Managing Power Utilized Within A Local Power Network

• US 20110202193A1
• Filed: 02/17/2010
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aslan Roaring LLC
• Original Assignee: Inscope Solutions
• Inventors: Pugh, William, Craig, Jason, Cassidy, Kevin, Albarran, Richard Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,437,882 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 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 20/00 Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

Power utilized in a local power network may be managed. The local power network may include a power management system. The power management system may communicate with one or more of a circuit controller, a switch controller, and/or an outlet controller in order to manage power utilization.

Claims

1. A power management system configured to manage power utilization of one or more of loads within a local power network, the power management system communicatively coupled with a circuit controller of a distribution board, the distribution board configured to divide electrical power among one or more circuits each containing at least one load, the circuit controller configured to reversibly effectuate energization and deactivation of the one or more circuits, the system comprising:

one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the computer program modules comprising;

an interface module configured to receive, from a user, a set of power management parameters;

a power conservation module configured to generate instructions for the circuit controller to effectuate energization and deactivation of the one or more circuits, wherein the generated instructions are based at least in part on the power management parameters; and

a communications module configured to transmit the generated instructions from the power management system to the circuit controller via the communicative connection.

2. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the interface module is further configured to provide a graphical user interface to facilitate receiving the set of power management parameters.

3. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the set of power management parameters is received from the user via a processing platform that is entirely discrete and separate from the power management system.

4. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the computer program modules further comprise a power utilization monitoring module configured to determine an amount of power utilized by the at least one load.

5. The power management system of claim 4, wherein the power utilization monitoring module is further configured to calculate an electric bill estimation based at least in part on the amount of power utilized by the at least one load.

6. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the computer program modules further comprise a load identification module configured to obtain an identity of the at least one load, the generated instructions being based at least in part on the identity of the at least one load.

7. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the power conservation module includes a scheduling sub-module configured to manage a schedule associated with the at least one load, the schedule indicative of time periods of energization and deactivation of the one or more circuits, the generated instructions being based at least in part on the schedule.

8. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the power conservation module includes a business rules sub-module configured to manage one or more business rules, the generated instructions based at least in part on the one or more business rules.

9. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the power conservation module includes a usage profile sub-module configured to determine time periods of energization and deactivation of the one or more circuits based at least in part on a usage profile of the at least one load.

10. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the power conservation module includes an artificial intelligence sub-module configured to adaptively manage goals associated with power utilization.

11. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the communicative connection includes a power line that facilitates power line communication.

12. A circuit controller configured to control a distribution board that divides electrical power among one or more circuits each containing at least one load within a local power network, the circuit controller communicatively coupled with a power management system, the power management system configured to generate instructions for the circuit controller to effectuate energization and deactivation of the one or more circuits and to transmit the generated instructions from the power management system to the circuit controller, the circuit controller comprising:

one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the computer program modules comprising;

a communications module configured to receive the generated instructions from the power management system via the communicative connection; and

a circuit regulator module configured to reversibly effectuate energization and deactivation of the one or more circuits in response to the generated instructions.

13. The circuit controller of claim 12, wherein the computer program modules further comprise a power utilization monitoring module configured to determine an indication of an amount of power utilized by the at least one load, and wherein the communications module is further configured to transmit the indication to the power management system.

14. The circuit controller of claim 12, wherein the computer program modules further comprise a load identification module configured to determine an identity of the at least one load, and wherein the communications module is further configured to transmit the identity of the at least one load to the power management system.

15. The circuit controller of claim 12, wherein the generated instructions are based at least in part on the identity of the at least one load.

16. A switch controller configured to control a switch coupled with at least one load within a local power network, the switch controller communicatively coupled with a power management system, the power management system configured to generate instructions for the switch controller to effectuate energization and deactivation of at least one load and to transmit the generated instructions from the power management system to the switch controller, the switch controller comprising:

one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the computer program modules comprising;

a communications module configured to receive the generated instructions from the power management system via the communicative connection; and

a switch regulator module configured to reversibly effectuate energization and deactivation of the at least one load in response to the generated instructions.

17. The switch controller of claim 16, wherein the computer program modules further comprise a power utilization monitoring module configured to determine an indication of an amount of power utilized by the at least one load, and wherein the communications module is further configured to transmit the indication to the power management system.

18. The switch controller of claim 16, wherein the computer program modules further comprise a load identification module configured to determine an identity of the at least one load, and wherein the communications module is further configured to transmit the identity of the at least one load to the power management system.

19. The switch controller of claim 18, wherein the generated instructions are based at least in part on the identity of the at least one load.

20. An outlet controller configured to control an outlet receptacle coupled with at least one load within a local power network, the outlet controller communicatively coupled with a power management system, the power management system configured to generate instructions for the outlet controller to effectuate energization and deactivation of the at least one load and to transmit the generated instructions from the power management system to the outlet controller, the outlet controller comprising:

one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the computer program modules comprising;

a communications module configured to receive the generated instructions from the power management system via the communicative connection; and

an outlet regulator module configured to reversibly effectuate energization and deactivation of the at least one load in response to the generated instructions.

21. The outlet controller of claim 20, wherein the computer program modules further comprise a power utilization monitoring module configured to determine an indication of an amount of power utilized by the at least one load, and wherein the communications module is further configured to transmit the indication to the power management system.

22. The outlet controller of claim 20, wherein the computer program modules further comprise a load identification module configured to determine an identity of the at least one load, and wherein the communications module is further configured to transmit the identity of the at least one load to the power management system.

23. The outlet controller of claim 22, wherein the generated instructions are based at least in part on the identity of the at least one load.