Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for monitoring operation of an automation system that includes a plurality of interconnected logical objects. The systems and methods may build a fuzzy cognitive map to model an interdependence of the plurality of interconnected logical objects upon one another. In some examples, the systems and methods may identify a non-ideality associated with at least one of the plurality of logical objects and determine from the fuzzy cognitive map an effect of the non-ideality on the operation of the automation system. In some examples, the systems and methods may determine from the fuzzy cognitive map a first one of the plurality of logical objects that affects a second one of the plurality of logical objects to a greater extent than do the remaining ones of the plurality of logical objects.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a secure one-step IEEE 1588 clock using either a symmetric or asymmetric protection scheme. Clocks of mission-critical or highly-available devices in industrial automation systems connected to a communication network are synchronized by sending, by a master clock, a synchronization message, e.g., a single message of the one-step-clock type according to IEEE 1588, including a time stamp, and by receiving and evaluating, by a slave clock, the synchronization message. A synchronization component or module of the master clock prepares, or composes, prior to a projected send time, a synchronization message including a time stamp of the projected send time, and secures the synchronization message in advance of the projected send time. Securing the synchronization message occurs by suitable cryptographic means allowing for authentication of the time stamp at a receiving slave clock. At the projected send time, the secured synchronization message is transmitted.

Abstract: Systems and methods for responding to electric power grid conditions may include identifying a portion of the electric power grid for power response, identifying at least one mobile energy resource and at least one connection site, and dispatching the mobile energy resource to a connection site.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a secure one-step IEEE 1588 clock using either a symmetric or asymmetric protection scheme. Clocks of mission-critical or highly-available devices in industrial automation systems connected to a communication network are synchronized by sending, by a master clock, a synchronization message, e.g., a single message of the one-step-clock type according to IEEE 1588, including a time stamp, and by receiving and evaluating, by a slave clock, the synchronization message. A synchronization component or module of the master clock prepares, or composes, prior to a projected send time, a synchronization message including a time stamp of the projected send time, and secures the synchronization message in advance of the projected send time. Securing the synchronization message occurs by suitable cryptographic means allowing for authentication of the time stamp at a receiving slave clock. At the projected send time, the secured synchronization message is transmitted.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a secure one-step IEEE 1588 clock using either a symmetric or asymmetric protection scheme. Clocks of mission-critical or highly-available devices in industrial automation systems connected to a communication network are synchronized by sending, by a master clock, a synchronization message, e.g., a single message of the one-step-clock type according to IEEE 1588, including a time stamp, and by receiving and evaluating, by a slave clock, the synchronization message. A synchronization component or module of the master clock prepares, or composes, prior to a projected send time, a synchronization message including a time stamp of the projected send time, and secures the synchronization message in advance of the projected send time. Securing the synchronization message occurs by suitable cryptographic means allowing for authentication of the time stamp at a receiving slave clock. At the projected send time, the secured synchronization message is transmitted.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for performing the estimation and/or prediction of the dynamic system state of large power system networks, using a multi-processor approach. More particularly, a large power system network is divided into smaller sub-systems, each sub-system having associated dynamic state variables. Each sub-system is assigned to one or more of a plurality of processing elements, and dynamic state variables for each sub-system are estimated or predicted independently, using the processing elements and sensor measurements. In several embodiments, the dynamic state of each sub-system is computed through the construction of a set of dedicated observers, such as linear parameter-varying (LPV) observers, which are designed to reduce the effects of other sub-systems on the state estimation problem.

Abstract: Systems and methods for predicting customer compliance with requests to participate in demand response events are disclosed. The systems and methods may include receiving demand response information for a demand response event, receiving information for a customer, and determining or adjusting for the customer a compliance probability for the demand response event based at least partially on the demand response information and the received customer information.

Abstract: A Substation Automation (SA) system is configured to perform protection functions for a bay of an electrical power distribution substation, receive, via a communication link, redundancy protection commands from a remote center, and execute the redundancy protection commands for the bay. The SA system is configured to transmit to a redundant protection server of the remote center, process values measured by measurement equipment of the substation, and to receive, from the redundant protection server, and forward, via the process bus, the received redundancy protection commands directed to operating equipment of the substation. Thus, for multiple SA systems, redundant protection functions are implemented and provided cost-efficiently by one common remote central unit.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to a communication network interconnecting a plurality of synchronized nodes, where regular frames including time-critical data are transmitted periodically or cyclically, and sporadic frames are transmitted non-periodically or occasionally. For example, each node can transmit a regular frame at the beginning of a transmission period common to, and synchronized among, all nodes. Another node then receives regular frames from its first neighboring node, and forwards the frames within the same transmission period and with the shortest delay, to a second neighboring node. Furthermore, each node actively delays transmission of any sporadic frame, whether originating from an application hosted by the node itself or whether received from a neighboring node, until forwarding of all received regular frames is completed.

Abstract: Exemplary methods and systems are directed to a process control system having a main control device for controlling a primary equipment of the primary system and a backup control device for controlling the primary equipment in case of a failure of the first control device. A command redirection device for the process control system, is adapted to receive a control command destined to the main control device, and to redirect, in the event of a failure of the main control device, said control command to the backup control device.

