Load control unit in communication with a fixed network meter reading system

• US 20070205915A1
• Filed: 02/16/2006
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elster Electricity LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Elster Electricity LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Mason, Robert, Borleske, Andrew, Shuey, Kenneth, Hart, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,545,285 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.20
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/12 Determination or prediction of behaviour, e.g. likely power consumption or unusual usage patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/45 Utility meters networked together within a single building
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A load control system that communicates with existing automated meter reading communications systems to interrupt and shed loads at a customer location. The system includes a master controller that listens to communications between a utility meter and the reading system. The controller receives tier and/or pricing information and will instruct a load control unit to interrupt certain loads based on the information. In addition, the system may be employed as a load shedding system where a command may be forwarded to the master controller to disconnect loads based on action levels. The command may be sent via a TCP/IP communications system to a node in the reading system and the forwarded via a radio network to the master controller to reduce latency. Predictive shedding may be performed based on forecast loads.

Claims

1. A method of reducing commodity consumption at a customer location, comprising:

providing a master controller in communication with a fixed radio automated meter reading network;

providing at least one load control unit;

downloading configuration data defining loads to be interrupted; and

instructing said load control unit to interrupt a load based on said configuration data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a manual override function to disable the interruption of said load.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

logging each actuation of said manual override function to a log file; and

providing said log file to a utility via said fixed radio automated meter reading network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining tiers within said configuration data where successive tiers interrupt an increasing number of loads via said load control unit.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining pricing data within said configuration;

and instructing said load control unit based on said pricing data.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising instructing said load control unit in accordance with temperature set points in a thermostat.

7. A method of shedding commodity consumption at a customer location, comprising:

providing a master controller in communication with a fixed radio automated meter reading network;

providing at least one load control unit;

receiving a command via said fixed radio automated meter reading network; and

instructing said load control unit to shed predetermined loads based upon receipt of said command.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising instructing said load control unit in accordance with a load management algorithm.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising defining load shedding levels where an increasing number of loads are shed in successive levels;

and

communicating a load shedding level with said command.

10. The method of claim 7, said receiving a command via said fixed radio automated meter reading network comprising:

forecasting load conditions; and

forwarding load shedding times and levels to said master controller in advance of shedding said predetermined loads.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising disconnecting a utility service at said customer location.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving said command via a TCP/IP communication.

13. A load control system for managing loads within a location, comprising:

a master controller in communication with a fixed radio automated meter reading network; and

a load control unit that receives instructions from said master controller to remove predetermined loads based on communications received via said fixed radio automated meter reading network.

14. The load control system of claim 13, wherein tier data is communicated to said master controller where successive tiers define an increasing number of said predetermined loads to be removed via a plurality of load control units.

15. The load control system of claim 13, wherein pricing data is communicated to said master controller and wherein said predetermined loads are removed in accordance with price points set in said pricing data.

16. The load control system of claim 13, further comprising providing a manual override function to prevent the removal of a load.

17. The load control system of claim 16, wherein each actuation of said manual override function is logged and provided to a utility via said fixed radio automated meter reading network.

18. The load control system of claim 13, wherein TCP/IP communications is used to forward a command to a collector, and wherein Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) communications is used to forward said command from said collector to said master controller.

19. The load control system of claim 13, wherein load shedding levels are defined and wherein an increasing number of loads are shed in successive levels by said load control unit.

20. The load control system of claim 13, wherein load shedding times and levels are communicated to said master controller in accordance with forecasts in advance of shedding said predetermined loads.