METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING AN ENERGY CONSUMING LOAD
First Claim
1. A method for managing a group of energy consuming loads comprising a plurality of loads, the method comprising:
- (a) generating a set of load state data from each of the loads in the group of loads, wherein at least one of the loads in the group of loads is comprised of a discretionary load, wherein each of the loads in the group of loads has a duty cycle, and wherein the duty cycle for at least one of the discretionary loads is less than 100 percent;
(b) making an enablement state decision for each of the loads using the sets of load state data from the loads, wherein each of the enablement state decisions reflects an enablement state of a corresponding load in the group of loads, wherein the enablement state is either a load enabled state or a load disabled state, wherein the load enabled state is a state where the corresponding load is capable of operating even when the corresponding load is not actually operating, and wherein the load disabled state is a state where the corresponding load is not capable of operating; and
(c) implementing the enablement state decisions.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for managing an energy consuming load in a group of energy consuming loads and a method for managing the group of energy consuming loads. The method includes generating sets of load state data from the loads, making enablement state decisions for one or more loads using the sets of load state data, and implementing the enablement state decisions. An apparatus for managing an energy consuming load in a group of energy consuming loads, including a transmitter, a receiver, a processor for processing sets of load state data to make an enablement state decision for the load, and a controller for implementing the enablement state decision. A method for managing an enablement state of an energy consuming load, including assigning an assigned duty cycle to the load, determining a load enabled utilization value for the load, and adjusting the assigned duty cycle using the load enabled utilization value.
-
Citations
130 Claims
-
1. A method for managing a group of energy consuming loads comprising a plurality of loads, the method comprising:
-
(a) generating a set of load state data from each of the loads in the group of loads, wherein at least one of the loads in the group of loads is comprised of a discretionary load, wherein each of the loads in the group of loads has a duty cycle, and wherein the duty cycle for at least one of the discretionary loads is less than 100 percent; (b) making an enablement state decision for each of the loads using the sets of load state data from the loads, wherein each of the enablement state decisions reflects an enablement state of a corresponding load in the group of loads, wherein the enablement state is either a load enabled state or a load disabled state, wherein the load enabled state is a state where the corresponding load is capable of operating even when the corresponding load is not actually operating, and wherein the load disabled state is a state where the corresponding load is not capable of operating; and (c) implementing the enablement state decisions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 43, 44)
-
-
24. A method for managing an energy consuming load in a group of energy consuming loads comprising the load and a plurality of other loads, the method comprising:
-
(a) generating a set of load state data from the load, wherein the load is comprised of a discretionary load, wherein the load has a duty cycle and wherein the duty cycle for the load is less than 100 percent; (b) compiling the set of load state data generated from the load with sets of load state data generated from the other loads; (c) making an enablement state decision for the load using the compiled sets of load state data, wherein the enablement state decision reflects an enablement state of the load, wherein the enablement state is either a load enabled state or a load disabled state, wherein the load enabled state is a state where the load is capable of operating even when the load is not actually operating, and wherein the load disabled state is a state where the load is not capable of operating; and (d) implementing the enablement state decision for the load. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
-
-
45. An apparatus for managing an energy consuming load in a group of energy consuming loads comprising the load and a plurality of other loads, the apparatus comprising:
-
(a) a transmitter configured to transmit a set of load state data generated from the load; (b) a receiver configured to receive sets of load state data generated from the other loads; (c) a processor configured to generate the set of load state data from the load, to compile the set of load state data from the load with the sets of load state data from the other loads, and to process the compiled sets of load state data in order to make an enablement state decision for the load, wherein the enablement state decision reflects an enablement state of the load, wherein the enablement state is either a load enabled state or a load disabled state, wherein the load enabled state is a state where the load is capable of operating even when the load is not actually operating, and wherein the load disabled state is a state where the corresponding load is not capable of operating; and (d) a controller for implementing the enablement state decision. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
-
-
60. A computer readable medium providing computer readable instructions for directing a processor to make an enablement state decision reflecting an enablement state of an energy consuming load in a group of energy consuming loads comprising the load and a plurality of other loads, wherein the enablement state is either a load enabled state or a load disabled state, wherein the load enabled state is a state where the load is capable of operating even when the load is not actually operating, and wherein the load disabled state is a state where the load is not capable of operating, the instructions comprising:
-
(a) generating a set of load state data from the load; (b) compiling the set of load state data from the load with sets of load state data from the other loads; and (c) processing the compiled sets of load state data in order to make the enablement state decision. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
-
-
69. An apparatus for making an enablement state decision reflecting an enablement state of an energy consuming load in a group of energy consuming loads comprising the load and a plurality of other loads, wherein the enablement state is either a load enabled state or a load disabled state, wherein the load enabled state is a state where the load is capable of operating even when the load is not actually operating, and wherein the load disabled state is a state where the load is not capable of operating, the apparatus comprising a processor programmed to:
-
(a) generate a set of load state data from the load; (b) compile the set of load state data from the load with sets of load state data from the other loads; and (c) process the compiled sets of load state data in order to make the enablement state decision. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77)
-
-
78. A method for managing an enablement state of an energy consuming load, wherein the enablement state is either a load enabled state or a load disabled state, wherein the load enabled state is a state where the load is capable of operating even when the load is not actually operating, and wherein the load disabled state is a state where the load is not capable of operating, the method comprising:
-
(a) assigning an assigned duty cycle to the load which represents a percentage of time that the load is in the load enabled state; (b) determining a load enabled utilization value for the load, wherein the load enabled utilization value provides an indication of an extent to which the load is actually operating while the load is in the load enabled state; and (c) adjusting the assigned duty cycle for the load using the load enabled utilization value. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94)
-
-
95. A computer readable medium providing computer readable instructions for directing a processor to manage an enablement state of an energy consuming load, wherein the enablement state is either a load enabled state or a load disabled state, wherein the load enabled state is a state where the load is capable of operating even when the load is not actually operating, and wherein the load disabled state is a state where the load is not capable of operating, the instructions comprising:
-
(a) assigning an assigned duty cycle to the load which represents a percentage of time that the load is in the load enabled state; (b) determining a load enabled utilization value for the load, wherein the load enabled utilization value provides an indication of an extent to which the load is actually operating while the load is in the load enabled state; and (c) adjusting the assigned duty cycle for the load using the load enabled utilization value. - View Dependent Claims (96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112)
-
-
113. An apparatus for managing an enablement state of an energy consuming load, wherein the enablement state is either a load enabled state or a load disabled state, wherein the load enabled state is a state where the load is capable of operating even when the load is not actually operating, and Wherein the load disabled state is a state where the load is not capable of operating, the apparatus comprising a processor programmed to:
-
(a) assign an assigned duty cycle to the load which represents a percentage of time that the load is in the load enabled state; (b) determine a load enabled utilization value for the load, wherein the load enabled utilization value provides an indication of an extent to which the load is actually operating while the load is in the load enabled state; and (c) adjust the assigned duty cycle for the load using the load enabled utilization value. - View Dependent Claims (114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130)
-
Specification