METHODS, SYSTEMS, CIRCUITS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR REDUCING PEAK ELECTRICAL DEMAND BY SHIFTING ACTIVATION OF ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES

• US 20100125376A1
• Filed: 01/25/2010
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel Flohr
• Original Assignee: Daniel Flohr
• Inventors: Flohr, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,962,248 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/296
• 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: 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: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances

Abstract

Methods of reducing peak electrical demand at a single customer location of an electrical service provider during at least one time interval during a day can include shifting the activation of a first electrical appliance located at the single customer location from the at least one time interval during a day to a second time interval during which a second electrical appliance is not activated for at least part of the second time interval. Related systems, circuits, and computer program products are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of reducing peak electrical demand at a single customer location of an electrical service provider during at least one time interval during a day, the method comprising:

shifting the activation of a first electrical appliance located at the single customer location from the at least one time interval during a day to a second time interval during which a second electrical appliance is not activated for at least part of the second time interval;

wherein said shifting comprises operations performed using a programmed computer processor circuit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein shifting the activation of the first electrical appliance is based on a determination of the effects of the simultaneous activation of the first and second electrical appliances;

and

wherein shifting the activation of the first electrical appliance is further based on a determination of the effects of the subsequent deactivation of the first and second electrical appliances.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein shifting the activation of the first electrical appliance is determined by a demand management server remote from the single customer location and communicatively coupled, via a network, with the single customer location.

4. The method of claim 3, the method further comprising:

providing a user interface at the single customer location to the demand management server; and

providing input to the demand management server via the user interface;

wherein the input comprises user preferences used by the demand management server to customize the shifting of the activation of the first electrical appliance.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the input further comprises a comfort level specified for the single customer location indicating the user'"'"'s desired level of environmental comfort at the single customer location;

and

wherein the specified comfort level corresponds to the degree of overlapping activation time of the first and second electrical appliances allowed by the demand management server.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein shifting the activation of the first electrical appliance further comprises:

determining a first priority associated with activation of the first electrical appliance;

determining a second priority associated with activation of the second electrical appliance; and

shifting the activation of the first electrical appliance based on a comparison of the first priority and the second priority, such that the appliance with the lower priority is not activated until the appliance with the higher priority is not active.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electrical appliance comprises a water heater.

8. A method of controlling activation of electrical appliances, the method comprising:

reducing overlapping activation time of different electrical appliances located at a single customer location of an electrical service provider during at least one time interval during a day;

wherein said reducing comprises operations performed using a programmed computer processor circuit.

9. A method of controlling electrical appliances used at a customer location, the method comprising:

receiving input indicating environmental parameters associated with use of first and second electrical appliances at the customer location;

asserting a first enable signal, associated with operation of the first electrical appliance, during a first time interval to allow the first electrical appliance to activate to affect at least one of the environmental parameters;

de-asserting the first enable signal before a start of a second time interval immediately subsequent to the first time interval; and

asserting a second enable signal, associated with operation of the second electrical appliance, during the second time interval to allow the second electrical appliance to activate to affect at least another of the environmental parameters;

wherein said receiving, asserting a first enable signal, de-asserting a first enable signal, and asserting a second enable signal comprise operations performed using a programmed computer processor circuit.