Interconnect socket adapter for adapting one or more power sources and power sinks

• US 10,089,641 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2016
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: San Diego Gas & Electric Company (Sempra Energy)
• Original Assignee: San Diego Gas & Electric Company (Sempra Energy)
• Inventors: Parks, Ken, Colburn, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Huy Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Frederiksen, David
• Application Number:
  US15/058,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20160181752A1
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/02 electric constitutive elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/0416 Connectors, terminals G01R1/0425 and G01R1/0433 take precedence; with measurement function for battery poles G01R31/364
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/061 Details of electronic electricity meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/065 related to mechanical aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 3/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture or maintenance of measuring instruments , e.g. of probe tips
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0206 Price or cost determination based on market factors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/542 Adapters
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/02 Intermediate parts for distributing energy to two or more circuits in parallel, e.g. splitter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/92
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/7635 the terminals being collectively connected, e.g. to a PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/94 Holders formed as intermediate parts for linking a counter-part to a coupling part
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/03 for energy meters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/008 involving trading of energy or energy transmission rights
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/00 Market activities related to the operation of systems integrating technologies related to power network operation or related to communication or information technologies
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 : Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/16 : Energy services, e.g. dispersed generation or demand or load or energy savings aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 : by assembling plural parts

Abstract

Interconnection meter socket adapters are provided. An interconnection meter socket adapter comprises a housing enclosing a set of electrical connections. The interconnection meter socket adapter may be configured to be coupled to a standard distribution panel and a standard electric meter, thereby establishing connections between a distribution panel and a user such that electrical power may be delivered to the user while an electrical meter measures the power consumption of the user. A power regulation module is disposed between the interconnection meter socket adapter, and configured to selectively connect one or more energy sources or energy sinks.

Claims

1. A system for connecting multiple electrical devices to an electrical power grid, comprising:

an interconnection meter socket adapter including a housing having a first side coupled to a meter and a second side coupled to a surface of a distribution panel;

a set of electrical connections disposed within the housing, wherein an input side of the set of electrical connections electrically couples an input side of the distribution panel in parallel with a utility side of the meter, and an output side of the set of electrical connections electrically couples an output side of the distribution panel in parallel with a customer side of the meter;

a connector including a plurality of insulated conductors; and

a power regulation module coupled to the connector and comprising a measurement module configured to measure power flow through the power regulation module and to generate a signal if power flow reaches a predetermined threshold value;

wherein the measurement module comprises a voltage and current meter, a processor, and a memory to store power measurements, and to store the predetermined threshold value based on a maximum net power flow based on a main panel rating.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the power regulation module includes a plurality of connections.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the connections of the power regulation module electrically couples to a DC-AC inverter.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the connections of the power regulation module electrically couples to an energy source or an energy sink.

5. The system of claim 1, the power regulation module further comprising a communication module coupled to the measurement module.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the communication module comprises a cellular, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth®

transceiver.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the power regulation module is configured to selectively connect an energy source or an energy sink to the interconnection meter socket adapter.