query request messages. An administrator port is implemented on the database server that communicates with the port proxy service. The configurable port proxy service is pinged by a traffic manager application operating on the computing system to determine if a database server instance is available to send database traffic. Query requests are routed to the database server instance if the database server instance is available to accept query request messages. Each administrator command from a port console application is serialized to a configuration file as it issues that will return the port proxy service to a previous state if the database server fails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Southern Company Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory R. Floyd, Alla Semenovna Zelikovskaya
  • Patent number: 7863886
    Abstract: A method for testing a line trap of the type whose blocking characteristics are a function of its resonant frequencies without requiring the line trap to be de-energized along with the transmission line to which the trap is connected by injecting a signal into the transmission line over a range of frequencies including at least one of the line trap's expected resonant frequencies; measuring the magnetic field strength produced by the current through the line trap's main coil and the total current flowing through the line trap, and computing the ratio of the magnetic fields where the ratio is computed over a range of frequencies that includes the expected resonant frequency(s) of the line trap, such that the resonant frequencies are indicated where said ratio is at a local maxima or minima.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Southern Company Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory A. Franlin
  • Patent number: 7848897
    Abstract: A method and system for real-time monitoring of a power system having a plurality of locations forming a transmission and distribution grid, wherein each location includes a plurality of connected components. A plurality of pseudorandom signals are injected at selected locations in the power system. A plurality of power system data are collected at other locations in the power system in response to the injected signals. A dynamic behavior of the power system is determined through a synchronized cross-correlation of the injected signals with the collected power system data. The dynamic behavior of the power system is analyzed to assess a dynamic stability and security state of the power system. The real-time, dynamic stability and security state of the power system is displayed to an operator at a monitoring station. The operational stability and security state can be depicted on an overlay of the nationwide power system grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Southern Company Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Olin A. Williams, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20100098494
    Abstract: The various embodiments of the present invention relate generally to remediation of contaminants in the environment, and more specifically to improved chemistries, systems, and methods for in-situ immobilization of contaminants in various media. More particularly, an aspect of the present invention is directed to an in-situ method for immobilizing a contaminant in a medium, comprising: contacting a medium in-situ with a chemical reagent, the medium comprising a contaminant, wherein the contacting the medium in-situ with a chemical reagent does not involve physical mixing of the medium and the chemical reagent; and immobilizing at least a portion of the contaminant in the medium in-situ to yield an immobilized contaminant in the medium, wherein the immobilized contaminant in the medium is neither extracted from the medium nor degraded by the chemical reagent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: Southern Company Services Inc.
    Inventors: JOHN D. PUGH, James C. Redwine, David W. Morris
  • Patent number: 7702694
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer readable medium for organizing, managing, and accessing large quantities of data in a centralized database received from a plurality of non-homogenous data sources. In the method, a specific format is defined for storing the received data in a plurality of data records in the centralized database. A plurality of datasets are created including a definition and a translation for each data item, the plurality of datasets establishing the data that is transferred into or out of the centralized database. The plurality of datasets are stored in the centralized database. A plurality of value tags are created defining a plurality of data formats and database column names to use in importing or exporting data. An inbound interface is created for accepting data from the plurality of non-homogenous data sources wherein the data represent measured values of physical resources. An outbound interface is created for exporting data upon request to an external application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Southern Company Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Alan Perkins, Darby Elsberry Westfall, Gregory Lee Sewell
  • Patent number: 7698233
    Abstract: A method, system and program product for quantifying a risk of an expected unserved energy in an energy generation system using a digital simulation. An energy load demand forecast is generated based at least in part on a weather year model. A plurality of energy generation resources are committed to meet the energy load demand. An operating status is determined for each committed energy generation resource in the energy generation system. A determination is made as to whether or not the committed resources are sufficient to meet the energy load demand. A dispatch order for a plurality of additional energy resources is selected if the committed resources are not sufficient to meet the energy load demand. Additional resources are committed based on the selected dispatch order until the energy load demand is met. The expected unserved energy is determined and an equivalent amount of energy load demand is shed based at least in part on an expected duration of unserved energy and a customer class grouping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Southern Company Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Reed Edwards, James Clyde McNeely, Sr., Kevin Daniel Carden, Vance Mullis