Centralized Energy Management in Distributed Systems

• US 20100100252A1
• Filed: 10/21/2008
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Kradjel, Howard G, Greenberg, Robert Laurence, Michaelis, Paul Roller
• Application Number:
  US12/255,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20100100252A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00006 characterised by information or instructions transport means between the monitoring, controlling or managing units and monitored, controlled or operated power network element or electrical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/58 The condition being electrical
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/28 Arrangements for balancing of the load in a network by storage of energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• 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 20/12 Energy storage units, uninterruptible power supply [UPS] systems or standby or emergency generators, e.g. in the last power distribution stages
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• 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

Abstract

A distributed system of appliances that comprises a centralized energy-use controller to coordinate the use of energy among a plurality of distributed and interconnected appliances is disclosed. For example, the centralized controller directs when each appliance refrains from using energy from its energy-storage device during intervals when the energy-storage device is capable of providing energy to the appliance but the centralized power supply is not, and when each appliance can consume energy from its energy-storage device during intervals when both the energy-storage device and the centralized power supply are capable of providing power to the appliance.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

(1) a first appliance associated with a first energy-storage device;

(2) a second appliance associated with a second energy-storage device;

(3) a power supply for providing energy to the first appliance and the second appliance; and

(4) an energy-use controller for directing;

(i) when the first appliance consumes energy from the power supply,

(ii) when the first appliance consumes energy from the first energy-storage device, and

(iii) when the first appliance recharges the first energy-storage device,

(iv) when the second appliance consumes energy from the power supply,

(v) when the second appliance consumes energy from the second energy-storage device, and

(vi) when the second appliance recharges the second energy-storage device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller also directs:

(vii) when the first appliance takes energy from the first energy-storage device during intervals when both the power supply and the first energy-storage device are capable of providing energy to the first appliance, and

(viii) when the second appliance takes energy from the second energy-storage device during intervals when both the power supply and the second energy-storage device are capable of providing energy to the second appliance.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller also directs:

(vii) when the first appliance is to refrain from taking energy from the first energy-storage device during intervals when the first energy-storage device is capable of providing energy to the first appliance but the power supply is not capable of providing energy to the first device, and

(viii) when the second appliance is to refrain from taking energy from the second energy-storage device during intervals when the second energy-storage device is capable of providing energy to the second appliance but the power supply is not capable of providing energy to the second device.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller also directs:

(vii) the first appliance to consume energy for a first use and to refrain from consuming energy for a second use, and

(viii) the second appliance to consume energy for the first use and to refrain from consuming energy for the second use.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising (5) a telecommunications switch for coordinating communication between the first appliance and the second appliance.

3. (canceled)

7. A method comprising:

directing when a first appliance takes energy from a first energy-storage device during intervals when both a power supply and the first energy-storage device are capable of providing energy to the first appliance; and

directing when a second appliance takes energy from a second energy-storage device during intervals when both the power supply and the second energy-storage device are capable of providing energy to the second appliance.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

directing when the first appliance is to refrain from taking energy from the first energy-storage device during intervals when the first energy-storage device is capable of providing energy to the first appliance but the power supply is not capable of providing energy to the first device, and

directing when the second appliance is to refrain from taking energy from the second energy-storage device during intervals when the second energy-storage device is capable of providing energy to the second appliance but the power supply is not capable of providing energy to the second device.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

directing the first appliance to consume energy for a first use and to refrain from consuming energy for a second use, and

directing the second appliance to consume energy for the first use and to refrain from consuming energy for the second use.

8. (canceled)

11. A method comprising:

directing when a first appliance is to refrain from taking energy from a first energy-storage device during intervals when a first energy-storage device is capable of providing energy to the first appliance but a power supply is not capable of providing energy to the first device, and

directing when a second appliance is to refrain from taking energy from a second energy-storage device during intervals when the second energy-storage device is capable of providing energy to the second appliance but the power supply is not capable of providing energy to the second device.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

directing the first appliance to consume energy for a first use and to refrain from consuming energy for a second use, and

directing the second appliance to consume energy for the first use and to refrain from consuming energy for the second use.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising coordinating communication between the first appliance and the second appliance.

12. (canceled)

15. A method comprising directing from a controller:

(i) when a first appliance can consume energy from a power supply, a first energy-storage device, and a second energy-storage device, and

(ii) when a second appliance can consume energy from the power supply, the first energy-storage device, and the second energy-storage device, and

(iii) when the first appliance recharges the first energy-storage device with energy from the power supply, and

(iv) when the second appliance recharges the second energy-storage device with energy from the power supply.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising directing from the controller:

(v) when the first appliance takes energy from the first energy-storage device during intervals when both the power supply and the first energy-storage device are capable of providing energy to the first appliance, and

(vi) when the second appliance takes energy from the second energy-storage device during intervals when both the power supply and the second energy-storage device are capable of providing energy to the second appliance.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising directing from the controller:

(v) when the first appliance is to refrain from taking energy from the first energy-storage device during intervals when the first energy-storage device is capable of providing energy to the first appliance but the power supply is not capable of providing energy to the first device, and

(vi) when the second appliance is to refrain from taking energy from the second energy-storage device during intervals when the second energy-storage device is capable of providing energy to the second appliance but the power supply is not capable of providing energy to the second device.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising directing from the controller:

(v) the first appliance to consume energy for a first use and to refrain from consuming energy for a second use, and

(vi) the second appliance to consume energy for the first use and to refrain from consuming energy for the second use.

17. (canceled)