SYSTEMS, APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING DEMAND-RESPONSE PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
First Claim
1. A method for carrying out a demand response event via an intelligent, network-connected thermostat in a structure, comprising:
- controlling the operation of a cooling system associated with the structure for a characterization period according to an HVAC schedule for the thermostat;
receiving, for the characterization period, information for determining a plurality of physical parameters associated with the structure that are at least partially determinative of a suitability of the structure for participation in a demand response event, wherein said plurality of physical parameters includes;
a cooling capacity of the cooling system relative to a volume of the structure to be cooled by the cooling system; and
a thermal retention characteristic of the structure;
receiving at least one user input characterizing a user amenability to demand response load shifting;
receiving a notification of a demand response event interval defined by the demand response event;
receiving a weather forecast indicating a predicted temperature at the location of the structure for the duration of the demand response interval;
determining an occupancy probability profile for the demand response event interval;
jointly processing information derived from said HVAC schedule, said cooling capacity of the cooling system, said thermal retention characteristic, said user amenability to demand response load shifting, said weather forecast, and said occupancy probability profile to (a) determine whether said structure is qualified to participate in said demand response event, and (b) determine, if said structure is qualified to so participate, a demand response event implementation profile associated with participation in the demand response event; and
controlling, in the event that said structure is determined to be qualified to participate in said demand response event, the cooling system according to said demand response event implementation profile during said demand response event interval.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus, systems, methods, and related computer program products for managing demand-response programs and events. The systems disclosed include an energy management system in operation with an intelligent, network-connected thermostat located at a structure. The thermostat acquires various information about the residence, such as a thermal retention characteristic of the residence, a capacity of an HVAC associated with the residence to cool or heat the residence, a likelihood of the residence being occupied, a forecasted weather, a real-time weather, and a real-time occupancy. Such information is used to manage the energy consumption of the structure during a demand-response event.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method for carrying out a demand response event via an intelligent, network-connected thermostat in a structure, comprising:
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controlling the operation of a cooling system associated with the structure for a characterization period according to an HVAC schedule for the thermostat; receiving, for the characterization period, information for determining a plurality of physical parameters associated with the structure that are at least partially determinative of a suitability of the structure for participation in a demand response event, wherein said plurality of physical parameters includes; a cooling capacity of the cooling system relative to a volume of the structure to be cooled by the cooling system; and a thermal retention characteristic of the structure; receiving at least one user input characterizing a user amenability to demand response load shifting; receiving a notification of a demand response event interval defined by the demand response event; receiving a weather forecast indicating a predicted temperature at the location of the structure for the duration of the demand response interval; determining an occupancy probability profile for the demand response event interval; jointly processing information derived from said HVAC schedule, said cooling capacity of the cooling system, said thermal retention characteristic, said user amenability to demand response load shifting, said weather forecast, and said occupancy probability profile to (a) determine whether said structure is qualified to participate in said demand response event, and (b) determine, if said structure is qualified to so participate, a demand response event implementation profile associated with participation in the demand response event; and controlling, in the event that said structure is determined to be qualified to participate in said demand response event, the cooling system according to said demand response event implementation profile during said demand response event interval. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for encouraging an energy consumer associated with a structure to participate in a demand response event, comprising:
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one or more computer processors accessing a pre-existing HVAC schedule indicating a plurality of setpoint temperatures, the pre-existing HVAC schedule being operative to facilitate control of an HVAC system associated with the structure in accordance with the setpoint temperatures; one or more computer processors determining a demand-response implementation profile associated with a demand response event period defined by the demand response event, the demand-response implementation profile comprising a modified HVAC schedule incorporating one or more changes to the setpoint temperatures indicated by the pre-existing HVAC schedule over the demand response event period; one or more computer processors determining at least one physical parameter associated with the structure that is at least partially determinative of an effectiveness of the structure in supporting a shift of energy consumption from one time interval to another time interval; one or more computer processors calculating one or more metrics indicative of an amount of energy likely to be shifted from the demand response event period to another time period based on the pre-existing HVAC schedule, the demand-response implementation profile, and the at least one physical parameter associated with the structure; and causing the one or more metrics to be communicated to the energy consumer. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for carrying out demand response for a population of structures having environmental cooling systems controlled by a respective population of network-connected thermostats, comprising:
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enrolling a plurality of energy consumers to participate in a demand response program, each said energy consumer being associated with one of the population of structures; determining a demand response event profile defining at least one attribute of an upcoming demand response event included in the demand response program, the at least one attribute including one or more of a time at which the upcoming demand response event is to begin, a demand response event period, and a magnitude of the demand response event; accessing, for each of said plurality of enrolled energy consumers, at least one qualification factor that is at least partially representative of their suitability for participation in the upcoming demand response event; identifying a subset of the plurality of enrolled energy consumers to be offered participation in the upcoming demand response event, the subset being identified by processing said qualification factors in conjunction with said demand response event profile; and causing an offer to participate in the upcoming demand response event to be transmitted to each of the identified subset of enrolled energy consumers. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An intelligent, network-connected thermostat comprising:
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a user interface for displaying information to an energy consumer associated with a structure and receiving user inputs from the energy consumer; a connector for coupling the thermostat to a cooling system associated with the structure; a communications component for communicating with a remote server; a memory for storing a demand response event implementation profile that defines a plurality of setpoint temperatures distributed over a demand response event period of a demand response event, and a processor coupled to the user interface, the connector, the communications component, and the memory, the processor being operable to; control the cooling system to cool the structure in accordance with the setpoint temperatures defined by the demand response event implementation profile over the demand response event period, receive a requested change to one or more of the setpoint temperatures defined by the demand response event implementation profile; determine an impact on energy shifting that would result if the requested change is incorporated into the demand response event implementation profile; and communicate to the energy consumer information indicative of the impact on energy shifting that would result if the requested change is incorporated into the demand response event implementation profile. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An intelligent, network-connected thermostat associated with an energy consumer, the thermostat comprising:
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a housing defining a shape of the network-connected thermostat and including a cavity for receiving one or more components; a connector coupled to the housing for electrically connecting the thermostat to a cooling system associated with the structure; a communications component for communicating with a remote server; and a processor coupled to the communications component and the connector, the processor being operable to; control the cooling system to cool a structure associated with the thermostat in accordance with a plurality of setpoint temperatures defined by a demand response event implementation profile over a demand response event period of a demand response event; monitor at least the electrical connection to the cooling system for tampering activity indicative of an attempt to obviate implementation of the demand response event implementation profile; and perform one or more responses in the event that said tampering activity indicative of an attempt to obviate implementation of the demand response event implementation profile is detected. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification