Understanding Controllable Asset Types

Controllable asset types define the attributes for controllable assets of a certain type, including information such as the valid location types and service history types for the assets and whether or not such assets can have attached components.

Controllable asset types have a related device type record. When a controllable asset type is created (or updated), a corresponding device type is created (or updated). See Understanding Device Types, below for more information about device types.

Controllable asset types are defined by the following:

  • Asset Business Object: The asset business object used when creating controllable assets of this type.

  • Service Type: The type of service (such as Electric) associated with controllable assets of this type.

  • Asset Category: The category of assets to which controllable assets of this type belong. Controllable asset types generally belong to the “Controllable Device” category.

    Note:
    The "Controllable Asset" category is used for assets owned by the customer, such as an HVAC unit, captured for informational purposes.

  • Component Relationship: A flag that indicates if components can be installed on controllable assets of this type

  • Asset Management:

    • DER Processing Flag: A flag that indicates how registration is handled for Distributed Energy Resource (DER) controllable assets of this type. This flag is required for DER assets. Options include:
      • Interconnection and Registration: Registrations of controllable assets of this type requires two registration requests, an interconnection request and a DER Registration request. The Interconnection request should be sent first and must be completed before the DER Registration request can be completed.
      • Registration Only: Registrations of controllable assets of this type requires only a DER Registration request

    • Failure Profile:  Valid failure information (including failure types, failure modes, failure repairs, and failure components) associated with controllable assets of this type.

  • Valid Location Types: A list of valid location types for each asset disposition. Note that the device location types for device locations where controllable asset of this type are to be installed must be specified for the "Installed" asset disposition.

  • Valid Service History Types: A list of valid service history types for controllable assets of this type.

  • Asset Attribute Types: A list of valid attributes that can be defined for controllable assets of this type. Ad-hoc or predefined characteristic types linked to the "Asset Attributes" characteristic entity can be defined as asset attribute types. Values for these attributes should be defined in the Asset Attributes zone of the Asset portal.
  • Engineering Specification Attribute Types: A list of valid engineering specification attributes that can be defined for controllable assets of this type. Ad-hoc or predefined characteristic types linked to the "Specification Attributes" characteristic entity can be defined as engineering specification attribute types. Values for these attributes should be defined in the Specification Attributes zone on the Specification portal.

  • Access Control:

    • Owning Organization: The access group to which controllable assets of this type belong.

    • Instance Organization: Optional additional access group to which controllable assets of this type belong.

System Data

Controllable asset types are based on the system data:

Data Type

Description

Maintenance Object

Asset Type (W1-ASSETTYPE)

Business Object(s)

Controllable Asset Type (X1-ControllableAssetType)

Understanding Device Types

Device types define information about a class of controllable devices, including properties that apply to all devices of a given type.

Device types are created from corresponding controllable asset types. When a controllable asset type is created (or updated), a corresponding device type is created (or updated).

Controllable device types are defined by the following:

  • Controllable Device Business Object: The business object used to create controllable devices of this type.

  • Device Classification: The general class to which controllable devices of this type belong.

  • Category: The category to which controllable devices of this type belong.

  • Service Type: The type of service (such as Electric) associated with controllable devices of this type.

  • Track Location: Flag that indicates if the location of controllable devices of this type is tracked.

  • Attached to: Flag that indicates to which type of object (service point or meter) controllable devices of this type are attached.

System Data

Device types associated with controllable asset types are based on the system data:

Data Type

Description

Maintenance Object

Device Type (D1-DEVICETYP)

Business Object(s)

Item Type(D1-ItemType)

Distributed Energy Resource (DER) Device Attributes

Registration of DER devices includes populating various attributes of the device and related specifications. These DER attributes, including interconnection attributes, are captured as characteristics whose Characteristic Types are defined for the "Asset Attribute" and "Specification Attribute" characteristics entities. Characteristic types for DER attributes are defined in the DER Attribute Mapping (X1-DERAttributeMapping) extendable lookup. Values in this extendable lookup falls into one of three categories, based on the Attribute Category:

  • DER Capability attributes are read-only values established by the DER manufacturer by design or manufactured configuration. Each DER Device with the same manufacturer and model has the exact same set of DER Capability (nameplate) attributes. An example DER Capability attribute is "modesSupported" (Indicates support for each control mode function). Values for DER Capability characteristics are captured as Specification Attributes (see Engineering Specification Attribute Types above).
  • Device information attributes contain identification and other information about the device that changes very infrequently typically only when updates are applied, if ever. An example Device Information attribute is "mfSerNum" (Serial Number). Values for Device Information attributes are captured as Asset Attributes (see Asset Attribute Types above).
  • Interconnection attributes details define the specific DER settings for a particular customer based on the contractual agreement with the utility. An example Interconnection attribute is "interconnectionType" (Interconnection Type). Values for Interconnection attributes are captured as Asset Attributes (see Asset Attribute Types above).
  • Additional Information attributes are used to capture additional information. Values for Additional Information attributes are captured as either Asset Attributes or Specification Attribute depending on whether they are defined as Asset Attribute Types or Engineering Specification Attribute Types on the asset type.

Implementations can add additional attributes to the DER Attribute Mapping (X1-DERAttributeMapping) extendable lookup if needed. Adding DER Capability and Device Information attributes also requires extending corresponding data areas as outlined in the following table:

Attribute Category Date Area (Used to define attributes for inbound and outbound messages)
DER Capability DER Capability attributes (X1-DERCapabilityAttributes)
Device information DER device information attributes (X1-DERDeviceInfoAttributes)
Interconnection N/A (Adding additional Interconnection attributes does not require extending any data areas.)
Additional Information N/A (Adding additional Additional Information attributes does not require extending any data areas.)