A system and method of predicting future power plant operations is based upon an artificial neural network model including one or more hidden layers. The artificial neural network is developed (and trained) to build a model that is able to predict future time series values of a specific power plant operation parameter based on prior values. By accurately predicting the future values of the time series, power plant personnel are able to schedule future events in a cost-efficient, timely manner. The scheduled events may include providing an inventory of replacement parts, determining a proper number of turbines required to meet a predicted demand, determining the best time to perform maintenance on a turbine, etc. The inclusion of one or more hidden layers in the neural network model creates a prediction that is able to follow trends in the time series data, without overfitting.
Please help me write a proper abstract based on the patent claims. CLAIM: 1. A method of scheduling future power plant operations based on a set of time series data associated with a specific power plant operation, the method comprising: selecting an artificial neural network model for use in evaluating the set of time series data, the selected artificial neural network model including at least one hidden layer between an input layer and an output layer, the input layer for receiving a set of time series datapoints and the output layer for generating one or more predicted time series values; initializing the selected artificial neural network model by defining a number of nodes to be included in each layer, an activation function for use in each neuron cell node in each layer, and a number of bias nodes to be included in each layer; training the selected artificial neural network model to develop an optimal set of weights for each signal propagating through the network model from the input layer to the output layer, and an optimal set of bias node values; defining the trained artificial neural network as a prediction model for the set of time series data under study; applying a newly-arrived set of time series data to the prediction model; generating one or more predicted time series data output values from the prediction model; and scheduling an associated operation event at the specific power plant based on the predicted time series data output values. 2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the specific power plant operation is selected from a group comprising: operating hours of each individual turbine at a power plant, energy load demand of a power plant, replacement rates for selected mechanical components of power plant equipment. 3. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein in performing the scheduling of an associated operation event, the event includes scheduling a selected number of turbines to be energized when the specific power plant operation is energy load demand and the predicted time series output is a predicted energy load demand for a following period of time. 4. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein in performing the scheduling of an associated operation event, the event includes scheduling a maintenance event for a predefined turbine when the specific power plant operation is operating hours for the predefined turbine and the predicted time series output is a predicted number of future operating hours for the predefined turbine. 5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the artificial neural network model comprises a type of feedforward neural network model or a type of recurrent neural network model. 6. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the selected artificial neural network model comprises a feedforward neural network model with no greater than two hidden layers. 7. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the selected artificial neural network model comprises a recurrent neural network model with a plurality of feedback paths coupled from outputs of a hidden layer to the input layer. 8. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the selected artificial neural network model comprises a recurrent neural network model with a plurality of feedback paths coupled from outputs of the output layer to the input layer. 9. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein initializing the selected artificial neural network model includes selecting a sigmoid function as the activation function for the selected artificial neural network. 10. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein training the selected artificial neural network model includes using a backpropagation process to determine an error value associated with each node in the selected artificial neural network and performing the process in an iterative fashion to determine a set of gradients for each of the weights and bias values for each node in the neural network. 11. The method as defined in claim 10 wherein the set of gradients for each of the weights and bias values are processed through a gradient descent value to derive the optimal weight and bias node values. 12. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein training the selected artificial neural network model includes defining a portion of the time series data as a training information set, including a first portion defined as the training set and a second portion defined at the testing set. 13. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein the training set includes a larger number of datapoints than the testing set. 14. The method as defined in claim 13 wherein the testing set is in the range of approximately 10-25% of the training information set. 15. A system for predicting future values of time series data associated with power plant operation and scheduling a future event based on the predictions comprising a scheduling module responsive to input instructions for performing a selected power plant operation forecast, the scheduling module including a memory element for storing time series data transmitted from one or more power plant to the scheduling module; a processor and a program storage device, the program storage device embodying in a fixed tangible medium a set of program instructions executable by the processor to perform a method comprising: selecting an artificial neural network model for use in evaluating the set of time series data, the selected artificial neural network model including at least one hidden layer between an input layer and an output layer, the input layer for receiving a set of time series datapoints and the output layer for generating one or more predicted time series values; initializing the selected artificial neural network model by defining a number of nodes to be included in each layer, an activation function for use in each neuron cell node in each layer, and a number of bias nodes to be included in each layer; training the selected artificial neural network model to develop an optimal set of weights for each signal propagating through the network model from the input layer to the output layer, and an optimal set of bias node values; defining the trained artificial neural network as a prediction model for the set of time series data under study; applying a newly-arrived set of time series data to the prediction model; generating one or more predicted time series data output values from the prediction model; and an output device operable to provide the predicted time series data to power plant personnel for scheduling a future power plant operation based on the predicted time series data. 16. The system as defined in claim 15 wherein the artificial neural network model comprises a type of feedforward neural network model or a type of recurrent neural network model. 17. The system as defined in claim 15 wherein the processor of the scheduling module performs training of the selected artificial neural network by using a backpropagation algorithm stored within the program storage device. 18. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program comprising instructions for, when executed on a computer, instructing said computer to perform a method for scheduling future power plant operations based on a set of time series data associated with a specific power plant operation, the method comprising: selecting an artificial neural network model for use in evaluating the set of time series data, the selected artificial neural network model including at least one hidden layer between an input layer and an output layer, the input layer for receiving a set of time series datapoints and the output layer for generating one or more predicted time series values; initializing the selected artificial neural network model by defining a number of nodes to be included in each layer, an activation function for use in each neuron cell node in each layer, and a number of bias nodes to be included in each layer; training the selected artificial neural network model to develop an optimal set of weights for each signal propagating through the network model from the input layer to the output layer, and an optimal set of bias node values; defining the trained artificial neural network as a prediction model for the set of time series data under study; applying a newly-arrived set of time series data to the prediction model; generating one or more predicted time series data output values from the prediction model; and scheduling an associated operation event at the specific power plant based on the predicted time series data output values. 19. The computer program product as defined in claim 18 wherein training the selected artificial neural network model includes using a backpropagation process to determine an error value associated with each node in the selected artificial neural network and performing the process in an iterative fashion to determine a set of gradients for each of the weights and bias values for each node in the neural network. 20. The computer program product as defined in claim 18 wherein training the selected artificial neural network model includes defining a portion of the time series data as a training information set, including a first portion defined as the training set and a second portion defined at the testing set.