Plug and play with smart energy storage units

• US 10,714,974 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2017
• Issued: 07/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orison Corp., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Orison Corp., Inc.
• Inventors: Clifton, Eric Douglass, Emanuel, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Saavedra, Emilio J
• Application Number:
  US15/672,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20180041072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 700286
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 15/00 Systems for storing electric energy mechanical systems therefor F01-F04; in chemical form H01M
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/10 The network having a local or delimited stationary reach
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/32 using batteries with converting means

Abstract

A smart energy storage system is described. The system includes a smart energy storage unit coupled to a selected circuit of a local electric grid, and configured for being charged so as to withdraw and store energy from the local electric grid, and discharged for supplying energy to the local electric grid. The smart energy storage unit includes an energy storage cell configured for being charged so as to withdraw and store energy from the local electric grid, and discharged for supplying energy to the local grid, and a storage cell management unit for controlling the energy storage cell.

Claims

1. A system of smart energy assets for withdrawing and supplying energy to a local electric grid, the local electric grid comprising one or more circuits, and the smart energy asset system comprising:

a sensor for determining a condition of the one or more circuits of the local electric grid and for communicating determined condition data to a receiving device;

one or more smart energy storage units coupled to a selected circuit of the one or more circuits, and configured for being charged so as to withdraw and store energy from the local electric grid, and discharged for supplying energy to the local grid, each of the one or more smart energy storage units comprising;

one or more energy storage cell configured for being charged so as to withdraw and store energy from the local electric grid, and discharged for supplying energy to the local electric grid;

an input and an output electrically coupled to the one or more energy storage cells and capable of being further coupled to the selected circuit of the local electric grid, wherein the input receives a first form of energy from the circuit of the local electric grid so as to charge the one or more energy storage cells, and the output receives a second form of energy for supply to the circuit of the local electric grid so as to discharge the one or more energy storage cells;

a battery management system (BMS) coupled to the one or more energy storage cell, wherein the BMS monitors the storing of energy in and the releasing of energy from the one or more energy storage cell in accordance with received instructions, and is configured for determining the amount of energy being withdrawn or supplied to the local electric grid;

a grid flexible converter (GFC) electrically coupled to the input and the output, wherein the GFC receives the first form of energy from the input and converts it to a form capable of charging the one or more energy storage cells so as to produce stored energy, and receives the stored energy from the one or more energy storage cells and converts it to the second form of energy for provision to the output thereby discharging the one or more energy storage cells;

a switch coupled to both the GFC and the input and output, the switch configured for moving from an open state, where energy is allowed to flow to or from the circuit of the local electric grid and the energy storage unit, and a closed state, where energy is not allowed to flow to or from the circuit of the local electric grid and the energy storage unit;

a communications module capable of being communicably coupled to a smart meter, the communications module configured for receiving the determined condition data;

a control unit coupled to the GFC and the communications module, for receiving the determined condition data from the communications module, and providing instructions to at least one of the GFC and the BMS directing at least one of the GFC and BMS to withdraw or supply energy to the circuit of the local electic grid based on the received condition data; and

a smart cord and plug containing one or more sensors and a microprocessor to be able to determine whether or not one or more connecting portions of the smart cord are properly coupled, so as to enable transference of energy from the energy storage unit only with proper coupling, and the smart cord and plug including a regionalization feature to be able to determine by a code which geographic region the smart energy storage unit is adapted for functioning in and thereby determines what condition the energy to be transferred should be in so as to correspond with the energy being transmitted through the circuits of that region;

wherein the system includes a mapping operation to determine to which circuit a smart energy storage unit is coupled, and if multiple energy storage units and appliances are present within the same local electric grid, then identifying whether the units are on the same circuit and designating a master controlling unit to coordinate both supply and withdrawal of energy from any given circuit by any given asset, at any given time, in a systematic and coordinated manner to avoid dangerous conditions.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the smart meter connected to the local electric grid for determining a measured amount of energy being supplied to at least the selected circuit of the local electric grid.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises a microprocessor for receiving the determined condition data, performing one or more analytics on the condition data so as to obtain results data, and further configured for controlling the opening and closing of the switch in response to the results data.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the sensor of the one or more smart energy storage units monitors grid status with respect to one or more of load condition, demand condition, supply condition, capacity condition, voltage condition, amplitude condition, current condition, circuit capacity, an appliance condition, the smart energy storage unit condition, and/or a change in one or more of these conditions, and the results data comprises an instruction to modify the charging or discharging of the smart energy storage units because of the results data.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the appliance and/or smart energy storage unit condition includes one or more of:

a health status, a state of stored energy status, a temperature status, a location status, a scheduling condition, a predicted weather condition, and a user selectable condition.

