Managing power consumption through an interconnect socket adapter

• US 10,460,329 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2016
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• 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): Chen, Sibin
• Application Number:
  US15/140,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20160239035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 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 method of managing power consumption through an interconnect socket adapter, comprising:

measuring, by a measurement module of a power regulation module, a user load power consumption amount consumed by a plurality of user loads, the plurality of user loads comprising at least one electrical sink;

measuring, by the measurement module, an electrical sink power consumption amount consumed by the at least one electrical sink connected to the power regulation module of the interconnect socket adapter;

determining, by the measurement module an overall power consumption amount, the overall power consumption amount based on the user load power consumption amount;

determining, by the measurement module, a threshold power consumption value by identifying a panel rating from a meter to which the interconnect socket adapter is connected and calculating the threshold power consumption value based on the panel rating; and

comparing the overall power consumption amount with the determined threshold power consumption value;

wherein, if the overall power consumption amount exceeds the threshold power consumption value, reducing the overall power consumption.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement module comprises a voltage meter, a current meter, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement module comprises a communications module comprising electronic circuitry configured to enable wireless communication.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the power regulation module comprises a disconnect switch.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein reducing the overall power consumption comprises disconnecting the electrical sink such that the electrical sink no longer consumes electrical power.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the power regulation module comprises a current limiter.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein reducing the overall power consumption comprises limiting, by the current limiter, an amount of electrical power available to the electrical sink connected to the power regulation module.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold power consumption value comprises a power amount within 70% and 90% of the panel rating.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the threshold power consumption value comprises a power amount about 80% of the panel rating.