Abstract: A method and device automatically extract, to a maximum extent, reliability-relevant information from a Substation Configuration Description (SCD) file describing an electric power transmission or distribution substation. The information in the SCD file is used to identify the physical topology of a communication network of a Substation Automation (SA) system, and all dataflow relating to a given SA functionality or Logical Node (LN). An LN reliability measure for the latter is calculated, involving reliability indications specific to each element or device participating in the dataflow. A number of LN reliability measures are consolidated to produce an overall reliability for the SA system architecture or communication network topology. The method and tool minimize the engineering effort required to perform a reliability calculation, and thus allow comparing the reliability of different SA architectures with minimal effort and intervention of a reliability engineer.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for performing the estimation and/or prediction of the dynamic system state of large power system networks, using a multi-processor approach. More particularly, a large power system network is divided into smaller sub-systems, each sub-system having associated dynamic state variables. Each sub-system is assigned to one or more of a plurality of processing elements, and dynamic state variables for each sub-system are estimated or predicted independently, using the processing elements and sensor measurements. In several embodiments, the dynamic state of each sub-system is computed through the construction of a set of dedicated observers, such as linear parameter-varying (LPV) observers, which are designed to reduce the effects of other sub-systems on the state estimation problem.

Abstract: Systems and methods for predicting customer compliance with requests to participate in demand response events are disclosed. The systems and methods may include receiving demand response information for a demand response event, receiving information for a customer, and determining or adjusting for the customer a compliance probability for the demand response event based at least partially on the demand response information and the received customer information.

Abstract: Systems and methods for responding to electric power grid conditions may include identifying a portion of the electric power grid for power response, identifying at least one mobile energy resource and at least one connection site, and dispatching the mobile energy resource to a connection site.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to a redundancy scheme for bay protection in Substation Automation (SA) that prevents a single failing Intelligent Electronic Device (IED) of the SA system from impairing the operation of a bay of a substation. A protection IED assigned to a home or host bay of a substation of an electric power system performs the protection functions of the bay to which it is assigned, plus protection functions of at least one of its neighboring bays. As a result, each bay can be managed by two different protection IEDs, wherein redundancy is achieved without a dedicated redundant protection IED for each bay. Whenever required to do so, the protection IED receives, from appropriate sensors, information about a status or value of a process quantity from the neighboring bay, computes or executes protection functionality such as overcurrent, overvoltage or earth fault on behalf of the neighboring bay, and issues commands directed to actuators of said neighboring bay.

Abstract: A method and device automatically extract, to a maximum extent, reliability-relevant information from a Substation Configuration Description (SCD) file describing an electric power transmission or distribution substation. The information in the SCD file is used to identify the physical topology of a communication network of a Substation Automation (SA) system, and all dataflow relating to a given SA functionality or Logical Node (LN). An LN reliability measure for the latter is calculated, involving reliability indications specific to each element or device participating in the dataflow. A number of LN reliability measures are consolidated to produce an overall reliability for the SA system architecture or communication network topology. The method and tool minimize the engineering effort required to perform a reliability calculation, and thus allow comparing the reliability of different SA architectures with minimal effort and intervention of a reliability engineer.

Abstract: Exemplary methods and systems are directed to a process control system having a main control device for controlling a primary equipment of the primary system and a backup control device for controlling the primary equipment in case of a failure of the first control device. A command redirection device for the process control system, is adapted to receive a control command destined to the main control device, and to redirect, in the event of a failure of the main control device, said control command to the backup control device.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a secure one-step IEEE 1588 clock using either a symmetric or asymmetric protection scheme. Clocks of mission-critical or highly-available devices in industrial automation systems connected to a communication network are synchronized by sending, by a master clock, a synchronization message, e.g., a single message of the one-step-clock type according to IEEE 1588, including a time stamp, and by receiving and evaluating, by a slave clock, the synchronization message. A synchronization component or module of the master clock prepares, or composes, prior to a projected send time, a synchronization message including a time stamp of the projected send time, and secures the synchronization message in advance of the projected send time. Securing the synchronization message occurs by suitable cryptographic means allowing for authentication of the time stamp at a receiving slave clock. At the projected send time, the secured synchronization message is transmitted.

Abstract: A Substation Automation (SA) system is configured to perform protection functions for a bay of an electrical power distribution substation, receive, via a communication link, redundancy protection commands from a remote center, and execute the redundancy protection commands for the bay. The SA system is configured to transmit to a redundant protection server of the remote center, process values measured by measurement equipment of the substation, and to receive, from the redundant protection server, and forward, via the process bus, the received redundancy protection commands directed to operating equipment of the substation. Thus, for multiple SA systems, redundant protection functions are implemented and provided cost-efficiently by one common remote central unit.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for monitoring operation of an automation system that includes a plurality of interconnected logical objects. The systems and methods may build a fuzzy cognitive map to model an interdependence of the plurality of interconnected logical objects upon one another. In some examples, the systems and methods may identify a non-ideality associated with at least one of the plurality of logical objects and determine from the fuzzy cognitive map an effect of the non-ideality on the operation of the automation system. In some examples, the systems and methods may determine from the fuzzy cognitive map a first one of the plurality of logical objects that affects a second one of the plurality of logical objects to a greater extent than do the remaining ones of the plurality of logical objects.