Resource Control System With Local Reallocation

• US 20140336838A1
• Filed: 05/08/2013
• Published: 11/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell Lighting Incorporated (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Litecontrol Corp. (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yon, Jeremy W., Ogg, Jeremy W., Dranchak, David W., Pierce, Mark D., Wilnick, Jean-Denis
• Granted Patent: US 9,506,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/297
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2639 Energy management, use maximum of cheap power, keep peak load low
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

The invention provides a means for allowing an end user to determine how a finite amount of a measurable resource is allocated among the various balanceable and feature zones of control defined within the overall measurable resource control system, and which can be implemented using a wide variety of hardware/components. A control program allows the end user unprecedented flexibility and control to determine how the resource is allocated among the various zones or types of resource use within the application, as long as the total resource consumed does not exceed the predetermined/predefined total maximum allowable resource. When the end user adjusts a feature or balanceable zone level, the control program adjusts the other balanceable zones based on predefined algorithms, when necessary, to ensure that the maximum measurable resource consumed by the system does not exceed the predetermined/predefined overall maximum resource allocation. The invention is scalable and can be infinitely nested.

Claims

1. A control system to allow a user greater control over how much of a measurable resource (MR) is allocated to and within at least one particular zone or area of control, the system comprising:

a) At least one balanceable zone comprising at least one measurable resource-consuming device operatively connected to a source of said measurable resource and operatively connectable to and controllable by a master/system control unit (MSCU);

b) At least one chosen from the group;

a feature zone comprising at least one measurable resource-consuming device connected to a source of said measurable resource and operatively connectable to and controllable by a MSCU, and another balanceable zone different than any of said at least one balanceable zone comprising at least one measurable resource-consuming device connected to a source of said measurable resource and operatively connectable to and controllable by a MSCU;

said feature zone having priority to said measurable resource over said at least one balanceable zone and said another balanceable zone;

said at least one balanceable zone, and said at least one chosen from the group;

a feature zone comprising at least one measurable resource-consuming device connected to a source of said measurable resource and operatively connectable to and controllable by a MSCU, and another balanceable zone different than any of said at least one balanceable zone, chosen ones of which defining “

zones”

;

c) Means for monitoring said measurable resource consumed by at least a portion of at least one of said “

zones”

, said means for monitoring generating a signal representative of said measurable resource consumed thereby, said means for monitoring being operatively connectable to a MSCU;

d) A user interface operatively connectable to a MSCU; and

e) A master/system control unit (MSCU) comprising a control program;

said MSCU operatively connected to said “

zones”

, said means for monitoring and said user interface;

said control program performing/allowing at least one of the actions chosen from the group;

providing a default setting for an initial allocation of measurable resource for each of said “

zones”

, and specifying an initial allocation of measurable resource to be determined for each of said “

zones”

;

said user interface allowing a user to review a current allocation of said measurable resource for at least one of said “

zones”

, and said MSCU being responsive to a request generated from at least said user interface for a change to said current allocation of said measurable resource for at least one of said “

zones”

, thereby allowing said MSCU to respond to said request by reducing said measurable resource allocated to yet another of at least one chosen from the group;

said at least one balanceable zone and said another balanceable zone that is unlocked when the total amount of said measurable resource consumed by said “

zones”

is no greater than the sum of said measurable resource initially allocated to said “

zones”

by said control system.

2. The control system as recited in claim 1, wherein said measurable resource comprises at least one chosen from the group:

electrical power, water, oil, natural gas, steam, and other transportable measurable resources.

3. The control system as recited in claim 1, wherein one of said “

zones”

comprises another control system operatively connected to said control system.

4. The control system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of said “

zones”

is lockable.