Utility station automated design system and method

Abstract

A system and method provide a computer-based automated tool for quickly and efficiently designing utility stations. One example of such a utility station is a unit substation. The tool includes a database of user-selective predrawn symbols that are associated with a pre-defined and stored station template. Each of the respective symbols have associated therewith attributes that are computer recognizable as being attributes associated with the respective symbols, and may be combined into a list, when the symbols are selected for use with the station. The tool presents a graphical rendering of the symbols arranged on the station, after the respective symbols have been identified.

1 - 46 . (canceled)  
   
   
       47 . A method for designing an electrical substation, comprising: 
 receiving user selections corresponding to functional requirements for the electrical substation via a user interface;    retrieving representations of components for the electrical substation, based on the functional requirements, from a database configured to store the representations of the components; and    generating at least one substation design, using the functional requirements and the representations of components retrieved from the database.    
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising the step of: 
 outputting at least one of the substation designs.    
   
   
       49 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 47 , wherein the step of outputting comprises: 
 outputting information relating to the substation design to one of a document management system, cost management system, a display device and server.    
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein 
 the electrical substation comprises one of a power substation and a switching substation.    
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the step of receiving user selections corresponding to functional requirements for the electrical substation further comprises: 
 presenting a series of options to a user; and    selecting responses to the presented options via a user interface;    wherein subsequent options are presented as a function of selections of previous options.    
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the step of generating at least one substation design comprises: 
 processing the selected functional requirements in a knowledge-based system including a user modifiable artificial intelligence based representation of a decision tree defined by hierarchical nodes.    
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the step of retrieving representations of components for the electrical substation design further comprises: 
 creating a database including a stored database representation of attributes of substation components, the stored database representation being consistent with the multi-level nodal hierarchy of the knowledge-based system.    
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising the step of: 
 updating the database dynamically with additional designs and representations of components and component attributes.    
   
   
       55 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising the step of: 
 storing a monetary value associated with the representations of a component in the database.    
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 55 , further comprising the step of: 
 outputting the cost information corresponding to each representation of the component used in generating the at least one substation design.    
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 54 , further comprising the steps of: 
 outputting the at least one generated substation design to a display; and    displaying the cost associated with each displayed component upon the selection of a component.    
   
   
       58 . A system for designing an electrical substation comprising: 
 an input device configured to collect user selections corresponding to functional requirements of an electrical substation;    a processing unit containing computer-executable instructions for accepting the functional requirements and generating at least one design of an electrical substation based on the functional requirements selected by the user.    
   
   
       59 . The system of  claim 58 , further comprising: 
 an output device configured to output the at least one design for an electrical substation.    
   
   
       60 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein: 
 the output device is configured to output the at least one design for an electrical substation to one of a document management system, cost management system, display device and server.    
   
   
       61 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein the computer-executable instructions for generating at least one design for an electrical substation based on the functional requirements selected by the user further comprises: 
 computer-executable instructions for accepting user selected options regarding aspects of the substation.    
   
   
       62 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein the input device configured to collect user selections corresponding to functional requirements of an electrical substation further comprises: 
 an input device for collecting information from which weighted preferences can be derived.    
   
   
       63 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein: 
 the input device is configured to collect user selections corresponding to functional requirements presents options in an interactive, hierarchical manner, wherein subsequent options are presented as a function of selections of previous options.    
   
   
       64 . The system of  claim 62 , wherein: 
 the system of presenting options is implemented in a decision tree.    
   
   
       65 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein: 
 the processing unit for generating at least one substation design as a function of the functional requirements is an expert system.    
   
   
       66 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein: 
 the output device further comprises a device for outputting a list of system components making up a substation design and their attributes.    
   
   
       67 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein: 
 the output device is configured to output cost information related to each component used in the substation design.    
   
   
       68 . The system of  claim 67 , wherein: 
 the output device is configured to output the substation design to a display device; and    the display device is configured to display cost information when a particular component of the substation design is selected on the display.    
   
   
       69 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein: 
 the output device further comprises a device for outputting a blueprint of a substation design.    
   
   
       70 . The computer-implemented system of  claim 58 , further comprising: 
 a database configured to store representations of components of an electrical substation which is accessed by the processing unit to generate the at least one design of an electrical substation.    
   
   
       71 . The computer-implemented system of  claim 70 , wherein: 
 the database is configured to store cost information corresponding to the representations of the components used in the at least one design of an electrical substation.    
   
   
       72 . A computer-implemented system for designing an electrical substation, comprising: 
 means for receiving user selection corresponding to functional requirements for the electrical substation;    means for retrieving representations of components for the electrical substation from a means for storing the representations of the components as a function of the functional requirements; and    means for generating at least one substation design using the functional requirements received by the receiving means and the representations retrieved from the database.    
   
   
       73 . The computer-implemented system of  claim 72 , further comprising: 
 means for outputting at least one of the substation designs.    
   
   
       74 . The computer implemented system of  claim 73 , wherein: 
 the means for outputting outputs data corresponding to substation design to one of a document management system, cost management system, display device, and server.    
   
   
       75 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 72 , wherein the electrical substation comprises one of a power substation and a switching substation.  
   
   
       76 . The system of  claim 72 , wherein the means for receiving user selections corresponding to functional requirements for the electrical substation further comprises: 
 means for presenting a series of options to a user; and    means for accepting responses to the options;    wherein subsequent options are presented as a function of selections of previous options.    
   
   
       77 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 72 , wherein means for retrieving representations of components for the electrical substation design further comprises: 
 accessing a means for storing representations of attributes of substation components.    
   
   
       78 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 77 , wherein: 
 the means for storing can be dynamically updated with additional designs and substation components and component attributes.