Configurable architecture for controlling delivery and/or usage of a commodity
First Claim
1. A method for providing at least one program to a customer of an energy provider of a commodity, the program aimed at managing demand for the commodity, the energy provider delivering the commodity to at least one customer site, the customer site having a plurality of devices which use the commodity, including the steps of:
- providing a gateway node for providing communication between the energy provider and the customer site;
providing a plurality of control nodes, each of the plurality of devices having a corresponding control node;
defining a program having a subset of the plurality of devices for which usage of the commodity may be managed by activating the program;
structuring the plurality of control nodes into a group corresponding to the subset of the plurality of devices;
allowing the customer to subscribe to the program; and
, delivering the commodity to the subset of devices.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method manage delivery of energy from a distribution network to one or more sites. Each site has at least one device coupled to the distribution network. The at least one device controllably consumes energy. The system includes a node and a control system. The node is coupled to the at least one device for sensing and controlling energy delivered to the device. A control system is coupled to the node and distribution network for delivering to the node at least one characteristic of the distribution network. The node for controls the supply of energy to the device as a function of the at least one characteristic.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for providing at least one program to a customer of an energy provider of a commodity, the program aimed at managing demand for the commodity, the energy provider delivering the commodity to at least one customer site, the customer site having a plurality of devices which use the commodity, including the steps of:
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providing a gateway node for providing communication between the energy provider and the customer site;
providing a plurality of control nodes, each of the plurality of devices having a corresponding control node;
defining a program having a subset of the plurality of devices for which usage of the commodity may be managed by activating the program;
structuring the plurality of control nodes into a group corresponding to the subset of the plurality of devices;
allowing the customer to subscribe to the program; and
,delivering the commodity to the subset of devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for providing a program to a customer of an energy provider of a commodity, the energy provider delivering the commodity to at least one customer site, the customer site having a plurality of devices which use the commodity, the program aimed at managing demand for the commodity and having a subset of the plurality of devices for which usage of the commodity may be managed by activating the program, comprising:
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a user interface for allowing the customer to subscribe to the program;
a distribution network coupled to the subset of devices for delivering the commodity to the subset of devices;
a gateway node coupled to the energy provider and the customer site for providing communication therebetween;
a plurality of control nodes, each control node coupled to a corresponding device, the plurality of control nodes being structured into a group corresponding to the subset of the plurality of devices. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for providing at least one program to a customer of an energy provider of a commodity, the energy provider delivering the commodity to at least one customer site, the customer site having a plurality of devices which use the commodity, the program aimed at managing demand for the commodity and having a subset of the plurality of devices for which usage of the commodity may be managed by activating the program, comprising:
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a user interface for allowing the customer to subscribe to the program;
a distribution network coupled to the subset of devices for delivering the commodity to the subset of devices;
a gateway node coupled to the energy provider and the customer site for providing communication therebetween;
a plurality of control nodes, each control one node coupled to a corresponding device and to the gateway node; and
,a control system coupled to the user interface, the distribution network, and the gateway node for controlling delivery of the commodity and for activating the program, the control nodes being structured into a group corresponding to the subset of the plurality of devices. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification