1. A payment processing system comprising:
a plurality of data communications devices transmitting a plurality of payment requests in connection with purchases, each data communications device transmitting the payment requests via a communication channel of one of a plurality of protocol types, wherein each protocol type is different from others of the plurality of protocol types and each payment request includes a merchant identification code and a set of customer financial account data; and
a payment server including a database with a plurality of merchant identification codes, each merchant identification code associated with a financial institution identification code in the database, the payment server further including a plurality of adapter modules coupled to the database, each adapter module executable on the server, compatible with one of the plurality of protocol types, and coupled to a respective one of the communications channels, each adapter module adapted to receiving the payment requests from the data communications devices at the respective channel, each of the adapter modules having a payment processing application identifying from the database a financial institution identification code associated with the merchant identification code from a payment request and interfacing with a data processing system of a financial institution identified by the financial institution identification code consistent with a communications protocol associated with the identified financial account data to the identified financial institution for payment to a merchant identified by the merchant identification code.
2. The payment processing system of claim 1, wherein at least one of adapter modules is configured to communicate dam with a mobile communications device consistent with an secure socket layer secure electronic transaction communications protocol thereby ensuring a high level of security in communicating the customer financial account data.
3. The payment processing system of claim 2, wherein the at least one of the adapter modules configured to communicate with a mobile communications device is also configured to communicate data with a vending machine and a kiosk, thereby reducing the number of adapter modules dedicated to the data communications devices.
4. The payment processing system of claim 1, further comprising a customer financial server responsive to the mobile communications device and communicatively coupled to the payment server, the customer controlled server configured to transmit the set of customer financial account data at the high level of security sought by the financial institution.
5. The payment processing system or claim 1, wherein at least one of the adapter modules is configured to communicate data with an point of sale terminal consistent with a point of sale communications protocol thereby ensuring a high level of securing in communicating the customer financial account data.
6. The payment processing system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the adapter modules is configured to communicate data with a set top box arrangement consistent with a cable network communications protocol thereby ensuring a high level of securing in communicating the customer financial account data.
7. The payment processing system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the adapter modules is configured to communicate data with a set top box arrangement consistent with a satellite network communications protocol thereby ensuring a high level of securing in communicating the customer financial account data.
8. The payment processing system of claim 1, further comprising a merchant transactions database that includes historical information of payments processed by the payment server arrangement, wherein the historical information is configurable for demographic research.
9. A payment request processing arrangement configured and arranged for communication with a plurality of data communication devices and communication with a plurality of data processing systems located at a plurality of financial institutions, each data communication device configured to transmit a payment request via a communication channel of one of a plurality of protocol types, wherein each protocol type is different from others of the plurality of protocol types, the arrangement comprising:
a payment server configured and arranged to be responsive to the plurality of data communications devices and including a database configured with a plurality of merchant identification codes, each merchant identification code associated with a financial institution identification code in the database, the payment sewer further including a plurality of adapter modules coupled to the database, each adapter module executable on the server, compatible with one of the plurality of protocol types, and coupled to a respective one of the communications channels, wherein each payment request includes a merchant identification code and a set of customer financial account data, each adapter module having a payment processing application configured to identify from the database a financial institution identification code associated with the merchant identification code from a payment request and interface with a data processing system of a financial institution identified by the financial institution identification code consistent with a communications protocol associated with the identified financial institution, and provide the merchant identification code and set of customer financial account data to the identified financial institution for payment to a merchant identified by the merchant identification code.
10. The arrangement of claim 9, further comprising a merchant transactions database that includes historical information of payments processed by the payment server arrangement, wherein the historical information is configurable for demographic research.
11. The arrangement of claim 9, wherein at least one of the adapter modules is configured to communicate data with a set top box arrangement consistent with a cable network communications protocol thereby ensuring a high level of securing in communicating the customer financial account data.
