System and method for single and multizonal optimization of utility services delivery and utilization

• US 10,459,411 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2016
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dominion Enterprises (Landmark Media Enterprises LLC), TRC Companies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Astrolink International Llc (Qurate Retail Group (f/k/a Liberty Interactive Corporation))
• Inventors: Bernheim, Henrik F., Hansell, Jerritt H., Martin, Marcia R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ortiz Rodriguez, Carlos R
• Application Number:
  US15/257,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20160378074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/021 in which a variable is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations

Abstract

The present invention is directed to utility service delivery wherein distributed intelligence and networking is used in the optimization of the service delivery. The present invention employs a network of data collection nodes and aggregation nodes located on a power grid controlled by a controlling agency. The data collection nodes comprise Intelligent Communicating Devices (ICDs) and Communicating Devices (CDs), which transmit metrics they collect over the power grid from locations near meters or service transformers to the aggregation nodes. Commands, policies, and program updates may be transmitted from a server at an aggregation node to the ICDs and CDs. The ICDs are also capable of issuing control commands to the CDs and grid management devices, acting locally and/or in conjunction with other ICDs, CDs, aggregation nodes, and central controlling agencies. Through these communications and commands, utility services delivery and utilization is optimized.

Claims

1. An intelligent communication device (ICD) comprising:

a first transceiver configured to be coupled to an electric network on a low-voltage side of a service transformer that provides electricity via the electric network to an optimization zone comprising a plurality of locations associated with corresponding electrical meters that measure electricity provided via the electric network to the corresponding locations, the first transceiver configured to communicate via the electric network with a plurality of different control devices communicatively coupled to corresponding electrical devices that are coupled to the electric network at the plurality of locations;

a second transceiver configured to communicate with a server;

an input configured to provide electrical characteristics of the low-voltage side of the service transformer; and

a central processor coupled to the first transceiver and the second transceiver, and configured to;

receive, via the second transceiver, a policy that identifies an electrical load policy to implement in the optimization zone;

receive, via the first transceiver, a request from a control device of the plurality of control devices to permit initiation of an activity of a corresponding electrical device;

determine, via the input, a current electrical characteristic of the low-voltage side of the service transformer; and

based on a current electric load and the electrical load policy, send a message to the control device via the first transceiver that one of grants the request and denies the request.

2. The ICD of claim 1 wherein to, based on the current electric load and the electrical load policy, send the message to the control device via the first transceiver that one of grants the request and denies the request, the central processor is configured to, based on the current electric load and the electrical load policy, send a message to the control device via the first transceiver that denies the request and directs the control device to initiate the activity at a future designated time.

3. The ICD of claim 1 wherein the central processor is further configured to determine an estimate of an additional load on the electric network associated with the activity of the corresponding electrical device, and based on the current electric load, the electrical load policy, and the estimate of the additional load, send the message to the control device via the first transceiver that denies the request.

4. The ICD of claim 1 wherein to receive, via the first transceiver, the request from the control device to permit initiation of the activity of the corresponding electrical device, the central processor is further configured to receive, via the first transceiver, a request from the control device to permit initiation of charging an electric automobile.

5. The ICD of claim 1 wherein the central processor is further configured to:

receive, via the second transceiver, a plurality of requests from a group of control devices of the plurality of different control devices, each control device requesting permission to initiate charging of a corresponding electric vehicle; and

send messages to the group of control devices to implement a round-robin charging of the electric vehicles.

6. The ICD of claim 1 wherein to receive, via the first transceiver, the request from the control device to permit initiation of the activity of the corresponding electrical device, the central processor is further configured to receive, via the first transceiver, the request from the control device to permit initiation of the activity of the corresponding electrical device, the request including an identity of an electric vehicle, and wherein the central processor is further configured to:

send a message via the second transceiver to the server that includes the identity of the electric vehicle and a location of the control device;

receive, from the server, a message indicating that the electric vehicle is not authorized to be charged at the location of the control device; and

send a message to the control device via the first transceiver that denies the request.

7. The ICD of claim 6 wherein the central processor is further configured to send a message to the control device for presentation on a display device that indicates the electric vehicle is not authorized to be charged at the location.

8. The ICD of claim 1 wherein the second transceiver is further configured to be coupled to the electric network and to communicate with the server through the service transformer via an electrical distribution grid which comprises the electric network.

9. A method comprising:

providing an intelligent communication device (ICD) comprising a central processor and a first transceiver coupled to an electric network on a low-voltage side of a service transformer that provides electricity via the electric network to an optimization zone comprising a plurality of locations associated with corresponding electrical meters that measure electricity provided via the electric network to the corresponding locations, the first transceiver configured to communicate via the electric network with a plurality of different control devices communicatively coupled to corresponding electrical devices that are coupled to the electric network at the plurality of locations;

receiving, via a second transceiver from a server, a policy that identifies an electrical load policy to implement in the optimization zone;

receiving, via the first transceiver, a request from a control device of the plurality of control devices to permit initiation of an activity of a corresponding electrical device;

determining, via an input that provides electrical characteristics of the low-voltage side of the service transformer, a current electrical characteristic of the low-voltage side of the service transformer; and

based on a current electric load and the electrical load policy, sending a message to the control device via the first transceiver that one of grants the request and denies the request.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein sending the message to the control device via the first transceiver that one of grants the request and denies the request further comprises sending a message to the control device via the first transceiver that denies the request and directs the control device to initiate the activity at a future designated time.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising determining the estimate of an additional load on the electric network associated with the activity of the corresponding electrical device, and based on the current electric load, the electrical load policy, and the estimate of the additional load, sending the message to the control device via the first transceiver that denies the request.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein receiving the request from the control device to permit initiation of the activity of the corresponding electrical device further comprises receiving, via the first transceiver, a request from the control device to permit initiation of charging an electric automobile.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving, via the second transceiver, a plurality of requests from a group of control devices of the plurality of different control devices, each control device requesting permission to initiate charging of a corresponding electric vehicle; and

sending messages to the group of control devices to implement a round-robin charging of the electric vehicles.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein receiving the request from the control device to permit initiation of the activity of the corresponding electrical device further comprises receiving, via the first transceiver, a request from the control device to permit initiation of charging an electric vehicle, the request including an identity of the electric vehicle, and further comprising:

sending a message via the second transceiver to the server that includes the identity of the electric vehicle and a location of the control device;

receiving, from the server, a message indicating that the electric vehicle is not authorized to be charged at the location of the control device; and

sending a message to the control device via the first transceiver that denies the request.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising sending a message to the control device for presentation on a display device that indicates the electric vehicle is not authorized to be charged at the location.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the server is coupled to an electrical distribution grid which comprises the electric network, and wherein sending the message via the second transceiver to the server that includes the identity of the electric vehicle and the location of the control device further comprises sending the message via the second transceiver over the electrical distribution grid to the server that includes the identity of the electric vehicle and the location of the control device.