Reducing Conversion Losses and Minimizing Load Via Appliance Level Distributed Storage

• US 20140361748A1
• Filed: 06/11/2013
• Published: 12/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, Universiti Brunei Darussalam
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, Universiti Brunei Darussalam
• Inventors: Mylavarapu, Swarnalatha, Charbiwala, Zainul, Ghai, Sunil, Seetharamakrish, Devasenapathi P., Chee Ming, Jimmy Lim
• Granted Patent: US 10,630,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/134
• 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: H02J 3/34 Arrangements for transfer of electric power between networks of substantially different frequency
• 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 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/062 for AC powered loads
• 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: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/248 UPS systems or standby or emergency generators

Abstract

Techniques, systems, and articles of manufacture for reducing conversion losses and minimizing load via appliance level distributed storage. A method includes identifying an alternating current power source associated with a direct current-powered device, determining a storage scheme for storing direct current power, converted from alternating current power input from the identified alternating current power source, in a local storage component associated with the direct current-powered device, and managing output of direct current power to the direct current-powered device based on the storage scheme and the identified alternating current power source.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying an alternating current power source associated with a direct current-powered device;

determining a storage scheme for storing direct current power, converted from alternating current power input from the identified alternating current power source, in a local storage component associated with the direct current-powered device; and

managing output of direct current power to the direct current-powered device based on the storage scheme and the identified alternating current power source;

wherein at least one of the steps is carried out by a computer device.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

dynamically determining one or more operating parameters of the direct current-powered device based on the identified alternating current power source.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying comprises identifying an alternating current power source associated with a direct current-powered device in real-time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying comprises measuring a power supply frequency of an alternating current power source at the direct current-powered device level.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying comprises measuring a power supply voltage magnitude of an alternating current power source at the direct current-powered device level.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said alternating current power source comprises a power grid.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said alternating current power source comprises a generator and/or an inverter.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining a storage scheme comprises identifying one or more user preferences.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining a storage scheme comprises determining a minimum charging threshold to be maintained at the local storage component associated with the direct current-powered device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining a storage scheme comprises determining one or more power availability patterns associated with the identified alternating current power source.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said determining one or more power availability patterns comprises determining a timing pattern of power outages associated with the identified alternating current power source.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining a storage scheme comprises determining one or more power demand patterns associated with the direct current-powered device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining a storage scheme comprises determining a time of use pricing scheme associated with the identified alternating current power source.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said managing comprises managing output of direct current power to the direct current-powered device to reduce load on the identified alternating current power source.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said managing comprises managing output of direct current power to the direct current-powered device to increase availability of the direct current-powered device for a user.

16. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable instructions tangibly embodied thereon which, when implemented, cause a computer to carry out a plurality of method steps comprising:

identifying an alternating current power source associated with a direct current-powered device;

determining a storage scheme for storing direct current power, converted from alternating current power input from the identified alternating current power source, in a local storage component associated with the direct current-powered device; and

managing output of direct current power to the direct current-powered device based on the storage scheme and the identified alternating current power source.

17. A system comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured for;

identifying an alternating current power source associated with a direct current-powered device;

determining a storage scheme for storing direct current power, converted from alternating current power input from the identified alternating current power source, in a local storage component associated with the direct current-powered device; and

managing output of direct current power to the direct current-powered device based on the storage scheme and the identified alternating current power source.

18. A system comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory; and

one or more modules executing on the at least one processor, wherein the one or more modules comprise;

a module to measure a power supply frequency of an alternating current power source at a direct current-powered device level and/or a power supply voltage magnitude of an alternating current power source at the direct current-powered device level;

a module to identify an alternating current power source associated with the direct current-powered device based on said measured power supply frequency and/or power supply voltage magnitude;

a module to schedule a battery charging scheme for storing direct current power, converted from alternating current power input from the identified alternating current power source, in a battery component associated with the direct current-powered device; and

a module to manage output of direct current power, based on the schedule, to the direct current-powered device from the battery component and from direct current power converted from alternating current power input from the identified alternating current power source.

19. A method comprising:

identifying an alternating current power source associated with an alternating current-powered device;

dynamically determining one or more operating parameters of the alternating current-powered device based on the identified alternating current power source; and

managing output of alternating current power to the alternating current-powered device based on the determined one or more operating parameters of the alternating current-powered device and the identified alternating current power source;

wherein at least one of the steps is carried out by a computer device.