6. The system according to claim 3, wherein the system further comprises a third party interface for transmitting a third party command condition to the controller of the smart energy storage unit, wherein the third party command condition comprises a predicted weather condition, a determined location condition, a user based behavior condition, an external management condition, a scheduled activity condition, a command charge condition, and a command discharge condition.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the control unit of the smart energy storage unit comprises a memory for storing a set of instructions, the instructions for determining conditions necessary for opening and closing of the switch.

8. A system of smart energy assets for withdrawing and supplying energy to a local electric grid, the local electric grid comprising one or more circuits, and the smart energy asset system comprising:

one or more smart energy storage unit coupled to a selected circuit of the one or more circuits, and configured for being charged so as to withdraw and store energy from the local electric grid, and discharged for supplying energy to the local grid, each of the smart energy storage unit comprising;

one or more energy storage cells configured for being charged so as to withdraw and store energy from the local electric grid, and discharged for supplying energy to the local electric grid;

an input and an output electrically coupled to the one or more energy storage cells and capable of being further coupled to the selected circuit of the local electric grid, wherein the input receives a first form of energy from the circuit of the local electric grid so as to charge the one or more energy storage cells, and the output receives a second form of energy for supply to the circuit of the local electric grid so as to discharge the one or more energy storage cells;

a battery management system (BMS) coupled to the one or more energy storage cell, wherein the BMS monitors the storing of energy in and the releasing of energy from the one or more energy storage cells in accordance with received instructions, and is configured for determining the amount of energy being withdrawn or supplied to the local electric grid;

a grid flexible converter (GFC) electrically coupled to the input and the output, wherein the GFC receives the first form of energy from the input and converts it to a form capable of charging the one or more energy storage cells so as to produce stored energy, and receives the stored energy from the one or more energy storage cells and converts it to the second form of energy for provision to the output thereby discharging the one or more energy storage cell;

a monitor for detecting and determining a condition of the local electric grid;

a switch coupled to both the GFC and the input and output, the switch configured for moving from an open state, where energy is allowed to flow to or from the circuit of the local electric grid and the energy storage unit, and a closed state, where energy is not allowed to flow to or from the circuit of the local electric grid and the energy storage unit;

a control unit coupled to the GFC and the monitor, for receiving the determined condition from the monitor, and providing instructions to at least one of the GFC and the BMS directing at least one of the GFC and BMS to withdraw or supply energy to the circuit of the local local grid based on the received condition data; and

a smart cord and plug containing one or more sensors and a microprocessor to be able to determine whether or not one or more connecting portions of the smart cord are properly coupled, so as to enable transference of energy from the energy storage unit only with proper coupling, and the smart cord and plug including a regionalization feature to be able to determine by a code which geographic region the smart energy storage unit is adapted for functioning in and thereby determines what condition the energy to be transferred should be in so as to correspond with the energy being transmitted through the circuits of that region;

wherein the system includes a mapping operation to determine to which circuit a smart energy storage unit is coupled, and if multiple energy storage units and appliances are present within the same local electric grid, then identifying whether the units are on the same circuit and designating a master controlling unit to coordinate both supply and withdrawal of energy from any given circuit by any given asset, at any given time, in a systematic and coordinated manner to avoid dangerous conditions.

