SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SMART CHARGING TECHNIQUES, VALUE AND GUARANTEE

• US 20130184886A1
• Filed: 12/31/2012
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gridpoint (Twenty First Century Utilities LLC)
• Original Assignee: Gridpoint (Twenty First Century Utilities LLC)
• Inventors: Pollack, Seth B., Bridges, Seth W.
• Granted Patent: US 10,843,580 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/291
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/64 Optimising energy costs, e.g. responding to electricity rates
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/00 Control of flow ratio control of chemical or physico-chemical variables, e.g. pH-value, G05D21/00; control of humidity G05D22/00; control of temperature by varying the mixing ratio of two fluids having different temperatures G05D23/13; control of viscosity G05D24/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0208 Trade or exchange of goods or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 : the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]
• 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 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 : Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

A system and methods that enables smart charging for electric resources. A smart charging method may include smart charging customer guarantees. The charging behavior guarantee may comprise a guaranteed charging schedule that matches a regular charging schedule of an electric resource and provides power flow flexibility. A smart charging method may also include periodically updated schedules. In addition, a smart charging method may manage electric resources via a smart charging benefit analysis. A smart charging benefit may include an impact resulting from the energy management system which is beneficial to an electric resource. A smart charging method may manage the charging behavior of the electric resources on a grid based on the smart charging benefit. Further, a smart charging method may manage electric resources via a smart charging benefit analysis and smart charging customer guarantees. A smart charging method also may schedules with overrides, and may involve a method for local load management in the presence of uncontrolled loads. A smart charging method for managing electric resources may also provide direct control over prices-to-devices enabled devices.

Claims

1. A method for smart charging via periodically updated schedules, comprising the steps:

periodically transmitting a charging schedule via a network from a server to a plurality of electric resources;

receiving, by at least one of the plurality of electric resources, the charging schedule via the network from the server; and

,

replacing a prior charging schedule with the received charging schedule, wherein the prior charging schedule controlled charging behavior for the at least one of the plurality of electric resources.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric resources are distributed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric resources are electric vehicles.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the server is a central energy management server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the charging schedule provides charging behavior for each one of the plurality of electric resources.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the charging schedule defines average power-level constraints for the plurality of electrical resources.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the average power-level constraints are based on a fixed time interval over a time period of charging schedule.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the average power-level constraints are based on a percent of time during a time interval that at least one of the plurality of electrical resources charges at maximum charge power.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the time interval is fixed.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of electrical resources consumes energy at a percent of the maximum charge power during the time interval that the at least one of the plurality of electrical resources charges at the maximum charge power, wherein the percent of the maximum charge power is equivalent to a percent corresponding to a percent of time during the time interval that the at least one of the plurality of electrical resources charges at the maximum charge power.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

immediately enacting the received charging schedule.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing unreported information in a database in the at least one of the plurality of electric resources, wherein the unreported information selected from a group consisting of the following;

energy consumption, current power-level, battery state of charge, or energy transfers.

13-30. -30. (canceled)

31. A method for local load management in the presence of uncontrolled loads, comprising the steps:

receiving, at a server, power levels for a plurality of electric resources, wherein the plurality of electric resources are located at a site;

determining a total power level for the plurality of electric resources, wherein the plurality of electric resources comprise controlled electric resources and uncontrolled electric resources;

determining a controlled power level for the controlled electric resources, wherein the controlled power level is adjustable via the server;

determining an uncontrolled power level for the uncontrolled electric resources based on the total power level and the controlled power level, wherein the uncontrolled power level is unadjustable via the server; and

,

managing the total power level for the plurality of electric resources based on the said determinations, wherein the step of managing the total power level is performed on at least one particular machine, said at least one particular machine comprising at least one physical computing device.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the electric resources are electric vehicles.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of determining the uncontrolled power level is based on a power level variance between the controlled power level and the total power level.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of determining the uncontrolled power level comprises subtracting the controlled power level from the total power level.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of managing the total power level comprises adjusting the controlled power level based on a power level variance between the total power level and the uncontrolled power level.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of managing the total power level comprises decreasing the controlled power level by an amount substantially equal to an increase in the uncontrolled power level.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of managing the total power level comprises increasing the controlled power level by an amount substantially equal to a decrease in the uncontrolled power level.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

preventing the total power level from exceeding a threshold.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the threshold is a maximum capacity of a branch circuit at the site.

40. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of managing the total power level comprises utilizing a branch circuit at the site at approximately maximum capacity.

41. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of managing the total power level comprises reducing an utility demand charge.

42. The method of claim 31, wherein the plurality of electric resources that are located at the site are on a single branch circuit.

43. The method of claim 31, wherein the server has real-time access to the plurality of electric resources.

44. A method for managing electric resources with direct control over prices-to-devices enabled devices, comprising the steps:

determining an energy price for a plurality of electric resources, wherein the plurality of electric resources comprise prices-to-devices enabled electric resources, wherein the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources have configurable rules for determining charging behavior based an energy price;

adjusting the energy price for at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources;

transmitting, from a server, the adjusted energy price to the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources; and

,

managing charging behavior of the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources, wherein the step of managing the charging behavior is performed on at least one particular machine, said at least one particular machine comprising at least one physical computing device.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of adjusting the energy price comprises:

determining a threshold price from the configurable rules for the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources, wherein the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources charges only when the energy price is below the threshold price, wherein the server has access to the configurable rules for determining charging of the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources; and

increasing the energy price above the threshold price, whereby the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources curtails charging.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of adjusting the energy price comprises:

determining a threshold price from the configurable rules for the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources, wherein the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources charges only when the energy price is below the threshold price, wherein the server has access to the configurable rules for determining charging of the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources; and

decreasing the energy price below the threshold price, whereby the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources initiates charging.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of adjusting the energy price comprises:

determining a profile of the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources via a series of progressive price adjustments, wherein the profile comprises profile rules for determining charging behavior of the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources, wherein the configurable rules for determining charging of the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources are unaccessible to the server, wherein the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources has a smart metering device or software;

determining a threshold price from the profile rules for the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources, wherein the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources charges only when the energy price is below the threshold price,

increasing the energy price above the threshold price, whereby the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources curtails charging.

48. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of adjusting the energy price comprises:

determining a profile of the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources via a series of progressive price adjustments, wherein the profile comprises profile rules for determining charging behavior of the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources, wherein the configurable rules for determining charging of the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources are unaccessible to the server, wherein the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources has a smart metering device or software;

determining a threshold price from the profile rules for the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources, wherein the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources charges only when the energy price is below the threshold price,

decreasing the energy price above the threshold price, whereby the at least one of the prices-to-devices enabled electric resources initiates charging.

49-53. -53. (canceled)

54. A method for managing electric resources with smart charging customer guarantees, comprising the steps:

determining a charging behavior guarantee for at least one of a plurality of electric resources, wherein the charging behavior guarantee comprises a guaranteed charging schedule that matches a regular charging schedule of the at least one of the plurality of electric resources, wherein the guaranteed charging schedule provides for power flow flexibility;

transmitting the charging behavior guarantee from a server to the at least one of a plurality of electric resources; and

,

managing charging behavior of the plurality of electric resources based partially on the guaranteed charging schedule, wherein the step of managing the charging behavior is performed on at least one particular machine, said at least one particular machine comprising at least one physical computing device.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the step of managing the charging behavior of the plurality of electric resources comprises:

determining a plurality of charging behavior guarantees for the plurality of electric resources;

determining a charging plan based on each one of the plurality of charging behavior guarantees; and

,

utilizing the charging plan to manage the plurality of electric resources.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein the step of managing the charging behavior of the plurality of electric resources comprises:

moderating power flow to the at least one of the plurality of electric resources based on the guaranteed charging schedule.

57. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

obtaining consent for the charging behavior guarantee from the at least one of the plurality of electric resources.

58-93. -93. (canceled)