SCHEDULING USAGE OR PROVISION OF RESOURCES

• US 20110029348A1
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Saffre, Fabrice T.P., Trancik, Jessika
• Granted Patent: US 9,679,339 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/00 Tariff metering apparatus in taximeters G07B13/00; apparatus actuated by coins, cards or the like with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas, or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/063 related to remote communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/008 involving trading of energy or energy transmission rights
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• 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 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

Methods and systems for obtaining a value indicative of resource-related activity in respect of a plurality of devices using a network of metering means arranged to be in communication with one another, the metering means being associated with resource-consuming or resource-providing devices and being arranged to obtain local resource-related activity data therefrom, the method comprising: a first metering means initiating a circulation procedure by sending a token to a downstream metering means, the token comprising an activity field for carrying a value indicative of resource-related activity data; the circulation procedure continuing, until the token has returned to the first metering means, by each downstream metering means in turn receiving the token, updating the activity field in dependence on its own locally-obtained resource-related activity data, and forwarding the token to a further downstream metering means; and once the token has returned to the first metering means, obtaining a value indicative of the combined level of resource-related activity in respect of devices associated with the metering means in said network in dependence on the value carried by the activity field.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining a value indicative of resource-related activity in respect of a plurality of devices, said method using a network of metering means arranged to be in communication with one another, each of a plurality of said metering means being associated with at least one resource-consuming or resource-providing device and being arranged to obtain local resource-related activity data indicative of current levels of consumption or provision of said resource by said device or devices with which said metering means is associated, said method comprising:

a first one of said metering means initiating a circulation procedure by sending a token to a metering means downstream in said network of said first metering means, said token comprising an activity field for carrying a value indicative of resource-related activity data;

said circulation procedure continuing, until said token is received by said first metering means, by each downstream metering means in turn receiving said token, updating said activity field in dependence on its own locally-obtained resource-related activity data such that said activity field carries a value indicative of combined levels of consumption and provision of said resource by devices associated with each metering means by which said token has been received since initiation of the circulation procedure, and forwarding said token to a further downstream metering means;

in the event that said token is received by said first metering means, obtaining a value indicative of the combined level of resource-related activity in respect of devices associated with the metering means in said network in dependence on the value carried by the activity field.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said network of metering means comprises a bounded network of metering means.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said network of metering means comprises a closed loop of metering means.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said first metering means is arranged to be in communication with metering means in a plurality of networks.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein said first metering means is the only metering means in common between the respective networks.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of initiating a circulation procedure is performed in response to receipt of a request from a device with which said metering means is associated.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said resource comprises an energy resource such as electricity, gas, etc.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said resource comprises a physical resource such as water, fuel, etc.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein said resource comprises a computing resource such as bandwidth, computing power, etc.

10. A method of scheduling an activity involving consumption or production of a resource by a device, said method comprising a request for a value indicative of resource-related activity in respect of a resource being provided to a metering means with which said device is associated, a method according to claim 1 being performed with said metering means with which said device is associated acting as the first metering means, whereby to determine a value indicative of resource-related activity in respect of a plurality of devices with which said metering means is associated, then scheduling said activity in dependence on a unit price for the resource determined in dependence on a predetermined function of said value and a predetermined target price for said resource in respect of said activity.

11. A method of scheduling an activity according to claim 10 wherein said scheduling comprises scheduling the start of a resource-consuming activity or scheduling the resumption of a previously interrupted resource-consuming activity in response to a determination that the current unit price is below a predetermined target price, or scheduling the interruption of a resource-consuming activity in response to a determination that the current unit price is above a predetermined target price.

12. A method of scheduling an activity according to claim 10 wherein said scheduling comprises scheduling the start of a resource-providing activity in response to a determination that the current unit price is above a predetermined target price, or scheduling the termination of a resource-providing activity in response to a determination that the current unit price is below a predetermined target price.

13. An apparatus for obtaining a value indicative of resource-related activity in respect of a plurality of devices, said apparatus comprising a network of metering means arranged to be in communication with one another, each of a plurality of said metering means being associated with at least one resource-consuming or resource-providing device, and being arranged to obtain local resource-related activity data indicative of current levels of consumption or provision of said resource by said device or devices with which said metering means is associated, each of said metering means comprising:

circulation procedure initiating means arranged to initiate a circulation procedure by sending a token to a metering means downstream in said network, said token comprising an activity field for carrying a value indicative of resource-related activity data;

circulation procedure continuing means arranged to receive tokens from a metering means upstream in said network, to update said activity field in dependence on its own locally-obtained resource-related activity data such that said activity field carries a value indicative of combined levels of consumption and provision of said resource by devices associated with each metering means by which said token has been received since initiation of the circulation procedure, and to forward said token to a downstream metering means;

value obtaining means arranged to obtain a multiple-device value indicative of the combined level of resource-related activity in respect of devices associated with the metering means in said network in the event that a token is received whose circulation procedure was initiated by said metering means, said multiple-device value being determined in dependence on the value carried by the activity field.

14. A first metering means for obtaining a value indicative of resource-related activity in respect of a plurality of devices, said first metering means being arranged to be in communication with other metering means in a network, each of said metering means being arranged to be associated with at least one resource-consuming or resource-providing device and to obtain local resource-related activity data indicative of current levels of consumption or provision of said resource by said device or devices with which said metering means is associated, said first metering means comprising:

circulation procedure initiating means arranged to initiate a circulation procedure by sending a token to another metering means downstream in said network, said token comprising an activity field for carrying a value indicative of resource-related activity data;

circulation procedure continuing means arranged to receive tokens from another metering means upstream in said network, to update said activity field in dependence on its own locally-obtained resource-related activity data such that said activity field carries a value indicative of combined levels of consumption and provision of said resource by devices associated with each metering means by which said token has been received since initiation of the circulation procedure, and to forward said token to a downstream metering means;

value obtaining means arranged to obtain a multiple-device value indicative of the combined level of resource-related activity in respect of devices associated with the metering means in said network in the event that a token is received by said first metering means whose circulation procedure was initiated by said first metering means, said multiple-device value being determined in dependence on the value carried by the activity field.