SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR SCHEDULING POWER USAGE

• US 20090200867A1
• Filed: 02/07/2008
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Katz, Jeffrey, Marmigere, Gerard, Bauchot, Frederic
• Granted Patent: US 7,821,156 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/40
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00009 using pulsed signals
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/10 The network having a local or delimited stationary reach
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/54 according to a pre-established time schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/144 Demand-response operation of the power transmission or distribution network
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/12 characterised by data transport means between the monitoring, controlling or managing units and monitored, controlled or operated electrical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission

Abstract

A system for scheduling electric power consumption cycles is provided. A consumption cycle is a time period of human scale, minutes or hours typically, rather than an electrical cycle. The system includes an electric-powered device driven by power supplied by an electric power network. The system also includes a consumption cycle data (CCD) requesting module communicatively linked to the electric-powered device. The link may use electric power lines via methods such as Broadband over Power Line, or may be wireless. The CCD requesting module is configured to generate a CCD request requesting allocation of electric power from the electric power network. Additionally, the system includes an electric power network node electrically connected to the electric-powered device from which electric power is conveyed to the electric-powered device. The system also includes a CCD responding module communicatively linked to the CCD requesting module. The CCD responding module is configured to determine whether the request for allocation of power can be granted subject to a predetermined capacity constraint.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for scheduling electric power consumption cycles, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of device-specific consumption cycle data (CCD) requests, wherein each CCD request uniquely corresponds to an electric-powered device and specifies for the corresponding device a required power consumption capacity and power consumption duration;

responding to the plurality of CCD requests by determining which requests can be granted subject to a predetermined capacity constraint of a power network to which each device is communicatively linked; and

conveying to each device corresponding to a granted CCD request a signal indicating a start time for beginning a corresponding power consumption cycle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein responding comprises determining a maximum number of requests that can be granted subject to the predetermined capacity constraint

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving at least one CCD request at a meter communicatively linked to at least one of the devices and, if one or more previous CCD requests have been granted at the meter, determining whether a time is available within a pre-specified period during which the at least one CCD request can be granted at the meter without exceeding a ceiling capacity of the meter.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising conveying the at least one CCD request to a station communicatively linked to the meter if it is determined that the at least one CCD request can be granted at the meter without exceeding a ceiling capacity of the meter.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining at the station whether the at least one CCD request can be granted without exceeding the predetermined capacity constraint of the power network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining a CCD scheduling table at a meter communicatively linked to at least some of the electric powered devices, and updating the table in response to receiving at the meter a signal indicating a start time for beginning a power consumption cycle by a device communicatively linked to the meter.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising scheduling a next-to-occur consumption cycle at a device corresponding to a CCD granted request, the scheduling being based upon the signal indicating a start time for beginning a corresponding power consumption cycle.

8. A method for scheduling an electric power consumption cycle, the method comprising:

generating a consumption cycle data (CCD) request at a device connected to a power network, the CCD request comprising a device identifier, a required power consumption capacity, and a power consumption duration and requesting an allocation of power during a specified time period;

conveying the CCD request to a node communicatively linked to the device and to the power network;

receiving a CCD reply from the node; and

scheduling a next-to-occur consumption cycle based upon the CCD reply if the CCD reply indicates that the CCD request can be granted subject a predetermined capacity constraint.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising generating a user-directed message if the CCD request can not be granted subject the predetermined capacity constraint.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising specifying in the CCD reply an alternate time period if the CCD request can not be granted subject the predetermined capacity constraint.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising verifying that the CCD reply contains the device identifier.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising, if the station has conveyed the CCD to the upstream station:

receiving a CCD reply from the upstream station;

if the CCD reply is a positive reply granting the CCD request to the device, updating a scheduling table based upon data contained in the positive reply; and

conveying the positive reply to the device, the positive reply specifying a time for the device to initiate power consumption requested in the CCD request.

12. A method for scheduling electric power consumption cycles, the method comprising:

receiving a device-specific consumption cycle data (CCD) request at a station communicatively linked to an electric-powered device and an electric power network, wherein the CCD request comprises a device identifier corresponding to the device, a required power consumption capacity, and a power consumption duration;

responding to the CCD request by determining whether the CCD request can be granted subject to a predetermined capacity constraint;

if the request can be granted and the station is connected to an upstream station, conveying the CCD request to the upstream station; and

if the station is not connected to an upstream station, conveying a positive CCD reply granting the CCD request to the device if the request can be granted or otherwise conveying a negative CCD reply denying the CCD request if the request can not be granted.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the capacity constraint comprises at least one among a physical constraint and a contractually-imposed constraint.

15. A system for scheduling electric power consumption cycles, the system comprising:

an electric-powered device driven by power supplied by an electric power network;

a consumption cycle data (CCD) requesting module communicatively linked to the electric-powered device, wherein the (CCD) requesting module is configured to generate a consumption cycle data (CCD) request requesting allocation of electric power from the electric power network;

an electric power network node electrically connected to the electric-powered device from which electric power is conveyed to the electric-powered device; and

CCD responding module communicatively linked to the CCD requesting module, wherein the CCD responding module is configured to determine whether the request for allocation of power can be granted subject to a predetermined capacity constraint.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the electric power network node comprises a meter, and wherein the CCD responding module is configured to determine whether the request for allocation of power can be granted by comparing the request to a schedule of previously granted requests for an allocation of power received from other electric-powered devices and, based on the comparison, determining whether the request for allocation of power can be granted subject to the predetermined capacity constraint, the predetermined capacity constraint being a predetermined ceiling capacity of the meter, based upon a schedule of already-granted requests for allocation of power from other electric-powered devices connected to the meter.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the meter is configured to convey the CCD request to an upstream electric power network node if there exists at least one time at which electric power can be allocated to the electric-powered device without exceeding the ceiling capacity of the meter.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the CCD responding module is further configured to update the schedule if the request for allocation of power is granted.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the electric power network node comprises a terminal node, and wherein the terminal node is configured to convey a CCD response message indicating a time for the electric-powered device to initiate an electric power consumption cycle if it is determined that the request for allocation of power can be granted subject to the predetermined capacity constraint, the predetermined capacity constraint being a predetermined ceiling capacity of the electric power network, based upon a schedule of already-granted requests for allocation of power from other electric-powered devices connected to the electric power network.