9. The system according to claim 8, further comprising a communications module communicably coupled to the control unit of the smart energy storage unit, the communications module configured for receiving data.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the system further comprises a smart meter connected to the local electric grid for determining a measured amount of energy being supplied to at least the selected circuit of the local electric grid, and further being configured for communicating the measured amount of energy to the communications module of the smart energy unit.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the control unit comprises a microprocessor for receiving the determined condition data, performing one or more analytics on the condition data so as to obtain results data, and further configured for controlling the opening and closing of the switch in response to the results data.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the monitor monitors grid status with respect to one or more of load condition, demand condition, supply condition, capacity condition, voltage condition, amplitude condition, current condition, circuit capacity, an appliance condition, the smart energy storage unit condition, and/or a change in one or more of these conditions, and the results data comprises an instruction to modify the charging or discharging of the smart energy storage unit because of the results data.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the appliance and/or smart energy storage unit condition includes one or more of:

a health status, a state of stored energy status, a temperature status, a location status, a scheduling condition, a predicted weather condition, and a user selectable condition.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the system further comprises a third party interface for transmitting a third party command condition to the controllers of the smart energy storage units, wherein the third party command condition comprises a predicted weather condition, a determined location condition, a user based behavior condition, an external management condition, a scheduled activity condition, a command charge condition, and a command discharge condition.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the control unit of the smart energy storage unit comprises a memory for storing a set of instructions, the instructions for determining conditions necessary for opening and closing of the switch.

16. A system of smart energy assets for withdrawing and supplying energy to a local electric grid, the local electric grid comprising one or more circuits, and the smart energy asset system comprising:

one or more smart energy storage units coupled to a selected circuit of the one or more, and configured for being charged so as to withdraw and store energy from the local electric grid, and discharged for supplying energy to the local grid, each of the one or more smart energy storage units comprising;

one or more energy storage cell configured for being charged so as to withdraw and store energy from the local electric grid, and discharged for supplying energy to the local electric grid;

an input and an output electrically coupled to the one or more energy storage cell and capable of being further coupled to the selected circuit of the local electric grid, wherein the input receives a first form of energy from the circuit of the local electric grid so as to charge the one or more energy storage cells, and the output receives a second form of energy for supply to the circuit of the local electric grid so as to discharge the one or more energy storage cell;

a battery management system (BMS) coupled to the one or more energy storage cells, wherein the BMS monitors the storing of energy in and the releasing of energy from the one or more energy storage cells in accordance with received instructions, and is configured for determining the amount of energy being withdrawn or supplied to the local electric grid;

a grid flexible converter (GFC) electrically coupled to the input and the output, wherein the GFC receives the first form of energy from the input and converts it to a form capable of charging the one or more energy storage cells so as to produce stored energy, and receives the stored energy from the one or more energy storage cells and converts it to the second form of energy for provision to the output thereby discharging the one or more energy storage cells;

a communications module capable of being communicably coupled to a smart meter, the communications module configured for receiving the determined condition data;

a control unit coupled to the GFC and the communications module, for determining a local grid condition, and providing instructions to at least one of the GFC and the BMS directing at least one of the GFC and BMS to withdraw or supply energy to the circuit of the local electric grid based on the received condition data; and

a smart cord and plug containing one or more sensors and a microprocessor to be able to determine whether or not one or more connecting portions of the smart cord are properly coupled, so as to enable transference of energy from the energy storage unit only with proper coupling, and the smart cord and plug including a regionalization feature to be able to determine by a code which geographic region the smart energy storage unit is adapted for functioning in and thereby determines what condition the energy to be transferred should be in so as to correspond with the energy being transmitted through the circuits of that region;

wherein the system includes a mapping operation to determine to which circuit a smart energy storage unit is coupled, and if multiple energy storage units and appliances are present within the same local electric grid, then identifying whether the units are on the same circuit and designating a master controlling unit to coordinate both supply and withdrawal of energy from any given circuit by any given asset, at any given time, in a systematic and coordinated manner to avoid dangerous conditions.

17. The system according to claim 16, further comprising the smart meter for sensing and/or determining an amount of energy being supplied at least to a circuit of the local electric gird, and communicating the sensed and/or determined amount of energy to the communications module of the smart energy storage unit.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the control unit comprises a microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor determines the local electric grid condition by receiving data related to the amount of energy being supplied to the local electric grid and instructs the GFC to release an amount of stored energy to the circuit of the local electric grid to zero out the sensed amount of energy being supplied to the local electric grid.

19. The system according to claim 18, further comprising a plurality of smart energy storage units in communication with one another, wherein the amount of energy being supplied to zero out the sensed amount of energy is supplied by at least a portion of the plurality of storage units.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein one of the plurality of smart energy storage units is configured so as to be the master controlling unit thereby controlling the charging and discharging of the other units of the plurality of energy storage units.