Methods and systems for infrastructure-monitoring control

1. A method for providing a visual representation of system events occurring in a system monitored by an infrastructure-monitoring control system, the method comprising:

depicting, by the infrastructure-monitoring control system a plurality of items of equipment of the system and a plurality of power paths, wherein each respective power path is between a respective item of equipment and one or more of the other items of equipment;

providing, by the infrastructure-monitoring control system, in substantially real-time, a visual representation of at least one system power-quality event occurring in the system, wherein the visual representation comprises a color-coded visual representation of the plurality of items of equipment and the plurality of power paths that depicts the at least one system power-quality event and propagation of the at least one system power-quality event through the system, wherein propagation of the at least one system power-quality event through the system includes a first system power-quality event occurring in at least one of the plurality of items of equipment of the system, leading to a second system power-quality event occurring in at least another one of the plurality of items of equipment of the system;

storing, by the infrastructure-monitoring control system, the visual representation in response to the infrastructure-monitoring control system detecting the at least one system power-quality event being of a given level that prompts the infrastructure-monitoring control system to begin storing the visual representation until the system returns to normal operation; and

providing, by the infrastructure-monitoring control system, playback of the same visual representation after a given amount of time since the at least one system event.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the infrastructure-monitoring control system rates system events on a scale having a plurality of event levels, and wherein the infrastructure-monitoring control system associates each event level with a given color, the method further comprising:

the infrastructure-monitoring control system determining, for each of the at least one system power-quality event, an event level of the system event, and

wherein providing the visual representation of the at least one system power-quality event comprises, for each of the at least one system event, depicting the system event with the given color associated with the determined event level of the system event.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the infrastructure-monitoring control system provides the visual representation on a monitor of the infrastructure-monitoring control system.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one system power-quality event comprises a power-quality problem.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the power-quality problem is a power problem manifested in at least one of voltage, current, or frequency deviations that results in at least one of reduction in expected life, disoperation, or failure of system equipment.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the infrastructure-monitoring control system storing the visual representation occurs in response to the infrastructure-monitoring control system detecting a triggering event that prompts the infrastructure-monitoring control system to store the visual representation.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the triggering event is an event that is associated with user-defined triggering level.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the infrastructure-monitoring control system monitors equipment selected from the group consisting of: generators, breakers, transfer switches, fire pump controllers, load banks, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs), and power quality meters.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the given amount of time since the at least one system power-quality event is at least an hour after the at least one system power-quality event.

10. A method for providing a visual representation of system events occurring in a system monitored by an infrastructure-monitoring control system, the method comprising:

providing, by the infrastructure-monitoring control system, in substantially real-time, a visual representation of at least one system power-quality event occurring in the system, wherein the visual representation depicts a plurality of items of equipment and a plurality of power paths, wherein each respective power path is between a respective item of equipment and one or more of the other items of equipment, and wherein the visual representation further depicts the at least one system power-quality event and propagation of the at least one system power-quality event through one or more of the items of equipment and one or more of the power paths, wherein propagation of the at least one system power-quality event through the system includes a first system power-quality event occurring in at least one of the plurality of items of equipment of the system leading to a second system power-quality event occurring in at least another one of the plurality of items of equipment of the system;

storing, by the infrastructure-monitoring control system, the visual representation in response to the infrastructure-monitoring control system detecting the at least one system power-quality event being of a given level that prompts the infrastructure-monitoring control system to begin storing the visual representation until the system returns to normal operation; and

providing, by the infrastructure-monitoring control system, playback of the same visual representation after a given amount of time since the at least one system event.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the infrastructure-monitoring control system provides the visual representation on a monitor of the infrastructure-monitoring control system.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one system power-quality event comprises a power-quality problem.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the power-quality problem is a power problem manifested in voltage, current, or frequency deviations that results in reduction in expected life, disoperation, or failure of system equipment.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the infrastructure-monitoring control system storing the visual representation occurs in response to the infrastructure-monitoring control system detecting a triggering event that prompts the infrastructure-monitoring control system to store the visual representation.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the triggering event is an event that is associated with user-defined triggering level.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the infrastructure-monitoring control system monitors equipment selected from the group consisting of: generators, breakers, transfer switches, fire pump controllers, load banks, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs), and power quality meters.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the given amount of time since the at least one system power-quality event is at least a minute after the at least one system power-quality event.

18. An infrastructure-monitoring control system comprising:

a communication interface;

a memory configured to store program instructions; and

a processor capable of executing the program instructions to:

(i) provide, in substantially real-time, a visual representation of at least one system power-quality event occurring in the system, wherein the visual representation depicts a plurality of items of equipment and a plurality of power paths, wherein each respective power path is between a respective item of equipment and one or more of the other items of equipment, and wherein the visual representation further depicts the at least one system power-quality event and propagation of the at least one system power-quality event through one or more of the items of equipment and one or more of the power paths, wherein propagation of the at last one system power-quality event through the system includes a first system power-quality event occurring in at least one of the plurality of items of equipment of the system leading to a second system power-quality event occurring in at least another one of the plurality of items of equipment of the system;

(ii) store the visual representation in response to the infrastructure-monitoring control system detecting the at least one system power-quality event being of a given level that prompts the infrastructure-monitoring control system to begin storing the visual representation until the system returns to normal operation; and

(iii) provide playback of the same visual representation after a given amount of time since the at least one system event.

19. The infrastructure-monitoring control system of claim 18 , wherein the communication interface comprises a monitor for displaying the visual representation.

20. The infrastructure-monitoring control system of claim 18 , wherein the infrastructure-monitoring control system monitors equipment selected from the group consisting of: generators, breakers, transfer switches, fire pump controllers, load banks, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs), and power quality meters.