Power Grid Alarm Panel Icons for Cross-Screen Operator Awareness
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power grid monitoring and control systems face challenges in efficiently handling alarms due to the use of textual descriptions, which limits operator awareness and increases the risk of inadequate responses, especially when multitasking across different screen views.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a processing system that generates an alarm panel with graphical icon sequences, allowing operators to maintain situational awareness by providing a compact and concurrent representation of alarms, even when working on a screen view different from the alarm list, and enabling timely control actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If textual descriptions are used for alarms, then alarm information can be conveyed in detail, but screen space is limited and operator awareness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses color-coded icons to represent different alarm types and states. Each alarm category (e.g., transmission, distribution, generation) is assigned specific colors, allowing operators to quickly distinguish alarm types at a glance without reading detailed text descriptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional text-based alarm representation to two-dimensional graphical icon sequences. Icons are arranged in sequences that convey temporal and hierarchical relationships, enabling more information to be displayed in limited screen space through spatial organization rather than linear text.
2Adaptability or versatility
If operators switch between different screen views for multitasking, then various control functions can be accessed, but alarm awareness becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The alarm icon sequence representation is designed to be universally applicable across different screen views and HMI contexts. The same icon sequence syntax can be displayed on alarm lists, system overview screens, or any other HMI view, allowing alarm information to persist and remain recognizable regardless of which screen the operator is currently viewing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces alarm icon sequences as an intermediary representation that bridges the gap between detailed alarm information and various HMI screen views. These icon sequences can be overlaid or integrated into different screen contexts, serving as a consistent mediator that maintains alarm awareness across multiple viewing contexts without requiring operators to switch to dedicated alarm screens.
3Reliability
If conventional alarm systems are used, then alarm processing follows traditional methods, but response efficiency is reduced due to lack of compact representation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments alarm information into discrete icon sequences that represent specific alarm types, states, and temporal relationships. Each icon in the sequence corresponds to a particular alarm condition or state transition, allowing operators to quickly parse and understand alarm situations without processing lengthy text descriptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-defines icon sequences for various alarm types and scenarios, so that when alarms occur, operators immediately recognize standardized visual patterns rather than interpreting new text descriptions. This preliminary visualization of common alarm scenarios accelerates operator response by reducing cognitive processing time.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
To process monitoring data (68) during operation of an electric power system, a processing system (60) controls a human machine interface (62) to output an alarm panel, enable an operator input to select a list element from the alarm list, and, responsive to the operator input, cause at least one control action to be performed. The alarm panel comprises several icon sequences for several alarms.