Active Monitoring and Controlling of Home Loads

• US 20130085622A1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Published: 04/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria Ag (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria Ag (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Marquardt, Kurt, Rossi, Sergio, Cerato, Sandro
• Granted Patent: US 8,892,266 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/12 Determination or prediction of behaviour, e.g. likely power consumption or unusual usage patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/14 Displaying of utility usage with respect to time, e.g. for monitoring evolution of usage or with respect to weather conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• 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 2310/14 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: 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 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading
• 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 load control arrangement includes a communication channel configured to transmit information. A controller unit is coupled to the communication channel and configured to at least one of send and receive information via the communication channel. A load control device is coupled to the communication channel, comprising a disconnect switch configured to be coupled to a power line. The load control device is further configured to determine a power consumption of a load connected to the power line. The load control device provides measurement data representing the determined power consumption via the communication channel to the controller unit. The load control device drives the disconnect switch depending on drive information received via the communication channel or depending on the determined power consumption.

Claims

1. A load control arrangement, comprising:

a communication channel configured to transmit information;

a controller unit coupled to the communication channel and configured to at least one of send and receive information via the communication channel;

a load control device coupled to the communication channel, comprising a disconnect switch configured to be coupled to a power line, wherein the load control device is further configured to determine a power consumption of a load connected to the power line, to provide measurement data representing the determined power consumption via the communication channel to the controller unit, and to drive the disconnect switch depending on drive information received via the communication channel or depending on the determined power consumption.

2. The load control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the communication channel comprises a wireless communication channel.

3. The load control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the communication channel includes a power line.

4. The load control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the load control device is located in one of a fuse box, a socket or a plug.

5. The load control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the load control device further comprises a metrology unit, a controller and a communication device.

6. The load control arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a smart meter coupled to the communication channel and configured to receive data from an energy provider via a power grid and to send this data to the controller unit or the load control device via the communication channel.

7. The load control arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the load control device is further configured to provide the measurement data representing the determined power consumption via the communication channel to the smart meter.

8. The load control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the controller unit is configured to generate results by processing the information and the measurement data received via the communication channel and trigger actions within the load control arrangement based on the results.

9. The load control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the controller unit is further configured to be programmed manually.

10. The load control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the load control device is configured to determine a load current, and to provide measurement data representing the load current to the communication channel.

11. The load control arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the load control device is configured to have a power consumption profile of the load stored therein.

12. The load control arrangement of claim 11, wherein the controller unit is configured to generate drive information for the load control device dependent on the power consumption profile of the load and dependent on the measurement data representing the determined power consumption of the load.

13. The load control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the load control device is further configured to limit a load current depending at least on the information and the measurement data received via the communication channel.

14. The load control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the disconnect switch is a relay or a semiconductor switch.

15. The load control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the load control device is further configured to be connected to a gas or water line and to shut down water or gas flow in the gas or water line, when the disconnect switch is switched off.