SMART GRID APPLIANCE CONTROL
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving consumption data from a plurality of electrical appliances that are plugged into outlets at a first location;
monitoring power usage at the first location including evaluating the received consumption data to identify one or more predetermined conditions in one or more of the plurality of electrical appliances;
evaluating stored data related to power consumption preferences at the first location, the power consumption preferences defining conditions when a consumer associated with the first location has agreed to enable remote control of at least one designated appliance of the plurality of electrical appliances upon an occurrence of one or more predetermined conditions;
determining that the one or more conditions are satisfied based at least in part on the monitoring of the received consumption data for a first appliance of the at least one designated appliances; and
providing a first secure communication to the first appliance to control power consumption based at least in part on the determining.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for controlling small grids of appliances are described. One sample method includes receiving consumption data from a plurality of electrical appliances that are plugged into outlets at a first location and monitoring power usage at the first location. The method includes evaluating the received consumption data to identify one or more predetermined conditions in one or more of the plurality of electrical appliances and evaluating stored data related to power consumption preferences at the first location. The power consumption preferences define conditions when a consumer associated with the first location has agreed to enable remote control of at least one designated appliance upon an occurrence of one or more predetermined conditions. The method includes determining that the one or more conditions are satisfied and to provide a first secure communication to the first appliance to control the power consumption.
35 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving consumption data from a plurality of electrical appliances that are plugged into outlets at a first location; monitoring power usage at the first location including evaluating the received consumption data to identify one or more predetermined conditions in one or more of the plurality of electrical appliances; evaluating stored data related to power consumption preferences at the first location, the power consumption preferences defining conditions when a consumer associated with the first location has agreed to enable remote control of at least one designated appliance of the plurality of electrical appliances upon an occurrence of one or more predetermined conditions; determining that the one or more conditions are satisfied based at least in part on the monitoring of the received consumption data for a first appliance of the at least one designated appliances; and providing a first secure communication to the first appliance to control power consumption based at least in part on the determining. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system comprising:
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a power controller that is configured to be coupled to a power grid at a first location, wherein the first location includes a plurality of appliances coupled to the power grid; the power controller comprises an input interface that receives consumption data from a plurality of electrical appliances that are plugged into outlets at the first location, a monitoring engine that monitors power usage at the first location including evaluating the received consumption data to identify one or more predetermined conditions in one or more of the plurality of electrical appliances, a data set of stored data related to power consumption preferences associated with appliances at the first location, the power consumption preferences defining conditions where a consumer associated with the first location has agreed to enable the remote control of at least one designated appliance of the plurality of electrical appliances upon an occurrence of one or more predetermined conditions, a detector that determines that the one or more predetermined conditions are satisfied based at least in part on the received consumption data for a first appliance of the at least one designated appliance of the plurality of electrical appliances, and a security device that provides a first secure communication to the first appliance to control power consumption based at least in part on the determination; one or more local controllers coupled to or integrated with respective ones of the plurality of electrical appliances that receive the first secure communication and act to adjust the power consumption in response thereto; and a first network that couples the one or more local controllers to the power controller. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method comprising:
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plugging an appliance into a power grid at a location; after plugging in, automatically configuring the appliance to communicate with a power controller including establishing a secure communication link with the power controller over lines used to power the appliance or over airwaves using a wireless communication link; receiving a command from the power controller over the secure communication link to change an operation mode or a power configuration of the appliance in response to an occurrence of a predetermined set of conditions that relate to power consumption of the appliance; and changing the operation mode or power configuration of the appliance in response to the received command.
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Specification