Wind Farm Server for Software Update Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing software update process for wind turbines in a wind farm is time-consuming and inefficient, requiring individual updates from a remote control center to each turbine, especially when older turbines with analog modem connections are involved, resulting in updates taking hundreds to thousands of hours for all turbines.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that establish a connection between a remote control center and a connection unit within the wind farm network, allowing the software update to be transmitted once from the remote control center to a connection unit, which then distributes it to all wind turbines via the wind farm network, eliminating the need for individual updates from the remote control center.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual updates are performed from remote control center to each wind turbine, then each turbine receives direct software updates, but the update process becomes extremely time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a wind farm server as an intermediary between the remote control center and individual wind turbines. The server receives software updates from the remote control center and then distributes them to multiple turbines sequentially, eliminating the need for the remote control center to establish separate connections with each turbine. This mediator approach significantly reduces update time while maintaining reliable software distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The update process is segmented into two distinct phases: first, the remote control center transmits the update to the wind farm server; second, the server distributes the update to individual turbines. This segmentation allows the heavy lifting of update distribution to be handled locally by the server using existing wind farm network infrastructure, rather than requiring repeated long-distance transmissions from the remote control center.
2Adaptability or versatility
If analog modem connections are used for older wind turbines, then connectivity is maintained with legacy equipment, but data transfer rate is severely limited
Solution Approach 1:
The wind farm server acts as an intermediary that receives high-speed updates via modern communication links from the remote control center, then distributes them to older turbines through the existing wind farm network. This approach shields legacy turbines with analog modems from the speed limitations, as the bottleneck is eliminated by performing the bulk transfer locally rather than over long-distance modem connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the dimension of data transfer by moving the update distribution from a remote long-distance connection to a local network environment. Instead of transmitting updates over analog modem connections from the remote control center to each turbine, the system performs distribution within the wind farm's local network infrastructure, where data transfer speeds are significantly higher regardless of turbine age.
3Ease of manufacture
If sequential updates are performed on each wind turbine, then each turbine is updated individually, but the overall update process for the entire wind farm becomes extremely prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The wind farm server serves as a local update distribution hub that manages sequential updates to multiple turbines. By centralizing the distribution function at the server level, the system maintains the simplicity of individual turbine updates while dramatically improving overall efficiency, as the server can queue and manage updates without requiring remote control center involvement for each turbine.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by having the wind farm server receive and store the complete software update package from the remote control center before beginning distribution to individual turbines. This preliminary reception and local storage eliminates the need for repeated remote transmissions, allowing the server to efficiently distribute updates to multiple turbines in sequence using local network resources.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for updating software of at least one installation in a wind farms wherein the at least one installation is connected to a wind farm network. The method including the steps of establishing a connection between a remote control center and a connection unit of the wind farm, transmitting an update software from the remote control center to the connection unit of the wind farm, transmitting the update software from the connection unit of the wind farm to the at least one installation via the wind farm network, and updating the software of the at least one installation with the update software.