12. A system for processing payment requests from a plurality of data communications devices, each payment request including a merchant identification code and a set of customer financial data, the system comprising:
a plurality of processor-executable adapter modules, each adapter module configured to interface with one or more of the communications devices via a selected one of a plurality of communications channels, wherein each communications channel is one of a plurality of protocol types, and each protocol type is different from others of the plurality of protocol types;
means, such as a computer connected to a network, for receiving payment requests from the data communications devices at the adapter modules via the communications channels;
a database coupled to the adapter modules and configured with a plurality of merchant identification codes, each merchant identification code associated with a financial institution identification code in the database;
means, such as software running on a computer, for identifying from the database for each payment request, the financial institution code associated with the merchant identification code from the payment request, each financial institutions code identifying a financial institution having an associated data processing system for processing payment requests; and
means, such as a network interface, for interfacing with the data processing systems of the financial institutions consistent with payment protocols associated with the financial institutions to provide the merchant identification codes and sets of customer financial account data to the identified financial institutions for payment to merchants identified by the merchant identification codes of payment requests.
13. A computer-implemented method for processing payment requests from a plurality of data communications devices, each payment request including a merchant identification code and a set of customer financial data, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of processor-executable adapter modules, each adapter module configured to interface with one or more of the communications devices via a selected one of a plurality of communications channels, wherein each communications channel is one of a plurality of protocol types, and each protocol type is different from others of the plurality of protocol types;
configuring a database coupled to the adapter modules with a plurality of merchant identification codes and financial institution identification codes, wherein each merchant identification code is associated with a financial institution identification code in the database;
receiving payment requests from the data communications devices at the adapter modules via the communications channels;
identifying, using the database for each payment request, the financial institution code associated with the merchant identification code, each financial institution identified by a financial institution code having an associated data processing system for processing payment requests; and
interfacing, for each payment request, with the data processing system of the identified financial institution consistent with a payment protocol associated with the identified financial institution, and providing the merchant identification code and set of customer financial account data to the identified financial institution for payment to a merchant identified by the merchant identification code.
14. The method of claim 13, after the interfacing step, further comprising;
processing payment at the identified financial institutions; and
storing the processed payment as data in a merchant transactions database.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of identifying the financial institutions includes providing a merchantbank identification database that includes historical information of processed payments, wherein the historical information is configurable for demographic research.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. Apparatus for remote monitoring of partial discharge events in electrical apparatus comprising one or more sensors for detecting partial discharge pulses in one or more conductors conveying electrical power to the apparatus and means for discriminating arranged to analyse pulse shape and to discriminate between detected pulses according to pulse shape in order to determine whether detected partial discharge pulses originated from the apparatus being monitored or from other causes.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for discriminating comprises a digitiser arranged to receive data from the or each sensor on a separate channel and to digitise the data into data blocks spanning the duration of at least one cycle of alternating current supplied to the apparatus in the or each electrical conductor, and comprising data from the or each channel over that duration.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the means for discriminating is arranged to scan each data block to detect partial discharge pulses, and to store a data segment comprising the output of each channel for each detected partial discharge event, the duration of the data segment being chosen so that only the detected partial discharge pulse is included in the channel on which the pulse was detected.
4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the means for discriminating is arranged to scan each data block to detect partial discharge pulses, and to store a data segment comprising the output of each channel for each detected partial discharge event, the duration of the data segment being chosen to be at least the time taken for a pulse to propagate along the or each conductor between the sensor(s) and the apparatus being monitored, and back.
5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising one or more additional partial discharge sensors, the additional sensor(s) being arranged to detect partial discharge events which do not originate from the apparatus being monitored and wherein the means for discriminating is arranged to compare the output of the or each sensor for detecting partial discharge pulses in one or more conductors conveying electrical power to the apparatus to be monitored and the or each additional sensor, thereby to determine if discharge pulses detected in the one or more conductors originated from the apparatus being monitored or other causes.
6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the or each additional sensor is a transient earth voltage sensor.
7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising two or more sensors for detecting partial discharge pulses in two or more respective conductors conveying electrical power to the apparatus to be monitored and wherein the means for discriminating is arranged to compare measurements made by each sensor thereby to determine the cause of a measured partial discharge event.
8. Apparatus as claimed in claim where the means for comparing is arranged to classify a partial discharge event as phase to phase when an event is measured substantially simultaneously and with a similar magnitude by two or more sensors and phase to earth when one sensor measures the event with significantly greater magnitude than the other sensor or sensors.
9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for discriminating is arranged to measure any or all of: rise time, fall time, width, frequency content, magnitude, polarity and number of oscillations of detected partial discharge pulses.
10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for discriminating is arranged to measure any or all of: charge content, absolute peak, average peak, average partial discharge and cumulative partial discharge of detected partial discharge pulses.
11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the apparatus further comprises means for applying a respective pulse retention factor to the or each measured parameter in order to determine an approximate value for the parameter at the apparatus being monitored rather than at the point of measurement.
12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for discriminating is arranged to identify reflected pulses detected in the or each conductor, to measure the time elapsed between detecting of the original pulse and reflected pulse and to compare the measured time elapsed between initial and reflected pulses with a stored value, thereby to determine if detected discharge pulses originate from the apparatus being monitored or another cause.
13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein the stored value is, or greater than, the time taken for a pulse to propagate along the or each conductor between the sensor(s) and the apparatus being monitored, and back.
14. An installation comprising electrical apparatus, at least one conductor connected to the apparatus for conveying electrical power to the apparatus and apparatus according to claim 1 mounted to the or each conductor, remote from the machine.
15. An installation as claimed in claim 14 wherein the apparatus is mounted at least 50 m from the apparatus to be monitored.
16. An installation as claimed in claim 14 wherein the or each conductor runs from the apparatus to switchgear for controlling the apparatus and the apparatus for monitoring is mounted in or adjacent the switchgear.
17. An installation as claimed in claim 16, when dependent on claim 6, wherein the transient earth voltage sensor is associated with the switchgear.
18. An installation as claimed in claim 14 wherein the or each conductor is comprised in cable.
19. An installation as claimed in claim 14 where are three conductors, for conducting a three phase electrical supply, and the apparatus comprises three sensors, a respective sensor monitoring each conductor.
20. An installation as claimed in claim 14 wherein the apparatus to be monitored is located in an explosion risk environment, and the apparatus for monitoring is located outside the explosion risk environment.
21. A method of monitoring partial discharge events in electrical apparatus, the method comprising the steps of mounting one or more sensors for detecting partial discharge pulses in a conductor supplying electrical power to the apparatus at a position remote from the apparatus; detecting partial discharge pulses; and analysing the shape of detected pulses in order to discriminate between partial discharge pulses originating from the apparatus and pulses originating from other causes.
22. A method as claimed in claim 21 wherein the or each sensor is mounted at least 50 m from the machine.
23. A method as claimed in claim 21 comprising the further step of providing one or more additional partial discharge sensors arranged to detect partial discharge events that do not originate from the apparatus being monitored and comparing the output of the one or more sensors and one or more additional sensors thereby to determine if partial discharge pulses detected by the one or more sensors originate from the apparatus or local to the sensors.
24. A method as claimed in claim 23 wherein the or each additional sensor is a transient earth voltage sensor.
25. A method as claimed in claim 21 comprising the step of calculating the charge content of detected partial discharge pulses.
26. A method as claimed in claim 25 comprising the step of applying a factor to the measured charge content in order to determine the approximate charge content of the pulse at its origin.
27. A method as claimed in claim 21 comprising the step of simultaneously monitoring two or more conductors and comparing time of occurrence of partial discharge charge pulses in each conductor thereby to determine the cause of the partial discharge pulses.