Method and apparatus for configuring an intelligent electronic device for use in supervisory control and data acquisition system verification

An intelligent electronic device (IED) for use with a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) device, the IED comprising:

• conversion means for measuring a physical process and converting the measurements into digital representation values of the measurement;
• memory for storing digital values;
• processor means in communication with said conversion means for operating upon said digital representation values according to a predetermined function;
• said processor further being in communication with said memory for storing the digital representation values;
• first communication means in communication with said memory and said SCADA device for selectively transferring said digital representation values to the SCADA device;
• second communication means in communication with said memory and one of said SCADA device and another external device for storing simulated digital representation values into said memory in place of the measured digital representation values such that said simulated digital representation values are transferred to said SCADA device in place of the measured digital representation values.

An intelligent electronic device (IED) for use with a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) device, the IED comprising:

• an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for measuring a physical process and converting said measurements to a digital representation of said measurement values;
• a memory area capable of storing digital values;
• at least one processor in electrical communication with said ADC and said memory area, said processor operating upon said digital representation values according to a predetermined function, and said processor selectively moving said digital values to said memory area;
• a command register in electrical communication with said processor such that said processor does not move said digital values to said memory area when the command register contains a predetermined command instruction;
• an output port in electrical communication with the SCADA device for transmitting said digital values from said memory area to said SCADA device;
• and an input port for selectively receiving substitute digital values from one of the SCADA or another device for storage in said memory area such that said processor transmits said substitute digital values to said SCADA instead of said measured digital values.

A method for providing verification data for use with a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) device from an intelligent electronic device (IED), comprising the steps of:

• when said IED is in a first mode:
• measuring a physical process to obtain measured values;
• operating upon said physical process as required by said IED functionality;
• storing said measured values in a memory area for later transmission to the SCADA device;
• retrieving said measured values from said memory area and transmitting said measured values to the SCADA device;
• when said IED is in a second mode:
• receiving simulated measured values and storing said values in said memory area in place of said measured values;
• continue measuring the physical process to obtain measured values;
• operating upon said measured values as required by said IED functionality;
• discontinuing the storage of said measured values in said memory area;
• and,
• retrieving said simulated measured values from said memory area and transmitting said simulated measured values to the SCADA device.