POWER FLOW MEASUREMENT AND MANAGEMENT
First Claim
1. A power flow control device configured for controlling power flow within an electricity distribution network, the electricity distribution network comprising a measurement node, the measurement node being arranged to access a data store storing data indicative of one or more predefined power flow patterns, the electricity distribution network being connected to one or more power units such that a change in consumption and/or provision of electric power by a first power unit results in a change in power flow in the network,wherein the power flow control device is configured to control power flow to and/or from the first power unit in accordance with a control sequence associated with the first power unit, the control sequence corresponding to a first predefined power flow pattern of the one or more predefined power flow patterns, the first predefined power flow pattern being distinct from an intrinsic characteristic of power flow of the first power unit and defining a pattern of control signals for controlling power flow to and/or from the first power unit,thereby providing, in said electricity distribution network, a power flow pattern corresponding to the first predefined power flow pattern and having a characteristic relating to electric power flow to and/or from the first power unit, said characteristic being measurable by the measurement node.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for measuring and/or managing power consumption by power units connected to an electricity distribution network are disclosed. Power flow to and/or from a power unit connected to an electricity distribution network is controlled in accordance with a control sequence, such that the consumption and/or provision of power by the power unit results in a power flow having a predefined flow pattern, and having a characteristic, such as an amplitude, which can be remotely measured. This measurement may be performed using a method in which a signal indicative of power flowing at a measurement node is measured and correlated with a predefined pattern, and a characteristic of the correlated signal is measured. Thus, power flow characteristics resulting from a group of one or more power flow devices can be remotely detected and measured.
10 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A power flow control device configured for controlling power flow within an electricity distribution network, the electricity distribution network comprising a measurement node, the measurement node being arranged to access a data store storing data indicative of one or more predefined power flow patterns, the electricity distribution network being connected to one or more power units such that a change in consumption and/or provision of electric power by a first power unit results in a change in power flow in the network,
wherein the power flow control device is configured to control power flow to and/or from the first power unit in accordance with a control sequence associated with the first power unit, the control sequence corresponding to a first predefined power flow pattern of the one or more predefined power flow patterns, the first predefined power flow pattern being distinct from an intrinsic characteristic of power flow of the first power unit and defining a pattern of control signals for controlling power flow to and/or from the first power unit, thereby providing, in said electricity distribution network, a power flow pattern corresponding to the first predefined power flow pattern and having a characteristic relating to electric power flow to and/or from the first power unit, said characteristic being measurable by the measurement node.
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14. A method of controlling power within an electricity distribution network, the electricity distribution network comprising a measurement node, the measurement node being arranged to access a data store storing data indicative of one or more predefined power flow patterns, the electricity distribution network being connected to one or more power units such that a change in consumption and/or provision of electric power by a first power unit results in a change in power flow in the network, the method comprising:
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controlling, at the power flow control device, power flow to and/or from the first power unit in accordance with a control sequence associated with the first power unit, the control sequence corresponding to a first predefined power flow pattern of the one or more predefined power flow patterns, the first predefined power flow pattern being distinct from an intrinsic characteristic of power flow of the first power unit and defining a pattern of control signals for controlling power flow to and/or from the first power unit, thereby providing, in said electricity distribution network, a power flow pattern corresponding to the first predefined power flow pattern and having a characteristic relating to electric power flow to and/or from the first power unit, said characteristic being measurable by the measurement node.
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15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause a computing device to perform a method of controlling power within an electricity distribution network, the electricity distribution network comprising a measurement node, the measurement node being arranged to access a data store storing data indicative of one or more predefined power flow patterns, the electricity distribution network being connected to one or more power units such that a change in consumption and/or provision of electric power by a first power unit results in a change in power flow in the network, the method comprising:
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controlling, at the power flow control device, power flow to and/or from the first power unit in accordance with a control sequence associated with the first power unit, the control sequence corresponding to a first predefined power flow pattern of the one or more predefined power flow patterns, the first predefined power flow pattern being distinct from an intrinsic characteristic of power flow of the first power unit and defining a pattern of control signals for controlling power flow to and/or from the first power unit, thereby providing, in said electricity distribution network, a power flow pattern corresponding to the first predefined power flow pattern and having a characteristic relating to electric power flow to and/or from the first power unit, said characteristic being measurable by the measurement node.
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Specification